THE
PINK CLOUDS
Episode_12
💞💞💞💞💞💞
“I am happy you like it, why don’t you go and get your books so that we will start our lesson?” Richa-rd suggested.
“That will be a good idea,” she replied and walked back to her room.
She went to her room and got her books. As soon as they started the lesson, Amira walked into the house.
“Hey guys,” she said as she walked to them. “Hey Amira,” Rebecca replied.
“I thought we loosed your hair some moments ago,” Amira said when she noticed that Rebecca’s hair was plaited.
“Guess who plaited it for me,” Rebecca smiled.
“Don’t mean Richa-rd , do you?” Amira asked in surprised.
“He plaited my hair,” Rebecca smiled. “Wow! It looks so beautiful. No one will ever believe that this was done by a boy,” Amira commented.
“You know, in some places, boys do plait hair, and that’s what they do earn a living,” Richa-rd said.
“We are taking about our place right now, no boy can ever do what you did,” Amira explained.
“Do you want something?” Rebecca asked Amira.
“I got bored sitting alone outside, that’s why I c@m£ in,” Amira replied.
“Okay, why don’t you join us in our lesson?” Richa-rd asked.
“Oh that will be great,” Amira responded and sat next to Rebecca.
“You guys have really gone far,” Amira said when she noticed what Richa-rd was teaching Rebecca.
“Yes we have,” Rebecca smiled at Amira.
“I wish I could have a teacher like this too,” Amira responded.
“Will you plea-se keep quiet? We are busy here,” Rebecca said to Amira.
“Alright, I will be quiet,” Amira as-sured.
After about an hour, Richa-rd ended the lesson and gave Rebecca some exercise to solve in the night.
“I hope you do study other subjects too,” Richa-rd asked.
“Of course I do,” Rebecca explained.
“Is alre-ady late, I think I will be going,” Richa-rd announced.
“Why don’t you stay and eat before you leave?” Rebecca asked.
“I will eat when I go back to my room,” Richa-rd replied.
“I can’t believe you rejected my food,” Rebecca said.
“No I’m just in hurry,” Richa-rd responded. “Okay you can go,” she said angrily and tried to go to her room.
“Okay I will eat,” Richa-rd smiled. “That’s good,” she said and went to the kitchen.
“I don’t why your friend easily get angry, is she always like this?” Richa-rd asked Amira. “No she is only like this around you,” Amira smiled.
“Then why is always behaving like this around me?” Richa-rd asked.
“I don’t know too,” Amirah smiled.
“Are you in the same clas-s with her?” Richa-rd asked.
“Yes I am,” Amira announced.
“I hope she is performing better now?” Richa-rd asked.
“Didn’t she show you test? She was the best in the clas-s, everyone was surprised at how she transformed,” Amira answered.
💘
minutes later, Rebecca returned with some pounded yam on a plate.
“Did you cook it yourself?” Richa-rd asked.
“Of course, do you think I can’t cook?” She asked.
“No that’s not what I mean, you know pounded yam is so tiring to prepare, do you mean you prepared it alone?” Richa-rd asked.
“Yes of course, it is my favourite food, so I don’t get tired when cooking it,” Rebecca announced.
“I will go and check on something, I will be back,” Amira said and stood up and walked out.
Richa-rd started eating while Rebecca sat down opposite to him and watched him.
“You know, you are full of amazements,” Richa-rd said.
“Really? She asked. “Yes of course, I wish I could marry a wife that can cook like you,” Richa-rd answered.
“You may get someone better than me,” Rebecca smiled.
“I don’t think so. I have never met a girl that can cook like you,” Richa-rd complimented.
“If that’s the case, then I will be cooking for you every day,” Rebecca smiled.
“I wish,” Richa-rd smiled. “So, what’s your favourite food?” Rebecca asked. “Anything yummy,” Richa-rd replied.
“That means you can eat anything,” Rebecca said.
“Of course, as far as it plea-ses my mind,” Richa-rd replied.
“That’s great, let me allow you to eat,” Rebecca replied.
After Richa-rd was done eating, she walked him to the door of the house. When they got out, they noticed that the place was alre-ady dark.
“Wow! Look how time has really moved fast,” Richa-rd said.
“Well, I heard that if you spend time with the people you love, the time will seem to be frozen to you,” Rebecca smiled.
“Oh really? Where did you hear that?” Richa-rd asked.
“At school,” Rebecca answered.
“Do you enjoy being with me?” Richa-rd asked. She bec@m£ quiet and that very moment and could say a word.
“I am sorry for asking such a stupid question, good night Rebecca,” Richa-rd said and started to walk away.
“I enjoy every second with you Richa-rd ,” Rebecca said.
The instant Richa-rd heard that, he turned and looked at her.
Her face was so pretty with her long hair packed at the side of her head close to her right eye.
She was so pretty that Richa-rd felt like no boy could resist her beauty. But when he remembered about her and Janet, he quic-kly changed his mind.
“Good night Rebecca,” he said and started walking back to dormitory.
Rebecca was so confused at how Richa-rd acted. She couldn’t tell whether he was interested in her he was just being nice to her. She went to Amira’s home and sat beside Amira on the sofa.
🎊
💘💘💘
Richa-rd went to back to his room to get his book to study for the night. More than ever, he thought about Rebecca. For the first time, he started to think of her in a different way.
Her beauty, her smile and her hair are things that could go off his mind. Somehow, he felt happier when he is around her than when he is with Janet .
But the fact that Prof. Grace had trusted enough to allow him to teach her daughter won’t allow him to think of her as anything more than a student. He took his books and went out his room to the usual place he usually studied in the night. Five minutes after he had started studying, Janet called him.
💬Richa-rd : Hello
💬Janet : How was your lesson?
💬Richa-rd : Okay I guess
💬Janet : good to hear that. Where are you right now?
💬Richa-rd : my usual place of the night of course, what about you?
Janet : I’m in my room, why don’t you come and pick me up?
💬Richa-rd : You mean right now?
Janet : Yes of course.
💬Richa-rd bec@m£ quiet after that, and couldn’t think of what to reply with.
He had been telling her that he is busy and definitely knew how she would react of he tells her he is busy again.
Janet : You have been studying very ha-rd lately, why don’t we have some fun just for today?
Richa-rd : Okay I will be coming to pick you.
After the phone call, Richa-rd reluctantly stood up and walked out of the hall he was. He took a taxi that dropped him close to Janet ‘s campus.
When he got there, he found her sitting on a bench un-der a canopy in front of her dormitory.
“My dear Richa-rd , always busy like the bee,” Janet said when she saw Richa-rd approaching her.
“My dear Janet , always relaxing like the princess,” Richa-rd smiled.
“I’m not like a princess, I’m a princess. Don’t you know?” she asked.
“I know that more than anyone,” Richa-rd smiled as he sat beside her.
“So, how has been your day?” Janet asked.
“It pretty hectic as usual,” Richa-rd replied. “You know, it’s been said that all works with no pl@ymakes Jack…” before Janet could complete her statement, Richa-rd interrupted her.
“Yes I know, that why I’m here,” Richa-rd responded.
“No, you nee-d to have fun in your life,” Janet replied.
“I don’t think there will be anything that will be more fun than been with you,” Richa-rd replied.
“Thank you,” Janet smiled.
“Let me take you somewhere so that will have a real fun,” Janet said.
“Okay, that sounds like a good idea,” Richa-rd answered.
“Do you care for a walk?” Janet asked as she stood up.
“I would love to, it’s been long since I last walked,” Richa-rd answered.
They took main road with will lead to the gate of the university.
There were tall flowers planted on the two sides of the road. There were blue street lights placed in the flowers that make the place looks so unique and beautiful. As they were walking, Janet stretched her arm and held Richa-rd ‘s arm.
“You look so beautiful,” Richa-rd complimented.
“Thank you,” she smiled.
“I made my hair today; do you want to see it?” Janet asked.
“Definitely,” Richa-rd replied and Janet re-moved the scarf from her to reveal her beautifully plaited hair.
Instead of Richa-rd to impress by its beauty, Rebecca suddenly c@m£ to his mind.
“What do you think?” she asked when she noticed that Richa-rd was lost in thoughts.
“It looks wonderful,” Richa-rd complimented. “What were you thinking about?” Richa-rd asked.
“Nothing, I was reminded of my sister seeing how beautiful your hair is,” Richa-rd answered. “We all miss our family,” Janet replied.
“Is quite strange, I’ve never asked you about your family,” Richa-rd replied.
“Wow! Really?” Janet asked.
“Yes of course, so tell me about them,” Richa-rd continued.
“Okay, we are 7 in my family including my mum and dad,” Janet announced.
“I have two elder brothers, a younger brother and two younger sisters,” Janet continued. “Wow! How old is your eldest brother?” Richa-rd asked.
“He is 32 years old, he is a doctor in Abuja,” Janet explained.
💘💘💘
✔✔✔✔✔✔
It was Saturday, Richa-rd had just finished cooking his breakfast. It was a noodle that ba-rely took him five minutes to get cooked. He put the noodle on a plate and sat by the edge of his be-d. It took him about five minutes to finish eating the noodles. After he was done eating, he went to the bathroom and took a bath before returning to the room. “Today is Saturday and yet you dressed early, are you meeting your girlfriend?” Gabriel asked.
“Not really, I just something to take care of,” Richa-rd responded.
“I heard that you’ve got a beautiful girlfriend,” Gabriel said.
“I guess,” Richa-rd laughed.
“No wonder we ha-rd ly see you in the room, perhaps you are always with her,” Gabriel guessed.
“Not really, you know very well that I’m a busy man,” Richa-rd said.
“Busy with your girl, right? I supposed you are going to her now,” Gabriel said.
“You kept mentioning that I am going to meet her while I’m not,” Richa-rd answered.
“I would like to her when you come back,” Gabriel announced.
“That won’t be a problem,” Richa-rd responded.
Around 10 am, Richa-rd walked out of his dormitory and headed to Prof. Grace’s house. He knocked at the door and was asked to come in. When he entered, he found Prof. Grace sitting on the sofa with her son beside her.
“Good morning ma’am,” Richa-rd greeted her. “Good morning Richa-rd , how are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m well Ma’am, is Rebecca awake yet?” Richa-rd asked.
“She always wakes up early. I hope you don’t have a lesson with her today,” Prof. Grace said.
“Oh yes we didn’t plan on doing it today, I was less busy today and I thought I could seize the opportunity,’ Richa-rd explained.
“Actually, they will be having an inter house sport next week. Her friends c@m£ by and took her to school to practice some few minutes ago,” Prof. Grace answered.
“Oh so she finally changed her mind,” Richa-rd said.
“Change her mind on what?” Prof. Grace asked.
“She said she wasn’t hoping to p@rticipate in any event in the inter house sport,” Richa-rd revealed.
“Well, then I think you did a pretty good job in convincing her,” Prof. Grace said.
“I’m sorry you have come all this way for nothing,” Prof. Grace said.
“No problem,” Richa-rd as-sured.
“Why don’t you go to the dining room and have some breakfast?” Prof. Grace offered.
“I have just finished eating,” Richa-rd replied. “You should feel free to eat here, you know you are now like a family to us,” Prof. Grace said.
“Thank you ma’am but I really am okay,” Richa-rd responded.
He walked out of the house and headed his way back to the campus. He was really sad that Rebecca wasn’t home. At that moment, he decided to go to her school just to see her. He quic-kly st©pped a taxi by the road and boarded it.
The taxi took him to the school and dropped him by the gate of Rebecca’s school. From distance, he hear the sound of the band and it brou-ght him to the conclusion that they are practicing match pas-s parade in the school. As he walked to the gate of the school, his heart beat increa-sed. He felt as if he won’t be welcomed if he goes into the school. But to his surprise, the security guard at the gate didn’t ask him anything and allowed him to go in.
When he got in, he saw the students arranged according to their houses and that reminded him of his days in high school. He smiled and went to a bench un-der one of the trees in the school and sat down. He watched as the students practiced their match pas-s and wished he could be p@rt of it. He was lost in his thoughts when heard someone talking to him.
When he looked to his right, he noticed that it was Amira talking to him.
“Are you looking for Rebecca?” she smiled. “Oh yes I am,” Richa-rd smiled.
“She is among the members of her house over there,” Amira enthusiastically pointed. “My plea-sure,” Richa-rd responded and stood and headed towards the direction Amira pointed.
Richa-rd went to the extreme of the school close to the fence where Amira instructed him. When he got there, he noticed some group of students parading. He looked among them but thought he Rebecca isn’t among them.
“Richa-rd !” Someone shouted. When he looked in the direction he was being called, he noticed that it was Alice.
Suddenly, all the students parading turned to look at him. It was then that he noticed Rebecca. The moment their eyes met, he felt like his heart was freezing. She wore a white shi-t, a black skinny jeans and white snickers and made her looked extremely pretty. They smiled at each other for a while before Rebecca ran out of her mates and met him. “Good morning,” Richa-rd greeted her. “Good morning how was your night?” she asked.
“It was nice I guess, I am glad you finally changed your mind,” Richa-rd said.
“Oh yes I did, can we plea-se sit there?” she pointed at the edge of the veranda of one of the last clas-ses.
“Okay,” Richa-rd responded. At that moment, he didn’t care what her mates will think of their relationsh!p. All that he cared for was to be with her.
“Who is that boy?” one of the boys among students asked.
“He was the one that challenge Mr. Salim,” One of the boys replied referring to their mathematics teacher.
“Oh yes I do remember him now,” the first boy replied.
“So why are you here?” Rebecca asked Richa-rd after they had sat down. “I just come to see you,” Richa-rd smiled.
“Really?” Rebecca questioned. “Yes of course, is just that…” Richa-rd said and hesitated.
“Just that…” Rebecca wanted to hear more. “Never mind, is not that important,” Richa-rd said.
“Oh Richa-rd , plea-se do tell me what you have in mind,” Rebecca asked.
“I missed you, that’s why I come to see you,” Richa-rd said.
They both bec@m£ silent at stared at each other at that moment. It was the first time Richa-rd has said something without thinking of the consequences of what he is saying. At that time, he felt like he was talking her with his heart not with hisl-ips.
As for Rebecca, she could believe those words were coming out of Richa-rd ’s mouth. Her heart was beating fas-ter than ever not because she’s scared, but because she felt something she has never felt before. “Do you realise what you are saying?” Rebecca asked. “Of course I do, isn’t normal for teachers to miss their students?” Richa-rd responded after coming back to his s-en-ses.
“You are talking as if you are an adult,” Rebecca laughed.
“For you information, I alre-ady am an adult,” Richa-rd said.
“You are not yet an adult to me, I only consider people to be adult when they are 20,” Rebecca responded.
“Maybe you will change your opinion when you reach 18,” Richa-rd replied.
“No I won’t, I have been like this since I was ten,” Rebecca informed.
“Look, most of the students’ attention is on us,” Richa-rd said when he noticed how they were being looked at.
“Let them be, they are just jealous I have a sweet handsome teacher like you,” Rebecca smiled.
Everything sounded perfect in Rebecca’s s£ntence, but the fact that she mentioned “teacher” at the end, it makes Richa-rd to think of it as ordinary.
“I am glad you changed your mind to p@rticipate,’ Richa-rd said.
“You convinced me actually,” Rebecca responded.
“Good to hear that. So in how many events are you p@rticipating?” Richa-rd asked.
“I’m p@rticipating in the match pas-s parade as you can see and the 100 meter race,” Rebecca replied.
“That’s wonderful. are you in the same house with Alice?” Richa-rd asked.
“Yes I am,” Rebecca answered.
“When is the inter house sport going to take place?” Richa-rd asked.
“Next week on Saturday, I hope you will come and see me” Rebecca requested.
“I must come and see you,” Richa-rd replied. “Is good to hear that from you,” Rebecca smiled.
They kept quiet for a while and watched as her house members were parading. “What do you think of our style of match pas-s?” Rebecca asked.
“It looks great, but…” Richa-rd st©pped.
.“But what?” Rebecca asked.
“The way they moved their arms, the way they turn, and the way they arranged themselves are all wrong,” Richa-rd opined.
“Really? Then you should teach us,” Rebecca said excitedly.
“No that wont be necessary,” Richa-rd replied. “Why not? Weren’t you the one that told me you once led your school during children day and c@m£ first?” Rebecca reminded.
“Oh yes, but doing that here will make me seem so pretentious,” Richa-rd explained.
“No they will say so,” Rebecca answered.
Rebecca stood up and went to her house captain who happened to be a final year student.
“Hey Ali,” Rebecca called her house captain. “What is it?” Her house captain asked excitedly as he walked out of the students parading.
“That boy over there said he is going to teach us better, he noticed some mistakes in our moves,” Rebecca said.
“Is that so?” He asked. “Yes, let me go and tell him to come,” Rebecca said and walked back to Richa-rd .
“Come on Richa-rd , let’s go there and them how to do it,” Rebecca smiled.
“What did she tell you?” one of the students asked the house captain.
“She said the boy over there is going to teach us better,” the house captain said.
“Is she trying to tell us that we don’t know to do it?” a girl asked.
“Who does she thinks she is to say such things?” one of the girls asked.
“Oh why didn’t you say that while she was here?” Alice asked.
“Do you think I can’t say it in front of her?” the girl asked.
“Of course you can’t Alice replied.
At that time, Rebecca and Alice got to where the students were.
“Thank God she is here, now, say what you said again,” Alice said.
“What did she say?” Rebecca asked angrily. “She said who do you think you are to bring someone here to teach us,” Alice replied. “What? You dare to say that? I will show you who I think I am you stupid girl,” Rebecca said.
“Don’t say that, this is exactly what I was afraid of in the first place,” Richa-rd said.
“I don’t mean to cause any trouble; I just wanted to offer some new things to you that might help you. Is okay, if you don’t like it,” Richa-rd said and turned to leave.
“Is okay, you can show us what you have,” their house captain said.
Richa-rd wanted to leave, but seeing the look in Rebecca’s eye made him to remain behind. “Alright, what do we start with?” The house captain asked.
“Let’s start with arranging you guys,” Richa-rd replied.
After had arranged them, he showed them how to do the parade properly.
They were all impressed Richa-rd ’s method and accepted that it was better than theirs. He trained them for than an hour until some of them announced that they were tired.
Richa-rd suggested that they should rest for the day.
“I really like your style, where do you come from?” the house captain asked Richa-rd .
“I come from Kogi state,” Richa-rd responded. “That’s quite far from here,” the house captain replied.
“Yes it is,” Richa-rd replied.
“I heard that you are the best student in this university,” the house captain.
“I think it has been exaggerated,” Richa-rd replied in surprise.
“Not really, I want come to this university after I graduated, which course do you think I should apply for,” the house captain.
“That is a very s-en-sitive case, it is a decision that will follow you for your entire life,” Richa-rd replied.
“You are absolutely right,” the house captain responded.
Richa-rd talked to the house captain with some other boys for a while. At the end, they invited him to the birthday of one of their house member which will take place in the town after their inter house in the evening. “Come on, it will be fun. Rebecca will also be coming,” the house said.
“Actually, I am very busy person. But I will try to see throu-gh my schedule,” Richa-rd replied. They talked for minutes before Rebecca approached them.
“Hey Rebecca, I told Richa-rd that you will be coming to my birthday, can you try to convince him to come?” The house said to Rebecca.
“He is the busiest boy on the planet, but I will try my best,” Rebecca smiled.
“You see, it will be fun,” the house captain said.
“I will be going home now, I’m so exhausted,” Rebecca revealed.
“Alright, then we should get going,” Richa-rd replied.
“Goodbye Mr.” Richa-rd said and st©pped.
“You can call me Ali,” the house captain completed.
“Okay Ali, I will see you next time,” Richa-rd concluded.
Richa-rd , Rebecca and Alice headed towards the gate of the school.
“You were great today Richa-rd ,” Alice said to Richa-rd .
“Of course he is,” Rebecca responded.
“Who is that boy to you?” Richa-rd asked Rebecca.
“He is a friend of course,” Rebecca responded.
“Really?” Richa-rd asked.
“Yes of course, you will like him. His father is the riche-st man in this town, and yet he doesn’t show any sign of being wealthy unlike the rest of the kids in the school,” Rebecca explained.
“Wow! I love people like that,” Richa-rd commented.
“Do you know that he was even offered the chance to study abroad but rejected it because he want to be with his friends here?” Rebecca asked.
“He is a good person indeed, no wonder you have a good relationsh!pwith him,” Richa-rd replied.
“So, will you be going to his birthday p@rty?” Rebecca asked.
“I don’t know, the last time I went to a p@rty, it didn’t turn out well,” Richa-rd explained. “Really?” Rebecca asked.
Before Richa-rd could reply, they were approached by Amira.
“How was the match pas-s?” Richa-rd asked her. “I didn’t p@rticipate,” Amira responded. “Why not?” Richa-rd asked.
“My house mates made me angry,” she replied.
“That’s very bad of them, should I go and scold them for you?” Richa-rd tea-sed.
“I have scolded them alre-ady,” she laughed.
They walked out of the school and stood by the road. Alice took a taxi home, while Richa-rd , Rebecca and Amira remained behind.
“Are you going to take a taxi home?” Richa-rd asked.
“Of course we will, do you expect me to walk home all the way from here despite how tired I am?” Rebecca asked.
“Didn’t you say you will p@rticipate in a race?” Richa-rd asked.
“I did, but I didn’t say I will be p@rticipating in a long distance race,” Rebecca responded. “Okay you should walk me to that building over there before you take a taxi,” Richa-rd requested.
“Okay, let’s do that,” Rebecca agreed even though she was so tired.
“So, were telling us about one of the p@rties you attended earlier,” Rebecca reminded.
“Oh yes I was,” Richa-rd replied. “Why did it turn out bad?” Rebecca asked.
“It was the first p@rty I attended, while we were there, police broke in and started arresting people.
We ha-rd ly escaped,” Richa-rd explained.
“With whom did you escape?” Rebecca asked. That moment, Richa-rd felt like Rebecca should not about Janet .
“With my friend,” Richa-rd lied.
“Why did you attend p@rties like in the first place?” Rebecca asked.
“I was taken there unknowingly by a friend. I have never been so angry with him like that day,” Richa-rd explained.
“Hey, why have been quiet all along?” Richa-rd asked Amira.
“I noticed that you guys are enjoying your talks, so I don’t want to interrupt you,” Amira laughed.
💕
💡💡To_be_Continued📝
💞💞💞💞