I invited Sylvia into my
room. she paused at the
door when she saw
Sharon and Joy already in
my room. she looked at me
and smile. I really couldn't
explain what that smile meant.
she walked into my room and
greeted Sharon and Joy.
"hi girls"
"hi Sharon" they responded in
unison.
"you are here because of the
assignment right" Joy said to
Sylvia.
"yes" she responded.
"Christian let's start already.
we are now three." Sharon
said.
okay, let's start. I'm ready." I
responded.
we all went to my bed and sat.
I started the tutorial with them
without feeling nervous. They
asked questions from time to
time and I answered their
questions perfectly. when I
was done, Sharon and Joy
stood up to leave while Sylvia
remained seated.
"are you not leaving?" Sharon
asked Sylvia.
"I will. I just want Christian to
explain a particular topic to
me before leaving." she
answered
"okay then, see you in school
tomorrow" Sharon said
"see you too" Sylvia
responded.
I followed Sharon and Joy to
the door and locked the door
immediately they left. I turned
to see Sylvia smiling broadly. I
knew something was on her
mind, but I just couldn't figure
it. I walked back to sit with
her on my bed. I still don't
know what Sylvia did to me
that has made me so confident
being with her. even sitting on
the same bed with her without
being nervous.
she looked into my eyes with
her face still curved in a smile
and I held her gaze.
"so you invited me to your
house because you are
nervous of being alone in a
room with Sharon and Joy"
she said.
I never expected her to realize
I actually invited her because
of that, but she seemed to be
smarter than I thought.
"yes, that was actually why I
invited you" I confessed
she stood up from my bed and
walked to the door. she
stopped halfway and turned to
face me.
"let's go" she said.
"go where?" I asked
"don't ask. just stand up and
let's go." she said
I turned my gaze to the wall
clock and realized it was
already 9:45pm. where can we
be going to by this time. I was
feeling reluctant to stand up.
she walked back to me, drag
me up from my bed and led
me out of my room. I didn't
know where she was taking
me to, but I just quietly
followed her.
It was when I heard the loud
sound of music booming from
the speakers hanging on the
wall, that I realized Sylvia
actually brought me to a club
house. my heartbeat increased
the moment we set foot in that
place. I was really nervous. I
hate being in such places. The
crowd and noise in the place is
doing no good to me. I could
feel my heart pounding in my
chest. if Sylvia had told me
that this was where we were
actually coming to, I'm sure I
wouldn't have come. everyone
seemed to be engaged in one
activity or the other. while
someone were seen on stage
dancing to the hot music
booming from the speakers,
others were seen drinking
themselves to stupor. Sylvia
located an empty seat at the
far-left and we sat on it. she
noticed that I was nervous and
held my hand.
"look at me Christian" she
said, encouraging me to look
into her eyes.
I held her gaze and we stared
into each other's eyes.
"you don't have to be nervous.
I'm here with you." she said
yes, I don't need to be
nervous. Sylvia is here with
me. All will be fine. I assured
myself.
It was as if her words did
magic to me, because I became
a bit relaxed.
"Christian" she called, with her
eyes still fixed on mine.
"you can overcome this. those
thought you always have in
mind, that discourage you
from doing what you wish to
do are not real. Your mind is
only trying to play tricks on
you. Don't always follow what
you have in mind. sometimes,
you just have to do the
opposite of what your mind is
telling you. If you always
follow what you have in mind,
it will hinder you from
achieving great things in life.
As an introvert, your mind
will discourage you from doing
both positive and negative
things. I believe you know
what's right. you just have to
do what you believe is right
and don't listen to what your
mind is telling you. sometimes
you get discouraged of doing
things, because you don't want
to make mistake. You always
want to do things perfectly.
Christian, we are humans, and
humans are bound to make
mistake. we are not perfect. so
stop listening to that voice that
is discouraging you from doing
things you wish to do, because
you don't want to make
mistakes." she paused and
took a deep breath.
"Christian" she called, with her
eyes still fixed on mine.
"you don't always have to
bother about what people
might think whenever you
wish to do something. that's
what is making you nervous.
you always think about what
other people may feel when
you do things you want to do.
you always trouble your mind
thinking about what others
may have on their minds. the
truth is that, they might just
be worried about their own
problem and wouldn't even
care if you exist. stop
worrying about what others
have on their minds. it will
only get you nervous. Do
things you wish to do and stop
bothering about others. take
for example. right now you are
nervous because you are in a
crowded place, but no one
seems to care about you.
everyone seems to be involved
in one activity or the other.
you are only disturbing
yourself, when no one cares if
you exist." she paused again
and took a deep breath.
"Christian you can overcome
this" she continued
"you just have to start now.
little by little you will
overcome it. you won't even
realize how or when you
suddenly became courageous
to speak in a crowd."
I listened with keen interest as
Sylvia speaks. everything she
said about me was absolutely
correct.
"thank you very much Sylvia.
I'm very grateful. you are one
in a million. I have heard all
you said. I will start doing
things I wish to do from now
on" I said
"okay, but we can start from
here" she said.
"how?" I asked
"look at that lady over there"
she said, pointing to a
direction.
I followed her direction and
realized she was pointing at a
lady sitting alone at the far-
right. the lady seemed to be
drunk already.
"I have seen her. Do you know
her?" I asked
"I want you to approach her
and get her number" Sylvia
said
"what!!!!" I exclaimed
"I don't even know how to
start a conversation with a
lady"