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Never Take Someone for Granted - Part 3
Never Take Someone for Granted - Part 3

I was a broken reed now. For the first time in my life, I realised I was in love. I wrote Lorna countless poems and apologies, but she never responded. My class became my harsh prison. I dodged some lessons to avoid her especially the literature and art classes.

Further attempts to win Lorna's heart proved like flogging a dead horse. Then, I remembered an old saying, “the course of true love never runs smooth.” I had tried my luck, and it had worn me thin. I gave up on her and concentrated on my studies, my grades had also gone down. I couldn't face my old man with mediocre performance.

One July afternoon, something happened to me and changed my luck forever. After classes, I always played badminton with Kim Lanny, my best friend. As we argued about the scores, Lorna walked up and grabbed a racket from him. Lanny stepped aside. Calmly, she walked to the centre of the court and tossed the shuttle toward me and I tapped it back. The race was on!

We played like crazy, her smile beckoning, and I had a point to prove.
For the next two hours, we played an intense game until I tired out. Lorna beat me three sets to one. This was her game, she spent countless hours in the afternoons, playing badminton on the grass court. Warm sweat trickled down my spine, groin and arms. she had outplayed me, and it's time to eat a humble pie.

We walked off silently to shower in separate washrooms. Lubiri Secondary School like its other twin, Mengo SS, was a fully-fledged government school with all facilities. I loved the warm showers, the spacious mess and the library.

I felt exalted despite being beaten hands down. As I walked back to my class whistling, to pick my khaki school bag and begin my seven-kilometres journey home; I heard some faint footsteps following me. Lorna had followed me stealthily. She nearly gave me a heart attack when I felt her moist hand clasping the back of my neck.

The final part will be on Monday.


© Mwebe Morgan