IS THIS LOVE Episode – 3

IS THIS LOVE – Episode 3

A story by Kennedy C Katongo

 

A LOOK AT THE PAST-1

“Matimba, am going to delay a bit. Just call me to let me know where you are going to be and I will come and pick you up.” Dad said as I called him. I was standing at the filling station near Intercity.

The weather had suddenly taken a turn for the waste, the wind was blowing violently with dark clouds coming together. It was just a matter of time and it was going to rain.

“But dad! Can’t you send someone over at least?” I asked him.

“There is no one I can send. You see… I told you to get a car but you still insist on getting on public transport.” He commented, with those words he cut the line.

I opted to head to the Mall instead. Being there was much better and I could get some Hungry Lion as I waited for dad. Considering that his meeting had not even began yet, it was obvious more than an hour would go by before he would show up to take me home.

I crossed to the other side of the road. With a tight grip on my phone, I called Lister to tell her the kind of hell that had fallen upon me.

“Get on a cab!” Lister shouted.

“Am not booking a cab from here. These guys like to exploit.” I told her.

“Now will you manage waiting for Uncle to come and pick you up? You haven’t even told me what you went to do at ZCAS.”

“I just went to see a friend. Stop with the suspicions, there is nothing going on.” I laughed.

“But why are you being defensive all of a sudden? You better be telling the truth you know.” Lister said in an intrusive manner, one which suggested I was hiding something from her.

To shade some light on the matter, I wasn’t lying, I had gone to visit a male friend of mine whom I had recently reconnected with. Him and I were together back in secondary school.

“The showers are starting, let me get at Hungry Lion then call you…” I told her. In that moment I felt someone bump me and my phone hit the ground. In an attempt to pick it up my makeup kit fail from the hand bag. ‘Like seriously!!’

“Mind if I help you?” Someone asked me. I didn’t look up to check who it was, without thinking twice I agreed, “Sure.”

He made sure everything I dropped was collected. It was now showering and I had no umbrella on me… There was no way I was going to run.

“Here, am heading to the mall” He said. I looked up and he had covered me with his umbrella. Since we were already outside the mall, he escorted me until I entered inside Hungry Lion were a crowd of people were now standing outside, this made it hard to reach the counter.

“Excuse me, don’t go…” I called out to him.

“It’s raining – I don’t plan on going anywhere.” He said with a smile.

I managed to place an order and asked someone who worked there to bring for me upstairs. I turned to call the stranger whom for some reason I felt like I knew… to my surprise he was behind me.

“I thought you would call me so I decided to follow you instead.” He said.

“What makes you so sure…?” I asked him.

“Well, I just had a feeling. Watch your step.” He pointed out as I kept looking at him while I was walking up. Without even putting it to mind, I found myself looking at him closer than before.

When we got at the top place, it was as serried as the bottom was. We found a place to sit near the window. This gave a perfect view of the rain as it now poured.

“Thanks for helping me. My makeup would have gotten spoilt.” I said to him as we sat down.

“It’s nothing.” He responded warmly.

“Am Matimba… And you are?”

“Oh! My bad – my name is Chileshe.”

“Well, Chileshe, for saving my babies I would like to buy you a meal. That’s the least I can do.” I told him.

“No. You don’t have to. I just felt like helping, it was nothing.” He responded. The problem was that I had already ordered for two.

“But I have already ordered for you…” I giggled.

“And what if am allergic to chicken?” He asked me out of nowhere.

“Don’t be funny. No one is allergic to chicken. Everybody loves chicken.” I objected to his cheap excuse.

“I see. Then what if am a vegetarian?” He looked straight at me and had his eyes locked onto mine.

“If that’s the case then I will eat on your behalf and thank you afterwards…”

“You crazy. Because of that I will consider sharing some chicken with a beautiful stranger.” He added as he looked around to avoid eye contact again.

I couldn’t believe he had just hit on me without making it seem like a big deal. ‘Beautiful stranger?’ I thought to myself.

We sat for a few minutes without saying anything to each other. In my world, it was a guys duty to lead a conversation. However, that wasn’t the case, both of us had gotten our phones and were busy ignoring each other.

“Hey. Look at this…” He placed his phone on top of mine. It was a video of a Dog fighting what looked like a Tiger, underneath was the caption ‘This dog has listened to too many motivational speakers…’ for some reason it struck me as funny and I began to laugh.

“That is just wrong…” I told him.

“I know… People are crazy.” From there onwards, we had small talk in intervals. When the lady I knew brought us the food, we immediately got our fingers dirty.

Outside, there was no trace of the rains stopping any time. Dad had texted me to ask where I was, he then went on to tell me the driver was on his way to pick me up.

“Coming from work?” I asked Chileshe. He shook his head in disagreement.

“I went for an Interview, job hunting.” He said confidently.

“That’s good, how was the interview?” I asked.

“It went well. I’ve been to four interviews today… Am positive one will call.”

He looked smart, well dressed and smelt responsible. That was a plus for sure, “Am sure you will be called. What have you studied?”

“Oh! Well, am still in school… This is my third and last year.” He giggled.

“Oh! For real? I wouldn’t have guessed you a student – what are you studying if you don’t mind me asking?” I paused.

“Am doing my Teachers Diploma. English and Art.” In a split second – he responded.

“That’s nice, am guessing you at Hone. So what kind of jobs were you being interviewed for?” “Hope am not being intrusive with my questions…” I added once I noticed him flinch upon the landing of my question.

“It’s okay. I had applied as a Waiter. So most of the places I had applied to were holding there interviews today.” He said.

“That’s good. You must have a really flexible table for you to want a part time job.” I commented.

I knew the pressure of being a student, yet, this guy was adding a job to that. It took 30 minutes for the driver to call me that he was outside Hungry Lion.

“Before you go, I know it’s kind of weird. But… Am kinda wondering. Is it okay if I can have your line?” He asked nervously. I gave him a strong gaze without saying a word. After all, I never gave my number to strangers.

“I will understand if you say no.” He quickly commented.

“I can’t give you my number. But I can give you my Facebook handle instead.” I told him. He passed me his phone, I searched for myself and sent a request.

It wasn’t a big deal for me.Besides, I was barely active on Facebook.

“What guarantee can you give me that you won’t ignore my messages?” He asked me. I was already up-standing.

“I don’t think I have to guarantee anything. Thank you for the company Mr Chileshe, hope you get that job.” I said as I left.

“Thanks for the chicken!” I heard his voice echoe from behind.

 

To be continued…