Overview

You probably have had about dating and how dating scenarios turn out at the end .Sometimes, the ones we love the most hurt us the most, love can get tough at times but it’s worth the fight.  I would be mean to say that campus did me no justice since it’s the place I came to meet Lisa. Once, she turned me down, but  I didn’t give up, I went ahead to give her a shoulder to lean on when she fell out with he boyfriend... Dating could be tough but once you are determined to love and show affection, never give up, Fight for what you want. It will fall in place.A poetic note from Lisa re unites us.

I believed saying I’m fine would make it true,

I trusted in saying am good

Until the mirror stared back

And reminded me in anger

That I never was.

Dear Love,

I became a wanderer,

Without a destination in mind

All because of the raging demons in my head,

They shout so loud,

That am left without say…

Well, they say each day comes with its blessings and I guess some also come with their curse…Let me cut the chase here and roll the dice. Remember your first love? The promises that y’all made? Now that’s what dating life left me with, pure memories that only come back with a spark of a drink well that’s a glass of water of course. I recall vividly my first encounter with this gorgeous beautiful lady along the vast university premises. I wouldn’t tell the exact street back then since I was still a naïve confused freshman at the institution; overly confused would be an understatement but yeah that fits a perfect description.

It was just another afternoon on campus and we had just finished this hectic archeology lecture and some of my newly found campus friends and I decided to chill out a little and have some snacks and fizzy drinks as we assessed the environment like the freshman we were. You prolly might be thinking that the snacks and the fizzy drinks were out of this world but am here to inform y’all that this wasn’t out of the ordinary KDF andazi and a glass of soda that were at least affordable for us since they were at a comrades’ price. Typical campus struggles. We were about seven that is 4 guys and 3 girls. Among the girls, was Melissah: a really beautiful lady, heaven sent would be an understatement? I had a serious crush on Melissah whom we had gotten used to refer to her as Lisa, every member of the squad had known of the crush I had on her but since I hadn’t told her a thing we maintained the friend zone .The thought of telling her my heart crossed my mind and being the Kevoh that I was I  suggested we sit at a separate area and she said okay with a smile on her face my  mind told me that I had a chance though I kept it cool until I spoke my heart to her and so we opted for another table that was strategically placed at the corner, the rest of the squad were hailing my name kevoh! Kevoh! With funny statements like “usiangushe jeshi! I chuckled. Their eyes followed us until we sat down.

As we sat down I could see Lisa’s reaction, she shyly looked at me giving me those quick glances as she maintained her cool though the tense mood was evident. The moment came, I decided to cut open my heart and pour out what had been concealed deep inside. I told her my feelings for her that had developed to a point that I just had to share and speak them out, she looked at me and gave a dry stare as if those lines seem very familiar to her. I didn’t give up I went ahead to use the very few skills that I had picked from the trending Mexican romantic movie “THE PROMISE “that had Angelou wining Ynah’s heart.(don’t judge me please) but I had to use all ways to gain entry to Lisa’s heart, she was all that I ever wanted and I couldn’t waste away this chance I used all kind of flatters and went ahead to  give random promises some of which I knew I couldn’t fulfill but it was worth the time after all a yes would be the best that I ever wanted from her. I had finished what I’d have called a romantic episode when I dropped the banger hoping for the best. I asked Lisa to be my girlfriend. She slightly raised her head leaning towards me, with sadness and slight tears in her eyes, she did not move any single muscle. My heart leapt, the mood was tensed I knew I had scored, I had made it finally seeing the tears in her eyes. “Mama your son made it! He’s made you proud!” I silently said under my breathe. At the time, Melissah cleared her throat ready to give her answer, the one that changed my perspective on dating actually. “you are such a gentleman Kevoh, you’re such a cute guy, I love your personality very much and respect our friendship so much,” she continued,” but I am sorry, I am in another relationship already I can’t be your girlfriend, I am sorry!” she mattered the last bit under a strong breath.

It was then that it occurred to Melissah that she had agreed to meet Trevor later that afternoon. Trevor was her current boyfriend, the man that had snatched the opportunity for Melissah and I to be in a relationship, so I learnt later on.” I am sorry but I have to leave, I am meeting Trevor in thirty minutes’ time at the Cafeteria and I need to prepare before we meet. “Melissah said all along looking at the empty floor aware of the dreams she had shattered. Being the defiant one, I didn’t give in so easy to her new change of plans, I said silently to myself ‘organize, mobilize and stay focused!’, I couldn’t just give in to this moment, I had to do something worthwhile to make her stay longer. I took to my usual jokes to drift away from the tensed mood that had now covered our conversation. I was the class funny man, even the teachers had noted my sense of humor, I could make anyone smile from a simple statement. After a few jokes, I finally made her giggle and laugh to the new stories I told her of my now imaginary created friend Tommy who had to be beaten by the mother for writing a note to his girlfriend back in high school. Melissah was the kind of a girl that any man would want to have and it is that feeling that made me tirelessly crave for her attention even though I hadn’t gotten the chance to have her as my girlfriend since there’s a factor that had taken my spot before I could make a move. I was sad but not dejected I had to fight on, I had to go for it after all I was the descendant of the great Elijah Masinde who never gave up according to the adage that still runs among my people: my descendants.

I had barely finished talking when a tall dark guy grassed a seat at our table. The man I later came to learn was Trevor, my competitor, the one who’d stolen the gem from my grasp. I was confused at how he looked at Melissah, the confusion on her face was also a sign of something sinister that had happened but I hadn’t the slightest clue to what had just happened.” Could it be her brother or just another suitor?” I wondered. Geam, geam,geam…I could hear that drum sound in my ear…I am finished! The stranger however continued to stare at us all along with an agitated look.

The moment they saw Trevor at our table, my friend who had remained at our initial table began to adjust their table, one of them; Tony took of the headphones that he was putting on, probably to hear the action... I could feel the scrutiny of % pairs of eyes at me, I was fully clothed but I felt as unclad as I was born. They all looked away when I turned towards them, those devils! I said to myself. What could be the issue? Why the sudden change on Melissah’s face? Being the gentleman that I am, I stretched out my hand to offer greetings’ to the newest occupant on our table, the table I had strategically selected to woe my long time crush to be my girlfriend without disturbance now occupied by an extra stranger so I thought. He didn’t even accept my greetings he instead went ahead to raise his voice at Lisa.

“So what are you doing here Lisa?” He asked harshly. That would be so unfair for a stranger to raise his voice at my crush. My thoughts were interrupted by another demanding question from the new occupant. “Hivi ndio tutaishi?” (is this how we shall live). Melissah was all tensed, she had freaked out, I decided to chill and watch as the drama unfolded since I couldn’t comprehend what was happening and no one could explain to me. “Trevor I had just come to eat, nothing else.” Said Lisa. Trevor looked at the two empty cans of Fanta orange. “How long?” Trevor asked now with his fist clenched. This was getting interesting and small crowds had started to gather around. “Not long, just 30 minutes.”  Trevor had now been filled with rage, his eyes turned red, his breathe was so strong I could feel it, he was agitated. “you’ve started lying right? I’ve been watching you for over 2 hours sitting here, with this guy laughing yourself silly, you left kept me waiting for that long because of another guy?” Trevor shouted. I could feel my anger rise; how could he be so rude? How could he handle Melissah like that?

“I’mmm sorry!” stuttered Melissah. I could see the tears that were about to drop from Melissah’s eyes, I fought to hold back my temper, I couldn’t hold back my cool and decided to defend Melissah who by now had started to sob. “She told me she had a date, I pleaded with her to stay with me just a little longer, it’s not really her fault,” I told Trevor. On the contrary, Trevor went ahead to ignore me as if I wasn’t addressing him at any point, he didn’t act as if anybody just talked. Out of anger Trevor yelled “you are a big idiot, you stood me up…after everything we’ve been through I don’t blame you at all.” I couldn’t take it any longer, I yelled back at him, “What’s wrong with you dude? How can you talk to a lady like that? Don’t you have manners/ I don’t mind how you talk to me but you shouldn’t speak to her like that, after all she’s apologized, don’t talk to her like that again, at least not in my presence...!” I sat down imagining a lot of crazy things, what if they got into a fight? (although it’s kinda cute for couples when couples fight over you but not in this case.) I knew that if such a thing happened, my course mates wouldn’t hesitate to record the video, another thought creeped in what if Trevor slapped me or picked a fight with me (I am not saying I was scared but basing on the height advantage one person wouldn’t win and that clearly wasn’t Trevor, he was built.)

Lisa’s emotional side got the better of her and pleaded with Trevor to stop embarrassing her and to be considerate of the fact that her classmates were watching us. Trevor went ahead to silence her which she quickly did. After a while, he took a deep breath, hissed ay Lisa and told her to get him something to eat. What a turn of events! I was both as surprised as you might be though I was quite angry, I calmed down. Peace at last. Or so I thought. Lisa brought the food on the table for Trevor to eat but after two bites Trevor left hurriedly living Lisa in Limbo. She was confused, she needed a shoulder to lean on. She was traumatized. What would happen to her relationship? what was left of her and Trevor? These were just but a few questions that flashed her mind after the unruly behavior that Trevor had displayed. I stood by her during this moment and assured her that everything would be fine. Unlike any other normal day that we left as a squad of 7, Melisah and I left later in the evening only to assure her that if things don’t work out, ill ‘be there for her any day anytime.

Time passed, two weeks later, tony: the headphone friend informed me of the break up call that Lisa received from Trevor and as word had it throughout the school, Kevoh was the solemn cause of the split. At first I became worried, what would become of my name, a relationship breaker? My heart and soul was burdened. I had to look for Lisa, I had to make things right. I had to know the truth. During the archeology afternoon class, I happened to spot her lonely and dejected. At least the first class she had attended after the whole scenario created by Trevor. I pinched myself not to awaken me from a dream but to make feel the pain that I had caused her unknowingly. I rushed to her and she told me what had happened. Trevor had left. She felt low and much wasted but in as much as I felt her pain I had to make use of the chance. I never left out of her sight.

What happened during the two months of the recovery period remains a borne to chew some other day. Heard of the song whose lyrics goes by “... saa zingine unayempenda anapenda mwingine anayependa mwingine….? or whatever the song says. Well Love is a circle that goes around and comes around. As I pen this down, she’s here, yes of course; My Lisa, preparing the maize that I had carried home from my village to push us through this tough January, we got to save and kisiagi (the posho mill) does the magic. Whatever happened to Trevor and the love of my life is another borne to chew but from here says on the streets Trevor is a father in waiting. Things happen so fast don’t you think? The new developments are attributed to the note that Melissah left in my archeology notes that I had given her to copy down our term paper research question. A piece that I carry till now, a piece am grateful for:

Did you know?

When you said you care

I broke into tears,

Because for so long I had longed

For a heart to hear me.

For a soul to care long enough to listen,

And so when you did,

It felt surreal,

For I was used to silence.

Did you know?

When you said I love you

I felt lost,

I didn’t know what to do,

For my mind screamed I wasn’t worth it,

And my heart just wanted to whisper

I love you too

I love you beyond everything.

                                    THE END.

@KEVINS’POETRY 2020