They say "love at first sight" usually makes beautiful love stories, you know, like the fairy tale and bedtime stories that paint pictures of lovers who felt butterflies in their stomach on their first meeting. Well, maybe they do, but I also know that the most beautiful love stories are those we never expected...


"If you used your eyes a bit more, maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation" the shrillness of her voice still rings in my ears whenever I think about our first encounter.
She was upset for some reason, but my stepping on her made things worse. She flared up almost immediately, after giving me a hard push that is.
I was equally having a bad day. I had lost my wallet and was moving back and forth in search of it. I was taking a few steps back when I stepped on her foot.

"If you are blind, then you shouldn't be walking the street by yourself"
"If you were not so ill mannered, maybe I would have apologized". I was too upset to notice that she had also spoken out of anger. Roaming the street aimlessly for four hours was enough to make me lose my mind. I was irritated. We had a little altercation before going our separate ways in anger.

I never thought about the incident again. Not until the following week when I saw her at my friend's house. Tessy and Steven were cousins. On the day I had the altercation with Tessy, she had come around to visit and was trying to locate the house. She had had a really rough journey, which had made her upset.

On the day, Tessy's vacation ended, she was to go back to her parents'. I was not sure if I wanted to go say goodbye, I was not sure if I would ever see her again.
"If you love something, let it go, and if it's yours, it will come back" they say, but letting go is not as easy as I thought. If only she gave me a chance, to show her how much I love her, how much she meant to me, but she was too scared, she had been hurt before. She thought it would be another fling, as she wouldn't be staying long. But I had plans to make things work. I was ready to give her my all. I just needed a chance to prove myself, a chance I never got.

I remember our second meeting at Steven's place, how we both starred at each other for a long time, not sure what to say. Our first encounter didn't leave quite a good impression, but there are always second chances after all. Now, that I was not upset, and I could see her more clearly. She was beautiful!

"Eeem Hi, is is Stev in?" I stuttered.
"Yea. Let me go get him. Come in"
It was later, in the middle of our conversation that I realised she didn't even remember me.
"Oh, you are the guy" she was now smiling.
Steven was introducing us, and I told him we had met before even though we didn't get each other's names.
We spent the rest of my visit reminiscing about the day we first met, and how much of a bad day we were having that day.

The days of her visit were the best days of my life. We spent a lot of time together. I, Steven and Tessy. I began to get fond of her. I wished her holiday would last longer.
I remember when she wouldn't talk to me for days. I had played a prank on her, and she got upset with me. I told her I wanted to give her something, and I put a spider in her hand. She was scared of spiders. Apparently, that didn't end well. Those days were the longest I have ever had.

For a greater part of her stay, we had fun. Pool parties, just three of us, karaoke, star gazing, we even flouted curfew after a late night party. I felt like I was in high school again. She made me feel that way. She was so full of life, a happy, beautiful soul indeed. How could I help myself from falling in love with her? Her smile could brighten up the room. It could brighten anybody's day. Knowing her now, she was a great contrast with the person I saw on our first meeting. So much for bad days.

On the day I told her how I felt, I got a reaction different from my expectation. She stood up and walked away, and kept avoiding me for days. When we finally had a chance to talk, she explained why we couldn't be together. My heart stopped for a bit. I was not sure I could handle not being with her. I had never felt this way in a very long time. I told her l would give her time to think about it, and when she was ready, I'll be waiting.
Well, not that I was confident enough, but as they say, "If you love something, let it go, and if it's yours, it will come back". Words were not enough to express my love.

I was still thinking whether or not to go say goodbye to her, when she walked in. For some reason, her vacation had been extended.

"Falling in love was not part of the plan for me" she said.
"The best love stories are those that happen when we least expect" I responded.
© Obigwe Elizabeth