10 RELATIONSHIP LESSONS FROM " THE TRAIN "
As passionate and romantic as the first kiss sounds, doing it with the right person gives you that warmth and intimacy your heart craves. Just realise that it happens once, so savour it.
I knew nothing about romance, but knew when I liked someone. I used to have a crush in my final year, back in high school, setting my eyes on him every now and then, especially at the assembly ground was so intimidating, it made me feel uneasy like ‘a baby bird just learning to fly’. Each time he passed by, I feared I was going to get choked at the sight of him.
He was tall, had broad chest and a cute smile. I just couldn’t resist the thought of him as it always assailed me by wondering if he felt the same way… But apparently, he didn’t seem to notice if I existed, and this made matters worse.
I would always go back to my shell and fantasise about what our first kiss would feel like. Why wasn’t he looking my way,? I wondered quietly. Wasn’t I attractive enough, or maybe he didn’t like girls? Maybe as a Science student who was a book warm, he didn’t have time for girls.
Obviously, he wasn’t ready for a relationship… I consoled myself with these thoughts, another mind told me to just forget him and I did, or maybe for that moment. Thoughts of him seemed to have wiped off my memory like an error wiped from a paper with correction fluid.
I was an Art student and had a beautiful hand writing which all admired, it wasn’t a big deal to me as I knew that I couldn’t win a lottery with it.
When it came to copying notes, I would be asked to write on the chalk board for others to copy. Sooner, it became a duty for me. I was never tired or bored writing. At least it took my mind off Christ … Yes, that was his name. I would write on the chalk board and still write in my book, it made me read and understand a topic easier.
Biology is a subject offered by all student in Science, Commercial and Art classes, in high school.
I remembered some of my mates used to dislike it for its lengthy notes. If you’ve passed through high school. You would understand what I’m talking about. While for me, though not a pure science student, but I liked it because it is full of excitement, beauty and wonderful. It is the study of life… And just like life, biology is a rich and diverse field of study.
Please don’t say “No wonder’! I also liked it because it was the subject that made me see Christ often, as it brought all classes together.
I would sit a little closer to him so that he could notice me. Importantly, I felt he would notice me more when I’m called upon to write on the chalkboard for all to copy. Mr Ken, our Biology teacher would after explaining a topic ask me to copy the notes on the board.
Well, as the saying goes, “Good things comes to those who wait”… If you believe it just smile!
Alright, we were both boarding students, feeding on the watery beans and rice with palm oil stew from the school kitchen. You can imagine how a young girl was thinking of a first kiss when I was suppose to be praying to pass WAEC and the almighty JAMB.
One fateful sunny afternoon, I had rushed back to the hostel to pick a textbook I forgot. I was meticulously searching my bookshelf to get the book, after which I stormed out and ran down the stairs, just at the foot of the stairs stood a male student who looked like Christ.
On getting closer, OMG! It was him … Yes, Christ!
How on earth did he get into the female hostel, who saw him enter? Is it that he has been able to read my mind and saw that I have been taking about our first kiss? What did he come to do here? These were the thoughts that troubled my mind all at once. Before I knew it, I started panting, which became apparent to him that he was the reason for my sudden behaviour.
He looked more charming than ever, with that I was scared I was going to faint.
“Hey!” His voice interrupted my fears … “Your friend told me you came here, sorry I scared you”. “No, I’m fine,” I replied. He went on… ” I am two topics behind in Biology, and wondered if I could borrow your note?” ” Yes”, I replied almost Immediately, “My note is in the class”, “Very well then, I’d go to your class and wait for you” he suggested.
That moment, I realised that if I allowed him to go, I might never get such rare opportunity again. Remember what they say about opportunity coming once.
Till today, I still can’t fathom where I got such boldness from. As he turned to head for the exit, I uttered a few courageous words, “I like you”, he turned back, “did you say something?”
I could swear that he heard me, but wanted to be sure that I meant what I had just said.
“I like you” I repeated, this time, I was loud and clear. “Same here”, he responded. “What?” I asked in my mind. “So why didn’t you tell me all along?” he asked “I’ve liked you for a while too” he continued, as he approached me, my heart literally jumped into my mouth, he held me tenderly around my waist and I like you so much but we are too young for that now.
I would love to be your good friend, for now, we will ourselves come out tops of our classes and move to a higher institution. I was happy at least for the fact that the feeling is mutual, but I got a shock of my life with his next statement.
So he said, “ I can’t wait to know what our first kiss would feel like.” What he must have the gift of reading minds, but then he added, “ that will be on our wedding night.” I don’t need to tell you that I did not get our first kiss that night. He was more serious, focused and disciplined than I though. I felt ashamed of myself, but I tried not to show it.
In one part of my heart, I believed he might be a good influence on me, and I was waiting for how that would work, more than how I was thinking about our first kiss.
But something happened that night. What for it in part 2