I sat on my bed, listening to critical advice my senior was giving me. If I didn’t pay attention, I would find myself dating a womanizer — this was a major red flag in my relationship.
“This city is full of suitable and good men you can settle for. The only person you should stay away from is Vin. Don’t judge him by his looks. Looks can be deceiving, you know.” — said Melissa, my senior.
So, there was a possibility that I could fall prey to this vulture man. But, how? “What is it about this man that spells danger? What made you single him out?” I asked
“Listen to what I’m telling you. I want the best for you. I’m not your enemy.” she said.
Her tone was portraying a sense of annoyance. I wanted to understand. The man in question had already worked his magical charms on me. I was already head over heels for him. He made me fall in an instant without even trying.
He had that kind of charm that couldn’t leave my mind no matter how hard I tried. The harder I tried, the more his image stuck in my brain. He acquired some form of comfortable permanency in a special part of my brain.
Besides that, he had a certain aura that he exhibited. It was one that made me desire to stick with him all the time. It was one that drew me closer to him like a magnet. The most frustrating thing about all of this is he did not need to try to be cool. Not even fake it, at least. It all occurred naturally to him.
“Please don’t get me wrong. I don’t know this man as well as you do. You’ve known him longer. I simply want to understand where you are coming from.” I replied.
She laid her back comfortably on one of the chairs. She coughed a little before clearing her throat. Then she proceeded.
“You see, I’m not trying to stop you from doing what is right by you. But, I have to warn you at least. That’s what a good friend does.”
I wished she would get to the point already. Why was she beating around the bush? Or, was there something more to her advice than her wanting the best for me?
“Let me break it down to you in simple terms.” she continued.
“Vin loves women. Not in a good sense, though. He has asked out almost all the girls in this residence –except me. He dated at least half of them.”
What? I couldn’t believe my ears. Was he that bad? She drank from her large glass of water before continuing.
“Well, you see, he isn’t a saint. He uses women for sexual pleasure. Vin is not the loving type. If you are not careful, he will add you to his long list of women.”
This conversation became an eye-opener for my situation. I felt sick to my stomach at that instant. What was I getting myself into? I didn’t know this guy. And, if he was as promiscuous as this lady was portraying, I was in danger. I was at risk of becoming another side chick. And who could tell what he did with all his lovers?
And, I was in danger of destroying my self-worth. I was exposing my heart to severe damage and depression. My blooming relationship with him wasn’t worth it.
The next weekend, Vin invited me for a movie. I felt a little uncomfortable with the invitation. All I wanted was to stay as far away from him as possible. But, I found myself dipping into a bowl of popcorn as The Notebook played in front of our eyes.
“Do you believe in true love?” he asked.
His question sounded as if he wanted to find the easier route to my heart. If he knew what my take on love was, it would be easier for him to devise an effective strategy. I was hesitant for a moment.
“I don’t know.” I paused, realizing my reply was vague.
“ I mean, look at how people go around the topic nowadays; love is rare. I believe it’s still there, but very few experience it.” I continued
“So, tell me what you think about love,” I asked — returning the exact question to him.
“Can I tell you something very crazy,” he said.
That’s not the reply I expected. But he looked a little serious — so I just nodded.
“It’s weird how it feels like I’ve known you all my life. I can’t put my hands on it yet, but there is something special about you. And, I really like you.” he said.
My friend was right about him. Else, why would he dodge such a question? There could only be one explanation. He knew he didn’t do love –and I believed it existed. So, he didn’t want to ruin his chances by telling me his honest opinion.
Near the end of the day, I received a message from him.
I’ve never experienced true love. But, I know about love, and I still take my time to learn more. And, if it was a necessity, I would find my way inside most and many women’s hearts.
But if I’m honest, I want to put all of that into one heart. All the romance I will know and what I know now!It feels like you are big enough to hold all of that. And, you are that one heart.
If you ask how I know, I would say it comes naturally. As if someone would call my name in a crowd of a trillion people, and I would instinctively know it’s me they are calling. That’s how I know it’s you that I want.
Next, he planned a romantic picnic in one of the ancient Roman monuments in the city. I was stuck between fighting my heart and my logical reasoning.
Logic told me to stay away from this dangerous man. My heart yearned for his. I was sitting there battling with my thoughts. He could feel my absence.
“And, where did my Princess escape to this time,” he asked.
I couldn’t hide how I was feeling any longer. I had to be honest with him.
“You’re every woman’s dream. There is no doubt about that. Everything about you seems so perfect. Yet, your reputation is so stained. I can’t imagine myself being with the man I’ve heard you are. I’m sorry.”
He swallowed a large gulp of air. Then he sighed loudly.
“I knew we would get to this point,” he said. He stared away from me. For a moment, he just stared blankly into thin air.
Then he continued. “ My mother taught me how to be a gentleman. She taught me how to treat women right. Sometimes my friendliness can be mistaken for the wrong intentions. They say I’m a womanizer. Yet, I have asked out only but one woman from this town. I’m not trying to act defensively. But, I think whoever told you about me was bitter. It’s probably one of the large crowd of women I turned down. That’s where the bitterness roots from.”
My heart wanted to believe him so much. I wanted to believe he was right and the rumors were wrong. But, my reasoning side was reluctant. I felt trapped.
If you want to experience happiness in life, don’t overthink things. Follow your instincts. They never lie to you.
I believe he saw the frustration on my face, and to comfort me, he said these words:
You see, I am a noble small-town boy, born of a Queen that makes me a ghetto Prince. I’ve been turning scratch into much. You’re no different, I guess — you have that rare wisdom and understanding of the world.
When I call you Princess, I don’t mean to call you sweet names. Indeed you own that title. Able to take over kingdoms. Making records look a bit idle. If you come to think of it, I guess that’s how you and I feel so right. We might take over things. Soaring high. Like mighty eagles!
He was just saying anything and everything. It felt as if he was opening up to me. The connection between us was undeniable. My heart told me to go for it. Yet, I chose to be sure first.
“Well, who knows what tomorrow brings,” I said. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”
He smiled gently and kissed my forehead. Then in a moment, he held a pristine paper, reciting this poem.
Feelings exist and can be changed,
What I have for you is more than feelings,
If I have to harvest my love for you in your tears, then it’s beyond our seeding,
Let this be the beginning of something,
Greater than what we think,
Set me free to love you unconditionally,
Make it easy for you to love me,
God gave you everything to make me love you,
I didn’t mean to cause you pain,
But the universe doesn’t want to stop pulling us together,
If this is not love, then what is it?!
At that moment, I realized something. He wanted me as bad as I wanted him. Maybe this was worth a shot. And unlike I imagined, things took a different turn. Within the end of that month, we became official. My friend never talked to me again. I didn’t care.
I was taking a very bold step that would drastically change my life. Whether it was a positive or negative change, I didn’t know yet. All I knew was that I was in love. He could be dangerous. But he was worth the risk I was taking!
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This post was previously published on Medium.
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