13 Chapter 13

Christabel's POV

COVID! COVID!! COVID!!!

This pandemic was soo fucking alarming and scary. And it was more than boring because, my parents were always home and I had no phone.

So, It was just waking up, eat, sleep, watch the news because my dad barely gave us time to watch things we like, sleep again, get annoyed by my siblings, and then back to bed we go.

Ughhhh!!!! I miss my friends!.

Going out wasn't an option in this pandemic, because no one wanted to risk getting sick and dying at an early age.

Though, before tutorials came to an end, I wrote down numbers of people I wanted and hoped to keep contact with.

Yeah, the Casanova included.

The funny thing was, he asked

"You want to collect your crush number abi?. (You want your crush's number right?)".

I mean, really?!.

He was really full of himself.

Jeez Christabel, calm down.

He only meant it as a joke.

Remember how your heart skipped a beat when he said that. Do you want us to start thinking if what he said had another meaning like we did that day?.

My subconscious said.

I just sighed and rolled my eyes.

As things were, it seemed like I wouldn't get a phone anytime soon.

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One evening, my dad came home with a brand new android phone, and he called Annabel and handed it to her.

I felt hurt when I asked for mine, and he said he would get it later. It really hurt.

But I was happy, that finally, there was a phone in the house. I mean, I was 17 and I still didn't own a phone.

That night, Anna was so happy, so was I. She download apps like Whatsapp, Instagram, TikTok, Apus, Triller, and so much more in the phone. She allowed me hold the phone while the apps were downloading, and it felt so nice.

Well, that only lasted that night and the following day.

A week later, Anna became stingy with her phone. I barely touched her phone neither did I play games on it. Whenever I asked to play games on it, she'd say the battery was almost dead, but it would be at 75%.

A week passed, then two weeks, and my dad still didn't say anything about my phone. I had to start pestering him for mine. At times I'll get yelled at by him, telling me to go and read my books, at times he won't even listen to me.

Well, After a month, his younger brother wanted to sell his phone, and he asked my dad if he would be interested in buying it.

My dad asked me if I wanted the phone, almost choked with boredom and loneliness, I said yes. It wasn't brand new, but it was something.

My dad got the phone for 20 thousand naira, while he got Anna's phone for 45 thousand naira.

What a life.

It took my dad another two weeks before he finally gave me the phone. I was soo happy that night. I thanked God and the universe.

That night, Anna was still awake, so I asked her to share some files with me, because I didn't have data on the phone to download them.

She said she couldn't , that her phone was quite low, and there wasn't light to charge it.

I mean, her phone was at 35%, it wouldn't take so much for her to just send me some gaming apps. Sisters.

Using the phone that night, I got to understand that the battery wasn't long lasting, at times the phone over heats, and a side of the screen was cracked.

But, did I care?!.

Hell no!. I was fucking happy.

The next morning I sent the apps I needed from Anna's phone to mine, and I saved some of my secondary school friends numbers on my phone, and also, I saved the phone numbers I got from friends I had at the tutorial.

I texted some that were on WhatsApp, and a few on Facebook.

Then it got down to 'HIS' number. I texted him on WhatsApp and waited for his reply.

A day passed, then two, then three, then a week. Doesn't this guy come online ?.

Why are you getting frustrated?.

I thought you said you didn't like him. My subconscious said to me.

Ughh…

I just carried on with chatting with a few friends on WhatsApp and some I made on Facebook.

And then, a morning in August, I got a reply from him. He was online that morning. So I replied:

"Guess who it is" . I said, smiling while watching Tv in the sitting room.

He didn't reply for 11minutes, and when he did, he said:

"Christabel?". Damn!. How did he know?.

"How did you know? ". I asked.

"I wasn't sure if it was you in your profile because you looked different ". He replied.

"Ohhh, that's true. I was on make up that's why". I said biting my lip.

"Well, it's good to hear from you again. Your dad finally got you a phone😏? ". He asked.

I chuckled.

Because he always made fun of me not having a phone at my age.

"Yeah, he finally did. So, how have you been?. This pandemic is really something huh?". I said, smiling. What was wrong with me?. Why was I smiling?!.

He didn't reply, but he was still online. I kept on waiting on his reply, for 20mins, I got nothing.

Was i boring him?..

I was about to go offline, before I got a text from a friend of mine that I once had a crush on in secondary school. Not Stars, the school before Starts.

Goskia.

His name was Elliott. He was a tall, dark-skinned guy, he was chubby in secondary school, and he liked me a lot. I also liked him too. But circumstances, separated us. And I liked another, breaking Elliot's heart.

He told me he got my number from my twin, and I smiled. Maybe he still had something for me.

We started talking, everyday, and slowly, whatever I felt for Chinonso faded away, though Nonso and I still talked, but it wasn't like it was with Elliott and I.

I anticipated every message he sent every day. There was flirting, here and there. And by November, I knew that I liked him.

We would flirt everyday, and talking to him made my day. I always smiled whenever we talked.

One day, Chinonso and I were talking about the topic of dating. And I told him I had never dated anyone and I haven't had my first kiss.

I already told him about Elliott. He told me that finally would get my first kiss from Elliott.

I felt anxious.

What would kissing Elliott be like?.

What would it feel like if Elliott held me in his arms?.

Would he touch my ass?.

Would he love my body?.

Was my body attractive enough?.

Would it feel nice to be grabbed by him?.

God!!!!. I was blushing so hard.

I couldn't stop daydreaming about what it'd feel like kissing Elliott.

I really wanted to kiss him, so bad.

I wanted to know what it'd feel like. I mean, I wanted to know if it would feel the way it was going to be in movies, where the girl would say, she feels butterflies in her stomach.

2021 came, and Elliot started calling me, most times, he'd call twice a day. We wouldn't really have much to say, but we'd just stay on the phone talking about silly things..

During April 2021, Elliott confessed that he still very much liked me. My heart did somersaults.

I was sooo fucking happy.

I was grinning from ear to ear that whole week. I apologized for what happened in our past. He had to go to a boarding school, and I just had to tell him I didn't like him anymore, so he'd like other girls in his school.

But here we are now, he still liked me, and I felt the same way.

During June, He asked me to be his girlfriend, and it was like I was floating in space. I took a day before I gave him my answer. He sounded soo happy on the phone when I said Yes.

He requested we'd meet up the following day.

I felt so nervous.

It would be the first time in 4 years meeting him again. I felt soo nervous. 

Because I had no idea what kissing was like, neither did I know how to do it. But I was excited to meet him.

So that evening, I dolled myself up, and called him, to meet me somewhere that was closer to home.

I called him in the evening, and told him where to meet me.

I go to the location, waiting for him.

10mins passed before he called back, and asked me what I was putting on. I told him I was on a black top and joggers, and a face cap. He said, he could see me.

I looked around to see if I could spot him, but I didn't. I felt someone tap my shoulder and I turned around, and the Elliott standing Infront of me, wasn't the Elliot I remember.

He had changed a lot. He had biceps now, it looked like he worked out. Gone was the chubby Eliott.

Here in front of me, was the a hot looking young man. And he had beards.

Jeezzzzzz!!!!!. Guys with beards was a huge flex for me.

He smiled at me, and we hugged each other. He smelt really great. I wondered what kind of perfume he was using.

We didn't really have much to talk about, it was just about random stuffs. Days back in secondary school, and what was going on now.

I told him I was waiting for a letter of admission from the university I chose while filling my JAMB form.

I already knew be finish from a private polytechnic which was redeemers. He won a scholarship which he was on until he finished.

He told me how he started working as an agent for houses, and how he sold home appliances.

I was proud of him.

He was two years older than me, and he had achieved so much. I felt proud that had a boyfriend like him.

It was getting late, and I had to go home I hugged him once more, but this time, he didn't let go of me. His hand went to my ass, and I felt so uncomfortable. I panicked, but I didn't show it.

I placed his hand back on my waist, and told him that was all he was going to get that night.

He smiled.

He leaned forward, and kissed me.

I was waiting to feel the butterflies, but I just felt normal. Was all that hype in flimsy nothing?.

He deepened the kiss, I didn't know what to do, so I just followed his movements. I still waited to feel the butterflies, but I still felt nothing.

All I felt was, uncomfortable!.

I wanted to just push him away and leave.

It felt so weird having a guy's hand on me in that manner.

After a few minutes, maybe 2, I pulled away from him, and told him I really needed to go. He smiled, and pecked my lips once more.

I felt happy that I had my first kiss, finally. And I had my ass grabbed by a guy.

Two things in one day.

But why did I feel so uncomfortable?.

Why didn't I feel anything when we kissed?. Was it me or was it the kiss?.

On getting home, Anna bombarded me with questions.

"How did it feel?. Did you guys kiss?.

What was it like?".

I was like a high schooler about to tell my twin about my first kiss. I can't blame her, she has had hers two years back.

I smiled and told her everything, leaving the part of me feeling uncomfortable all through, and not feeling anything in the kiss.

I texted Elliott to ask if he got home safe, and he replied yes. A few minutes later, I got another text from him.

"I love you".

I was shocked!.

Wait, what?.

How did we get to LOVE so fast?. Or is that what people who date tell each other ?.

Do I even know what love feels like?. Or did I love him and I did not know?. What should I say?.

I have never experienced love before, even when I said it to SB, I had to idea what it meant. I just said it because it was in the moment, and I did like him.

I didn't want to break Elliot's heart, and I sure as hell don't want it to be the second time I do, so I did what I knew how to do best.

Make people feel good, even though it made me uncomfortable.

"I love you too". I replied back. And he sent a love emoji.

I sighed deeply. What a day, it turned out to be.