I arrived home and took a long shower, washing away all of my worries and when I was done, I locked myself up in my room and made a pact to myself to never get out.
I also poured out my heart to God and I felt he listened; I felt much better afterwards.
I sat at my desk, face leaning on my fist, foot raised on the chair and was attending to my homework. The phone on the table beeped and disrupted my thoughts, not the homework I thought I was doing. I peeked into the phone and it was a text from Arthur saying, "Hey, Steph," with thousands of smileys.
I turned a blind eye at the text. I returned to my book and the phone beeped again. I took another turn to read another text from Emlyn, "Hey, sunshine." This had no smileys, I was the smiley; my face lit up in thousands of smiles.
I thought I could be disciplined enough to have my phone beside me while studying but...
"Girl, you bailed on me at school today. What happened? I'm assuming we still have that deal by 5:00pm, yeah?" Yet another text from Arthur, "just give me one reply."
"So, today, I won't be walking the dogs around the streets, I'll be walking you around the city. Say I pick you up by 5:00pm?" Emlyn texted again.
"Yeah sure," I swiftly replied and gave in.
Oh my gosh! It was only few minutes to five and I was still seated behind that boring desk!
I rescued my foot from where it was stuck underneath the desk and raced to my wardrobe, sorting out the right clothes. That took me fifteen minutes. Pull yourself together, Stephanie, it's not a date! I kept reminding myself.
At last, I got the perfect sundress of lavender and I found the perfect leather jacket to match with it and boots. I wore the clothes and posed for the mirror, making sure the dress wasn't skimpy, attention-seeking—degrading my moral standards.
Then I visited my dressing table and wore a light makeup with a glistening lipgloss.
I sought for some advice from the mirror and the last thing I wore was some confidence.
I grabbed my purse and flew out to meet Emlyn.
***
"Your mood, it's gloomy."
"Like the weather," I looked up at the clouds.
"You're the Sunshine, make it brighter, make it happen," he smiled.
My look was flinty and my arms, folded.
"Man, I'm starving. Let's go get something to eat. Ever eaten Donnie's Doughnuts while walking before?"
"No? Why would I want to eat and walk?—table manners."
Emlyn took me to a doughnut shop called Donnie's Doughnuts and we argued for about five minutes on whose pockets the money for payment would come out from.
The guy behind the counter watched us bicker and shook his head and sighed in tiredness. "When you two are done arguing, please consider paying my salary too."
"I'll pay!" I said.
"My salary?"
"No!"
"Fine," he said blandly and I eventually payed for the doughnuts, drinks and fries.
I and Emlyn walked the streets eating and drinking voraciously while people stared at us and made comments.
"This actually makes sense."
"I know right!"
Few minutes later, I was back to being moody.
"What's up?"
"I don't know... I just feel... Weird."
"Homesick?"
"Not homesick."
"Do you like it here?"
"Yeah. Well, aside the school. I'm starting to think I might want to change schools. Like, I feel this pressure and anxiety around there. Something crazy happened today. Do you know this girl called...?"
"What else makes you anxious?" Emlyn asked insensitively. He wasn't willing to know about the happenings at school. As a matter of fact, Emlyn never liked me talking about school. He would shy away from the topic or cause a distraction. I never asked why or if he ever went to school or if he was home-schooled.
"My dreams and ambitions," I answered. "I think of my dreams and sometimes, it makes me anxious and worried. I wonder if I'll ever be good enough. I'm a perfectionist and I also get scared of failing."
"Hey, I need you to meet my man, Jamin."
Is it me or is Emlyn really bad at keeping conversations? I miss Arthur.
He jolted me from my thoughts by suddenly pulling my hands with him. We reached a part of the street where a man stood with a violin and a jar of coins with dollar notes, sitting at his feet. He looked kind of impoverished but his perpetual smile was enough to lighten anyone's day. He obviously sang for money.
"Hey, Jamin, my man," Emlyn said and hugged this elderly warmly.
"Hey, boyo," said he. "Who's the sunflower?"
"That's Stephanie, she recently moved to the USA from Nigeria," he said to him. "Stephanie, meet only the best songwriter ever."
"Good evening sir," I oddly said.
"Got the stuff?" Asked Emlyn.
"Always," Jamin responded and unveiled a guitar, handing it over to Emlyn. Then suddenly, Emlyn started to play the guitar and sing:
You don't fear, my dear
Everything's gonna fall right in place
If you can every hurt bear
You will soar at an eagle's pace
You are stronger than a thousand soldiers
You can do anything if you believe in yourself
You can break the mighty bars
Best believe in yourself
You can make it brighter, you can make it happen
You can make that dream come to life
You can make it brighter, you can make it happen
So that wish will never die
Make it, make it happen.
"Honey, let's hear the groove!" Jamin called out, playing the violin beautifully. I felt compelled. I didn't know when my vocals took control of my entire being.
—I'm just a girl
I'm full of fears
—Well, don't you fear
I am here
—Oh well
I picture mountains of possibilities
Waterfalls of realities
To soar high like the eagle on the mountainside
Oh, if only I can reach that peak
And live my dreams
Then I'll be me
And me I'll be
But... Just when I think I can make it through,
I fall on my knees
Maybe that's just God's tactic
To draw me closer to Him.
I can't do this on my own
I don't want to be alone
The eagle needs the wind
My wind is the Holy Spirit
—Why you gotta talk about God?
—Cause He's all I've got.
—You've got me.
—You're not Him.
He'll make it brighter, He'll make it happen
He'll make a way
He'll take me to that place
Where the sun never goes down
He'll make it brighter, He'll make it happen
You can't on your own
You'll fall like a heavy stone
Make it, make it happen.
We ended the song together in a high pitch, feeling emotional. Before we knew what was happening, Jamin's jar was overflowing with dollars and there was an applause from behind. I spotted someone with a camera taking pictures and Emlyn said we had to leave.
I never imagine my voice could attract a crowd. I basked in the euphoria of the people's presence because of me... And Emlyn, of course.
We went into the marketplace and while Emlyn was trying to get some apples, I stood at a distance when again, I noticed that same person in a mysterious coat with a camera. I watched him from afar and he watched me.
Emlyn came and stood by me and immediately, the mysterious photographer set his camera before us and started taking pictures of us nonstop. I felt special and admirable. I must have looked too stunning and walked with perfect dexterity. I felt like a celebrity.
Emlyn suddenly spotted the guy and he said to me, "Steph, let's go." But I refused. I waited for him to take more shots.
"Stephanie?" The shutters continued. "Stephanie!" Emlyn suddenly yelled and pulled me by the hand in an ignoble way that almost made me fall.
He held me by the hand and we raced after the strange photographer into the marketplace.
I could hear action-movie-sounds play in my head as we dodged obstacles and followed the villian.
Emlyn would not leave my hand. I had to run with him, scattering stuffs in the market, on the way and apologizing. We were close to the guy.
Abruptly, someone spilled a bucket of stinky water over me from a two-storey building and the running ceased. I halted, jaw dropped, panting heavily. I felt totally humiliated as my body reeked and my fancy outfit was immersed in junky liquid.
"What the hell, Emlyn!" I yelled furiously. I gotta admit, I was enjoying the chase at first. "First, you dragged me off like a bag of trash when all he wanted to do was to take a picture of my perfection!"
"I was trying to protect you!"
That's cute but, "from what?" I was totally dazed.
"From... You may have the perfect eyes and skin and dress but none of that mattered to him! He is gonna use those photos for something despicable. This is Olive Valley, Stephanie, open your eyes!"
I had never seen him pissed like that. I couldn't even tell why he was but Emlyn was definitely hiding so much from me.
"Look, I'm sorry... I'm sorry I brought you out in the streets. I shouldn't have. Let's go home."
We took the subway home, saying nothing to each other and as soon as I arrived at my door, I received a call from Arthur.
"Steph, why are you doing this? You promised me you would see that sci-fi movie with me, Sci Spies."
"I did?"
"Yes, you did! To make up for ditching me. Now, you did it again."
"Sp-sp," I burst into laughter.
"Sci Spies!"
"What kinda name is Sci Spies? That alone turns me off. Anyways, see you at school tomorrow."
I hung up, sighed and looked up at the sky... Make it brighter, make it happen.