Thread by @GbengaWemimo

It was novels that brought them together
She read voraciously
So did he
She went to see a friend, borrowed three novels, started reading one in the bus
He got in the bs sat right next to her
He watched with envy as she locked out the world
Lost in the book
Lost in his passion

He nudged her
He: What is the title
She told him
He brought out a book from his bag
He: I just finished this novel, it is sure interesting
She looked at the book. Whoa, she had wanted to read the book for years but none of her friends had it and she couldn't afford to buy it

She: I will like to read it
He: I will like to read yours
She: I just borrowed this one
He: Can we exchange?
He alighted at her stop, got to know her house
The novel exchange started
Soon they sat and discuss the novels
What was in the writers mind
She was deep
He was sound

Sometimes she would deliberately study some salient points and researches from the book, just to butress her view
He did the same
They were a perfect match
But she had a man
A bit older than him
A business man
He had been her man for three years
Sponsored her education

He asked her out
She told him about her man, what he had done, he respected that
Her an came around, saw him, told her he doesn't want her to be reading or talking with him
She agreed
He stopped coming
She missed him
She told herself, he has done nothing wrong
Why the enbargo?

She started going to see him
They would read and talk about books, nothing more
Her man found out
Got angry
Reported her to her parents
Called her names
She had done nothing wrong, only read books with a friend
Her man would have none of it
He walked away, "Pick either him or I"

Her mother spoke to her
Her father spoke with her
She had done nothing wrong but appearance and perception was everything
She had to give up her reading friend
She was hurt
She sneaked to her reading friend's house
She: No reading today, just hold me. Please
He did
It rained hard

Her parents invited her man
She has given up the books and him
Arrange to marry her now
She is ready to be yours
He thought it through, "I will be ready in three months, I will do the needful"
He traveled
She kept sneaking into the heavy rain, over and over
She was in love

Her man came back
She greeted him
She greeted her parents
She told them. "I had been sneaking into the rain over and over and now I am pregnant"
I want to marry my soul mate.
He is willing to repay all the money my man spent on my education plus interest"
Her man stormed out

She married him two months later
Her parents had to swallow it
It was her decision
Her life
Both of them were good men but with her man there is a music in a soul and the rain was always heavy.

The end