TWIST IN THE WIND (RITA SONWU AND ELECTAALEN)
Episode 1:
It was a bright and beautiful Wednesday morning that saw Eric wake up with a wide smile spread over his smooth butterscotch face. At last, his mind was made up. 'He would talk to Anabel today.' He had planned it so well that she wouldn't have even the slightest reason to slight him. He stretched his boyish arms and legs as he got up from his cosy but untidy bed. After getting himself all dressed up for school, he went over to the dining room to have a sumptuous breakfast with his family, like every other day.
'Good morning, Dad,' he said curtseying a little. Turning to the other end of the exquisite table, he greeted, 'Good morning, Mum!'
'You see?' Mr Okon started, looking at his wife. 'It's quite unfortunate that these kids know nothing about tradition. They can't even greet in their native tongue.'
'Let them be, dear. Children only act in tune with their upbringing', Eric's mum replied, with a playful grin.
'And why are you smiling, Kayla? Eric... you look so cheerful.'
13 year old Kayla replied in a chirpy tone, 'Our cheer leading team will be officially inaugurated today. And I'm sooo happy!' She continued, focusing her searching eyes on Eric, 'I don't know about Eric, Dad.'
'Oh dear, that explains the ribbons and glitter I saw yesterday. Have fun, girl!' Kayla's mum said and took a bite on a muffin that had been lying close to Scotch egg and a cup of hot chocolate.
It was a bright and beautiful Wednesday morning that saw Eric wake up with a wide smile spread over his smooth butterscotch face. At last, his mind was made up. 'He would talk to Anabel today.' He had planned it so well that she wouldn't have even the slightest reason to slight him. He stretched his boyish arms and legs as he got up from his cosy but untidy bed. After getting himself all dressed up for school, he went over to the dining room to have a sumptuous breakfast with his family, like every other day.
'Good morning, Dad,' he said curtseying a little. Turning to the other end of the exquisite table, he greeted, 'Good morning, Mum!'
'You see?' Mr Okon started, looking at his wife. 'It's quite unfortunate that these kids know nothing about tradition. They can't even greet in their native tongue.'
'Let them be, dear. Children only act in tune with their upbringing', Eric's mum replied, with a playful grin.
'And why are you smiling, Kayla? Eric... you look so cheerful.'
13 year old Kayla replied in a chirpy tone, 'Our cheer leading team will be officially inaugurated today. And I'm sooo happy!' She continued, focusing her searching eyes on Eric, 'I don't know about Eric, Dad.'
'Oh dear, that explains the ribbons and glitter I saw yesterday. Have fun, girl!' Kayla's mum said and took a bite on a muffin that had been lying close to Scotch egg and a cup of hot chocolate.
The school bus pulled up on the roadside, and Kayla and Eric hurried in. It was always there on time. Chris, who lived at the far end of the road, was already on the bus and Eric took his seat by his side. Chris was eager to break the spicy news to his friend. He was sure it'd excite him.
'Hey, buddy!' Eric said, reaching for Chris' outstretched hand.
'How you doin', man?' Without waiting for a reply to his first question, he asked another. 'What's up with your sis?'
'Kayla? Why? Well, all I know is she's super excited 'cos of this cheerleading thing. You know how seriously she takes cheerleading. Huh?'
'That explains the snubbing. I really find that your sister intimidating. She doesn't even accord me the respect I deserve as her senior. In fact, her mannerism scares me.' He suddenly smiled as though something just flew into his memory and started off, 'I've got good news for you!'
'For real? Bring it on, man.'
'I overheard Presh and Stella talking about you at the school hall,' he said, with an even wider grin.
'And so?' he hissed, obviously irritated. 'You know I don't fancy silly gossip. Besides, I do not like those girls. They irk me.'
'I know. But... Dude, they were talking about you and Anabel.'
'Oh. I see,' he said, feigning lack of interest in the topic Chris had brought in.
'Eric, they said Anabel's got a crush on you!' he announced, happily.
'Oh, really? Okay.'
'Okay? Is that all you are gonna say?' he said as his wide grin suddenly turned into a grimace.
'What do you want to hear, Chris?'
'C'mon, ain't you gonna go to her?'
'Why should I do that? Eh?'
'Hey, wait. Are you trying to say you don't like Anabel?' Chris asked, gawking.
'Why would I?'
'Dude, are you for real? I'm talking about Anabel here. Anabel! The beauty queen.'
'Chris... it's okay. See, I know I had plans to talk to Anabel and do it today. But that's only because you asked me to. It's not because I like her or something. I'm not even sure your n-e-w-s is true.'
'Eric, I saw jealousy written all over you when she borrowed my pen last Wednesday, I see the look on your face when she flashes her million-dollar smile at other guys. You wish she would talk to you. You want to be friends with her.'
'You really think so? Man, you sure are mistaken,' Eric said, in the most convincing tone. Chris just stared at him, torn between belief and unbelief. 'Errm... All right! You got me. Maybe I really like that lass.' There was a pause and then, he continued, 'I am crushing on her but I would just treat it as nothing. It's nothing really. I won't chase her. I already have tons of admirers battling for my attention,' he said, his last statement garnished with pride.
'Ha ha ha. Of course. Ladies man!' he laughed.
'I have always wanted her attention but she just doesn't notice me.'
'I guess you're really keen on talking to her today. Aren't you?'
'I am not keen. It's just something I want to do out of my magnanimous benevolence.'
'Soft dude. You and this your ego, ehn.'
'But... sincerely, I can't wait to have a conversation with Annie Charming.'
'Annie Charming? Just look how you've coined out a name for her, like she's already your bae,' Chris said with a hearty but subdued laugh.
'It's time to alight,' he said as he watched students disembark from the luxurious school bus.
'Hey, buddy!' Eric said, reaching for Chris' outstretched hand.
'How you doin', man?' Without waiting for a reply to his first question, he asked another. 'What's up with your sis?'
'Kayla? Why? Well, all I know is she's super excited 'cos of this cheerleading thing. You know how seriously she takes cheerleading. Huh?'
'That explains the snubbing. I really find that your sister intimidating. She doesn't even accord me the respect I deserve as her senior. In fact, her mannerism scares me.' He suddenly smiled as though something just flew into his memory and started off, 'I've got good news for you!'
'For real? Bring it on, man.'
'I overheard Presh and Stella talking about you at the school hall,' he said, with an even wider grin.
'And so?' he hissed, obviously irritated. 'You know I don't fancy silly gossip. Besides, I do not like those girls. They irk me.'
'I know. But... Dude, they were talking about you and Anabel.'
'Oh. I see,' he said, feigning lack of interest in the topic Chris had brought in.
'Eric, they said Anabel's got a crush on you!' he announced, happily.
'Oh, really? Okay.'
'Okay? Is that all you are gonna say?' he said as his wide grin suddenly turned into a grimace.
'What do you want to hear, Chris?'
'C'mon, ain't you gonna go to her?'
'Why should I do that? Eh?'
'Hey, wait. Are you trying to say you don't like Anabel?' Chris asked, gawking.
'Why would I?'
'Dude, are you for real? I'm talking about Anabel here. Anabel! The beauty queen.'
'Chris... it's okay. See, I know I had plans to talk to Anabel and do it today. But that's only because you asked me to. It's not because I like her or something. I'm not even sure your n-e-w-s is true.'
'Eric, I saw jealousy written all over you when she borrowed my pen last Wednesday, I see the look on your face when she flashes her million-dollar smile at other guys. You wish she would talk to you. You want to be friends with her.'
'You really think so? Man, you sure are mistaken,' Eric said, in the most convincing tone. Chris just stared at him, torn between belief and unbelief. 'Errm... All right! You got me. Maybe I really like that lass.' There was a pause and then, he continued, 'I am crushing on her but I would just treat it as nothing. It's nothing really. I won't chase her. I already have tons of admirers battling for my attention,' he said, his last statement garnished with pride.
'Ha ha ha. Of course. Ladies man!' he laughed.
'I have always wanted her attention but she just doesn't notice me.'
'I guess you're really keen on talking to her today. Aren't you?'
'I am not keen. It's just something I want to do out of my magnanimous benevolence.'
'Soft dude. You and this your ego, ehn.'
'But... sincerely, I can't wait to have a conversation with Annie Charming.'
'Annie Charming? Just look how you've coined out a name for her, like she's already your bae,' Chris said with a hearty but subdued laugh.
'It's time to alight,' he said as he watched students disembark from the luxurious school bus.
