CHAPTER 3
ZANIAH POV
I WOKE UP FEELING SO GIDDY AND CONFUSED, I HAD A DREAM THAT THE HANDSOME HUNK AND I GOT MARRIED, THAT WAS FAR OFF POINT CAUSE WE AREN'T EVEN FRIENDS LET ALONE LOVERS. THE HOUSE WAS SO QUIET, I MISSED BECKY EVEN MORE, SHE ALWAYS MADE THE HOUSE LIVELY WITH HER SHOUTS AND LAUGHTER, NOW THE HOUSE SEEMS TOO QUIET. I JUST GOT DRESSED AND WENT TO COLLEGE, THO I MISEED BECKY MY DREAM MADE ME FEEL GOOD. I WENT TO MY FIRST LECTURE HALL, I SAT IN THE MIDDLE ROW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A STAR STUDENT SO I WAS ABLE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION THROWN MY WAY. MY THOUGHTS WERE PRE-OCCUPIED WITH MY HANDSOME HUNK, WHAT DID I JUST SAY "MY?". IT SEEMS MY DREAM IS REALLY MESSING WITH MY HEAD, BUT I REALLY MISSED HIM FOR SOME REASON, I WANTED TO SEE HIM SO BADLY BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HIM. AFTER COMPLETING MY LECTURES FOR THE DAY I DECIDED TO GO TO THE RESTAURANT I VISITED YESTERDAY, I HOPE TO AT LEAST SEE MR HANDSOME HUNK, I WONDER IF HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND. AT THE RESTAURANT I SAT IN THE SEAT IN THE FAR CORNER CLOSEST TO THE TRANSPARENT GLASS, WHEN THE WAITRESS CAME I ORDERED PLAIN RICE WITH VEGETABLE SAUCE AND A GLASS OF ORANGE JUICE, I WAITED FOR ALMOST TWO HOURS HOPING TO SEE HIM WHEN I HEARD THE RESTAURANT DOOR OPEN AND A SMILE CURLED UP MY FACE, I QUICKLY REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND LOOKED DOWN AT MY HANDS BUT MY HEART WAS POUNDING SO HARD "HI ZANIAH" MY NAME ROLLED OFF HIS TONGUE LIKE A SWEET SOUND, I SLOWLY LOOKED UP TO STARE AT THE HANDSOME HUNK WITH DREAMY EYES "WHY ARE YOU RED?, ARE YOU FEELING OKAY?" HIS HANDS TOUCHED MY CHEEK, I FELT THE WARMTH FROM HIS CALLOUSED HANDS SPREAD THROUGHOUT MY FACE "I-I'M FINE, THE WEATHER'S JUST HOT TODAY" I SMILED, SLOWLY FANNING MYSELF WITH MY HANDS "IF YOU SAY SO" HE NODDED SAT DOWN OPPOSITE ME AND SMILED "ANOTHER MEETING?"I KNOW YESTERDAY THE REASON HE WAS HERE WAS BECAUSE HE HAD A MEETING NEARBY, I WONDER IF THAT WAS ALSO THE CASE TODAY "NO, I JUST WANTED TO SEE YOU SO I TOOK MY CHANCE BY COMING HERE" HE SMILED "SEEMS YOU HAVE GOOD LUCK" I SMILED AT HIM "YOU'RE MY GOOD LUCK CHARM" I BLUSHED AT HIS WORDS WHILE HE JUST SMIRKED "WHY DO YOU WANT TO SEE ME?" HE RESTED HIS CHIN ON HIS PALM SMIRKING AT ME "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME, I WANT US TO CHANGE THAT" MY EARS PERKED UP, YES, I WAS WONDERING HOW TO MAKE IT KNOWN TO HIM BUT IT SEEMS IT ISN'T NEEDED "HM" I NODDED SHYLY "I'M NATE FRANCIS, I'M TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ME?, JUST ASK ANYTHING" I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, I'VE NEVER BEEN ASKED THAT BEFORE "UM.... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY" I FELT MY VOICE TONE GET LOWER "IT'S OKAY WE CAN GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER MORE ALONG THE WAY, I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU" I FELT A BLUSH RISE UP MY CHEEKS, HE'S VERY BLUNT "I'M NOT REALLY MUCH OF AN INTERESTING PERSON BUT ITS YOUR CHOICE" I FELT MY MIND SPINNING WONDERING HOW I SHOULD SPEAK TO HIM, I DON'T THINK I'M THAT COMFORTABLE AROUND HIM YET "ARE YOU FREE TOMORROW?" IS HE ASKING ME ON A DATE?, MY MIND WAS SPINNING "HUH?" I NEEDED TO BE SURE I HEARD HIM CLEARLY "ARE YOU FREE TOMORROW?" HE SMILED "Y-YES" I DIDN'T HAVE ANY LECTURES TOMORROW SO I'M FREE, IS HE TAKING ME ON A DATE?, ISN'T IT TOO SOON, SHOULD I TRUST HIM?, I MEAN PRACTICALLY WE HAVEN'T KNOWN EACH OTHER LONG "ARE YOU OKAY?" I LIFTED MY HEAD BACK UP TO FIND HIM STARING AT ME WORRIEDLY "Y-YEAH I'M FINE, I-I HAVE TO GO, SEE YOU TOMORROW" I QUICKLY PICKED UP MY THING WITH A RED FACE, ABOUT TO RUN OFF WHEN HE GRABBED MY WRIST "I'LL PICK YOU UP BY FOUR, DRESS COMFORTABLY" I QUICKLY NODDED WITHOUT LOOKING AT HIM AND RAN OUT OF THE RESTAURANT, MY MIND WAS SPINNING, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO REACT, I FELT SO FLUSTERED, NO GUY HAS EVER TAKEN AN INTEREST IN ME BEFORE. BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL BOYS ONLY CAME TO ME TO HELP THEM GET BECKY, THAT'S IT AND NOW THIS HANDSOME HUNK IS INTERESTED IN ME. WHEN I GOT BACK HOME THAT EVENING I FOUND BECKY WATCHING TV, I SMILED "YOU'RE BACK" I WAS HAPPY SHE WAS BACK BUT SHE DIDN'T SEEM HAPPY, DIDN'T SHE WANT TO COME BACK?, "ARE YOU OKAY?" I SAT BESIDE HER PLACING MY HAND ON HER SHOULDER, SHE JUST SHRUGGED "NO, I'M PISSED" SHE GRITS HER TEETH "WHAT HAPPENED?" I AM CONFUSED, I WONDER WHO MADE BECKY ANGRY LIKE THIS "MY DAD SOLD ME OFF" I HEARD HER ANGRY VOICE "WHAT?, SOLD?" I WAS SHOCKED, BECKY'S DAD LOVED HER TO BITS, I'M SHOCKED TO HEAR HE SOLD HER,BUT HOW?, TO WHO? "HE WANTS ME TO GET ENGAGED TO ONE OF HIS FRIEND'S SON" SHE STUFFS HER MOUTH WITH CHEESE BALLS "WHY?" I AM STILL SHOCKED "HE SAID IT WILL HELP STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY BUSINESS" SHE TRIES TO MIMICK HER FATHER'S VOICE MOCKINGLY "WHO'S HE?, WHAT'S HIS NAME?, MAYBE HE'S A NICE GUY" I TRY TO CONSOLE HER TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES,IF THE GUY IS GOOD THEN SHE CAN LEAD A GOOD LIFE, RIGHT "I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM, NOT EVEN HIS NAME, DAD SAID WE'LL MEET NEXT WEEK AFTER THEY HAVE DISCUSSED AND FINALIZED EVERYTHING. I JUST WANT TO SLEEP RIGHT NOW, I'M TIRED" SHE STANDS FROM THE COUCH AND STUMBLES TO HER ROOM, I CLEAN UP THE CHEESE BALLS SHE SPILLED ON THE COUCH AND WENT UP TO MY ROOM, I FEEL SHE SHOULD SEE THE GUY, KNOWING BECKY IF HE'S HANDSOME, HE'S A KEEPER.
NATE POV
I WENT BACK TO THE RESTAURANT HOPING TO TRY ME LUCK AND IT SEEMS MY LUCK IS GOOD WHEN I SEE HER SITING IN THE CORNER, I SAW WHEN SHE SMILED AND QUICKLY HID HER FACE, I SMIRKED AT HER CUTE REACTION, SHE'S HAPPY TO SEE ME AND THAT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE ME WANT TO SPEND THE ENTIRE DAY WITH HER, I WALKED OVER AND SAT DOWN WITH HER. I THINK I'M FALLING INLOVE WITH HER BUT I THINK ITS TOO SOON TO TELL. I KNOW THAT SHE DOESN'T KNOW MY NAME SO I TOLD HER CAUSE I WANT HER TO KNOW ME AS MUCH AS I KNOW HER, IF NOT MORE, THE MORE WE TALKED THE MORE TIME I WANTED TO SPEND WITH HER, WHEN I TOUCHED HER CHEEKS SHE WAS SO SOFT AND WARM, I LOVE THAT MY TOUCH AND PRESENCE HAVE EFFECT ON HER, BUT I WANT HER TO BE COMFORTABLE AROUND ME, I PLANNED TO ASK HER OUT ON A DATE BUT I CHANGED MY MIND BECAUSE I WANTED HER TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE AROUND ME FIRST, SO I JUST WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH HER, I HAD THE URGE TO CHUCKLE WHEN SHE RAN OUT OF THE RESTAURANT BUT I WAS STILL WORRIED CAUSE I HOPE I DIDN'T MISREAD THE SIGNS. AT HOME MY DAD CALLED ME TO HIS STUDY, I SAW THAT MY MOM AND SISTER WERE ALREADY THERE "SIT DOWN SON" I SAT DOWN BESIDE MY MOM "NATE I DECIDED THAT SINCE YOU REFUSE TO GET MARRIED, I'LL DO IT FOR YOU WITHOUT YOUR OPINION" I WAS SHOCKED AT HIS WORDS, MY FATHER WAS TRYING TO PRY INTO MY LIFE WIHOUT MY CONSENT "WHAT DID YOU DO?" I DIDN'T WANT TO RAISE MY VOICE TO MY DAD SO I TRIED TO CALM MYSELF "DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT, IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, SHE'S A NICE GIRL. SHE'LL BE YOUR WIFE" MY DAD LOOKED AT ME LIKE HE EXPECTED ME TO BE HAPPY WITH HIS DECISION LIKE WHAT THE FUCK "DAD, THIS IS THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY ARRANGED MARRIAGES DON'T HAPPEN ANYMORE" MY SISTER TRIED TO SUPPORT ME BUT MY DAD JUST GLARED AT HER "SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT I'M OLD,BACK IN MY DAY WE WERE GRATE FUL FOR THIS KIND OF MARRIAGES BECAUSE THATS HOW WE FOUND TRUE LOVE, LIKE YOUR MOTHER AND I" MY DAD WINKED AT MY MOTHER, SHE BLUSHED, IF ALMOST BARFED AND MY SISTER CRINGED "DAD NO STOP" MY SISTER CRINGED "DAD I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED TO ANYONE, I'M NOT A CHILD, I KNOW WHAT I WANT FOR MYSLEF AND THIS ISN'T IT" I SAID CALMLY BEFORE WALKING OUT OF THE STUDY TO MY ROOM, I WON'T BE WITH ANYONE EXCEPT ZANIAH SHIVES".