Chapter 3 : When our path crossed
1027 Words
It was during that period of my life that I met Josh.
The first time I noticed him was at the swimming pool. He was hard to miss — tall, confident, and quietly handsome in a way that didn’t demand attention but naturally drew it. He didn’t seem like the type who talked too much. Most times, he kept to himself, focused on his laps, occasionally resting at the edge of the pool with a calm, observant expression.
I began to notice that our schedules often matched. Almost every time I went swimming, he was there too. At first, it was just silent familiarity — the kind where two strangers recognize each other without ever speaking. A brief glance. A polite nod. Nothing more.
Until one day, he approached me.
I had just finished a few laps and was sitting by the edge of the pool, catching my breath. He walked over, hesitated for a second as if choosing his words carefully, and then greeted me.
“Hi. I see you here a lot,” he said.
His voice was calm and warm.
I smiled. “Same here.”
That was how it started — a simple, casual conversation. We talked about swimming, how relaxing it was, and how it helped clear the mind. There was nothing dramatic about the interaction, nothing overly personal. Just two people exchanging light conversation on a quiet afternoon.
After that day, I didn’t see him again.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Life went back to its normal routine — content creation, job searching, living with Shola, and my regular swimming sessions. For a while, I wondered if he had stopped coming to the pool or if our schedules had simply stopped matching.
Then, three months later, I saw him again.
But this time, it wasn’t at the pool.
Shola and I had been invited to a party in Enugu. It was one of those high-energy events — the kind people often described as a gathering where the “big boys” of Enugu showed up. A friend of mine had insisted I attend, so I convinced Shola to come along with me.
The atmosphere was lively. Music filled the air, people laughed loudly, and the energy of the night was vibrant and overwhelming at the same time. I wasn’t much of a party person, but I could blend in easily when I needed to. I was naturally social, and I knew how to hold conversations and move comfortably around people.
I didn’t drink alcohol that night. I preferred drinking in the comfort of my home, where I could relax properly. So instead, I stuck to soft drinks and focused on enjoying the moment.
At some point, I stepped outside the main hall to get some fresh air. The music inside was loud, and I needed a quieter space. While I was there, a guy started a conversation with me. At first, it seemed harmless — just casual party talk.
But then his behavior changed.
He moved closer than necessary and tried to touch me inappropriately.
Without thinking, I reacted instantly.
I gave him a sharp slap.
The sound was loud enough to turn a few heads nearby. He looked shocked for a second, then angry. His expression hardened, and he raised his hand as if he was about to hit me back.
Before he could do anything, someone stepped in between us.
It was Josh.
For a moment, I didn’t even recognize him. But then he turned slightly, and I saw his face clearly.
He didn’t hesitate. He pushed the guy back firmly and warned him to stay away. When the man tried to act tough, Josh landed a quick, controlled blow that sent a clear message — you don’t touch a woman like that.
The guy stepped back, embarrassed and defeated, and eventually walked away.
The tension broke, and I found myself laughing — partly from relief, partly from the unexpected turn of events.
Josh turned toward me, checking if I was okay.
That was when it clicked.
“You!” I said, smiling. “I remember you… from the pool. What are you doing here?”
He smiled back, clearly surprised too. “I could ask you the same thing.”
Just like that, the familiarity returned — but this time, it felt stronger.
We began talking immediately, as if the three-month gap between our last conversation didn’t exist. I thanked him for stepping in earlier and for standing up for me.
“It was nothing,” he said casually. “He crossed the line.”
There was no attempt to impress me, no exaggerated hero attitude. He brushed it off like it was simply the right thing to do.
And that, more than anything, stood out.
We talked for a while — about the party, about how neither of us were really party people, and eventually about life in general. His personality was calm and easygoing. He listened when I spoke, and his sense of humor was subtle but warm.
For the rest of the night, we stayed within the same circle, talking and laughing whenever our paths crossed. There was something comfortable about his presence — something familiar, even though we barely knew each other.
Still, there was no dramatic moment. No exchange of deep feelings. No sudden spark that changed everything instantly.
At the end of the night, we simply went our separate ways.
But this time, it didn’t feel like the end of a random encounter.
It felt like the beginning of something — even if neither of us knew it yet.
- Writer
