Tuesday

STORY: “College Crush" (Flash Fiction Series) By Freddie Betse

 


 Since I began schooling at TV College and got used to explosive words like shooting and rushes, bulletin, burn cd’s. Since I left the peaceful city of Calabar, with nights garnished with the lullaby of chirping crickets, to Jos the city of sweaters and duvets, the city where Keke-Napeps have doors; I have felt homesick , nostalgic, but not until I saw her.

            Since the day I saw her, her bright eyes, lightening, flashing, unsteady like flickering fire, I’ve seen nothing else since then. But the problem, always, is telling her about it.

“About what?” I always ask myself
"About how I feel" I always answer.
“Feel what?” I don’t know exactly.

            I don’t know exactly how to describe that levitating feeling, the indecisive whispering I hear each time I hear her speak. The 3D figure that makes her look like she had been designed by an artist, gives me a pumping heartbeat, like the rhythm of rap music.

            I almost talked to her once. I rehearsed every single thing I know about love, researched on the words that would blow her mind away, but when I officially raised my hands and told her “excuse me” she didn’t reply. I’m still not sure if she purposely didn’t reply or my voice wasn’t audible enough. I tried again, she was walking out of the ATM path and I was right next to the railings, but my lips refused to part. My head seemed preoccupied with thoughts I now consider trivial, cascades of them, hovering over me like gathering dark clouds. I tried yet again, but she had a pack of friends my subconscious transformed into a fearsome entourage, her friends looked terrifying, like they could eat me up in one bite, they passed by, chewing bubble gum like their lives depended on it, their huge behinds swaying from side to side like a wobbling flag. Their pervasive perfume rendered me nervous.

            But I tried once again, making the sign of the cross on my chest, whispering a silent prayer. “Hello “. I muttered.” My name is Betse”.

“I am Winnie” she replied

My prayer worked! Her voice was so sweet, her lips pursed. There was something about her smile, deceptively alluring, like a dead end trap. Her face was questioning. I just realized she was taller than me. I felt like a dwarf.

“How can I help you” she said coldly.

Her words pinned me to the ground. I felt like peeing in my pants. The words came out of her mouth too easily for my liking. I opened my mouths so words could come out. None did. She hissed loudly and left, and in that fleeting moment of confusion, hot embarrassing tears dribbled down my cheeks.



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