SHATTERED

More than a feeling

CHAPTER 3

I walked into the school gate on Monday morning, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. As the weekend had flown by, and I was eager to see Denzel again.

Amina and I held hands as we headed to our class. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the day ahead.

As I walked into my classroom, I scanned the room for familiar faces. I wish Denzel were in my class, but unfortunately, he is one year ahead of me, and he will graduate from school before me.

My eyes landed on Denzel, who was passing through my class. He caught my eye and smiled, and I felt my heart flutter.

The teacher began the lesson, but I couldn't focus. My mind kept wandering back to our conversation on Saturday. I wondered if he was thinking about me too.

Suddenly, Amina handed me a note. I unfolded it, and my heart skipped a beat as I read the message: it was from Denzel..

"Hey, do you want to have lunch with me?"

As we sat together in the garden, the warm sunlight cast a gentle glow over our conversation. Denzel's eyes met mine, and I felt a spark of electricity run through me.

He reached out, his fingers brushing against my ear as he tucked a strand of hair behind it, sending shivers down my spine. I leaned in, my heart racing with anticipation, and Denzel followed suit, our passion growing with each passing moment.

The world around us faded into the background, leaving only the two of us, lost in the moment's intensity. Just as our lips were about to meet, the lunch bell rang, signaling the end of our break. Denzel pulled back, his eyes locked onto mine,

“Errmm, I think I need to……. “

I couldn't finish my word, I felt a flush of shyness as I hurried to my next class, leaving him behind.

As I hurried to my next class, I couldn't shake off the feeling of excitement and nervousness. Denzel's touch had left me breathless,

Throughout the afternoon, I found myself glancing at the clock, smiling, and giggling. Amina, my best friend, kept wondering why I was so excited.

“Hey, big head, what’s up?” I didn’t say a word,

“I think we have a lot to discuss, “she said.

Counting down the minutes until the final bell rang. When it did, I gathered my belongings and headed out of the school. Amina ran to me,

“Girl, what is happening?” She asked.

“Denzel and I almost kissed,” I was almost shouting. Amina held my hand and said, “

You will tell me the whole story tomorrow, I need to hurry up so I won’t be late for my game.” She left smiling.

Walking towards the gate, there he was waiting for me by the gate, a smile on his face.

"Hey,"

he said, "I had a great time today. Would you like to hang out again tomorrow?"

I nodded, feeling a flutter in my chest. "I'd love to," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

Denzel's smile grew wider. "I'll pick you up at 3 pm?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

I nodded again, feeling my heart skip a beat. As we walked out of the school gates, Denzel leaned in and whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow."

The next day, I couldn't focus while doing my chores because it was Saturday, thinking about Denzel's plans for us.

When it was 2:30 pm, I dressed up, with a light makeup, I grabbed my bag and headed to tell Mama Hikma that I was leaving because I had already told her of my hangout with Denzel. My mom smiled knowingly,

"Have fun, sweetie."

Denzel arrived promptly, looking dashing in his casual outfit. We drove to a nearby park, where he had set up a picnic. We spent the afternoon laughing, sharing stories, and getting to know each other better.

As the sun began to set, Denzel took my hand, and we walked through the park, enjoying the scenery.

As the days turned into weeks, our bond grew stronger. We'd spend hours talking, exploring, and just being together. One evening, as we sat on a hill watching the stars, Denzel turned to me and said,

"I think I might be falling for you." My heart skipped a beat as I replied,

"I'm already there."

Denzel's eyes locked onto mine, and he leaned in, his lips brushing against mine in a gentle kiss. Wow, this is my first kiss, I thought to myself.

The world around us melted away, leaving only the two of us, lost in the moment. As we pulled back, Denzel smiled, "I've wanted to do that for a while now." I blushed, feeling my heart flutter. We sat together in comfortable silence, watching the stars twinkle above.

As the weeks turned into months, our relationship deepened. We'd talk about our dreams, aspirations, and fears. Denzel shared his passion for music, and I discovered my love for modeling and creating art. Our differences complemented each other, and our love grew stronger with each passing day.

One day, Denzel took me to a quiet spot near the lake. He pulled out a small box, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Hikma, from the moment I met you, I knew you were special. Will you be my girlfriend officially?"

I stared at the box, my heart racing with excitement. Denzel's eyes sparkled with anticipation as he waited for my response. I smiled, feeling tears of joy well up in my eyes.

"Yes,

yes, a million times yes!"

I exclaimed, my voice trembling with emotion. Denzel's face lit up with a radiant smile as he slipped a beautiful silver necklace with a small heart-shaped pendant around my neck.

"I love you, Hikma," he whispered, his lips brushing against my ear.

"I love you, too," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

As we hugged, the world around us came alive again, filled with the sweet sounds of nature and the warmth of our love.