Story by Deborah Paul
“Ever been in love”
Episode 13
Marcel and Clarissa were together all throu-ghthe Sunday morning watching movie, they talked and got to know each other better.
Later that afternoon Clarissa taught Marcel how to prepare fried rice, he thought cooking was very ha-rd, but see how Clarissa did everything effortlessly made him un-derstand how easy it is.
MARCEL
Tell me Rissa, how come you own this big house and you live alone
CLARISSA
(She smiled)
I don’t have any siblings, so that’s why.
MARCEL
You are a super rich kid then
(He teased)
CLARISSA
Rich? Please don’t let people hear you ooh, I’m just an ordinary kid trying to survive.
MARCEL
(He smiled)
You know…. Never mind
CLARISSA
No, no you have to say it…. I will mind
MARCEL
Just spending today with you has made me realized what Kim said about you
CLARISSA
That girl, I will so kill her if she say any ill thing about me
(She said closing a fist)
MARCEL
(He laughed)
That’s the Rissa I met when I first came here….Kim told me that you are actually a nice person, just that I didn’t meet you on your best days.
CLARISSA
Oh, that’s what she said?
MARCEL
Yeah…
CLARISSA
Well, I can’t say for myself but if you or she think I’m nice then I’m glad to hear that.
MARCEL
I’m starving let’s go eat
CLARISSA
Won’t you let the food get cold?
MARCEL?
But this morning you didn’t want the egg cold
CLARISSA
That one is egg na…and that remains me, hope you haven’t forgotten that you promise to sing for me tonight
MARCEL
how can I forget? A deal is a deal
CLARISSA
Thank God you still remember
MARCEL
Thanks for the tutor
CLARISSA
(She smiled)
hope you can cook fried rice next time without my help?
MARCEL
You bet, I’m a fast learner ooh
CLARISSA
Good, now let’s go eat before you faint.
They went to the living room, immediately someone knocked at the gate and Marcel went to check who it was…he was surprise to see his younger brother Derrick at the door
DERRICK
Surprise, surprise
MARCEL
Wow, yeah I’m surprise though… Come inside
He said moving away from the road for him to enter, Derrick was surprise to see the iron lady in his brother’s room.
DERRICK
Hi miss
CLARISSA
Hi, Derrick right?
DERRICK
Wow, should I be scared that you still remember my name? Or
MARCEL
Don’t mind my brother Rissa, so Derrick how’s home?
DERRICK
(Seating down)
Home is good, you didn’t go out….I can see why.
He said looking from his brother to Clarissa
CLARISSA
(She clears her throat)
I will leave you two to talk…I will be in my flat
MARCEL
Common, don’t tell me you are leaving because of my brother Derrick, what will happen to the food we cooked?
CLARISSA
(She smiled)
No,no no I’m not leaving because of your brother, I have something to go and do at home….see you later.
She rushed out before Marcel could even try to stop her.
DERRICK
Wow bro, what’s happened? How come the tough iron is now acting like a water leaf?
MARCEL
Common bro, let’s go eat something
DERRICK
I’m full bro, I ate before coming
MARCEL
It seem like you do not like this lady
DERRICK
What? Why would you think that bro?
MARCEL
I don’t know, the other day her sister brou-ght food, you ate it and just now you refuse her food maybe because she prepared it.
DERRICK
Hmm, bro this one you are getting all defensive all of a sudden, I mean no harm ooh, honestly I’m not hungry.
MARCEL
If you say so
He got up and walked to where he kept his food and carried it to the kitchen, he has suddenly lost his appetite too.
DERRICK
You are not eating again?
MARCEL
I will eat later…tell me, how’s mum and dad na? I really miss those two you know
DERRICK
They are fine…then why not come back home?
MARCEL
Until I find a woman I love and would love to marry I’m not going back home….you know why I’m here bro
DERRICK
I know, is just that the home is boring without you….I miss you man
MARCEL
(He giggles)
More reason why you should get yourself a girlfriend, that would get you busy and you Won’t miss me too much
DERRICK
(He giggles too)
Look at who is lecturing me about getting a girlfriend, bro I have even been meaning to ask you…have you even had your first ki-ss?
MARCEL
(He felt shy)
Sure, why no
DERRICK
That’s a big lie bro, I can see it from your eyes
MARCEL
(He laughed)
I never knew my brother is a wizard who can read eyes
DERRICK
Its funny thou, if you haven’t had your first ki-ss, wait does that mean you haven’t had s-× yet?
MARCEL
Okay, that’s enough question about my personal life….I will go dress up so we cab hang out a little DERRICK
(He laughed whole heatedly)
You can’t run from this question bro, you must answer it ooh
He screamed loudly so Marcel could hear from his room.
MARCEL POV
Okay, forgive me if I said Clarissa was a bitc-h, well, she was, she was mean and heartless, but I’m like my father, I don’t easily get angry, before I get angry at someone that means that person has really crossed many lines which I think Rissa has crossed just few lines with me…beside why should I go tough on a woman? Exchanging words with her, or putting up to her level would make me look crazy and that’s not me.
As the first son a lot is expected of me, but what about my feelings? Sometimes I wish I wasn’t the first child, sometimes I wish Derrick came back before I did but God knows why.
Clarissa, Clarissa Clarissa, she’s a nice person, I know I know I judged her wrongly but who wouldn’t?
Just spending few hours with her changed the way I see and feel about her…but what could be the reason for her attitude at first? I don’t know if I should ask her, on a second thought people like Clarissa are very dramatic, they only let you in or what they want you to know.
She’s fun to be with though and honestly I enjoyed her company.
I wasn’t expecting anyone, Derrick and I spoke earlier but he didn’t tell me he would be coming over so I was rather surprise when I saw him.
I’m very sure Clarissa felt ashamed and left because of the first impression she created the first day she met Derrick.
Okay I know you guys are dying to hear why I haven’t had my first ki-ss, well, sorry I’m not telling you guys now…
CLARISSA POV
Jezz I was so ashamed of myself, that moment derrick walked in I realized how stupid I have been getting close to Marcel after being rude and arrogant before his kid brother… That shame didn’t let me seat, I had to rushed back into my flat… I rushed into my bathroom and took another shower before I came into the living room to seat down to enjoy my 3:00 clock program on zee world, my phone beef and I took it to see who had texted me, it was Marcel “I’m heading out for a while with my brother, see you when I come back”
I read the message and dropped my phone, I wanted to reply but what should I say? I ignored my phone and focused on my movie, soon another text entered my phone, I thought it was Marcel but this time it was my sister “hey sis, I have been trying to reach you, call me once you see this”
I signed, took my phone and dialled my sister’s number.
Story by Deborah Paul
“Ever been in love”
Episode 14
CLARISSA POV CONTINUES
I read Kim’s text message and immediately called her back, she picked at the first ring.
KIMBERLY
Where have you been, I have been trying your number
(She said immediately she picked)
CLARISSA
I’m sorry dear, maybe it was network
(I complained)
KIMBERLY
Alright, I was calling to inform you I have arrived, how are you?
CLARISSA
I’m fine, and you?
KIMBERLY
I’m fine ooh, I just settled in
CLARISSA
Welcome darling
KIMBERLY
So how did your outing go with Mr handsome?
She asked and I could swear she had an evil sm-irk on that pretty face of hers
CLARISSA
Who is Mr handsome?
I pretended like I didn’t know who she was referring to.
KIMBERLY
Our new tenant?
CLARISSA
He is very fine
KIMBERLY
Wow, and I’m sure you made him very fine?
CLARISSA
What is this silly girl talking about for heaven sake?
KIMBERLY
Gist me joor, are you catching feelings already?
CLARISSA
No, I’m catching cold, don’t be silly Kim, I still love judge you know
KIMBERLY
What? After all that imbecile did to you, you still love him?
CLARISSA
Would you blame me? Even though judge was an as-s, he still treated me nicely
KIMBERLY
Pretending, all he did was on pretense, they weren’t true, you told me yourself how he supported Kenny to say hurtful things to you….why are you like this self?
(She said sounding angry)
CLARISSA
Its my life okay? And you just don’t expect the feelings to die away just like that….things like that do take time you know
I said to defend myself, she was quiet for a while before she spoke again
KIMBERLY
You know what? You better take yourself to the river and take a proper bath, maybe that would wash that stupid feelings off, I’m gonna call you later, as it is now I’m already pissed
She ended the call before I could even say another word.
KIMBERLY POV
I don’t know why my sister is very stupid, why will she always be acting like a child? How can she love judge after all he did and said to her? Oh judge is lucky I ain’t his girlfriend, he would have been six feet down by now….wait, did they even bath Clarissa with beans water? How come she’s so quick in falling in love, if my guess is right, more than six different men have broke her heart, and all she felt it de-eply, still she wouldn’t stop falling in love….I thought one is suppose to fall in love once in a life time? How come that Clarissa keeps falling over and over.
I thank God for my life, no man can mess with me, instead of you to mess with me, I will mess you up first…if I find you attrac-tive and I can’t get my eyes off you, I hit and run just like how men normally do to we girl, after one, two time s-×, I just move away, ignoring you totally, love is for weak people, I can’t be in that situation where I won’t be able to go to work because a man broke my heart, I do not have such time…I’m too busy for that.
Clarissa called me back, I’m sure to calm me down, but I refuse to pick.
I put my phone on flight mood, not minding if my boss will call me, I went into the hotel bathroom and took a cold bath before I returned back to bed.
Until she learns how to stop loving like a fool, I will keep giving her attitude.
DERRICK POV
I spent the whole day with my brother, but something was off, he was there but his mind wasn’t with me, sometimes I had to even touch him before he will ask me to repeat myself, his hand was always checking his phone as if expecting someone’s call or text
DERRICK
You look off bro, anything? Beside why do you keep staring at your phone?
MARCEL
Huh? Oh no, its nothing its just that I miss home
DERRICK
(I smiled)
You miss home? Or you miss your landlady?
MARCEL
(He looked at me ha-rdly)
What do you mean by that?
DERRICK
(I laughed)
Nothing, that was a flat joke, when last did you call Mirabella?
MARCEL
What I’m I calling her for? Beside she thinks I’m out of this country, she will get me the moment I call her with my Nigeria number.
DERRICK
You both use to be best of friends, I still can’t un-derstand how you both got to this place
MARCEL
Bro, one thing I want you to un-derstand is this, there is a woman for every man, and a man for every woman, Mirabella isn’t the woman for me, and I’m not the man for her….we can be friends, but what she’s asking for I can’t give her, I just can’t.
DERRICK
Have you even try bro?
MARCEL
Try to love her? Have ever tried swallowing a stone? If you ever had then you will know trying to love someone is more difficult than swallowing a stone….love should come naturally, not for-ced, trying to love her, what if I can’t try anymore then what happens? We break up or end our marriage?
Derrick you know how much a hate divorce, that’s why I’m going to take my time in choosing a wife that will last with me forever.
After listening to all my brother’s point I could say I totally agreed with him, he was right, love shouldn’t be for-ced but allowed to grow willingly.
We stayed in the bar, talking till it was almost dark, mum started killing my battery with her excessive calls, I had go home, I didn’t go out with my car, so he dropped me where I could get a taxi that would take me home before he drove away.
MARCEL’S POV
Since Clarissa left my house, I texted her I was going out with my brother, she didn’t reply my text, I gave her another one asking if she was busy or sleeping, still there wasn’t any response from her, I became so worried, scared that she might have gone back to her formal self which wasn’t pleasing at all.
I drove into my compound some minutes after 7pm, I was so tempted to go check her first, but I kicked against it, I went into my room, took off my clothes and walked into the shower, I was still there when it started raining
I didn’t know if I should be happy or sad, because I had plans that after taking my bath I will go check her at her apartment but the rain had spoiled my plan….I came outside few minutes later, praying that the rain would either stop or slow down for me to be able to go see her.
To be continued