Matthew 28:19-20
19. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20. teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
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I watched the man who I had come to call a friend in all his strikingly handsome features and dark dressing sense which I had come I noticed he loved to wear, which was basically a black leather jacket, black shirt, black jeans and boots, wipe the table we shared wholly with what seemed like sanitiser then a few seconds repeated the same action on his chair. Thoroughly so, might I add. I'm pretty sure I could see my own reflection on our wooden table.
A few minutes later, he was back from throwing the cloth he was using and washing his hands.
"Buongiorno," he said, taking a seat on his very shiny chair.
"Good morning," I smiled.
"You are one hygiene enthusiast," I commented, noting his meticulousness.
"No, I am not," he denied the obvious, with a roll of his eyes.
"Yes, you are."
"No, the correct word is germaphobe," he finally said. "For someone who wants to be a doctor, you sure do not know the scientific terms of some diseases or rather phobias."
A warm flush crept up my neck and suffused my face. I guess he was right, I mean the first thing that came to mind was that he was a hygiene enthusiast, not in a bad but a good way, I mean ninety percent of the male population was not hygienic, so I was merely surprised.
"I want to be a cardiologist, not a primary care doctor, or a psychiatrist," I explained as my delicate hue slowly faded away.
"But doesn't being a doctor mean you should know all the different types of illnesses and phobias, amore?" he arched a brow, his pet name causing a fluttering feeling of butterflies in my stomach.
"Not really, especially during my first year of medical school," I explained.
"Interesting," he slowly nodded his head.
We pulled out our laptops, and I began recording all my research and observations.
In a matter of mere seconds, my thoughts were transported back to the verse I had read the previous night. It was as if it had been waiting in the depths of my subconscious, ready to be illuminated by a sudden spark of inspiration. The verse spoke of the duty of Christians to spread the word of God, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons in His name. As I pondered upon this, I was struck by how it seemed to align so perfectly with a TikTok video I had watched the night before. The video had depicted how so many people who claimed to be Christians were still living their everyday lives, listening to the same music, watching the same movies, and socializing with the same friends, yet they seemed unable to fulfil the very purpose for which they had been called. They were unable to carry out the commands of God, to spread His message of love and compassion, and to bring hope and healing to those who needed it most.
The coincidence was not lost on me. It was as if the Lord was trying to tell me something, to awaken me to the true nature of my calling. I realized that being a Christian was not just about going through the motions, attending church, and reciting prayers. It was about living a life of purpose, spreading love and hope to others, of being a beacon of light in a world that often seemed dark and hopeless. The verse and the TikTok video opened my eyes to a new level of understanding, and I knew that from that moment on, my life would never be the same.
"Amore, are you okay?" Nio broke me out of my reverie of thoughts as he always did.
"Fantastic," I grinned and gave him a thumbs up which did not seem to convince him but let the subject slide as he went back to keying briskly, as I wished I could do.
As I glanced over at him from my peripheral vision, I noticed that he had paused his typing and was now gazing in my direction. His eyes seemed to be fixed on me, and for a moment, I felt a sense of unease. It was as if he had been lost in thought, typing away at his computer, when something had suddenly caught his attention and drawn him away from his work.
I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking, what had prompted him to stop his typing and look at me in that way. Perhaps he had noticed something peculiar about my appearance, or maybe something I had said had piqued his curiosity. Or, perhaps, he was simply lost in thought, his mind wandering aimlessly as he gazed in my direction.
Regardless of the reason, the moment felt charged with a certain tension, a sense of anticipation that hung suspended in the air between us. I found myself holding my breath, waiting for him to speak, to break the silence that had fallen over the room. And yet, he remained silent, his gaze fixed on me, his fingers hovering over the keyboard as if waiting for some signal to resume his typing.
It was a moment that seemed to stretch on indefinitely, each passing second pregnant with a sense of possibility and uncertainty. And yet, despite the tension that hung in the air, there was also a strange sense of intimacy, a feeling that we were sharing something profound and unspoken in that brief moment of eye contact.
"Yes?" I finally broke the silence.
"Do you want to go out for some coffee later on today, on me?" He asked, his head lazily resting on his elbows as he flashed me a heart-stopping smile, his dazed demeanour gone.
"Uhm," was all I could say, shocked at his request.
"Don't make a mountain out of a molehill, I just want us to work together on this project, so are you up for it?" It surprised me how he could go from jubilant to angered in just a matter of seconds.
I contemplated it for a few seconds and settled on the fact that I had nothing to lose, "Okay."
"Bene, amore."
A few hours later...
My best friend leaned in with a sly grin and a twinkle in her eye. "So, you'll be going on a date with an Italian hottie?" she asked, the teasing note in her voice all too apparent. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her persistence; I had been trying to explain to her for the past five minutes that it wasn't a date, but she seemed determined to make it seem like one.
I took a deep breath and tried to explain once again. "It's not a date," I said firmly, hoping to put an end to the conversation once and for all. "I'm just meeting Nio for coffee to discuss the assignment we were given."
My best friend merely shrugged and tossed her long, blonde braids over her shoulder. "Whatever you say, Madame," she replied, a mischievous glint in her eye. It was clear that she wasn't convinced, and I couldn't help but shake my head at her playful antics.
Despite her teasing, however, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my stomach at the thought of seeing Nio again. He was a tad bit charming, intelligent, and confident; when he wished to be, he was like a closed book most of the time so as much as I was looking forward to meeting him again, I couldn't let my friend's teasing get the best of me.
"So, red or blue?" I held up blue and red bodycon dresses, one of which my lovely best friend had borrowed me. While the blue dress just revealed my chocolate skin tone and honey eyes delicately and innocently, the red dress made my curvy figure look more refined and not in a so-innocent way, especially if I did not want to send out the wrong message about this meet-up.
"What's the difference?" she smirked.
Thato was really something else.
"I have decided I'll go with the blue dress, but thanks for the red dress," I said ignoring her previous statement.
As I glanced at the clock, I realized with a jolt of panic that I had only an hour to get ready before I was due to meet my friends. I quickly assessed the situation and made a mental checklist of all the things I needed to do. First, I needed to wash up, then style my hair, apply a bit of makeup, and finally select an outfit. It was a daunting task, but I knew I had to hurry if I wanted to make it on time.
I shooed Thato out of my room instructing her to iron my dress for me and wait for my grand entry. Within thirty minutes, I was in my pink silk gown, and different types of lipsticks, glosses, mascaras, eyeliners and foundation lay before me on my vanity. I decided to go with something light and airy so I only applied some gloss, mascara and blush, then took in my appearance which, should I say didn't look quite bad.
It was now time for my grand entry as I stepped down the stairs, my thigh-high boot heels clinking on the hardwood flooring as I pulled down my icy blue fur coat and secured my laptop bag on my shoulder.
As I stepped on the last step, I heard a gasp.
With a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye, my friend approached me and gazed at me admiringly. "Darling, you look absolutely breathtaking!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine excitement and enthusiasm. "Antonio is going to be blown away when he sees you!"
Her words sent a warm rush of pleasure through me, and I couldn't help but feel a strange surge of confidence and anticipation at the thought of seeing Antonio again. Despite my attempts to downplay the significance of our meeting, I couldn't deny that a small part of me was hoping to make a good impression on him.
As my friend enveloped me in a warm embrace, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort and reassurance. Her hug was a tangible reminder of the love and support that surrounded me, and I felt grateful to have such a wonderful friend by my side.
I wrapped my arms around her slender-waisted figure and returned her embrace, feeling a deep sense of affection and gratitude towards her. Her genuine excitement and encouragement were just what I needed to calm my nerves and face the exciting challenge that lay ahead. With her support and encouragement, I knew that I could face anything that the evening might bring.
"Thank you," I said as we pulled away from each other.
"Now, go, go, go. You are only left with five minutes!" she frowned as she tugged me by my hand and walked me to our door. I wanted to go back and wear something casual as this we were only going to work on a project, nothing special. But my friend did not give me any chance in the world as she basically kicked me out of our home.
"Are you kicking me out?" I playfully asked.
"Nah, I just do not want you to be late for your date."
As I was about to argue she gently pushed me out and softly closed the door.
"Do enjoy yourself!" my very enthusiastic best friend shouted from inside the house.
"Will do!" I shouted back, though she had kicked me out of my own home.
I started my walk to the elevator as I asked the Lord for guidance and to help Nio realise how that was only a classmate's hang out, sharing project idea's rather than a date.
As I pondered the situation, doubts began to creep into my mind. Perhaps, it wasn't Nio who needed guidance, perhaps it was I who was in need of direction and support.
_______
Bene- Good.