The 7th annual North West sub county high school science convention was in progress at Victory secondary school, it was the first day of the month of July the year 2016. Almost all the schools from the sub county were in attendance with only the best of their students in a move to carry the competition. The mood in the air was chatty, students from various schools talking and laughing in their small coteries of various colors due to disparity in their school attire. Scott was there to represent his school, Westbrook boy’ the best in the county that time, seated amidst a group of boys dressed in plain white as snow shirts, grey neck ties, black trousers, black shoes matching the black hair on their well shaven heads, with his back at the water tank facing the soccer field staring abstractedly, he was lost in a globe of his own. The surrounding seemed to have little or no impact on him, someone could have thought he was depressed, but he was cognizant of his woes. They were only two at that moment one of which till then, he had never confessed to anyone at least he was going to in the near future. The other one being, he was worried sick like a new partlet of how he had presented his school project to the judges. Scott had missed one vital point, a point he later learnt the hard way could have seen them past the knockout stage.
After presentations in the morning, the afternoon was time to mingle. Some of Scott's Mischievous school mates who had separated from the rest of the flock the minute they stepped foot outside the bus came in with students from their sister school, glowing in their cream bodices, jungle green skirts slightly touching their knee caps, white socks with blue stripes, they were beauteous, exceptional species of the feminine generation a sign of Gods perfect work. After exchanging pleasantries, they joined Westbrook boys’ in a humorous banter on inter schools games, academics, music, TV shows and sex of course, what else do teenagers talk about? On exhausting their topics they seposed in couples for further discussion that did not require team effort. All were matched up with the exception of Scott, he just sat there having contributed less in the banter. He was about to slip back into his little heaven, a life of Riley his head bowed when he heard laughter. Scott looked up and their eyes met before they both looked at the epicenter of the laughter. There was this student who had been slapped by a girl over cheating allegations the guy could not put with the shame so he ran away like a mad bull vanishing behind the classrooms. The dust settled as everyone went back to whatever they were doing. He thought about the girl their eyes met, others were exceptional this one was the fairest of them all. He wasn't sure if she came in with the others or she was there longer than he could ween.
From the look of her meekness, she had no match, he could feel this strong invisible pull towards her, a pull he could only relate to in physics laws and principles or geography forces that led to formation of the earth or something. He was not certain, he had forgotten yet he was a final year physics and geography student, but let's worry about that later.
Back to this girl, He looked at her in a way the mighty lion stalks his prey lying flat on its belly in the savannah grasslands. The look was so familiar, he had seen it in those wildlife documentaries on the national Geographic channel, and this was his chance to make a move. Scott was just about to pounce on his prey when Clyde, his sophisticated classmate showed up, overbearingly grabbed a steel chair and sat opposite to one thing Scott wanted more than anything in the world. He was frustrated, kept his calm but feeling sick in his stomach, seething with rage, uncontrollable ire in his mind.
"Hey sunshine, I didn't catch your name", Clyde said closing up on his prey.
Scott feigned a not interested posture crossing his legs to form a figure Four, his ears paying extra heed to the conversation that was making his pulse race, a doctor could have diagnosed him with Arrhythmia. If he were a lion in the savannah grasslands, he could have eliminated the competition first, the way it happened in the documentaries but he was human, gifted with the power to think rationally that’s what separated him from a wild animal that moment.
“Why can’t you go first ", she asked stealing a glance at Scott.
This was progress, all was not lost after all, and this glance confirmed it to him. He had to be strong wait for mighty king of the jungle to fill his belly, if he decided to leave something for him, then like a scavenger he could settle on the remains of the kill.
"Ok my name is Clyde, from Westbrook boys’", he answered.
"Nice to meet you Clyde, Amanda from Gifted girls’", she said fidgeting on her seat.
Scott was a blazing with jealousy, he wasn't sure how he could be jealous because of someone he hadn't even talked to yet. She did not have some kind of a mark that he had seen in werewolf movies, this mark was a sign that one had already found a mate, the mark was a bite done by the mate himself. For the first time He envied the werewolves, had he been one he could just have marked her right away.
"Nice to meet you too Amanda, was just checking on you, I can see you're sitting all alone", he ginned reaching for her smooth hand.
"That’s so nice of you, thanks", she said shaking back Clyde's hand.
Scott could not stay any longer, in those few seconds he had already thought of being a convicted felon for the things he was planning in his mind, he wanted to leave and seek refuge somewhere else but destiny was on his side, the tide turned. Love was in the air and he couldn’t snob it.
“Hey Scotty boy, keep Amanda here company I have to check what my girl's up to", Clyde suggested leaving a golden opportunity for Scott.
He didn't know where to start or what to say, he went dumb as a stump, it was his time to rule the jungle maybe a last chance of redemption from self-induced lonesome life. Clyde winked at him as he stormed out of their view.
"Hey Amanda, my name is Scott from Freetown", he finally spoke struggling to look at her.
"Amanda from Clove city", she said smiling at him.
The smile made his heart skip a beat, her milky white teeth were well arranged to bring warmth to everyone she smiled at. She looked at him confidently, a look that reminded him of a poem he had written once, ironically he had titled it "Dream girl" he instantly knew it wasn’t a dream anymore, he had found her.
Dream girl
She's very sheen, a fact I can't deny
Her pupil dirt’s in the milky cornea of her eyes,
With them if she stares at me, I won't lie,
She is a beauty yet a humble pie
Mirror! Mirror! Ask no more she's the fairest
Firm legs that carry her petite body,
Can only be compared to Yemi Alade from the west,
Her slender malleable waist,
Tickles my loins into a libidinal hunger,
Like a magnet am attracted her I can’t Elude her radar,
When she smiles even the frigid of my days feel warmer
Her Wimpy laugh transcribes into melodies in my middle ear,
On gloomy days I'll lick her tears, to the last drop
Her presence alone rids me of all my unknown fears,
She’s my resolution all I want by the end of this year
"Ooh nice, I’ve been to Clove city before it’s a magnificent place"
"So you're some kind of an explorer"
"Not really, my uncle works there sometimes I accompany him to work"
"Great, maybe next time you visit we can catch up”
"Are you offering to show me around? “ Scott inquired.
"During the holidays yeah, that can be arranged”
"So how do we meet?”
"I know that trick, are you asking for my cellphone number?” she asked smiling.
"Honestly it’s all I got", said Scott.
This little chit chat so far was a novel experience to him, never before had he conversed with the opposite sex that much. He was on the seventh heaven, Amanda had unlocked the charming and charismatic zeal that was incarcerated by his timidity. He didn't need additional hints, it was vivid he was profoundly in love, He just hoped she felt the spark between them.
“I like guys who give their best"
"Am good at that”
“Says who?”
“Can I have the number or not?” He asked politely without sounding rude.
She laughed on her sleeve and picked up the discourse with extra felicity.
"You have to earn it"
Again, she laughed happily covering her lithe face with her head between her knees to give him a pellucid view of her black lustrous hair tied in a ponytail. He was falling in love with her every minute, dernly absorbing her scent, she smelled nice like roses in the morning.