THE STAR (I)

He looked at her intently, obviously absorbing every little detail about her. With his guitar strapped across his back, So lost for words and helpless, he turned slowly and started walking away. He could not believe he had gotten to this stage.

All he thought could break his heart was failure to secure a record deal but not a girl. Yayra as he was affectionately called by all and sundry never had a memorable past he could turn to in his moments of despair, so all he concentrated on was the future. Sometimes he even sees himself as the future. He was so optimistic. At other times, he is a big super star living in super stardom with all kind of services at his beck and call.

He was trying to recall how all this started. It was on that airy night in November when he was approached by a very beautiful girl who introduced herself after a performance by the former at a grand party in his neighborhood, Osu. Adventurous as he was, they stroked acquaintance and chatted the night away. They felt so secured in each other’s company that they longed for more. One thing led to another and another that a day never passed by without them seeing each other.

Amanda is a self made business girl who resided in one of the plush residences in the capital city and very much abreast with time. She loved him so much that all she was bent on doing was to make him stay with her and to make sure his dreams come true. She had connections both in the print and in the electronic media.

They both liked each other but had different interests. Amanda actually wanted him around her all the time when all he wanted was a record deal. After what seemed like ages for Yayra, she got her a record deal with the number one record label in the country and that was where all the troubles started.

It is true that money never changes people; it only unmasks their real self. Soon Yayra was making the hits and his name became a household one. His songs escalated all over the place and were a great crowd puller. Granting interviews, press conferences and signing autographs. He could not believe his eyes but he was not shocked either because it is what he had looked forward to, all his life and more. These activities in his life became a bridge between him and Amanda instead. He hardly had time for her and whenever he had, it ended in a brawl.

He actually wanted Amanda off his back. To him he was not being ungrateful. He just thought that, one good turn deserves another and as such it was his hard work that was paying off. He always found an excuse to be away from home especially with his tours and rehearsal sessions. Sometimes he went as far as Europe for about two months and never called her and in instances where she called, she never got a reply. The only thought that crosses his mind on Amanda was how to get rid of her and he was burnt on doing that. One day while recording a jingle for a multimedia company, he received a message on his blackberry PDA.

He quickly read through the message and did not like what he saw. He exclaimed ‘what’? Amanda was pregnant for him.