Story by Deborah Paul
“Ever been in love “?
Episode 11
It took the grace of God before Clarissa could drive herself home, she got to her gate and came down, she opened her gate and walked inside leaving her car at the gate.
She sat in front of her door, too weak to drag her shaking legs into her room, she had ba-rely sat down when it started to rain heavily again…..Marcel was about to turn off his living room light and go in to sleep when he heard someone opened their gate, to confirm it wasn’t an intruder he opened his window curtain wilder to see who the person is…he sighed when he noticed it was Clarissa, he was about covering his curtain back when he noticed that she was walking like someone who was going to faint the next minute…” What could be wrong with her”? He ask himself …he wanted to ignore her but one damn spirit urged him to go check up on her.
He covered his curtain back, he took his umbrella and went outside, to his surprise he met Clarissa outside in the rain.
MARCEL
Rissa? What’s wrong? What are you doing in the rain?
He said lowering himself to her level but Clarissa ignored her.
He turn off his umbrella and dropped it, he tried to pull her up but Clarissa was already frozen on the sport that she wasn’t even hearing what Marcel was saying.
Marcel only noticed it when he tou-ched her and she fell down flat.
He carried her up immediately and took her to his room, there was no way he could have taken her to her room, her keys weren’t with her and even if he had seen it he wouldn’t have dare to go into her room “she’s a crazy girl, what if she accuse me of stealing something”? He thought to himself before he took her to his room.
Not minding that they were both soaked, Marcel took Clarissa to his bathroom, he helped her to seat on the bathtub while he filled it up with warm water….he didn’t touch her clothes, he dare not….he went into his kitchen and plugged water that he will use in making tea for her, he came back after he was done, then Clarissa was already coming to her senses.
MARCEL
Your eyes are open now, can you see me?
CLARISSA
(She looked around weakly)
Wh..whe…where I’m I?
(She stuttered)
MARCEL
You are in my bathroom, what happened Rissa, why did you seat outside in the rain?
Clarissa’s mind went back to what happened at the sto-re and what Jude and her best friend said to her, she thought their betrayal was the worse, but to think they hated her way of life yet they pretended to love her, she remember how many time she would dress to go out with Kenny and she would say ” girlfriend you look so stunning ” so all those things were lies? Thinking of it made it hurt even more and hot tears fell down her cheeks.
MARCEL
What is it? You know you can talk to me?
CLARISSA
Can you take me home please? I nee-d to be left alone
MARCEL
I don’t know what happened but I think is a bad idea for you to stay alone right now….what you nee-d is a company, someone to talk to
CLARISSA
And you feel you are that person?
(She yelled at him )
MARCEL
(He smiled)
Common, let it out, lash your anger on me if that will make you feel better.
CLARISSA
I’m fine okay? I do not nee-d to lash out, I’m very well okay
MARCEL
And those tears in your eyes?
CLARISSA
What is your problem Marcel? Why won’t you leave me alone? Why are you bordering me?
(She yelled again)
MARCEL
You nee-d to calm down Rissa, calm down and tell me what the hell happened.
(He yelled back)
Suddenly Clarissa burst into a loud cry, Marcel was confuse, he didn’t know what to do, maybe she’s crying because he yelled back at her, he try to touch her but he got scared and took his hand back.
Clarissa got up from the bathtub and wanted to go with water dripping down her body and clothes but Marcel grabbed her arm
MARCEL
I’m sorry i yelled at you, I didn’t mean to, I mean no harm okay? I’m just trying to be a friend that’s all.
He said with all sincerity and Clarissa felt it, she closed her eyes and another tears dropped, Marcel pulled her closer, he used his back hand to wipe her tears away.
MARCEL
You can make me your enemy if you want tomorrow, but for tonight just make me your one night friend.
Clarissa opened her eyes and looked into his eyes, she saw the concern, she had to open up, she let her emotions fail her again and she started to cry…Marcel pulled her into a hu-g not minding her w£t body…Clarissa cried till she was calm, then Marcel gave her his long polo shirt to change in while he dried her own clothes for her.
He changed his clothes too, Clarissa went into his living room to wait for him, it was still raining outside and she couldn’t go back to her house, she ask Marcel for his umbrella and he told her the one he has is in front of her house…she had no choice but to seat down and wait for the rain to stop.
MARCEL
I will be right back
He told her and went into the kitchen, he microwave rice and chicken for her, he made a cu-p of hot tea and brou-ght it out for her to eat.
CLARISSA
Honestly Marcel I’m not in the mood to eat
MARCEL
Do we nee-d moods now to eat?
CLARISSA
(She eyed him)
Just give me the cu-p of tea, I’m not hungry
MARCEL
Remember I’m your friend for tonight? And that means I can do what friends do right?
CLARISSA
(She stare at him)
What do friends do?
MARCEL
Act like a witch na
CLARISSA
(She giggles)
So you mean friends act like witches to each other?
MARCEL
Only true friends…so tell me Rissa, what went down tonight?
CLARISSA
I do not want to talk about it Marcel
MARCEL
Its alright, just cheer up okay?
CLARISSA
Thanks for yesterday
MARCEL
(trying to remember what happened)
What happened yesterday?
CLARISSA
Really? You don’t remember?
MARCEL
I don’t
CLARISSA
Okay thanks for the hot tea, your hoodies….ouch I said I was going to return it when I for back…I will bring it tomorrow
MARCEL
You don’t have to thank me…you can keep the hoodies, its so sad that it looks better on you then it ever looked on me
CLARISSA
But you only helped me with it, I can’t keep it….beside what will you use If you are cold?
MARCEL
(He smiled)
Now you sound like people are suppose to have just one sweater…beside they are more in the market, I can just get another one
CLARISSA
No no I will bring it for you in the morning
MARCEL
Seriously I will like you to keep it, I never liked it anyways, the first time I wore it my mum and kid brother derrick made fun of me, they said I looked like a doll.
Clarissa didn’t know when she laughed, it was the first time Marcel ever saw her laughed for real, he couldn’t help but smiled de-eply too.
MARCEL
Back to the food, please you nee-d to eat something
CLARISSA
Which restaurant did you buy this food? Because I’m sure you can’t cook
MARCEL
(He chuckled)
I don’t know how to cook, I told you that yesterday right? I make my orders from the restaurant around this estate, they deliver it to me.
CLARISSA
Pay me let me teach you how to cook
(She joked)
MARCEL
I will pay any amount, honestly I want to learn.
CLARISSA
Really?
MARCEL
I’m damn serious.
CLARISSA
Alright, since you have been nice to me since yesterday I’m going to return the favour by teaching you for free.
She told him and Marcel said happily…they talked about other things and laughed, they talked and laughed till Clarissa forget she was in pain for a while.
Marcel wasn’t as bad as she thought, he is actually a fun kind of person and there was no dulling moment with him.
They didn’t even know that it has stopped raining as they were so engrossed in their gist
Story by Deborah Paul
“Ever been in love”?
Episode 12
It was very late at night before Clarissa went to her room, Marcel locked his door and slept too.
The next morning Kimberly called Clarissa to inform her she would he traveling to Benin and she would spend days there.
CLARISSA
You travel a lot this days, I hope you are safe though
KIMBERLY
Duty calls baby girl, what’s up with your voice, are you okay?
CLARISSA
(She clears her voice)
I’m okay, maybe its because I’m lying down
KIMBERLY
You ain’t going to church?
CLARISSA
What church?
KIMBERLY
Are you sure you are okay? How could you forget today is Sunday?
CLARISSA
Oh! Today is Sunday? Honestly I forgot….I’m not in the mood for church right now.
KIMBERLY
What are you in the mood for? Abi you want one fine Bobo to knack you?
(She joked)
CLARISSA
(She giggles)
You are a mad girl…I’m just stressed out that’s all
KIMBERLY
Are you sure?
CLARISSA
Yeah
KIMBERLY
That remains me, what’s up with Kenny, I saw her status where she said ” I took what you can’t handles, co-ckoff and go deal with it”
CLARISSA
She said that?
KIMBERLY
Yes, I viewed her status last night, I couldn’t help but think this has something to do with you.
CLARISSA
I guess it has….I ran into her and Jude last night at the sto-re
KIMBERLY
Damn, I knew it, no wonder your voice sound like this….what did that bitc-h say to you
CLARISSA
The truth I guess
KIMBERLY
“The truth”? And what fu**ing truth is that?
CLARISSA
She said my sense of dressing suc-ks, Jude confirmed it too, he said I look like a doll with my kind of clothing, that I lack good conversion, I am boring and different kind of stuff.
KIMBERLY
Oh my God, those two make heaven open and punish them…after breaking your heart they still have the nerves to tell you such nonsense.
CLARISSA
(She giggles)
Maybe they are right, when I saw very little I remember how mum use to fine me fitted outfit to look good like you and my other mates, but I prefer the bigger things, weird kind of dressing, mum would get angry, sometimes talk to me with love “Rissa the way you dress is how people will address you, dressing beautifully isn’t a sin, dressing to se-duce other is…you nee-d to un-derstand that this world now isn’t like it was in my time, men now feed their eyes first before their mouth” she would say to me.
But I was adamant, no one would change me, I like what I wear, with my small stature it gives me more weight.
KIMBERLY
But you are no longer the small Rissa you were, you are a full grown as-s woman, with figure eight shape, beautiful and attra-cted, its just unfortunately that your kind of dressing has entered you so much… But its not too late, we can fix it
CLARISSA
(She laughed painfully)
I’m a human being, not a toll that can he fixed….if Jude truly loved me he wouldn’t have left me for my friend.
KIMBERLY
I know, that bitc-h should wait for her karma, its going to come and when it does, she and that stupid Jude would beg for mercy.
CLARISSA
Babe get ready and go to Benin, enough of Kenny and Jude
KIMBERLY
I feel like a bad sister leaving you in this kind of state.
CLARISSA
I’m not sick, I’m very healthy just a little bit down.
KIMBERLY
Still, you still nee-d me
CLARISSA
Go joor, I’m alright… I nee-d to go take my bath now….I will call you later
KIMBERLY
Going somewhere?
CLARISSA
No, just trying to return a favor
KIMBERLY
Hmm what favor?
CLARISSA
You ask too many questions, please later joor.
She said and hung up, Kimberly cursed Kenny and Jude before she got up and started preparing for her trip.
Clarissa took her bath and wore a very big trouser, she packed her hair in a ponytail and wore the sweater Marcel gave to her, she took his umbrella that she carried from her door the previous night when she was entering her room, she took the polo shirt he gave her too, she took it all and went to Marcel’s door.
She knocked and he came out to open up
MARCEL
(Cleaning his eyes with his hand)
Good morning
CLARISSA
You are just waking up? Sorry I woke you up, I will come back later.
She said and turn to go back but Marcel stopped her by grabbing her arm
MARCEL
No, no its fine, I have been awake since
(He lied)
CLARISSA
But….
MARCEL
Honestly, you didn’t wake me up, please come inside.
He said opening the door wilder for her to enter, she sighed and entered, Marcel followed her from behind and close his door.
MARCEL
So tell me, how was your night?
MARCEL
Night was damn cold….how was yours? Hope you slept well?
CLARISSA
I thank that man up there….I brou-ght your umbrella and your shirt
MARCEL
Oh thank you….
He collected his stuff from her and excused himself, he went into his room and dropped the shirt and the umbrella, he came back and turn on his TV
MARCEL
Please give me some minute I nee-d to take a shower
CLARISSA
Take your time
MARCEL
I won’t be long
He said and excused himself, he went into his bedroom, he took off his clothes and went to his bathe to shower….he brushed his teeth and took his bath before he came out and dressed up….he joined Clarissa in the living room
MARCEL
Sorry for keeping you waiting
CLARISSA
Its fine, I didn’t even feel you weren’t here, this movie is very interesting
MARCEL
What movie is this?
CLARISSA
I don’t know, it doesn’t have any title but the movie is very nice
MARCEL
Okay, so what’s the genre of the movie?
CLARISSA
Love, betray and R0m-nce
MARCEL
You like R0m-ntic movie?
CLARISSA
(She sm-irk)
Who wouldn’t? I love it… So tell me, what kind of movie do you like?
MARCEL
I don’t really have time for movie, I do music mostly
CLARISSA
You can sing then?
MARCEL
Sure, I can sing just that I have a very bad voice ooh
CLARISSA
Really? Okay I will like to judge you….go ahead and sing
MARCEL
What? Like now now?
CLARISSA
Do you nee-d to rehearsal before you sing?
MARCEL
Not exactly but its too early, beside I’m very hungry.
CLARISSA
Yeah talking about food, I came so we could start our cooking clas-s
MARCEL
Really? But can I eat bread first? Because I’m starving
CLARISSA
On one condition
MARCEL
name it and its yours
CLARISSA
Okay, on the condition you will sing for me later
MARCEL
(He chuckled)
You still on this song issue? Okay I will sing you a song, but that would be in the night….the cold breeze of the night helps my voice to sound better
CLARISSA
I’m going to wait then
MARCEL
Good, I guess that settles it…. Can I go and eat now?
CLARISSA
Sure we already have a deal, so you can go and eat.
Marcel got up and went to the kitchen, he plugged water so he could make tea, Clarissa joined him in the kitchen,
MARCEL
I’m making tea for two, do you want sugar
CLARISSA
I want egg, you have any?
MARCEL
sure, its right here
He said opening his cu-pboard where he kept the eggs, she too three eggs from it and closed back the cu-pboard, she took a plate and broke it inside… She turn on his gas stove and place a frying pan on it
The electric kettle stopped immediately the water boiled, he two too cu-ps and made tea for them, Clarissa fried the eggs and decided to toast the bread since Marcel has a toasting machine
Few minute later breakfast was served on Marcel’s dining table, the aroma of the fried egg filled the entire place.
MARCEL
This smell so nice and frying of egg look very simple
CLARISSA
Indeed it is very simple….now let’s eat before the egg gets cold..
Marcel said a short prayer and they started to eat…after breakfast Clarissa offer to take the plate to the kitchen but Marcel stopped her, he took the plates to the kitchen, he washed them and dried them before he joined Clarissa in the living room
To be continued