By Akudo O.

Hello Diary,

There are times in one’s life when neither time nor circumstance can obliterate from one’s memory. I have always known I liked girls a lot ranging from our neighbors, my school teachers, my brother’s girlfriends and even my elder sister’s school mates etc. But finally, this is how it all started……..

MY FIRST KISS

…… Mum was transferred to another school, so she decided to put me in a school closer home.

That morning at my new school, I was sent to my new class, Primary 6 and luckily for me, I made my way into a clique of eight smart girls that day. It was great being friends with these girls, different heights, different complexions etc. All we talked about were our sister’s boyfriends, novels, how we would stick together through secondary school and university and also about a particular girl that never allowed anyone else to come first since they’d started Primary 1.

It was a week before I met Nwadi, the girl in question. She was twelve; two years older than I was. When I saw her lined up with our class mates during assembly, I concluded immediately that she was the one because 1^st position was written all over her. Her eyes, her nose, her neatly made hair, her school uniform, BATA sandals…OMG, she was just an angel. I was speechless and I drooled. I can’t remember saying the national anthem with the rest of the students that day and till date I can still feel the shivers that ran through my spine at that moment. After assembly, we went back to our class. I kept staring at her and sometimes our glances would lock-on and she would stifle a smile. My torture continued until I decided to follow her, to know her house.

I trailed sheepishly behind her after school, until she made her last turn and was walking down a path I didn’t recognize. Still, I continued following her like I knew where I was going, not knowing the path would end up being a blind alley that stopped right in front of her house and my pursuit would be revealed. I remember wishing that the ground would open and swallow me but it didn’t, unfortunately. She turned and smiled, but this time, her smile was breathtaking, it came right from the inside. She asked me if I was following her and I didn’t know how to reply, but heard my voice stammer, “Is your mum home?” She didn’t reply but waved that I should keep coming. I gladly followed her. I stayed with her till later in the evening, till I managed to find my tongue and asked to take my leave. Her mum sent her elder sister to go with us so that I didn’t receive some disciplinary strokes for straying from my usual course home.

In school the next day, I pretended like nothing had happened. We didn’t talk as usual but this time she didn’t smile back. I was up and about with my old buddies. After school, she waited for me close to the path way. When I got close, her face showed me I was in trouble.

“What was all that about in school today? “ She asked me.

“If my friends should know that I like you, they will laugh and make jest of me” I replied.

“But do you like me?”

“I like you very much” I added.

We walked the remaining distance without uttering another word. When we got to her house, I didn’t stay. I greeted her Mum and siblings and then went home.

But on another day at school, she’d begged to go home, told the teacher that she was not feeling well. Our class teacher accepted but the whole class was surprised with her second request which was that I should walk her home. I jumped to my feet and grabbed her bag even before my teacher could seek my consent. My class buddies were shocked to the bones at my eagerness, but I didn’t look back.

Nobody was home, so we greeted their warden and went up to her room. Nwadi took the bag from my hand and stood right in front of me. I guessed she was waiting for something, but I suddenly became numb. My mouth dried like I ha never tasted liquid, she moved closer, I paralyzed mentally and we were breathing really fast, she moved yet closer, I stopped breathing, she looked into my eyes as she reached to hold the back of my head, she tilted her head slowly towards me, I trembled, breathing much vaguely, then I felt her warm lips softly and gently on mine, she kissed me, at first gently and slowly and after a bit, it got more intense as her tongue started playing in my mouth that I wondered how old she was again.

I felt the inner workings of the strong chemistry we shared absorbed inside of me. She moved me slowly to her bed, and I rolled over her with the deep sensation flowing through me. I kissed her back like my life depended on it. We were locked in each other’s arms. I felt at home yet couldn’t help wondering, what I was doing? Why did it feel so good? I feared yet I didn’t want to let go. She gazed into my eyes as if she saw the fear; she smiled and told me she would take care of me. What she said lightened my heart and I became so excited and all I wanted was to tell everybody that Nwadi was mine although she begged me not to discuss it with my clique.

I was humming to tunes on my way home, hurrying to share this experience with my Mum, my best friend…

To be continued.