I'd awoken the next morning staring at the ceiling in my room. I recalled the events from the previous day; that boy Riad, specifically. I wondered why he lived alone, and how he was able to even live alone. I'd accomplished my first step of getting him to talk to me, I just needed to push him a little further. Principal Greene said that he would not be allowed to write his final examinations if he missed even another month of school. I wanted to ensure that would not happen, a student needed to finish their year, even if their grades were not excellent. The piece of paper stating they graduated could take them further than if they dropped out. I knew that fact because of my own brother who merely wondered around the house like a ghost. I was surprised he still had his girlfriend while being such a loser.
'Riad…' I thought to myself, 'Oh! I never even told him my name, did I?'
My mother entered my room without knocking, a gripe I forced myself to live with.
"Morning babygirl," She greeted.
"Hey mom, what's up?" I asked.
"You lied to me yesterday," She stated.
I got up from my bed, looking at her intently, she'd found me out.
"What do you mean…" I trailed off.
"You said you were busy at school yesterday, then you told me you were busy with homework with that boy. Which one is it?"
I laid my head back on my pillow, my quick thinking had forsaken me.
"Are you two dating?" She asked me.
"We aren't mom, that's the truth!" I yelled.
"Is he at least handsome? I couldn't see his face last night."
I blushed, he was very handsome. Especially his eyes, it felt like he was looking deep within me with those eyes of his.
"I'm going to take that as a yes. C'mon we're going to be late for school." My mom stated at five in the morning.
The next day at school was tumultuous. I was violently engrossed in my presidential activities for most of the day. We nearly completed the decorations for the valentines event when we had to attend class for a surprise test. Listening to the register, I heard my teacher call out Riad's name, but there was no answer. I knew Riad stuck to his convictions and would not attend. I did not even know that he was in my class for advanced mathematics. I'd (wrongly) assumed that he was an arts student, since he played the violin exceptionally well. After class, Principal Greene called me into his office:
"What were you able to achieve?" He asked me as I stepped in.
"Slow progress. Very slow," I responded.
"But you made a scratch, didn't you?"
"Somewhat, I got him to talk to me."
"That already leagues better than my attempts. He would just stare at me."
"I will be meeting him again today; he plays the violin, so we connected through that mutual interest."
"I know, that's why I picked you over Sean. Sean's a man of sports, not cultures and arts."
"That's why you're the principal, always making the right decisions."
"Exactly, and if you are to become one yourself one day, you should be taking notes as we speak!"
"I just want to become a teacher, nothing more."
"That's why I admire you, Tamina. You have a soul for taking care of others."
"It's in my blood, I guess," I regretted saying those words, it reminded me of a past I wished not to dive back into.
Mr Greene noticed the hesitation in my voice, and he pounced on the opportunity.
"By the way, how are you doing?" He asked.
I gulped; I fell into the trap by my own mistakes.
"No need to worry about me, sir."
"When you call me sir, then I know you are tense and anxious," He replied.
"Let me be on my way, I promised to meet Riad after school," I swept the topic under the rug.
I made my way out the office before he could snag me in again. The travel to Riad's house was the same as the previous day, but the weather was surprisingly calm. The sun did not pierce me as it did before. I knocked on Riad's door as I waited for him. I carried two bags with me stuffed full of groceries for him. I did not have to wait long, he opened his door, an improvement from the previous day.
"You came," He said to me.
"Of course, I said I would." I replied.
He took a gander at the bags in my hands, "Those?"
"Groceries, you need them. These are FRESH vegetables and meats," I spoke.
"I could have bought them myself."
"You are welcome anyway."
I made myself through him and placed the bags on the table. I purchased dry foods like noodles and spaghetti, and some fresh vegetables with an assortment of spices and basic ingredients. Principal Greene was kind enough to lend me his bank card to buy the groceries. I'd been a bit frugal on my spendings, I hoped he wasn't too angry at me. I noticed the table was once again cluttered with discarded notes and water bottles. A tick grew in my eyebrow.
"I just cleaned here yesterday; can't you look after this place for one day?" I asked Riad.
He did not reply and sat at the table to continue working on his notes. I took the initiative to open the curtains in the living room, it needed to see some natural light. Fresh air from opening the windows was a plus as well.
"Did you eat today?" I asked him.
"I forgot," He replied.
"You shouldn't 'forget', you're eighteen, you need to eat two to three times a day."
"I'm nineteen."
I had completely forgotten, I sounded like a fool. He was two years older than me, I was only turning eighteen in the middle of the year. I'd decided to sit down with him at the table and look at what he was working on. His hair was still ruffled and untidy, his beard unsightly to the eyes.
"What are you constantly writing on in that book of yours?" I asked.
He did not reply again. Then, he looked at me with those wide eyes. Eyes with pure sadness in them. We were a metre away from one another, I could see the light in his eyes search me over and over. I would be lying if I said I wasn't flustered in that moment.
"I won't make fun of you, I just want to know," I stated.
"You say that. Then you'll call me a girl or a 'fruit' behind my back," He retorted.
I was frustrated at his assumption of me.
"I will never do that." I said sternly.
He looked at me again, our eye contact was concentrated on one another entirely.
"If you aren't comfortable, I won't ask again," I commented.
"Sorry…" He said in an empathetic voice.
He sighed. Then handed me his notebook in my palm. I thought I made a mistake, I'd barely known him for a day, and I made him show me his belongins. But, I read it the note, I was taken aback completely.
'Love notes for your partner (8):
And how the seas lulled your name in my ear
A song that soothed the gulls and me
A reminder of what was meant to be
When you and I fell in love
Under the blue sky by the birch tree
And though it seems gone
I will never stop loving thee
Even on this sea before me
I will remember your face
In the springtime under the birch tree.'
I was beyond any capable words to describe my emotions. My heart fluttered like a butterfly. It made me smile like a child receiving a birthday present. It felt so sincere, so personal, I felt as though I intruded on his heart's conversation.
I looked at Riad, he was nervous. No, he was afraid.
"This is so beautiful," I explained, "This is like those love letters you would send to a loved one when you leave on a journey," I exclaimed.
Riad seemed to decompress himself after my approval of such a wonderful poem.
"Thank you…" He drifted off.
"No. Thank you. This is so…real. Like you were the one writing for a loved one in this poem." I handed the notebook back to Riad. "I'm sorry if it felt like I forced you to give me this," I apologized.
"It's okay," He said.
"Is this for someone special?"
"No. I just write."
"Still, that's fantastic. You are extremely talented."
"Do you have more like this?" I asked.
I wanted to read more of his works, I was dearly interested. He pointed to the stacks of notebooks on his table, I thought them to be music notes or school notes. There were at least thirty-full notebooks on the table.
"Those… are all poems?" I asked him.
"Mostly, some are poems, some are short stories. Others are pieces of music I'm working on."
I was dumbfounded. He was a writer, a composer, a romantic. I could feel my heart skip a beat.
"If you want. You can take a look," Riad said to me.
"Are you sure?" I asked him.
He nodded. I took him on his offer and grabbed a notebook at random. I flipped through the pages, reading each poem, song and story. Time passed, slowly. I was engrossed in each of his poems. Through the after and into the late evening, we spoke about his works. I commented on them, and he responded. I was happy that he was engaged with me, it seemed his passion truly was the arts. I was even able to help correct the few grammar and spelling mistakes in his works, and he immediately would correct his mistakes. An hour had quickly turned to two, three, then four. It was six in the evening when I realised the time.
"I will make something to eat for us with the stuff I bought. Will that be okay?" I asked.
"You don't have to do that," He responded.
"I don't have to, sure. But I want to," I retorted.
He gestured with his shoulders and gave me the go ahead. I decided to prepare an easy and quick chicken salad for the hot evening. When I was done I handed him a bowl as I sat opposite him.
"Thank you." He said.
"My pleasure."
"No… I mean…"
"What?"
"For everything."
I felt my heart stop for a split second, but I disregarded the feeling. I took a breather, I needed to tell him the hard fact.
"Listen, Riad. You need to come to school. I'm in your class, and the teachers say that if you miss another month of school you will not be allowed to write exams. You'll have to repeat another year."
"I know," He said bluntly.
"I know that you know. But you must do something about it. You can't just sit here."
"Can I ask you something?" He said.
"Ask away."
"Why are you here? In my home? Why did you have my key-card yesterday?"
"Because…" I trailed off to choose my words carefully, "The principal approached me, he says your father gave him a key to your place. I don't know why you aren't coming to school, but Principal Green asked me to check up on you. And to make sure you come to school." I exclaimed.
I felt deep remorse for lying to him. I knew exactly why he would not come to school, but I felt it necessary to lie.
"Why didn't he come himself? The principal?" he asked me.
"I don't know, he just said a student would be a better option when talking to a peer."
"I guess."
"Listen, will you please come to school tomorrow? I will be there."
Riad did not reply, he got up from the table and handed me one of his violin cases.
"Let's play, you need to work on your piece," He said to me.
"Answer my question," I replied.
"I will, if you play with me."
I conceded to his demands. We played for an hour together, working on my recital music.