How I First Met Vivian

Chapter 2: Wave Of Uncertainty

VIVIAN Mumbled something to herself and was walking down the hallway towards the cafeteria where she could get a snack when her best friend Tessy called out to her from behind as she ran - trying to catch up with Vivian who continued walking as though she didn't hear her calling out to her.

"C'mon... Wait for me" Tessy cried out in a breathless voice - panting heavily as she finally approached Vivian who halted her steps and turned to look at her.

"Oh!... I thought you wanted to roll your body over the new guy" Vivian replied sarcastically with a disappointing frown on her face before turning to move again.

"Viv... Seriously I don't know why you have to be so hard on yourself" her friend replied with an amused chuckle before wrapping her right arm around Vivian's neck as she followed.

"Even you can surely admit that he's handsome... tell me, Isn't he?" Tessy concluded in teasing voice, rocking Vivian playfully with her right arm over her neck as they continued walking.

"Okay... Fine, he's handsome" Vivian heaved a surrendering sigh in response. "But who cares if he is?!... Cus I know I don't... So, happy now?" She added in a rhetorical tone before shrugging Tessy's right arm off her shoulders while struggling to hide the smirk on her face.

Vivian knew it wasn't the fact that she admitted to Christian's handsomeness that made her smile - rather, it was because of her friend's teasing inquisition -- or maybe both!

"Come to think of it Viv." Tessy started to say in a curious tone and paused, stopping halfway in the hallway which made Vivian halt her steps to give her a questioning gaze.

"I've known you for two years now... And what? You've never been on a date -- let alone a relationship with any guy! I mean, who does that?" Tessy added in jest with a mocking smile on her face as she fixed her searching gaze at Vivian who gave out a faint but brief giggle.

"Well, me ofcourse!" Vivian replied in amusement while moving closer to Tessy before clamping her shoulders with both hands.

"Look... Maybe I've not found that perfect guy yet... Or maybe I'm not just interested in guys" she whispered softly to Tessy's face with a light shrug of her shoulders.

Her response was plain and questionable - giving birth to curious questions in the mind of Tessy whose eyes were now wide in shock.

"Woa... So are you telling me you're a lesbian?" Tessy whispered comically to Vivian's face that got her laughing.

"Les... No no... That's not what I meant" Vivian chuckled and shook her head in amusement before retreating her palms from Tessy's shoulders.

"I mean... Am not attracted to any guy - atleast, not yet though" Vivian said in a plain convincing tone, wrapping her left arm playfully around Tessy's neck as they started walking again.

Then Tessy raised her left hand and held tightly on Vivian's left hand which was hanging down her neck.

"More like they are not attracted to you Viv" she whispered rhetorically and let out a playful scoff as she rephrased Vivian's previous response. But this was no big deal for Vivian - to her, she felt as free as a bird not being in a relationship with anyone; if not in the past, then why now?!

"Pfff... Tess, That's a hard blow on my feelings" Vivian replied quickly with a click of her tongue - removing her left arm from Tessy's neck in pretence to feel offended.

"Oh Viv... I didn't mean it that way!" Tessy replied immediately in a low remorseful voice before holding Vivian's left arm - pulling her gently so she could fully face her.

As for Vivian, she kept the pretence act as she turned to face Tessy who wore a concerned look on her face as her lips parted to speak.

"I can hook you up with handsome guys... I mean look!" Her friend said calmly with a brief pause as she roved her gaze about the hallway before returning it to Vivian who was still looking at her.

"See!...the school Is swarming with cool guys - so that's an easy thing to get you hooked. But first, we'll have to do something about this your dress code -- the boyish feel of your dressing is a big turn off, trust me! You need to be more girly so you can get a guy's attention" Tessy concluded purposefully with a broadened smile, swaying her hand descriptively in the air as she spoke.

"Well, sorry to burst your ego dear... But that's one thing you can't change about me. I love my outfit and the way I dress" Vivian replied bluntly with her arms spread out with reasoning.

"Ugh, Fine!.. then I guess I'll find a guy who's okay with your -- dress code" Tessy groaned in frustration with her voice sounding rather displeased than satisfied before holding Vivian's left hand to enter the canteen..

It wasn't quite the response Tessy was expecting from Vivian. She thought her friend would be happy at her hook up plan - but the fact that she wasn't really excited about the idea baffled her and clouded her head with curiousity as to her friend's fondness for boyish mode of dressing -- especially seeing that she had all the sexy and beautiful features in a lady.

***Berkley High parking garage***

Later that day as the lectures came to an end, Tessy escorted her friend Vivian to the university's parking garage where she normally parked her bike.

For the pairs, they were so close - more like sisters, right from the moment they met in the school and became friends. Unlike Vivian who was from a poor background, Tessy on the other hand lived with her parents and her elder brother in their portable bungalow. They were neither rich nor poor, just in the average! And like most school days, Tessy would normally wait for her elder brother to drive down and come pick her up. But as for Vivian, she had to cycle down every blessed day to attend to her ill dad and two younger sisters just in time to also catch up with her side hustle!

As the eldest of her siblings, she had to work two jobs to balance her dad's medical fee alongside feeding and rent bills - all this she did secretly without the knowledge of her friend Tessy.

For Vivian, she has known no enjoyment or even had the time to fall in love. Its always been work, work, work! -- trying to keep her family together right from her mother's passing four years ago!

Just as the two arrived at the parking garage, Tessy's eyes widened in astonishment when she spotted Christian few miles ahead as he was sluggishly moving towards his car - oblivious of her prying gaze.

"Woa.. Viv.. Viv!... You need to see this" Tessy whispered in a gasping voice with her legs wiggling impatiently as she tapped Vivian who was crouching forward to unlock her bike.

"C'mon Viv... Just look" she urged inpatiently in a hushed tone.

Her constant tapping irritated Vivian and the only way she could come off her friend's pestering was to give in to her request. So Vivian adjusted her stance and turned around slowly to face the direction of Tessy's outstretched right hand - trying to make out what she was stylishly pointing at.

"What.. where?!... I don't..." Vivian heaved in cluelessness before her words fell into silence when she saw Christian standing at a distance with his gaze lowered on his phone screen while his left hand slowly reached the handle and opened the driver's door of his car.

'how could he own such an expensive car?' Vivian's mind echoed rhetorically in startling shock as she kept her gaze fixed at his direction - unable to speak or move as her whole body remained frozen from the sight of Christian.

His black shiny Mercedes was one of the most costliest cars parked in the garage - beating almost every car in terms of it's estimated worth.

"Speechless right?!... You think he can give us a ride?" Tessy grinned to herself as she spoke in a whisper without removing her gaze from Christian's direction.

"Mm-hmm" Vivian hummed softly with an affirmative nod of her head. She was so lost admiring Christian's movement around his car that she couldn't pay full attention to what Tessy had just said. Then in a split second, Tessy's response re-echoed clearly in Vivian's mind - snapping her back to consciousness as she turned quickly to give her friend a stern stare and exclaimed. "What?!... For him to give us a ride?... No! Not happening!"

But her cautioning words fell on deaf ears as she noticed Tessy's right hand swiftly raising with a daring grin on her face.

Vivian clenched her teeth hard in annoyance and said in a low growl "Tess... I hope you're not trying to..."

"Hey!.. Chris -- Christan!" Tessy's loud voice interrupted Vivian's response as she called out to Christian who suddenly turned to face their direction - waving his right hand at them from a distance in a friendly manner.

"For heaven's sake... Why will you call his attention?!" Vivian groaned in frustration as she whispered to Tessy who was still waving heartily at Christian as he gradually approached towards them.

"Chill Viv... Won't it be cool taking a ride home in that Mercedes?" Tessy replied in a whispering voice with her lips making little or no movement as she spoke while her gaze remained fixed on Christian who was now arriving and stood in front of them.

"Hi.. Tessy right?" Christian said courteously, chuckling as he extended his right hand and shook Tessy by the hand.

"Yeah... You got the name right!" Tessy giggled in a somewhat loud excited voice as they shook before retreating her hand awkwardly when she noticed how long she'd been holding on to his.

Then Christian turned his gaze and extended his right hand at Vivian who's hands were already dipped inside her baggy jeans pocket.

"Hi.." he said briefly, forcing a friendly smile on his face before retreating his right hand into his pocket in embarrassment - seeing that Vivian wasn't going to shake his hand.

'Gosh... What's with this girl and being rude' he thought in his mind before returning his gaze on Tessy who was beaming sheepishly with smiles - wiggling her legs in excitement as she leveled her gaze at him. Atleast, she was the only friendly one making him feel comfortable!

"So um... Can I give you girls -- a ride back home?. I wouldn't mind!" Christian asked in a calm and polite voice before letting out a warm smile on his face. This was the best thing he got in mind to say after Vivian's embarrassing treatment, alreast it was better than keeping mute in their midst.

"Ye... Yes! We wouldn't mind" Tessy blurted quickly with a light giggle before edging Vivian lightly with her right elbow.

"Yeah?!" Christian exclaimed rhetorically in a relived voice before turning to look at Vivian who wasn't as excited as her friend.

"Thanks.. but am sorry I'll have to pass. You can drop her off intead" Vivian replied coldly before turning to give her friend a quick glance.

"See you tomorrow Tess" she added calmly with a fake smile before turning to hold her bicycle firmly on it's handle and rode off - leaving them behind before anyone even have the chance to utter a word to her.

Christian was shocked and at the same time worried. Never in his lifetime has anyone turned down his offer - I mean, they jumped at it anytime he offered to help! But not her -- 'why is she so different?' these curious thought filled Christian's mind as he turned to give Tessy a bothered look.

"Urrm... Tessy. Can you be honest with me?... Is your friend still mad that I bumped into her earlier today?... I mean, she's been so cold to me ever since... Can you talk to her so she can forgive me?" He concluded in a very low saddened voice.

"That's Vivian for you.. don't worry she'll get over it" Tessy replied, feeling completely undisturbed by her friend's action as all she needed now was a quality ride back home.

"Now... Can you take me home?" She said with a wide teasing grin before pulling Christan gently by the hand as she walked towards his car.

Christian wasn't paying any attention to Tessy's flirtatious behaviour or her seductive catwalking as they approached his car.. No! He knew her type and what she was after. But his mind drifted off to think about Vivian and the reason for her rude behavior.

*****

AS VIVIAN paddled speedily back home, her mind drifted to Christian's offer. Deep down, she wished she had accepted the ride back home -- but how could she go on such a pleasurable ride when she had mouths to feed and debts to pay?!

'oh mom... I wish you were still alive!... Am so tired going through this alone' Her mind chorused bitterly in agony as she kept riding speedily with her eyes becoming blurry with the tears that welled up when she thought about all the fun and pleasures she's missed out on right from the day her mom passed away with her dad turning ill few years later.

'peep! peep! peep!' was the loud honking of an approaching vehicle few miles ahead which seemed like it was going to collide with Vivian's bike!

Then in an instant, she snapped back to reality from her worrying mind after hearing the car horn before quickly turning hard the handle of her bike to the right - dodging the car by just some few inches before squeezing tightly on her breaks and came to an instant halt when she realised how close she was to colliding with the car.

Vivian's heart pounded hard with her chest heaving from her heavy breathing. She couldn't die now -- No! Not with her younger siblings and ailing dad looking up to her.

'God! Help me get through this hard life.. I beg you!' she muttered inaudibly to herself with the hot tears now rolling down her cheeks to her chin. Then she sniffed, wiping off the tears on her cheek with the back of her hand before riding back home...