8 A First step To Love

Andy was busily on the phone with his back facing the street when he felt a touch from behind. He swiftly turned and was surprised to see Tiara.

Tiara with a questionable look on, queried.

"Are you stalking me or something?"

Andy looked on with a slight chuckle,

"Let me call you back Chelsey." he mumbled to the caller and hanged up.

"What makes you think I'm stalking you Tiara?" he added, putting the phone away.

Tiara's forehead suddenly creased in realization,

"Well..., it's just that....., you...whatever, I'm leaving." she uttered and turned to leave.

"Or, were you missing me?" called Andy after Tiara, making her stop suddenly. She turned to his direction with a glare.

"You're totally unbelievable." she mumbled and dashed off.

"Don't forget about our meeting." he shouted with a smile on his face.

Tiara slightly shook her head without turning back,

"He is so annoying, gosh." she whispered.

Tiara walking up to Fabulous,

"I'm sorry Fabulous..."

Fabulous glancing over Tiara's shoulders with a curious gaze.

"Who was that? I think he looks kind of familiar."

"Just some annoying guy I bumped into."

At that moment, the bus pulled up in front of them. Tiara hived a sigh, sauntering over to the bus.

"Let's get going, we're already late."

"And you're to be blamed for it." replied Fabulous as she glided after her.

***************

"Where did you say Andy went?" queried Mr. Thompson Richardson, Andy's dad.

"I think he already left to the office, dad..." uttered Kalisa, taking a bite of her pizza.

"He seems kind of busy lately. He always leaves early, mostly skipping breakfast."

"How is that so? There is no work in the office that necessarily needs his attention. Chelsey can take of them."

Pamela raised her head from her meals, gazing at her husband.

"Honey.., having him at the office is also good. Did you need him for anything?"

"Not really Pamela, do you remember Mr. Graham, the head of public affairs?"

"Yes, yes. What about him?" she queried, raising a questionable eye brow.

"Well, his older daughter is returning home from the States after her studies and he wants to have dinner with us since we'll be partnering soon. So, I want to take this opportunity to introduce our children to each other.

"What time is it?"

"3pm."

"Okay, leave that to me. I will give Andy a call to have him informed. This shouldn't be a problem dear."

"Okay..." he mumbled, continuing his meals in silence.

Mrs. Pamela turned to her daughter who had her attention all focused on her phone whiles eating.

"Table manners Kalisa..."

"Huh..?, Okay mum..." she replied, slightly making a face as she dropped the phone on the table.

"Kalisa...?"

"Yes...mum..."

"I had a discussion with your brother yesterday." she informed, a smile building up on the corners of Kalisa's mouth.

"But why don't you want to go to the States to further your education? It's a tradition in this family you know."

Mr. Thompson slightly raised his face to glance at his daughter on hearing this. Adjusting himself well whiles sitting uptight, he cleared his throat.

"Now tell me Kalisa, why don't you want to go to the States for your studies?"

"I just don't want it dad...I don't want to be separated from my friends and family. It feels so lonely thinking about it alone."

"You will be fine when you get there dear. Andy felt same when he had to go but he still went and he had fun. We searched for the best school over there for you."

"Then why don't you do same here too? We still have good schools here too. It's necessarily that I go to the States. You guys should stop making decisions for us." she muttered, indignantly raising from her seat as she strolled off.

"Kalisa...Kalisa... Kalisa..." called her mother but she ignored and glided to her room.

"Just give her some space dear, she will come around." uttered Mr. Thompson as he gently placed his hand on his wife's hand.

MILLENNIUM UNIVERSITY

Fabulous and Tiara got to the class and they were 30mins late for the test. They rushed up to Mr. Louis for their papers.

"You're late Fabulous and Tiara." he uttered as he handed them the papers.

Both of them grinned sheepishly at their teacher. "Sorry....sir." they mumbled, taking the papers from him as they turned towards their seat.

"It's no fun coming to school with you together Tiara. We always get here late."

"I know Fabulous, I'm sorry." she replied, both taking their seats.

"But seriously, this test really escaped me." she whispered, glancing at the paper in front of her.

Fabulous threw a quizzical look at her, surprised.

"This is so not you Tiara. I'm usually the one who forgets this things not you. Tell me, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing Fabulous, focus on the paper in front of you, time is far spent. I believe you don't want to have any troubles with Mr. Louis."

Fabulous gaze skeptically at her for a while and nodded, turning back to her paper. The rest of the time passed in silence with students focused on their tests.

After about an hour of writing, the bell went off.

"I believe you should all be done now. Make sure you have your names on them before you bring them over to me. Failure to do that means you will loose the marks for this test." echoed Mr. Louis.

All the students checked their papers well before stepping out of their desks. They glided over to their teacher one after the other, handing out their papers to him. Fabulous and Tiara were no exemption.

"How did it go Fabulous?" questioned Tiara as they stepped out of the class.

"Not so bad, I can be assured of a pass mark."

Tiara with a raised eye brow, slightly nodding.

"Hmm..., such a boastful attitude you got there."

"Hey..." mumbled Fabulous, softly hitting Tiara's hand.

"What about you? How did you see it?"

"Well..., it's so and so. I wasn't quiet confident in my answers but I'm hopping it goes well."

"Hmm...I can see someone doesn't want to be so expectant of her results. Anyway, don't worry, you always do better than me."

They continued chatting through the corridor to their lockers.

"What subject do you have after here?" questioned Tiara as they unlocked their lockers.

By this time, Tiara has already opened her locker.

"Hmm.. let me see..." she mumbled, reaching for her study schedule.

She studied it for some seconds, dropping it back as she turned her gaze back to her friend.

"I have language studies after here but I still have about 40mins before time. What about you?"

Fabulous picked her textbooks from her locker and slammed it shut. Turning to Tiara as she held the books in her hand, showing it to Tiara with a grin on her face.

"Management Huh?" replied Tiara, leaning sideways on her locker.

Just then, Delphine and Nora walked up to them.

"Are you done with the assignment." inquired Delphine.

"Hmm...sorry Delphine, my laptop had a fault so I wasn't able to complete it but I promise I will have them done today."

Delphine swiftly glanced at Nora, seeking her take on it and she nodded her head in response.

"Okay..." replied Delphine, turning her gaze back to Tiara.

"We'll be needing tomorrow for submission. Please do try and complete them. Here is your money." she uttered, handing her the money.

"Okay.." responded Tiara with a smile as she took the money.

"I promise to bring them tomorrow."

"Okay..." they both responded and strolled off.

"Did you take their assignments?" asked Fabulous, gazing at Tiara.

"Yes..., why giving me such a gaze? I need the money." she replied, gliding away.

Fabulous stared at her from behind for some seconds and strolled off after her.

"Wait for me..." she shouted.

************

The day went by fast and quick. Soon, school was over. Tiara checked her watch and picked up her bag.

"I need to run Fabulous, someone really annoying is waiting for me."

"And who is that?"

"Well, you don't want to know." she uttered, strolling towards the door.

"Of course I do." shouted Fabulous after her.

"Later...." she replied over her shoulders and glided out of the classroom.

It was around 2pm now, Andy stood beside his car in front of the company waiting for Tiara. He glanced at his phone checking the time.

"What's keeping her?" he mumbled to himself.

Just then, he saw her approaching from a distance. He hived a sigh, slightly shaking his head.

"I thought she was never coming."

After few seconds, Tiara got to where he stood. He stared at her for a while, smiling.

"What?" she questioned, making a face.

"Nothing, you just look cute with that face."

Tiara slightly looked away and chuckled.

"Funny." she mumbled.

Just then, Andy saw a motor fast approaching her. He got startled and drew her in, their face meeting each other's. They stared at each other, lost in the moment.