THE GIRL I NEVER HAD, PART 12

“You never regain lost prestige by going where no one knows you,” my elders warned. I decided to fix my mistake. I had to get my name back. Tonight Lucy would be at choir practice — perfect chance to see her and beg for forgiveness.

I paced until the street lamps came on. I found a pile of blocks by a house and sat. The dusk had that nervous hush where everything seems possible and nothing is easy. I was rehearsing my lines when I saw him — that ugly boy, JK. I knew he went to the same church as Lucy, but I didn’t know he was a chorister. If his singing was any proof, then God had been stingy with talent.

He walked past Lucy’s gate and, minutes later, came out with a girl on his arm. They were close — talking, laughing, even hugging. I was about to move in, to teach JK his lesson, when I saw the girl’s face and froze.

It wasn’t Lucy.

I’d been ready to confront a cheater, but what I’d caught was JK with another girl. The shock made my legs go weak. JK saw me watching and said nothing. The girl seemed about to speak, but JK hustled her away. She’d probably seen me at the gate—either entering or running out. I didn’t wait to find out.

I marched to Lucy’s gate to tell her what I’d seen. I reached for the latch—then someone opened the gate before me.

Lucy stood there, decent and ready for choir practice. Her voice cut me like iced water. “You again? Still watching? Not enough, eh? Want to enjoy the show some more? Shame on you.”

Her words stung. After everything, to be insulted like this — I felt small and foolish. I started to turn away, ready to nurse my wounded pride at home. Then Lucy grabbed my shirt and pulled me back. She hugged me.

The embrace was tighter than the one at the hospital. I was stunned. One minute she pushed me away, the next she was clinging to me. Was I falling for a living contradiction? I told her to stop. I wanted to tell her about what I saw with JK. Would she be angry? Hurt? Betrayed? I didn’t know. I stood there with the story on my tongue, waiting for the right moment.

THE GIRL I NEVER HAD, PART11

“You never know whether your friend is a snake or a snake is your friend until one of them bites you.” I didn’t know whose room I’d barged into—until the owner walked in.

Panic switched on autopilot. I dived behind an old, bulky refrigerator just as the door creaked open. A girl entered. A female. Wrapped in a towel. Lucy. She had clearly just finished bathing.

My heart calmed for half a second—at least it wasn’t her father. But my relief didn’t last. Lucy started dancing to the music in her room, carefree, while I crouched sweating bullets behind the fridge like a fugitive.

How long could I hide? What if she saw me? Worse—what if her mother joined her? The heat and nerves worked on me, and before I knew it, I sneezed.

Pandemonium. Lucy screamed. I screamed back. I stumbled out from hiding and she shrieked even louder. In the chaos, her towel slipped to the floor. She froze, naked, trembling in shock.

Before I could even think, someone began banging hard on the door. A man’s voice thundered: “Lucy! What’s happening in there?” He rattled the handle. Thank God she had locked it.

Lucy was speechless, her body shaking, her eyes wide. I begged her silently not to reveal me. She finally answered: “It’s nothing! I just… I saw a big mouse on the bed.”

The man cursed under his breath, muttered insults, and stomped off. Lucy quickly grabbed her towel and wrapped it back around her, but the damage was already done—her fear, my shame, and that split second when I saw what I shouldn’t have.

She turned on me, furious: “What are you doing here? Why are you here? How did you get in?”

I tried to calm her. I explained about the dog, the panic, how I had no choice but to run inside. I thought she might pity me. I thought she might laugh it off. Maybe even hug me. Maybe more.

I was wrong. She shoved me out. She didn’t care about the dog still waiting outside. She didn’t care about the man who nearly caught me. All she cared about was that I had seen her naked.

I entered her room with courage but left carrying pure shame. The embarrassment was so heavy that fear itself couldn’t find space in my heart. I walked past the wild dog without flinching, pushed the gate, and left.

That day I knew my chances of winning Lucy’s heart had shrunk to almost nothing.

THE GIRL I NEVER HAD, PART 10

“You can’t run and scratch your buttocks at the same time,” people say. I was facing two impossible jobs at once: get JK punished and win Lucy’s heart. Both sounded easy until I actually had to do them. This needed a plan—and other people. I called a meeting for Friday after school. We met, plotted, and decided the order: first, deal with JK; then the three of us (minus Frank) would go to war for Lucy. Whoever won, won.

That Friday evening I decided to visit Lucy at her home. I hadn’t seen her since the hospital and wanted to make an impression—soft voice, steady eyes, all that nonsense. I bathed, brushed, dressed up, and even swiped my mum’s perfume. We lived in the same neighbourhood, so I didn’t need a taxi.

I reached her gate and pushed it open. I’d never actually been inside her house before—only followed directions like a man reading treasure clues. No one seemed around, but I could hear music coming from a room. I walked toward the sound and knocked on the door.

Then a dog started barking. Not a friendly woof—an all-systems GO, teeth-on-standby kind of bark. It ran toward me, full furious speed. My heart thudded into my throat. I had two choices: fight the dog (brandish courage), or run (preserve the one heart I still needed for later). But run where?

I kept knocking, faster now. The dog closed in. In a panic I shoved the gate open and dove into the closest room I could reach. I didn’t care whose room it was or who might be in it; I only cared I wasn’t out in front of that dog. The gate slammed behind me. The dog prowled for a minute, then gave up and stalked away.

I caught my breath and decided it was safe to leave. I reached for the gate—then it swung open.

Who had opened it?

THE GIRL I NEVER HAD, PART 3

I quickly shoved the letter into my pocket and pushed the toilet gate open. Guess who was standing there? The new guy.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“I’m here to do exactly what you came here to do,” he said.

Exactly what I came here to do? Did he somehow know about the letter? Did he know I’d just been hiding a love note meant for him? My stomach turned. Should I tell him right now? Or wait until he was done?

I decided to wait outside. I’d tell him everything when he came out. While standing there, my dream girl walked toward me. Jackpot.

I knew she was heading to “answer nature’s call,” so I had to be quick. I called her name politely. Usually, she brushed me off without blinking, but this time she surprised me—she actually agreed to meet me after school. My heart nearly did a backflip.

Just as she entered the washroom, the new guy came out. “You’re still here?” he asked.

“Yeah, I was waiting for you,” I replied.

He smiled, pleased. On our way back to class, he asked, “So what were you doing with Lucy?”

“Nothing important,” I said quickly. He wanted to press, but I shot him my best don’t-push-me look, and he zipped it.

My hand brushed against the letter in my pocket. This was it. Time to give it up. With shaky fingers, I pulled it out and handed it to him.

“Ei, another one? That makes four today,” he said casually.

I froze. Four? So this wasn’t even new to him?

“What do they say?” I asked, pretending not to care.

“They’re all from some anonymous lovers,” he said with a shrug. “But I’m not interested.”

“Crazy boy,” I muttered under my breath.

We entered class, and before long the closing bell rang. My mind wasn’t on lessons anymore. I had one mission left: meet Lucy.

But there was a problem—my boys. We were so inseparable that it was suspicious if I wasn’t with them. How was I supposed to shake them off?

I gathered courage. “You guys go ahead, I’ll join you later,” I said. They raised their brows, but when the leader speaks, nobody questions. They left.

Then I overheard Lucy telling her friend, JK, the same thing. She’d stay behind too. My chest tightened. This was it—the moment I’d dreamt about a thousand times.

The classroom emptied until it was just the two of us. My palms grew sweaty. I couldn’t even look her in the eyes. She turned her head, avoiding mine too.

“So… why did you call me here?” she asked, impatience creeping into her voice.

My throat was dry. No words came out.

“Look, if you’ve got nothing to say, don’t waste my time,” she said sharply.

“Please,” I managed, “just give me five minutes. That’s all I need.”

I was about to pour my heart out when the door creaked open.

The headmaster walked in. “What are you two still doing here?”

Think fast. “I was helping her with a Maths topic she’s struggling with,” I lied, trying to sound convincing.

He studied us for a moment, then stepped outside. Relief washed over me—until he popped his head back in.

“Dwomoh,” he said, “come with me.”

THE GIRL I NEVER HAD, PART 2

I didn't want the new guy to see the letter. It could be him, and it could also be me. I decided to find out the writer of this love letter. Luckily for me that day, I was the first student to enter the classroom. The others started trooping in, so I hid the letter in my bag. The new guy joined me on the desk, and we had a good chat that morning. While we were talking, we saw our Maths tutor approaching. Complete silence rained on us. Most of my mates,  including me, didn't like Maths. I don't know if our teacher is the cause or just the subject. When the teacher started teaching, something happened that got us all shocked.
I never knew I was sitting with "Archimedes". The new guy was not only cute but a shark. He answered most of the questions our teacher asked. Surprisingly, he got all of them correct. He also asked intelligent questions. JK could not match him. JK scored eight out of ten in the test we did, but the new guy scored all. I'm sure you are wondering what I got? For the very first time in my life, I got all the answers correct. How do you expect me to even get one answer wrong, while I was sitting with the shark? I took advantage of him and copied all his answers. I became very happy that day. I felt like lifting the new guy with the last strength I had in me. But I didn't. I didn't even show I was happy. I felt I was doing him a favor. Why? I made him sit beside me. I accepted him as my friend. So if he's helping me to excel in my academics, that was not a big deal.

The new guy did not only excel in Maths but he extended his dominance in the other subjects. Soon, JK was forgotten. No one gave him much attention as we used to. All the attention was on the new guy now. Since I was virtually getting the same score as he got, I also got my share of the attention. I found that as an opportunity to win the heart of that pretty girl. Surprisingly, she was not seen so close to JK as she used to. She was either seen alone or with some female friends. I knew that was the right time to strike. I wouldn't waste time. But who wrote that letter? And who was the love letter directed to?

Exactly a week later, I saw another envelope. I went to the classroom with my two paddies, oh sorry, three. The new guy was a member of our group now. We called ourselves, MEGA BRAINS. I was still the leader. I needed to know the content of the letter, but I didn't want my other friends to know about this secret admirer. I decided to hide the letter in my bag again, and find a quiet place to read it. The first break came, I couldn't get the chance. The second break came, I couldn't find any chance. I needed to read it before closing because I couldn't bear the suspense any longer.

I decided to seek permission from our French tutor so that I can go out and read the letter. She wasn't that difficult. So far as you can ask for permission in French, then your permission would be granted. By that time, I had managed to sneak the letter into my back pocket without my paddies knowing. Well, so I thought. I walked to the teacher and rattled my French. Off, I went. I was so eager to know what this secret admirer had written. I went to the toilet, locked the door, took out the letter from my pocket, and started reading.

There wasn't enough light there to help me read. I had to strain my eyes. And the stench was so unbearable. I nearly threw up. I started reading the letter, and as usual, she went on and on telling me how she was dying to be in my arms. I was enjoying every bit of the letter, despite the foul smell I found myself in. I read and read and read until I got to that part. The part that the anonymous writer mentioned a name.

I started sweating. The bad smell was choking me. I couldn't stand it anymore. This letter I had been brooding over it wasn't even supposed to be mine. It was meant for the new guy. Oh, what a complete waste of my precious time. So how do I tell the new guy? How will he receive this? Will he be angry, or happy? Will he continue to trust me, after I had read a love letter which was directed to him? Avalanche of unanswered questions started weighing me.

My thoughts scattered. My heart was already racing when suddenly—BANG! BANG! BANG! Someone was outside, hitting the door so hard the hinges rattled.

“KD, open up!” a voice shouted.

My blood froze.

THE GIRL I NEVER HAD, PART 1

A very long time ago, when I was in Junior Secondary School, there was a particular girl in my class that every boy wished was his. We did all we could, but we couldn't snatch her away from the tight grip of one boy, whose forehead was so big that it could block the destiny of six generations. Yes, you read that right. We couldn't comprehend why such a beautiful girl would choose such an ugly dude over us. Love can indeed be blind.

We tried our best to convince her to stop seeing this ugly guy, but it felt like convincing a hungry dog to choose honey over bones. It was hard. Very, very hard. At one point, we even thought that this ugly dude had bewitched the girl.

There were three of us friends - EK, MA, and me, KD. We decided to separate the "couple", and then each one of us would try to win the heart of this damsel. Whoever wins, wins. Ewwwwww, you say? This shows how frustrated we were. I was the leader. I was the cutest. I was the smartest. I stood a better chance of winning her love than my other friends, so I never had a problem with that arrangement.

Here's how we planned to separate the two. Oh, I forgot to tell you that this ugly guy, JK, was the most intelligent in our class. He used to teach us during those times when our teachers went on strike. For obvious reasons, I didn't like him, but not his style of teaching. He taught us like a trained teacher, and he controlled the class as if he were the headmaster. He was loved by both boys and girls in my class, except the three of us. There was never a day that you wouldn't find JK and his books together. Most of the time, Lucy, the girl of our dreams, was found next to him in a compromising posture.

One hot afternoon, after we had returned from our second break, the headmaster entered our class with a boy. We thought he was our headmaster's last born. He was well-dressed, with a neatly ironed shirt, polished shoes, and well-combed hair.

You could see on the faces of the girls that they were dying to rest in his arms. He was so cute, perhaps even more than me. Envy was written boldly on the faces of the guys. We just couldn't believe a guy could be this cute.

The headmaster told us he was a new student who would be joining us the following day. After the announcement, he asked me to be the friend of this new guy. I was sitting alone at the desk; my two friends were behind me. So automatically, the new guy had to join me at my desk. I didn't have much of a problem with that arrangement, but my only fear was going to school one day to hear that the new guy had snatched the girl of my dreams away. I prayed hard against it.

The following day, I had a lot of fun with my new friend. You could see from his new uniform and even his skin colour that he came from a rich home. Although my parents weren't poor, the new guy had a lot of things that I didn't have. The very first day he came to sit beside me, he brought me a gift. I thought that was too thoughtful of him, but I asked him to give it to my other friends.

A few days later, I got to school early and found an envelope under my desk. Of course, I opened it. No name, no clue. Inside was a letter—a love letter. I read it carefully, word for word. Still no name.

It was from Miss Nobody to Mr Nobody. The writer confessed she was falling for a boy who sat at that desk.

I looked around the empty classroom, my heart racing.

But the question burned hotter than the afternoon sun: who exactly was she talking about?