TWO

The atmosphere in Liverpool on Monday morning was 12 degrees Celsius. It looked like it was going to rain. 

Dave’s first lecture for the day, Spanish Language, was slated for 10:00am. He was beginning to get worried that his lecture would get disrupted, yet he was a bit glad it would deny him the opportunity of meeting with his ‘ex’. As to him, Julie’s refusal meant they had broken up. 

After taking his bath, he quickly dressed and moved outside to have a view of the sky above. 

He was feeling nervous, yet he never wanted to skip lectures. The first time he did so in his first year during a rainy day, the lecturer ended up giving an impromptu test, which later earned him a ‘C’ in the course.

As he stood observing, the atmosphere suddenly turned grey with the pregnant clouds forming large curls as though they would fall off in heavy downpours. 

The roars of heaven's drum rang an alarm, as passers-by ran in opposite directions. They ran in fright as they wanted to seek asylum. 

 “Breakfast out of bed?” 

Lindsey spoke unexpectedly behind him, as he stood on the balcony staring into the sky.

“Nope.”  

Dave replied with feigned awareness of her presence.

In her two hands, she held onto a tray of plate with scrambled eggs, three slices of bread and a cup of coffee.  

Turning to face her, he smiled uneasily.

She asked once more.

“Do you prefer to have your breakfast here or in bed?”

Dave helped her with the tray as he led the way into his room.

Placing the tray on the centre glass table, they both sat as he clasped her hands in his.

Looking sideways, he said. 

“Thank you for your kind gestures.”

“It is nothing. You know I always got your back.”

She reassured.

“Yeah you always do.”

He spoke with food in his mouth as he had the eggs stuffed in the sliced bread like mince pie.

“I can see you’re beautifully dressed. Where are you up to?”

 She wore a sleeveless white lace gown with high heels like a bride waiting to be carried away by her groom to be. 

Her purple hair was still held in the ponytail style; a hairstyle she had always worn not caring what her friends’ views of the hair was. 

She had sometimes released the hair as curls, but she preferred the hair to be tied to her back; it relieved her of the stress of having to arrange her hair whenever she was in public.

“On my way to school for lectures, then from there, I’d proceed to work by 3:00pm.”

Lindsey worked at a restaurant where she earned stipends to settle most of her needs, as she didn’t want to be an added burden to her hardworking parents.

The dad who was a medical doctor was catering for the needs of her three younger siblings; two boys and a girl who were still in high school. 

The mum had a fashion business she managed, but at the time of her admission into Selemon High School, she suffered crises as there was an invasion by armed men. 

They had parried away with the costliest clothes she had and the police were still yet to track them down, and even if they did…there was no much assurance that she was going to get her goods back or the equivalent in cash. 

Her broke financial status at that time limited her from supporting Lindsey who was starting school far away from home, in Manchester where they lived. 

She was thus left with no option but to take up the job, as she was completely aware of the parent’s predicament. Working and studying simultaneously was very strenuous for her yet she carried them out effectively.

It soon became like a ritual for her. 

After a year of the robbery incidence, her mum got her financial strength back, yet Lindsey was content and didn’t ask for too much from her parents. 

She just wanted to be independent and fend for herself.

She also felt her siblings needed the parents’ support more, so she worked tirelessly, including the fact she had a passion for cooking.

 “But you are dressed like you are going for a party?”

Dave’s face now turned weird as he asked once more.

“Well, I change into my uniform at work. You don’t expect me to look like a chef in school.” 

Lindsey replied sarcastically.

Dave only scoffed.

“Forgive my bad manners.”

“No problem. So where are you up to? Lectures too I guess?”

Lindsey asked with concern.

“Sure. But I’m scared. It seems it’s going to rain.”

The despair in his eyes was further heightened by the swirling movements of the trees in resonance to the bass rhythm produced by the lightning and thunder from the clouds. 

He now prayed silently in his heart as he wished the rains could go away. He couldn’t imagine not going for the lectures, after what he experience in his first year. 

“Or are you sure you’re not frightened about meeting with your Cinderella?”

Lindsey asked in a mock tone.

Dave frowned, but couldn’t help laughing after he received a tickle from her.

He was done with the breakfast and then after taking the last gulp from the cup of coffee, he looked into her eyes as he kept his hand under his chin.

“I am not just afraid of her. I’m only wondering if we would ever talk, after the way I angrily left the canteen with rage. You know, it’s funny how our best friends suddenly become strangers?”

“Yeah, you must have hurt her. I think you should learn to handle matters in a mature way in case of next time. Storming out wasn’t the best option.”

Lindsey then moved his hand from under his chin and held it in her hands. She then continued.

“You’d have to apply the ‘no-contact rule’ for at least two weeks or a month. That implies no phone calls and you don’t talk to her when you see in school, except you’re just saying hi.”

“You make it sound like it’s easy. I even dropped several messages on her F******k account, pleading for her not to get angry with the attitudes I put up, and for her to give my proposal a thought, as I can’t stop thinking about her.”

He breathed heavily, and then continued…

 “To my surprise, she only read the message without giving me a reply.”

“That exactly is my point. I’m a lady and I’ll tell you how to handle this the best way. If you keep contacting her, she’d feel unsafe around you and would want to seek for an escape route. So I suggest its better you let her be for now. She’s needs time to go over all the things that transpired between you two.”

“I’ll try my beautiful Psychology.”

 They both lift the corners of their mouth in a brief smile.

Outside, the weather disturbances had now stopped, as the rain did not fall anymore. Dave could feel it as he didn’t hear the loud banging sounds anymore. 

He then walked to the windows, only to see an azure clear blue sky to his delight. 

The sun had suddenly pierced through the sky, producing illumination to a once darkened area. The environs were so bright one would deny that it ever wanted to rain a few minutes ago. 

He sighed with relief with the turnout of events; it was like a sad movie that turned out to have a happy ending. 

He walked to where Lindsey was sitting. 

“Did you lock your room?”

“No I didn’t, why did you ask?”

“Well never mind. Thanks for the breakfast once more.”

“You’ve thanked me a million times. I did it with pleasure.”

“Okay. Let me walk you to your room then, so you can drop the tray and take out your lecture materials.”

Dave then led the way as he held the tray in his left hand and his shuttle bag on his right arm. 

On reaching the door, he opened the door and after Lindsey walked out, he closed the door after them. 

Lindsey then stopped and whispered in his ears.

“Thanks Gentleman.”

Dave winked in reply for the job well done.