Once I heard Rosalind I understood that our friendship was finished. I replied nothing and went home crying like a baby. I was very sad. Nonetheless I went to my music class. When I entered the school, I faked a smile and greeted my friends with an unusual joyful expression.
- "Are you ok, Alana?"Lionel asked to me.
- "Of course, I am! What a strange question!" I replied.
- "I am worrying for you too. You act so strange. something's wrong?" Paul, another from my class, retorted.
I was about to cry when Lionel yelled: "Ah you're finally arrived Boris!" He was talking to a boy who just arrived. Except Paul, with us there were Alban, Chancel, Junior and David from the instruments class. They all greeted the newcomer like an old friend. I recognised him. I never forget a face. He was the "ice-cream boy". I gave him this name because I did not know his real name but I could not forget the way he looked at me this day. He wore an african shirt and a jean. Like the first time I met him I thought that he was very sexy. I Immediately chased away this creepy idea. Lionel was taller and more handsome than Boris but the latter had a strange charm, very attractive. Lionel took Boris by his shoulders and cleaned on his nostrils with his little finger.
- "I think you don't know each other."Said Lionel and he looked at me and at Boris. "Alana, this is Boris. I know him since the nursery school. Our fathers are friends. From now he is in instruments course. He loves music like you." He added with a smile "Boris this Alana, our diva, the best voice you will ever heard in this world, a prodigious..."
- "Stop, stop, stop Lionel!" I cut in smilling. "I won't help you just because you flattered me". Then Lionel made a fake disappointment face. I continued:
- "Don't listen to him. He is always trying to do too much. Nice to meet you Boris."
- "No problem. I believe it. Pleasant to meet you too Miss Alana." Boris took the hand I gave to him and kissed it. I opened eyes wide. The guys seemed not to be surprised by the gesture of Boris. He probably used to do it.
- "Who do you believe? If it is me it means that I am not a great singer. If it is Lionel I am a liar."
This last sentence made everybody laughing loud. Then Alban told him:
- "Hey Boris! You know this of things you have just done won't work with Alana. She is not even a girl. She is no more a guy."
It provoked another mirthfulness. But I was a bit frustrated by the words of Alban. I was a girl. I don't want to be a boy. I would like to be like the other girls but I did not know how. Was it only change my getup? I could do it. I liked to be a girl "always proud of me" as my mother said. But I thought that males were species unable to get their mindset up their waist - Forgive the expression, my mother said it all the time- . Moreover, I used to listen to the love stories of my male friend and my sisters and female cousins. Most of the time, their love story ended because they have not the same purposes. Males wanted sex - Forgive me- and female romantism or social position. I saw my sister Kelissa cried many times because of his boyfriend Patrick, a womanizer. When my father deceived my mother with another woman we could hear them arguing every day during three months.
I knew it exists good men but the examples I had were too bad. So I was on my guard with boys. My male friends showed me how they saw the girls: weak, naïve or materialist. I had understood that some guys became womanizers because of a girl who had broken their heart. It was the case of Lionel. - I am not the one who broke his heart !- Our last year of junior high school, he had a girlfriend and discovered that she had other boyfriends. It was a schock for him and he swore never trust a girl again. Love seems to be such a horrible thing actually.
I had had another nightmare the day I met Boris for the second time. In my dream, I was walking in the middle of this strange forest which I dreamed before and suddenly some huge dogs and a panther began to chase me. During what I perceived like hours they tried to capture me but I was too fast and too clever for them though I was exhausted and need rest. Thus in the middle of the forest appeared a man and a small house. The man hold out his arm to help me. we enter the house but inside, it was a clay pond. The man laughed and pushed me in the pond. I woke up in a sweat.
In my tradition, when your dream ends badly you have to go back to it and change the end. If you don't do it you will have a problem for sure. So I forced myself to sleep and managed it. In this second part of my dream, I was in the pond but my head and my arms were out of the water. The man looked at me with a vicious smile. I could not see his face but I felt he was smiling viciously. "I finally succeeded." He said. "You won't be a problem for us. Bye!" I stared at him angrily and with all my force I clang on his legs and made him fall in the pond. We began to fight furiously. I defeated him with a punch. He was not as strong as the witch. I got out the pond. "Please help me!" He begged me. I was about to help him but a light voice told me "Don't spare him if you want to save your life!" When I heard this I woke up again. I breathed noisily and my bedsheet was wet of my sweat. My arms were covered with tiny scratches.
Since this day I was afraid to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes the man tried to take his revenge. I had lost several kilos because of that such as everyone thought that I was on a diet.
One day, Boris and I were coming from the Chancel's birthday party. It was about 4 pm. The party ended soon because the day after was a working day. Since we were living in the same area we used to go home together and we became friends. Boris'father was a senator and his mother a white french businesswoman. They were not married but I had seen some pictures of her. She was beautiful, more than his son. Boris lived in a big hous with his brother Idriss and his father. He seemed to get along with them.
- "You are slim now" said Boris after a while. I did not knnow what to answer since my mother thought that slim womenn didn't get married easily. He added with a smile "You are prettier".
- "Thank you." I said. I think that if I was fair in complexion I would have blushed. It was the first time that someone said that I was pretty.
My two sisters Kelissa and Eve were very pretty. Beautiful faces and bodies with everything at the right place. When we walked together, they were always called by guys whom wanted their phone number. I was like a stain in their midst. But Boris did not see me like that. All my friends noticed that he was seriously interested on me.
- "You are too shy, Alana. Just relax sometimes." He said.
- "I am not shy. Nothing scares me." I replied.
He suddenly come closer, very close, barely some centimetres were between us, and asked:
- "Are you sure? My heart beat fast like a sparrow's heart. I could no longer look at his brown eyes.
- "What are you doing?" I asked to him.
- "Nothing. Are you afraid?" He said on mysterious tone.
- "I told you I am not afraid" I lied. I looked at his eyes. He was defying me.
- "Then come with me". He took my hand and began to run. I ran too, surprised.
- "Where are we going?" I asked. But I got for only answer a mysterious smile.
We took a taxi and arrived at his home. He invited me to sit in the salon while he was in his bedroom which was in the second. Such a big house just for three people! I was contemplating the luxurious furniture, the marble on the floor and the pictures on the walls. His father really loved beautiful things. His brother get downstairs and greeted me went out. I gazed at a picture of a picture of woman crying under the water in the middle of the ocean.
- "Do you like it" Asked Boris who just came back."My father bought it last year with a local painter. Let's go! You will see it another day". He held a helmet out to me.
- "Motorbike?" I exclaimed.
- "Yeah! Are you ready?" He asked.
- "I am not afraid." I said. It was a challenge; I could not refuse.
This was the first time I get on a motorbike. Of course I was afraid. But the wind in my face, the adrenaline and Boris made me forget this fear rapidly. I felt more alive and it was thanks to him. He smiled; I smiled too. He brought me to a little restaurant. A waitress come with the menu and ask for our choice.
- "Garden egg with shrimps and boiled plantain banana." I said.
- "The same thing for me." He added.
- "Any drink?" Asked the waitress and she gazed at us.
- " A soda for me and a grapefruit juice for her. That's all." He answered. The waitress went.
- "Just six months we met and you know my taste!" I noticed. He did not used to go out with us since he was always busy.
- "But I know you since more time than you think. You are just difficult to understand." He replied with his mysterious smile. I felt a bit embarassed.
- "You are talking about last year at the ice-cream maker's place? It does not count; we were strangers yet." As soon as I talk about the ice-cream maker, I thought at Rosalind. Was she always angry?
Boris does not answer. Fifteen minutes later, the waitress came with our dishes and drinks. The food was great. We spoke about music essentially. Boris was a guitarist but he could plays drums too and now he wanted to learn how to sing. I was a singer but I could play piano. I talked about my family and hundreds of cousins. He laughed a lot with stories I had about them. Our dishes became cold because we preferred speak.
we finished at 6 pm the weather was cool and the sun was setting. He was bringing back on motorbike, my arms spun his chest. I leant my head on his back and suddenly I had a strange feeling. I got my head out of his back. Boris emitted such a negative energy which made me feel dizzy. At this moment, I wanted to get out the motorbike but it would be too stranges. My senses would be not good at all maybe because I was afraid to be in love with a kind and good-looking boy. He was 18 and I was 16. He liked music and I too. We communicared well. He was perfect then why so much distrust toward him? I leant my head on his back again and the strange sensation disappeared. I think he said something but because of the wind I am not sure that he said : " I got you".
We arrived at my home and there was no one in the street. I jumped out the bike a little sad that this date ended. I gave back the helmet and stayed standing in front of him. He was staring at me again and I looked at my feet.
- "It was a fine rend..." I was too embarassed to finished this word. (What a good thing that black people don't blush!)
- "I think too." He said in getting closer to me. Just a half of meter separated us now. I used to be as close as this with boys but it now it was a different matter. I looked at him in his eyes even if I was afraid. They were so warm.
- "Wh... What do you think?" I asked without moving.
- "I think that it was a fine rendezvous." He replied in getting closer again.
He took my right shoulder in his left hand and my with his right hand. I shivered. This bad sensation again! His lips were about to meet the mines when I pushed back him, run to the home door and close the door noisily. Carlin, Junias and Yitu, my younger brothers who were eating in the dining room were surprised.
- "Is something wrong Al?" Asked Junias, 10 years old.
- "No. Everything is right. It was just a stalker" I lay.
- "A STALKER!!!" The three said.
- "If it is a stalker you have to call Antoine." Said Yitu, 8 years old (I think that he did not even know what was a stalker.) My second brother Antoine practices the taekwondo.
- "No. She has to call the police." Mended Carlin ,12 years old.
- "Anyway, where are the other ones?" I said and I looked at the window Boris riding his bike.
They told me that Eve was chatting on phone in the bedroom and mum were at grandmother's place with Dan. I supposed the other one at their business. I got up the stairs and entered my bedroom. Eve, 14 years old was on phone conference with two classmates. I let my bag on the table near the bed. I got out the bedroom with my phone and went in the guest's toilet. I sent some messages to Boris.
'Sorry! I was afraid. Forgive me!'
From: Alana 19: 05
'Please! Answer me!'
From: Alana 19: 10
'I understood'
From: Alana 19: 15
Some hours later...
'Sorry! My battery was low. I could not find my charger.'
From: Boris 21: 30
'Don't worry!The fault is mine.'
From: Boris 21: 32
'Alana?'
From: Boris 21: 35
Boris, who wore just a short in his bedroom...yeah this abnominal muscles were visible... So I was saying that Boris threw down his smartphone angrily. Intentionnally he did not replied at my messages to make me sad. But now I was simply sleeping.
- "How can she sleep like? She is supposed to be in love with me." He shouted.
- "Don't worry my dear son. She is sad and alone. From now she is an easier prey." Said a beautiful woman in red dress standing up in front of him. She had two wings which resembled to a fly ones. She was the witch of my nightmare.
- "Mother, Idriss has succeeded with her friend. Her energy is enough to open the door and let you enter this world. And then you will leave this limited body. Why do you you want this poor girl?"
- "STUPID BOY!" Yelled the witch."This poor girl as you say is the only one I wanted since the beginning. Her friend protected her. Their friendship made Alana confident. It explains why I attacked Rosalind first. And for the moment this body is useful. Idriss and you were born through it."
- "But even now Alana is confident and strong." Replied Boris.
- "You are stupid like your father!" She yelled "It is thanks to you if she smiles this latter days. You took the place of Rosalind and more. But tonight she is very sad because she..." The witch smiled.
- "She has broken my heart" Continued the son and he laughed "Can I kill Rosalind now?"
- "Wait. She may be usefull later. After she is also special." Replied the witch.
She disappeared in a red cloud. Boris stared at where was his mother a few seconds ago then he picked up all the pieces of his smartphone. His eyes' pupils tirned crimson and the pieces moved themselves and stuck back together.