Lola saw a crowd ahead, at the centre of the school filed. She wondered what was going on. She navigated her way through the throng, her heart lurched out of her when she saw the sight before her.
Mathew was professing his love to his girlfriend with a bouquet of flowers. She looked up at the girl wondering if she was the same girl at the party but she wasn't!
This particular girl was chubby, elegant with a round face and curly brown hair. She had on the sweetest smile on her face.
Lola felt betrayed, was it not the same guy that had her backed against a wall, trying to kiss her yesterday?
Was he not the same guy also professing his love to another girl? What was he playing at? It disgusted her, yet the fact that she liked him still galled her.
Her insides churned like a screw driver being twisted inside of her. The rest of the girls who had gathered around were goshing over the scene while some took out their phones to make a video out of it.
What was the point of doing this in the school field? Was he trying to get to her. She watched him as he continued to confessed his feelings to the girl.
She found a tear streaking down the path of her cheek. She was furious with herself, why couldn't she move on from Mathew. Matthew was never the type to be trusted yet her heart possibly wanted something with him.
She knew she would continue to hurt herself if she continues to visualize a future with Matthew. Joseph was good.....
A sob broke out from her lips and her hands flew up to cover her mouth, her books falling to the ground.
Someone bent to help pick up her books, she looked up to find Joseph. His face was empty and without emotion.
"Thank you," she mumbled trying to brush her tears with the other free hand.
"You don't need to hide it anymore," he told her.
"Hide what?" She muttered.
"I know you do like Matthew, a lot. And you accepted me as your boyfriend because you think you can grow to like me. I also know that you drank at the party to stupor because of him. I also overhead your conversation with him in the toilet, and know for a fact that he had kissed you."
Lola's eyes lit up in shock, "he didn't kiss me!" She blurted.
"He almost kissed you and you wanted it so much that it was clearly written over your face." He explained, pausing to catch his breath.
He was getting rather agitated, "I am becoming someone else, someone possessive, angered and obsessed with the idea of us. But there will never be a us, Lola. We just not cut out for that. It took me so long to realize it. I want something real with someone that's real with me. Not someone clearly using me for her beneficial purposes."
"Are you breaking up with me, Joseph?" She asked as she collected her fallen books from his hand.
"That's what it is, Lola. I can't keep on lying to myself and at the end of the day turn out a monster. You are not meant for me. Probably, in the future, when I've healed from all these. For now, I clearly want to be by myself." he started to turn away.
Lola grabbed his hands, her books falling back to the floor, "No, Joseph. Give me an opportunity. I can love you like I do love him."
Joseph smirked at that, bruised by her words, "you say it yourself, you do love him. Yet, you play me on and make me for a fool," he pushed her hand away.
"There is no way on earth that can happen loving me and him together in your heart. You love him much more and there is nothing I can do about that. I have to make peace with that and move on." He nodded, smiled then started walking away.
Furious tears rained down Lola's eyes, she had just lost Joseph.
How had this come about?
He was right afterall. She was clearly in love with the bad boy Matthew. She had wanted him and not Joseph. She had only wanted to use Joseph and that had only rewarded her with a disaster.
She had lost her friend and her boyfriend the same day.
She found herself racing to the toilet and bawling her eyes out. After awhile, she came out and gasped when she saw Matthew by the door.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him.
"We need to talk." He said to her.
*******
Johnson arrived at the Stacey's home with a present. He had been coming but had not had the courage to see her. He would only stop at the gate, turn around then return home. He missed Stacey and he wanted her.
She was not the usual lady that one could mess with.
That only surged him on.
He respected her and he wanted to keep her for himself.
"Stacey," he called.
Stacey looked up when she heard her being called. "Johnson," the smile on her face must mean she was glad to see him.
"I want ... I want to take you out for a date. Let's start over." He said, trying not to sound absurd.
She was quiet, watching him intently.
"I want you Stacey. I had concluded that it's you I want, it's always you I want," Johnson said to her.
Johnson took her in his arms, leaned in and kissed her. That had surprised her, she hadn't expected it.
"Let's go out, let me make it up to you," he told her.
She smiled, nodding her head, "can I bring Ghost with us?" She asked him.
"Of course," he nodded, then he watched her racing into the house to change her outfit while he had both of his hands clasped tightly, thanking the stars that Stacey had finally accepted him.
"See, that wasn't so hard?" He told himself.
*****
"What are you doing here?" Lola repeated the question.
"Can we talk somewhere else? Someone could walk in on us right now," Matthew told her.
"Why didn't you think of that before coming into the ladies restroom to see me?" She pushed him off, storming off.
He followed her still, "I got into a fight with Joseph...,"
She swung instantly to face him, that was when she noticed the cut across his lower lip. Instinctively, she tried to reach out to touch him. Midway, she stopped herself recalling what had transpired between them.
"I'm alright," he scoffed, noticing how she acted.
"Is Joseph alright? Why will you get into a fight with him, why am I talking to you?" She started to walk away but he pulled her around.
"Joseph got furious that you only have eyes for me and he walked up to me and threw a fist across my lips. I couldn't hold it in, I had to throw back a punch,"
"You rascal!" Lola clenched her teeth.
"Hold it, babe!" He tried to calm her down.
"I'm no babe of yours, don't try to calm me down...."
While her words trailed off, he pulled her in for a kiss, his mouth covering her mouth.
They kissed on for a while as Lola kissed him back repeatedly.
"Why do you fake not liking me, why pretend to hate me?" He whispered as he reached to kiss her again.
Realizing what she was doing, she drummed on his chest with her fists, pushing him away from her.
"You rascal, Playboy! You think I'm one of those girls you can use and....," she pushed him off.
He tried to touch her.
"Don't stop me! Don't touch me!" She slapped his hands off as he continued to touch her.
"Please, listen to me, Lola." He pleaded stepping back.
"I don't want to listen to any of your lane words! You enjoy and relish in the fact that I like you, that's why you torture me like this...,"
"Lola, please listen to me."
"There you are giving a girl bouquet of flowers after playing around with one in Chad's birthday party!"
"I was acting!" He yelled.
She froze, looking dumbfounded.
"Acting?" she asked, dazed.
"I had to explain to Joseph that I'd asked you out but you turned me down only to accept his proposal. I got into the drama clique and did that act today, you guys didn't even notice the camera men, they were among those who were holding their phones."
"You're lying," she told him, "what about the girl you were with in Chad's birthday party?"
"That girl wanted me, she wanted me for a date. So, I agreed with it. I didn't want all that touchy touchy love with her, when I noticed how affected you were by the act, I played along."
Lola scoffed, "you played along? What difference does that make? You are a Playboy, so stay off my lane!" she started to walk away.
"And ignore the fact that you shed tears for me?" he cocked one skeptical brow.
She rolled her eyes, "I wasn't crying for you," her voice had suddenly gone soft.
Matthew smiled, watching her was soothing to him.
"I do like you a lot, and why will I lie to you after confessing my feelings to you?" he asked her.
She rolled her eyes again. Slowly, he reached out to her holding her hands.
"Why do you try to push me away? Because you think I'm a bad boy?" He smirked, pulling her in.
"I don't even know why I like you so much? I should hate you with the whole of my being," she said.
He laughed, pulling her in, "I like everything about you, Lola. I will push all girls aside and place you at the centre. That's how much I'm willing to go for you," he whispered, looking into her eyes.
She watched him again as he leaned in.
"Please, just say yes to me, I know you want this as much I do," he begged.
She smirked, smacking his face with her index finger. "What proof do you have?" She asked him.
"All the proof that I ever need," he muttered then slowly leaned in to kiss her.
Epilogue
The story ends on a heartwarming note. Johnson finally settled for Stacey after professing his love for her. Together they began to grow and envisage a future.
Ella and Lenon, Jack's friend began to date. Ella was grateful that she finally fell in love after the love she had once lost with Johnson. It was truly a beautiful thing to fall in love.
Meliana on the other hand blossomed in her profound love with Jack. Jack was the sweetest thing that happened to her. Her father even approved of their relationship, he was glad that it only took an awful incident to open Meliana's eyes.
Meliana later reached out to her brother and step sister, Elizabeth during the holidays. The family got to meet Jack after Jack had proposed marriage to Meliana.
Jerry on the other hand had to struggle to get a new job and sustain it. His past really affected him whenever someone recognises him. Time healed most of his pain when luck shone on him at the end of the day.
Lola and Matthew enjoyed every quality time together. Their love for each other grew each passing day. Their love was entirely beautiful to behold. Lola and Matthew were meant to be, together they grew, graduated and continued to profess deeper and sweeter love for each other.
Thank you all for reading this book. I hope you actually enjoy every written word in this book.
"A chance with you" is a book that melts all hearts. It portrays the love one shares for another, professing and proclaiming the love. Thank you and I hope you follow me all the way to the top.