Feelings Begin
1078 Words
The days that felt… different.
For Daniel.
For Isabella.
And neither of them could explain why.
⸻
“Guy, you don change o.”
Daniel looked up from where he sat outside his house, repairing his worn-out slippers.
Emeka stood in front of him, arms folded, shaking his head.
“I never change anything,” Daniel replied.
Emeka scoffed.
“You dey lie. Since that rich girl come, your brain no dey here again.”
Daniel smirked slightly.
“Abeg leave me.”
“I go leave you, but answer me first—she don come again?”
Daniel paused.
Then quietly—
“Yes.”
Emeka’s eyes widened.
“Ah! And you didn’t tell me?!”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Nothing?” Emeka laughed. “You dey talk to fine rich girl, and you say nothing?”
Daniel sighed, dropping the slipper.
“It’s not what you think.”
“Then what is it?”
Daniel hesitated.
He didn’t even understand it himself.
“She’s just… different,” he said finally.
Emeka sat beside him.
“Daniel, listen to me,” he said, suddenly serious. “People like her and people like us—our paths no dey cross for long.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“I know.”
But even as he said it—
His heart didn’t agree.
⸻
Across town, Isabella sat in her room, staring at her phone again.
She had opened her contacts three times.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered.
She didn’t have his number.
She didn’t know where exactly to find him—only the general area.
Yet every day, her mind drifted back to him.
The way he spoke.
The way he looked at her—not impressed, not afraid… just real.
A knock came at her door.
“Come in,” she said.
Ada stepped in, smiling knowingly.
“You’re thinking about him again, aren’t you?”
Isabella sighed.
“Is it that obvious?”
Ada laughed.
“Very.”
Isabella sat up.
“I don’t understand it, Ada.”
“Understand what?”
“I barely know him… but I can’t stop thinking about him.”
Ada sat beside her.
“That’s how it starts.”
Isabella frowned.
“Starts what?”
Ada grinned.
“Feelings.”
Isabella looked away quickly.
“No… it’s not like that.”
“Really?” Ada teased. “So if you see him now, your heart will not beat fast?”
Isabella didn’t answer.
And that silence said everything.
Ada leaned closer.
“You like him.”
Isabella whispered, almost reluctantly—
“Maybe…”
⸻
The next day…
Daniel stood at his usual spot, calling out as always.
“Pure water! Cold pure water!”
But his eyes were restless.
Searching.
Hoping.
Every black car that passed made his heart jump—only to fall again when it wasn’t her.
“See you,” he muttered to himself. “You don finish.”
Emeka laughed from behind.
“You dey expect her?”
Daniel ignored him.
But deep down—
Yes.
He was.
⸻
Minutes passed.
Then suddenly—
A familiar voice.
“Daniel.”
He turned immediately.
And there she was.
Standing right in front of him.
No car this time.
No distance.
Just her.
“You came,” he said, unable to hide his surprise.
“I told you I would,” she replied with a soft smile.
Emeka appeared instantly.
“Ah! Madam, good afternoon!”
Isabella laughed.
“Good afternoon, Emeka.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Go away.”
Emeka raised his hands.
“I’m going, I’m going!” Then whispered, “This one serious o,” before leaving.
Isabella smiled.
“He’s funny.”
“He’s too nosy,” Daniel replied.
She looked around.
“So… this is really your everyday life.”
“Yes.”
She nodded slowly.
Then asked,
“Can we walk again?”
Daniel hesitated for a second.
Then—
“Okay.”
⸻
They walked in silence at first.
But this time, it felt easier.
More natural.
“I was thinking about you,” Isabella said suddenly.
Daniel stopped.
“You were?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?” he asked, genuinely confused.
She smiled softly.
“I don’t know.”
Daniel laughed quietly.
“That’s not an answer.”
“I know,” she said. “But it’s the truth.”
They continued walking.
Then Daniel spoke.
“I tried not to think about you.”
She turned to him.
“Tried?”
He nodded.
“But it didn’t work.”
She smiled again.
“Good.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Good?”
“Yes,” she said simply.
⸻
They reached the same quiet spot under the tree.
Sat down.
This time, closer than before.
“So tell me,” Isabella said. “What do you want?”
Daniel looked confused.
“In life.”
He leaned back slightly.
“I want… peace,” he said slowly. “I want to take care of my sister. I want a better life.”
She nodded.
“That’s real.”
He looked at her.
“What about you?”
She hesitated.
Then said quietly—
“I want freedom.”
Daniel studied her face.
“You really don’t like your life, do you?”
She shook her head slightly.
“It’s not that I don’t like it… it’s that it’s not mine.”
Silence.
Then Daniel said something unexpected.
“You deserve better.”
She looked at him, surprised.
“And you don’t?”
He smiled faintly.
“I’ve accepted my reality.”
She leaned closer.
“Maybe you shouldn’t.”
Their eyes met again.
This time, longer.
Deeper.
And something shifted.
Something unspoken.
Daniel looked away first, his heart racing.
“This is getting complicated,” he muttered.
Isabella smiled.
“Or maybe it’s just getting real.”
⸻
Her phone rang again.
She sighed.
“I have to go.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yeah.”
She stood up.
Then paused.
“Daniel…”
“Yes?”
“Do you miss me when I’m not here?”
He froze.
Caught off guard.
Then he laughed nervously.
“That’s a strange question.”
“Answer it.”
He looked at her.
Really looked at her.
Then said quietly—
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“I miss you too.”
And just like that—
Everything changed.
- Writer
