As he walks towards the bus station, his fingers wrapped his backpack's shoulder straps, gently pulling it forward to adjust. Which laid on his broad shoulders firmly. He put his hands into his deep pockets after that and kept walking to his destination. His head hung low as he started to think about his life.
" My life has been a mess since Dad left us, or-r!!! since when he was forced out by mum. I haven't gotten that yet, the story about dad leaving. I always get a different story from both parties " His inner man said to him.
Prince!!! A young teenager facing a devilish and mean side of the world. He's now 14, he is in the tenth grade at E.R.A. academy. He's from a broken home.
His parent broke up when he was 8, about six years ago. He chose to live with his ill-tempered mother although he was naive when he made that decision. He chose to live with his mother since she spend more time with him while his workaholic father, a business tycoon keeps traveling from town to town, state to state, flying from country to country and even continent to continent to set a bright future for his family, especially for his only son, Prince.
He visits his father during festive holidays like Christmas and new year or summer holidays.
Walking on the tiled road, next to the tar road he started to think about his dying dreams.
" My dreams…!!! They are dying, and I don't think I have the power or breath of life to revive them. They are dying because my mum wasn't and isn't in support of them. My dad is always busy, so I couldn't tell him about them. Whenever I remember to tell him that will be our fun time and he always shut me up by saying "it's a fun time, we will discuss that later when we get home"
I haven't fathomed the reason mum doesn't approve of me becoming an actor, author, dancer, and artist who specializes in painting and drawing. Yeah, I have a lot on my mind to become though, not even one out of it will be approved by my mum"
He was lost in his thought. About getting to the station, he heard his name echoing in the air.
" Hey Prince…!!! " he raised his head slowly with his eyes tracing the owner of the voice. He sighted Sophia at the bus station her hands waving in the air. Immediately he knew she was the one calling him.
He said to himself softly and calmly as he always has been " how come she knew I was the one coming? she has a good sight" he smiled at his thought. He stopped and answered with his calm and soft voice. "Hey Sophia," Walking towards her hastily.
Sophia and Prince just made friends last week Friday after she realized they lived on the same street. Sophia and her family just moved in some days ago. Seeing her He remembered all that happened on Friday.
Flashback (Friday)
Prince alighted from the school bus and walked away like usual.
"Hey" A young girl shouted at him as he walked away. He decided to stop after several shouts from the same person. He turn to take a look if he was the one the person wanted to talk to. He turned around.
She was staring at him. He tapped his left chest with his right hand to confirm if he was the one. He asked with his head bent slightly, his dark brown eye plugged into her gaze, staring coldly at her "me…!"
She nodded and answered " yes… you!" his countenance frightened her a bit.
He strengthened his body and walked towards her. Every step he took frightened her making her kneels bend and unable to hold herself uprightly. She took a step backward to fix her balance.
He stopped in front of her and muttered at her with his mouth barely opening " What!"
She swallowed hard, his voice came to her cold and harsh at the same time " I'm… sorry for bothering you… I ha-have a que-question"
He nodded once and raised his eyebrows forming deep lines on his forehead.
She swallowed hard and bitter, and summon the courage to talk.
"I just wanted to ask is this your bus stop or bus station rather?" She questioned, and they made eye contact. Her brown gold eye looking his brown eyeballs. He narrowed his eyeballs and stared at her bitterly, she swallowed hard quickly took off her eyes, and stared at his shoes. Her heart started pounding, knees bending, and her fingers shivering under the warm golden sun above their head about to set.
Prince is the type that barely talks to people, he has zero percent tolerance for people with new people. Anyone who tries talking to him must be ready to face all his scary looks. They called him a handsome monster in school. His name is every girl's crush among the younger female student and some hot and dangerous he.
Sophia's eyes moved side to side, her mouth moving like she wants to say something but nothing was coming out. 'Is she okay, why will she ask me sure question, who the hell is she by the way?' he thought to himself. He tap his foot on the floor since she was staring at them to call her back to life. She sniff heavily and raised her head to his forehead and said
"Like…" she finally got a word out of her mouth after a long struggle " like do you live around here?" she asked. He stared vigorously. He wanted to act rude like usual but he remember that 'first impression lasts long' he doesn't want her to be scared of him like other students. She stared at him waiting for his reply. He raised his gaze to hers. He let a smile out showing his white set of teeth.
"Yes… why did you ask?" He questioned.
"Hmmm…m just wanted to know" she stared. He nodded then she quickly added "we just moved to our house here some days ago" He nodded again and turned to leave, he noticed something he turned his eyeballs to their corners. He stared at what she was wearing they were putting on the same uniform.
'why is she wearing the same uniform as mine? This isn't good, she mustn't be in the lower grade, if yes she will definitely go about telling her mate she talked to me.
" Are you in the lower grade?" he asked quickly.
"Like seriously…" she exclaimed.
'What does she mean by 'seriously', have we met in school today?' Prince thought for a bit 'no I hardly left the classroom today' he looked up and asked.
"What does that suppose to mean?…!" He questioned, his face flushed.
"Like… you don't get it…!" She turned her face looking at the car moving away, prince stared at her side view and recollected something.
"I think I've seen this face view before, wait... is she the new student, isn't she? yes she is that's why she has the gut to work up to me" he thought in his mind
"Yes, I'm the new student… sitting behind you," she said staring at him gently.
"wow… it feels good. Welcome to the game" he shook his head.
"Yes I'm the new student, Sophia" She announced.
"Okay, nice meeting you…u. Yeah! I think I've wasted enough of my time" he announced as he glanced at his wristwatch. "Bye for now" He walked away from the bus station. He stopped and moved back to her view.
"Not for now, please act like we've never met before or talked before. I will really appreciate that or you take the other option" He said thinking she will fly away with his harsh words but…
"I only wanted to be your friend," she said immediately.
"Please do that if you really want to be friends with me" He walked away.
"Then you'll be exposed in school on Monday" she yelled at him as he walked away. He stopped and thought again "do I have secrets" he smiled and chuckled at her words "or do I have a secret with her that I don't know about" He turned to her, and he stopped right before her again looking down at her.
"What secret are you going to expose?" He asked coldly.
"Then wait till Monday" she straighten her backpack shoulder straps and walked away.
"Okay… wait!!!" He said raising his voice a bit and giggling, she stopped like she was commanded by a supernatural being "so… what's the offer?"
She turned to him, walked back, and replied "we'll be friends, no we must be friends or get your secrets exposed, deal!" She raised her palm high to his face.
He thought of biting her fingers till she cry. He curls his lip. He placed his palm on hers and answer "deal" he took off his palm immediately and started to walk away.
"Stop…" she commanded, and he stopped "come back here" she commanded again. He obeyed her. He has no idea what secret she has about him. "Sophia wants to play hot and dangerous… ok lets the devil game begin" he smiled devilishly. He fell back to her view.
"Let's do some introduction!!" She smiled at him
"Sure!" he replied quickly. "Please come and have your sit here" he added walking back to the bus station, she looked dumbly at him.
"what… isn't he the cold person I was talking to earlier leaving all my questions unanswered. He must have a plan. I think what the class gossip about him is true" she thought, she had goosebumps immediately and sweat ball formed on her forehead
"Please come over," he said with some gesture smiling at him. She came back to life hearing his voice.
"Oh… okay" she moved to him reluctantly.
They settled down on the chair. Silence prevailed for some seconds, all she did was clear her throat over and over again. She wasn't convenient with his sudden change, she couldn't even rest her back on the chair. Prince only stared ahead at cars that moved out and into the estate. After some while he said.
" We don't have forever let's get started with the introduction" he smiled at her again. She pull herself together and said.
"Okay…." she cleared her throat once more " I'm Sophia..."
"I already knew!" he cut in and stared at her gaze with a smile. He looked so cute smiling and even with his face flushed.
"How-w did-d you-u know-w that-t?" she questioned stressing each word.
" You mentioned it earlier…" he replied immediately.
" Oh…" she muttered. They muted for some seconds. She opened her mouth about to talk and prince cut in.
" Listen, I don't have to hear yours just hear me out and let me go" his voice was harsh and cold to her ears. She nodded quickly, she was terrified.
"Okay, I'm Prince, I'm in art class, and I'm in sss 1. I dislike noise that's why I don't have friends. I'm a weirdo being and that's why you can't be friends with me. So… be my friend and suffer from my coldness or just be my classmate and live freely. The choice is yours… Bye," He stood and walk away without another word. She stared at him with fear all over her. She stared until his figure disappeared from her sight.