OUR JOURNEY

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

CHAPTER 2

CHLOE'S POV

“Honey?”

I woke up to the sound of my dad calling me. I glanced at my phone—three hours of sleep. Wow, I must have been more tired than I thought.

“Honey, come out for dinner!” he called again from the living room.

“I’m coming!” I called back, stretching lazily before dragging myself to the bathroom to wash my face. Once I was done, I walked out to meet him in the dining room.

“Mum’s not back yet?” I asked while helping him set the table. She usually never stayed out this late, which made me a bit uneasy.

“She called,” Dad replied. “Said her car broke down, but she’s on her way.”

Just as he finished speaking, the front door swung open.

“I’m so sorry! I hope I didn’t miss dinner?” Mum asked, stepping in with a tired but warm smile.

I shook my head and hugged her tightly. “No, you're right on time.”

Mum was big on family dinners. She loved when we all ate together—even if “all” was just the three of us these days. My sister and younger brother were schooling out of state, and our oldest brother lived all the way in South Africa. That left me here—an only child for now.

We ate and talked about our day—Mum’s car trouble, the people Dad met at work, the usual. After dinner, I cleared the dishes, cleaned the kitchen, and went to my room to prepare my school uniform for the next day. Then I brushed my teeth and went straight to bed.

---

The next morning, I woke up early, but something felt off. My head was light, my body hot, and I was slightly dizzy.

I made my way to the kitchen and poured myself a bowl of cereal, hoping food would help. As I sat down, Mum walked in.

“Good morning, Mum,” I mumbled, trying to hold back the nausea building in my throat. The milk suddenly tasted strange… or maybe it was just me.

“Good morning, honey. What’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?”

“Not really. I think I’m coming down with something.”

“It’s probably the weather. Don’t worry, just rest. I’ll make you something better to eat.”

I thanked her and grabbed a banana on my way back to bed. One thing about me—I eat more when I’m sick. Comfort food always makes me feel a little better.

A little while later, Dad came in with a bowl of hot white soup and some medicine.

“I’ll stay home with you today while your mum goes to work,” he said.

I sat up, surprised. “You don’t have to, Dad. I appreciate it, but I’m not that sick.”

“What if you need something? To eat, or drink?”

“I can grab a drink myself—or order food if I’m too lazy to cook,” I teased. “Seriously, don’t miss work because of me.”

He looked at me like he wasn’t convinced.

“Or you can just ask Mum to prep my lunch before she leaves,” I offered with a small smile.

“That’s okay then. And baby? Don’t worry—you didn’t sound rude earlier.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I said quietly, and he left, probably to ask Mum to get the food ready.

I curled up again, watching a movie on my phone until Mum came in.

“We’re off to work, honey. Make sure you eat and rest. And please—don’t stay glued to your phone all day, okay?”

“Okay, Mum.”

She kissed my forehead and left. “Goodbye, sweetheart,” Dad called from the door.

“Bye.”

And then… silence. I welcomed the peace and drifted off to sleep again.

---

I woke up to a knock at the back door and was ready to give someone a piece of my mind. But when I opened it, I saw Jessica standing there, grinning like she owned the place.

“God, Jess. Why can’t you knock like a normal human being?” I grumbled.

“Sorry, princess. I heard you were sick and came to check on you.”

She barged in and made herself comfortable—typical Jess.

Jessica’s my childhood best friend. She’s a bit older, but we’ve been close for years. I know she benefits more from this friendship than I do, but I don’t mind. I’ve never been good at making friends, so she’s the closest thing I have.

“Thanks,” I said, heading to the kitchen to grab lunch. It was already past noon, and I was starving.

Mum had made my favorite—Jollof rice.

I dished out food for both of us, and we dug in.

“Have you seen your new neighbor?” Jess asked, halfway through her plate.

I paused mid-bite. “What new neighbor?”

She smirked. “The guy moving into the apartment behind your house.”

Oh. That explained the cleaning I saw yesterday.

“I thought it was a woman. I saw a lady sweeping the place.”

“That was his sister. But forget that. The point is—I want to date him.”

I raised an eyebrow. For Jess to want a guy just from a glance, he must be really attractive.

“So why are you here, and not at his place?” I asked. “I’m not him, his sister, or his friend.”

She pouted. “I just want you to see him. Come with me.”

“I can’t. You know how my parents are. Especially my dad—he’s strict about boys.”

“Ugh, that’s true,” she sighed.

Not that I couldn’t go if I wanted to—I just didn’t like doing everything she told me, especially not on her schedule.

After we finished eating, Jess left (of course, leaving the dishes for me). I washed the plates, but just as I was about to rinse, the water stopped running.

Sighing, I grabbed a bucket and headed out to fetch water, which meant passing by the new neighbor’s apartment.

That’s when I saw him.

And my breath caught.

Tall, clean-cut, effortlessly handsome. The kind of face you don’t forget. I stared—I know I did—but I couldn’t help it.

As if he sensed my gaze, he turned.

Our eyes met.

And for a split second… I forgot how to breathe.