Chapter 2
"Alice, Alice hold up" I found myself sprinting after her after the lesson finished, but she carried on walking without even bothering to stop. I caught up with her, sweating profusely, attempting to keep pace with her, "Are you heading home?" I asked her "yeah" and she answered, "mind if I walk you home?" I questioned her in a nice tone. "Look" she stated in a stern tone, "I know you're supposed to be all nice and all but just leave me alone, I'm not interested in becoming your buddy don't you understand it?" Having said that, she left me there alone to dwell on what she had said.
I stood there for a few minutes depressed, Adriana appeared out of nowhere with a grin on her face asking me if I was fine, "Yes" was the reply I gave to her and went. I didn't want to speak to her right there so I decided to go back to the hostel. I thought about Alice on the way, I couldn't get her off my thoughts since I was so passionately in love with her, she was the thing I could think of and nothing else.
Dave, my roommate, realized that something was up with me since typically whenever I came back from school I was rowdy and active but today I was behaving unusually so he could easily tell. "You alright dude, you don't look nice what happened?" He inquired "Bro" I muttered, dropping on my bed with my palm on my head, "there was this girl at school today, she was so gorgeous I could scarcely keep my eyes off her and it turned out she was in the same class as me" I added. My roommate took a chair from the corner of the room and sat near the bed, "I'm listening, tell me were you successful? Was she hot? Dave inquisitively wanted to hear the complete tale. "Bro!" I inquired "Calm down, you ask questions like a nagging girlfriend sometimes, nonetheless, I'll answer your questions one by one," I told him, "Well go on, continue with your narrative" he pushed.
"I tried chatting to her after class at least to see if I could obtain her number but she told me off, that's why I'm upset". When I was done, Dave broke into a fit of laughter writhing on the floor. I always knew he was an idiot when it came to circumstances like these and he couldn't be trusted. "What's so funny? '' I questioned him, and he answered "Nothing, it's just that I find it hard to imagine a female telling a playboy like you off, isn't it odd? He inquired in between laughter. I simply ignored him and went about my business trying to see if I could forget about the event that transpired earlier that day.
I still couldn't get her off my thoughts. I kept seeing her in my dreams. I'd never felt this stressed over a lady before, I wasn't a quitter so I was determined to carry on trying until I won her over. At school the next day, I spotted Adriana and I turned towards another because I didn't want her to notice me but it was too late. She already spotted me and there was nothing I could do "Scott, Scott wait" she cried, trying to catch up with me. "Good morning, I spotted you when I was standing over there so I decided to come to say hello". I listened to her absent-mindedly. I merely had to react so I didn't appear impolite "Oh! That was considerate of you, you look wonderful today" I commended her so it didn't appear as if I was furious at her, "Aww!" She replied blushing with her dimples showing. We were both quiet on the walk to the classroom with none of us willing to start the initial discussion. It was then I noticed Alice looking gorgeous as ever. I recalled her the very first time I saw her. She was attractive, but today she appeared more stunning. "Scott," Adriana prodded me, "Why are you gazing at her like that?" She asked me, "Sorry Adriana, I can't speak now.
We'll meet in class." I said to leave her behind as I hurried to catch up with Alice. "Hi" I replied when I arrived, but she still didn't react and was moved by me. It was then and then I started to despise her, I made up my mind never to go after her again since she was a snub, "Who does she think she is anyway?" I questioned myself and went away furiously not wanting to speak to anybody at the time Adriana saw me and asked me what was wrong, but I didn't answer her and continued walking to class "Scott, Scott" she called after me but I ignored her "Scott" she held me back when she caught up with me "Why did you ignore me like that, I've been calling your name but you didn't answer me is everything ok? She asked me "Listen, Adriana, just leave me alone. I don't want to speak to you now, is that too much to ask?" I asked dumping my wrath on her. Everyone in the hall turned to gaze in our direction wondering what possibly was going on between us. I felt bad for the way I behaved. "Look Adriana, I'm sorry," I said, grasping her hand but she pushed me away weeping. I attempted to soothe her but she rushed to the girl's restroom and I couldn't follow because it was a restricted area. I got to class feeling depressed but cheered up when I spotted my buddy, Dave approaching. Dave was the only man who knew how to cheer me up when I was furious. Sometimes I felt like hitting him in the face because he was my best buddy. We simply chuckled about some things. "Hey idiot, why does your face look like shit?" He asked me as he came closer to where I was "I feel horrible for the way I shouted at a girl, now she's up in the girl's bathroom crying" I told him "I always knew you were an idiot bro, you shouldn't have done that now you hurt her feelings." He was correct, even though she was my ex. I shouldn't have responded the way I did but I was going to apologize to her when I saw her.
The bell sounded and Dave and I had to part ways since we were not in the same department, I was in Engineering while he was in Biotechnology. I spotted Adriana sitting up front from where I sat but I didn't bother to go meet her. I planned to visit her after the lesson and apologize. Mr. Jasper had us that morning so when he walked in he welcomed the class "Good morning class" he said "Good morning Mr. Jasper" we answered "I notice you all are looking good today, that's very good to hear so now to today's lesson. " Today we are going to be looking at Integration of Exponential Function" he stated putting the subject on the board, he placed a few examples on the board before delivering a functional "Who can answer this question?" he said holding up the chalk in his palm, the entire class became quiet, no hands went up "Well, anyone" he continued "Since nobody I'm gonna have to choose a few folks to do it."
He selected Alice, Adriana, and two other guys called Danny and Garfield. I could solve the math, I was just waiting to see if anybody else could before I put my hands out, and as it turned out nobody in the class could. Engineering mathematics was my favorite topic in engineering. I could work with numbers, alphabets, and diagrams without breaking a sweat. I got it from my dad, he was an engineer so when he noticed I had an enthusiasm for his line of work he pledged he would fund me through college to become an engineer.
The four of them selected by Mr. Jasper couldn't solve the issue on the board so he sent them back to their seats and then I put my hand up so I could try to answer the question. "You there," remarked Mr. Jasper "What's your name? " He said "My name is Scott sir," I answered, "Think you can solve the question?" He asked "I don't know till I try" I answered heading toward the front of the class to address the question. When I went to the board I grabbed the chalk from him and answered the question and in a few minutes, I was done. Mr. Jasper was stunned, I could see the smile on his face he did not expect anyone to get the answer to the question but I surprised him "Everyone, give this boy a round of applause" and the entire class went crazy "Way to go Scott" I hear people saying from the back when I turned towards my seat Alice was applauding in fake delight like she wasn't pleased, she simply saw me as a person who was disrespectful and full with pride but I didn't let it upset me as I walked back to my seat among cheers.
"Calm down everyone, settle down" the class was quiet after a few minutes. The class continued as usual after presenting a few more examples Mr. Jasper asked if we all understood what he's been teaching so far "Yes" the whole class chorused "Well good, glad to see you all are understanding the topic, now tear out a sheet of paper we are going to do a little exercise before I leave, whoever gets a perfect score will a get a special gift from me." The entire class started to grumble when he stated we should rip off a piece of paper but went hushed almost immediately on hearing there was a price attached.
The entire class began working in a few minutes, we had only twenty minutes to finish the assignment before turning in the script to Mr. Jasper. When we were done we all surrendered to Mr. Jasper there was a minor hurry since some folks hadn't completed so Mr. Jasper had to go round collecting them himself to prevent cheating. "Gentlemen, don't worry this exam is merely to test your intellectual quota, it's not required and I'm not using it as part of your ongoing evaluation" he stated assuringly as he left the class.
"Good day class, see you on Monday next week".
The bell sounded signaling the end of the term.
After the session, the complete class came around me wanting to know how I answered the question with ease "Dude how'd you do that?" A man called Alex asked "It's simple, you know I've been excellent with numbers from a young age so it's nothing really" I remarked to them "Do you believe you could educate us?" They asked me and I obliged them by selecting a day where and when we might meet.
We were free for the afternoon, but the lecturer for the following session couldn't make it so we lingered around the cafeteria since another class had to make use of the lecture hall. I was sitting in the cafeteria with a few friends I recently met, Alex Danny, and Garfield. When Adriana came in, she wanted to see me alone instantly. The other men got the signal and departed giving me a thumbs-up behind her back.
We were quiet for a few minutes before I suggested we take a stroll. On the way out of the cafeteria, I told her I'd want to apologize for the way I screamed at her earlier. "I'm sorry you know, I shouldn't have behaved the way I did. It was a mistake" I told her. "Oh it's alright Scott, you don't have to apologize, I forgive you," she said smiling at me but I wasn't smiling, I simply wanted to know what she wanted to speak about so I could meet up with my buddies.
"So, what do you want to speak about? I asked her as we continued our walk, she took a deep breath and sigh "I wanted to talk about us, you know I still love you and I haven't been able to move on that's why I'm trying to get close to you by all means possible, please Scott" she said with her eyes becoming watery "Listen Adriana, the only reason I started talking to you was because I didn't want it to seem we ended our relationship on bad terms" I told her "I don't have any feelings for you I'm not going to lie neither can I fake it, I'm sorry there is no going back on what I said and that's final." I asked with absolute finality growing more serious "Scott, why are you doing this to me after all we've gone through way back in high school" she said weeping uncontrollably "What is your issue, huh Scott?" She requested pounding me on the chest but I was not touched by her emotions since I previously made it obvious to her when we broke up that I didn't want to have anything to do with her.
"Adrian Listen to me, you're a lovely girl but I don't love you anymore why not find someone else who loves you?" With that, I left her all alone and proceeded to meet my buddies. She was merely making things tougher for her.
"Scott, Scott you can do this to me" she screamed, crying even harder "Scott".