Sunshine

14| friend

Ah, here she comes, thought Jessica. That rich bitch, as Isobelle would call her.

This afternoon, it had shocked her right to the core to see her walking with that Maxwell guy who had rejected her so humiliatingly some nights ago. The picture of them strolling side by side, laughing and talking easily as if they'd known each other forever rose in her mind's eye and increased her jealousy another notch.

Ahhhhh. She grunted in her head.

"Well? As3m b3n?" (Well? What's the matter?) She said darkly to Nana Yaa the moment she was close to her.

"We need to talk, Jessica." Nana Yaa said calmly, which infuriated Jessica. As if she was trying to claim the wiser one by keeping her cool.

She glared at her. "And I said as3m b3n?" (And I said what's the matter?) "What do we need to talk about?"

"What have you been up to? You're having a boyfriend?"

Jessica could admit she was startled, but just for a moment. She breathed in slowly, then out. "So?"

"ARE YOU ASKING ME??? Seriously Jessica, are you asking me 'so?' where's your sense of decency?"

Jessica turned to face her fully. They were standing on the verandah, liable to catch attention.

"My sense of decency?" Jessica growled at her. "What a hypocrite you are, Nana Yaa. You dare talk about my sense of decency! I can't believe you have the guts to talk about my sense of decency. You think we dunno what you've been up to? Tramping all around the campus with that guy in glasses_"

Nana Yaa gasped. "Ah, he's just, just..." Surprising! No word could fit him except friend. How funny, she thought. "He's just a friend."

Jessica sneered, a sneer which broke into a laugh, slapping her thighs and shaking her head. "And since when, may I ask, did you start making friends?"

Nana Yaa turned away from Jessica. "I've been wrong, I guess. I've changed."

"Mmm?" Jessica became calmer. "And what made you repent so suddenly?"

"I, I don't really know, but..." She threw up her hands helplessly, and quickly switched the conversation. "For God's sake Jessica, think. Think like a rational person. Think like the girl you once were. Don't destroy yourself, think, think. I beg you, it's not too late now."

"What are you trying to get at?" Jessica questioned.

"I saw you with that guy behind the block yesterday." She lowered her voice. "I was shocked. You're being influenced, I know, but you have to think. I know this isn't the real you, and I know that when you gather your thoughts well, you'll come back to yourself."

"Whatever." Jessica muttered.

"Besides," Nana Yaa continued, "we have less than a week more for the exams. We have to learn hard and get a good name for our school."

Jessica said not another word as Nana Yaa left.

Truly, she needed time to think, yeah. So she entered their dorm and sat on her bed to brood.

She saw Nana Yaa meticulously gather her books and leave the dormitory, heading for the campus.

***

No matter how much she tried, she couldn't banish the look of concern in his eyes whenever Max guessed she was troubled.

Ah, so it was true that in life, you may need someone.

Sometimes, even riches and good grades may not help, and you may need someone.

As she hurried to the library, Nana Yaa surveyed her environment with an interesting delight.

Friends were grouped, engaging in idle chatter and raocous laughter. Before, she would have thought how disgusting it was.

"Perhaps they're not even talking about anything important," she would've said. But now it didn't seem to be so disgusting to her anymore. Instead, it warmed her heart as she observed the scatter shot conversation from girls, noisy arguments from group of boys. And all that folded itself around her.

Suppose she was part of them, laughing at them, with them. The thought warmed her heart.

"I'm a new me now." She muttered to no one in particular.

And she knew it was all because of Maxwell.

As an observer, she began to think again. So those boys and girls laughing with all the friendly mess... Did they get any other feelings for each other except the friendly thing?

And what about her? Was her feelings towards Maxwell just friendly? Hell, this was her first time. She'd never been friends with anyone to know about what friendly feelings were. But as she watched the boys and girls chatter on and laugh, she felt some sort of innocence to it.

What are you trynna prove, huh?

That her feelings towards Max weren't all that innocent. He exceeded the friends limit to...

Boyfriend? Husband?

Ridiculous.

But yet still her mind wandered to a time, far, far off in the future where she would grow into a beautiful, sophisticated woman, and Maxwell into a handsome, successful man, a time where their future could blend together.

The picture had a soft smile playing on her lips.

Heavens, she groaned inwardly. Like the singer  would sing, she thought, "I'm beginning, beginning to fall in love."

*Oh yeah, she's falling! And I'm so happy for her. (Sniff.)

Vote and comment your thoughts.