(Narrator's POV)
Nancy took her time to wipe her teary eyes. She still wondered why she cried at the sight of a total stranger with her annoying neighbor. She kept waving it off her mind but she couldn't get it off. She needed something else, something to help her forget, something she could divert her feelings to, her inexplicable feelings. She stood up, went to the bathroom and rinsed her face. She picked her small purse, put her phone, two thousand naira and a small umbrella. She took her key from the drawer and approached the door.
The foot of the mountain, as usual, was filled with different people. Nancy subconsciously passed by them as she approached the lonely foot-path to the peak of the mountain, her usual spot. She couldn't hear the usual warnings from the people.
"Why can't she heed to warnings?"
"Don't mind her, she'll soon bear her consequences. That's how someone also went up there earlier today and didn't pay attention to us too. Let them become preys."
As she approached the peak, she kept thinking about the mysterious heartsore she was feeling. She only felt heartbroken when nature or any animals die, she had never felt this for any human. Her parents and siblings were alive so she had been free from broken heart. However, here she was, walking subconsciously on a lonely path. All she wanted at that moment was to watch the emerald scenery of the afternoon nature.
At the peak, she had stepped on the mountain before a standing figure brought her back to reality. It was him. She wanted to turn back to leave but he had already turned to see who was there. Their eyes met. Their heart melted at the sight of each other. Dave smiled and greeted, "hello"
Not sure of what to do, Nancy, returned the smile and waved. She didn't know when she walked up to him and stood beside him. It was like her body moved on its own. They stood beside each other, awkwardly silent.
"So..."
"I..."
They spoke simultaneously. They looked at each other's eyes and broke into smiles.
"Go first"
"So, I've been wondering, why did you come to this dangerous part of the mountain? I'm pretty sure those women down there would have warned you."
"Well, I was searching for what to do to burn time, pending my journey back to the States, then I came to visit my baby sis and found this mountain. My curiosity peaked at the sight of the peak of this mountain. Until I satisfy my curiosity, I wasn't willing to let go. So, all their warnings made me more eager to explore."
Nancy watched him with keen interest as he narrated his story. Two things picqued her interest; his journey to the States and his baby sis.
"Oh, that's great. Where does your baby sis live?"
"Down the street over there." He pointed towards the east direction, the direction of her house. Immediately, Nancy understood that her noisy neighbor was his baby sister, she was worried over nothing, her heart got sored over nothing. However, his baby sister is the noisy neighbor, the noisy neighbor. She felt a stomach upset.
"What about you? I met you here few days ago."
"Ah ah, that's true..."
"You zoomed off before I could get your name."
She smiled, "I'm Nancy"
"Nancy. Nancy. Nancy" he called the name sing-songly. She looked at him, expecting his name. "I'm Dave. Wilson Dave."
"Wilson Dave. Wil...wait" something clicked in her head, "You're a Wilson? I mean, The Wilsons? The same Wilsons?!" Her eyes shone brightly in her head. Dave laughed heartedly at her expression. "The Wilsons who own the biggest oil company in the State, they are the largest producer of foodstuffs. Yo, I once worked as in intern in their Honey Hive. Oh my goodness!" She kept pacing up and down the moutain as she spoke, while Dave watched with laughter. When she was calm, she looked at him with doubt, "are you sure you're a Wilson?". Dave laughed again.
"Well," she clears her throat, "let me comport myself, maximum composure. Nice to meet you, Mr. Dave. Forgive my immature gestures earlier...". At this point, Dave fell down in laughter.
Out of all the ladies he had met in his entire existence, none had been like her. She was genuine, plain, simple, and normal. She didn't feign any equalized social status like him. He himself was the type that didn't like public display. He always tried to be as simple as possible in public. He didn't mention his name in public; telling Nancy was a mistake which he almost wanted to regret but when he saw her reaction, he didn't. Nancy also burst into laughter when she saw him laughing hard. She hadn't laughed with a man like that, aside from her dad. She had female siblings.
She sat on the rocky floor with him. "Now, to be serious, it's a pleasure meeting you, Dave." As they sat beside each other, they looked into each other's eyes. Their heart also peered into each other. She totally forgot to ask about the journey which he first mentioned. At that moment, both of them knew they met for a reason, and they were ready to traverse the new path before them.
Dave cleared his throat and looked elsewhere while Nancy brushed the hair from her face to the back of her ear. She smiled to herself. They continued discussing about the view before them, they exchanged several similar ideas, similar choices and hobbies. As they went deeper into discussion, their feelings for each went stronger. They knew they'd never let each other go but they never knew what life had in store for them.