The First Time

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

   Basically, It was not about visiting him. It was about the poor timing of the said visit too. It was sudden and unsolicited? Until that moment, he had no privy about it. Maybe Kelvin would have adjusted the timing to be later after the school period. She only made a request not mandatory. She wanted to air her feelings. She wanted some form of closure with him. Anything to turn the table.

     The second reason, in spite of the promptness, it would be just the two of them in the one-roomed apartment of the lonely building at that odd period of the day. Why she would prefer that odd period of the day for a visit was unknown to him. She could have made the innocent gesture without knowing the possible implications. Maybe she does not care what might happen between both of them alone. Maybe it was her first time alone with a male. Kelvin doubted that. It could be what she had always wanted. Maybe too, it was an innocent calculated request made on the spur without any immoral intentions.

     Kelvin understood how hard it was for her to make that turnaround. She must have given it a deep thought. It was a sign of compromise on her part to sue for peace and mutual understanding. If he had found the timing to be uncomfortable with him, he could have as well rescheduled the visit to another convenient time. Yet, he was too dumbfounded to find the word to do just that even when the words were thundering loudly in his head. He simply but sadly ignored her without saying a word either for or against it.

     He was like thinking "Was she serious?" than to grant her wish.

     She felt embarrassed by his silence. At least, that would have been a starting point for an enriching conversation. He merely gazed at her momentarily and looked away. That look of disbelief made her fears even a reality.

     The thought that someone else could be occupying Kelvin’s attention left her uncomfortable. She could not bear to imagine the possibility that she might lose him to her invincible rival. That alone was another source of agony to her. She frequently hits at that notion by teasing him indirectly.

     As the days wore by, Kelvin was quick to discover that he had become a threat to some of his fellow male counterparts too. The effect he had on his many unsolicited female admirers had made a good number of them uncomfortable in his company. It was becoming a source of concern to him. This was especially where it relates to Chidera.

     It delights him though to note that most of these male students find it unsafe to accost any girl whom they had seen frequently with him. There was this fear of incurring his wrath even when he was not harmful. He relished the thought that he could invoke deep respect and fear among his fellow male students. It amazed him at how he came to have such an impression though he had no intention to hurt anyone. He was neither violent nor prone to any violent displays.

     He was however alarmed when a close colleague in his department cautiously gave him a friendly warning to tread with care. That got him thinking. He belonged to no social group or association. He keeps no bad associates whatsoever. He was neither close to any of the girls nor has he in any way developed any feelings for them. Why would anyone feel uncomfortable with him? It became obvious to him that some of the girls had boyfriends who were cult members. That was not scary to him. He could pick a few of the boys who were among the cult groups by their cluster of association. What worried him was how he came into the picture as someone who posed a security risk.

     He was but an average student taking his studies seriously like any other student. Yes, he was attractive-looking with a six-pack athletic physique. He lived quite-low- profile lifestyle. Yet that did not shield him from being a victim and exposed him to the hazards of attention. He was easily accepted by the female flocks at his commanding presence.

     It took Kelvin weeks of self-examination to unearth the mystery. His findings were the most startling. And the most interesting part of it was that it left him shocked. He had taken a controversial impression on himself without being aware of it.

     One was based on an assumption: Kelvin always wore a stylish and unique frameless blue eye-glass that spots him out of the crowd. The eye-glass, he was the only student that wears it. The eye-glass, in particular, was not a comfortable one for his eye yet he continued wearing it. Consequently, it left him with a reddish eye each time he removes it. A good number of people took him to be a w**d smoker. For his quiet and reserved nature, few also misconstrued him to be into a cult group or rather a solo-hitman. It was a common assertion that some cult members who lived a reserved lifestyle are hitmen. That made some more dangerous.

     Secondly, he has a knack for dressing in a very unique way. His dressing style gave him the impression that he was way beyond the level of the surrounding environment. It was more like a city boy living and dressing like one in a rural area. He presents himself with style. He walks on air. Always looks neat and polished with his personal brand. Then he was the conservative-introvert type of person-the alpha male.

   The academic program gradually began to wind up. Kelvin began to prepare his mind for the inevitable emotional surge. He observed that the end of the academic program will bring with it its own challenges.

Kelvin attaches no sentimentality with most things in life. He believed come what may what’s gonna be, gonna be. You cannot change whatever you can’t no matter how one feels hurt or heartbroken. He had to bear with some events that either way he had wished to take place.

     About one month’s plus to the end of the academic program of the pre-degree study, something happened. In fact, it was a welcomed development in his personal perception. He had always wished such will happen to give him some respite from this tempestuous charged affair.

     A group of boys about three in number had been working endlessly to snatch Chidera from his obsession but without success. They had applied various means to turn her over, but as would be expected had met a perplexing brick wall of defeat by her rejections. These made them feel bitter and uncomfortable with him for standing in their way to her.

     It amused him each time he recalled how the boys had worked tirelessly to win over the heart that was offered to him on a platter of gold. As a human, he felt challenged at first to establish himself as her owner. Yet he was in no mood to fight over her. His rivals had been mad with bitterness over the way she worships him adoringly yet Kelvin wouldn’t take the bite.

     One of their earlier moves was their persistent visits to her lodge. It never bothered him much though by nature he felt slighted. But for the fact that he had wanted such visits to grow into a blossoming relationship to help bring some respite for his soul, he was rather relieved at the prospect than pick up a fight. Funny enough, she would willingly give him intel on who-and-who had visited her. Kelvin had no reason to feel she was only trying to make him feel jealous. It never worked if that had been the case.

     Hijacking her books and holding them hostage at their lodges on the pretense that they were busy with the books was another ploy they took. This will force her to go to their lodges and retrieve the books from them during school hours. She makes sure he knew where she was heading to. Surprisingly most of the books they held hostage were the ones in which he had actually helped her in her class works. Then it all happened like a dream, his cherished wishes.

     Chidera felt she has had enough of him. She started making moves to welcome the advances of these boys. To her, she had meant to pay him back. But unknown to her he had waited patiently and prayerfully to see her attracted to someone else. Someone who could make her feel satisfied with her longings.

     He watched the relationship as it began to grow. It lasted only for a short period. He accepted the outcome and was filled with awe at the excitement it elicited in their eyes at finally being able to get her charming attention. Kelvin wondered how it had pained them much at their previous unsuccessful earlier attempts. Now they seemed on top of the world. It was like they had broken the jinx.

     It had not come as a surprise to him that the three friends, in particular, had their eyes on a particular girl―Chidera. Kelvin had wondered what will happen if one among the trio decides to have her as his exclusive possession. It will definitely tear down the wall of their friendship.

     Unknown to them he had been the architect of their success. He needed a break and he got it.

It never occurred to them exactly why she had decided to switch on to them. It never occurred to them that it was not for any reason of admiration or any strong feelings on her towards them. Their presence had provided an opportunity to hurt his feelings as she had thought. Even at that, she was courteous not to lose sight of him. She could not in any way afford to bring to an untimely conclusion the much-cherished companion that only Kelvin can offer.

     Her main motive had been to make Kevin feel a need for her and fight to have her back. She was however disappointed. She had envisaged that he would take steps to repossess her back thereby warming her way back to his heart. Kelvin knew her game plans. She was using the boys to achieve her heart desire―Kelvin’s exclusive attention.

     He saw the handwriting on the wall and realized that someone’s going to get a painful heartbreaking end. He pitied them all for he was preparing his mind from being a victim of the impending emotional wide fire. He knew it would all end one day. He had seen it on the way; all his efforts became geared towards avoiding being a casualty of the emotional tragedy.

     Kelvin’s foresight was much utilized, and in the end, he had a cause to be only a spectator than an active participant.

     Chidera realized that instead of achieving her goal, the gap between her and Kelvin was fast widening at an alarming rate. And she found herself getting more engrossed with the boys to her greatest shock and sadness.

     She made an attempt to salvage the situation. She put up effort to get back with him which to Kelvin was an unwelcome development; the end of his brief respite.

     He was in the library late in the day when someone called him through the window of the library. He turned around and there she was. He saw her signaling for him to come out with his books. There was a sense of urgency in her action. He thought of inviting her inside the library but the library attendants were closing early than usual. He had no option other than to take his leave.