A STRANGERS KISS
It was a perfect day to go out. The sun was up, the streets were full and most importantly it was my day off work. Most of my family and friends thought I was weird because I have Monday as my day off. I had a choice between Friday, Sunday and Monday and I had picked Monday as that's when everyone goes to work and I get to sit around and relax. Weird reasoning? I didn't think so then, I don't think so now!
Ok, so my day started pretty lazily! I woke up at 11.00am! After a lazy shower and a slow breakfast and sitting around watching Sleepless in Seattle for the 20th time, I thought I could spend the rest of my day window shopping! Now, that is something I rarely do but, I needed to get out of the house and do something fun. And since all my friends were at work, I had to do something on my own and window shopping sounded like a good idea!
Now, even though what I had in mind was clothes window shopping, I ended up doing a book window shopping instead. I love books! Especially love stories and I found myself spending two hours just browsing around the different books, and purchasing two, something I had planned not to do. I decided to head straight home. No way was I going to risk anymore impulse buying...I would have to end up going a whole week without lunch.....now that, I could not do!
I had just walked out of the bookstore when this guy ran into me. I was startled. I quickly apologized...something I realized I liked doing even when I wasn't in the wrong.
"It's ok, Listen, could you do me a favour?" He was hot! I thought as I looked up at him.
"I ain't bombing anything" I said with a smile. And he smiled back....boy, he was even cuter with the smile on! He was one of those guys you saw across the street...and think they are really hot...but you also know to them...you are pretty invisible! So, I figured whatever favour it was.... I was probably going to be willing to do it! Pretty childish, I know....but hey...its not everyday you run into hot guys and they ask you for favours.
"It's not that bad!" He said....and next thing I know, his lips were on mine! Now...I may be pretty stupid in the head when it comes to hot guys....but I never think of myself as cheap! I tried fighting him off, but my hands were trapped between us....his lips pressed harder on mine, as his tongue tried to force my mouth open! I opened my mouth to try to protest.....and that was just the last thing I wanted to do when his tongue found mine! Now, I have been kissed before but this was one of those experiences you only get to read in books....that dazzling feeling....it was scary! Here I was, in the middle of the road, kissing a guy I had just met! Now crazy was a word that had been used to describe me very many times, but this was way out of my league!
"I see you moved on pretty well" A tight shrill voice of a woman brought the kiss to a slow end! I was breathless, and as I filled my lungs with air I looked up at the guy who had a look of surprise on his face as he looked at me! Surprise? He kissed me! I was the one to be surprised, not him!
"Well..."the woman called out again. I turned and looked at her. She was beautiful....must be a model of some kind or something close to that. Why was I not surprised?
"I need to talk to Michael..."she said as she ran her eyes all over me with a look of disgust on her face,"...alone! "She finished, looking at me directly in the eye! Now, I believe its true...it really hurts for a guy to leave you for a woman who is not as beautiful as you. And the girl was really pissed! Now much as I was tempted to play the girlfriend who was not going to budge, I figured I had had enough fun for a day! And I was still pulling myself together after the kiss! The guy was just about to say something but I interrupted him
"Hey," I said turning to the other woman," Nice to finally meet you! I have heard a lot about you..."I turned to the guy with a smile on my face, "you know what Mike, I think am going to go back and get the two books I left at the bookshop. Why don't I let you two sort yourself out then you can meet me there! "With that, and a kiss on his cheek, and a nod for the woman who seemed to be getting disgusted by the minute, I walked away from them towards the bus station!
Friday...finally, the day I always look forward to all week. It doesn't matter how hard one tries, I never get pissed off on Friday! That's my day of calm, peace and fun. Always has, and always will be! So this particular Friday wasn't very different...my itinery for the day, work from 8am till 8pm,meet up with the girls for a night of dancing....and doing all that girls do best when they are alone....probably get home at around 4am and sleep my head off. That was my plan, but nature has a way of screwing up your plans. It just sits there and sees you making all these plans....probably grinning wickedly as it looks at your plans then turns around and sees what's really going to happen then cracks up and just about laughs its ass off. Anyway, on this particular Friday....it had a good laugh. But who says when things don't go as planned...it's a bad thing? Okay, I know, I' will leave out all the jabbering and get to the juicy details.
I left work at the usual time, my novel in hand...oh, just incase you are wondering, I really hate carrying bags, so as long as I have pockets on whichever dressing I have on....the bag goes...anyway, I had this sweet book by some Nicholas Sparks. He is a pretty good writer by the way. He did Message in a Bottle...which is a book going down in my history as the best romantic book ever, he also wrote A Walk to remember....the book I was currently reading...I have read it a couple of times and I still insist the movie didn't do it much justice.....anyway....back to the juicy details. I am sitting at the bus, minding my own business...or was I?
Okay, a bit of confession before I go on...this is one thing I do every Friday night while taking a bus going to meet up with the girls...I flirt with the guys! No...not the talking bit.....just the silent flirts you send to the guy sitting across you. Did I ever mention I was shy? Well, I am...and this is just about the only time I get the courage to do that....the eye contact.....sweet smiles....and you know what else! Why, you ask? Well, simple reason....it gives me a topic I can bring up with the girls and it sure ends up lasting a long time. Especially if you sort of add bits of information that didn't really happen in real life! Its moments like these that my fantasies come true. And I must admit I always get it a bit to the extreme sometimes....but, well...everyone has something they get to extremes to. And for me...it was my fantasies! Okay, so now you know I was busy flirting with this really hot guy...and he seemed to be responding pretty well. He probably just sat here thinking he would have a word or two with me when we got off....but I never gave him a chance. I did my normal dodging act and soon enough I had lost him....and so I walked toward the club where I was meeting my friends.
The first couple of hours was a bomb. All girls shared their juicy stories, me included, and we had already lost two girls to some pretty hot guys who had taken them to the dance floor. I had a feeling we were not going to see them again. The thing with our night out is we just keep it girls only for a couple of hours...then the girls are free go meet their boyfriends or their catch of the day or whatever. Anyway, so the four of us are sitting there nodding to the music as we listen to one of my friend, Anna, talk of some horrible blind date she went to on Monday when Kelly, my other friend, interrupts.
"Dee, I think you got yourself an admirer..." swiftly heads turn to the direction she is pointing. I just about fell off my seat! I quickly turned my back to him and buried my head into my hands.
"You know him?" One of my friends ask, and they all look eagerly waiting for my response..
"Well.....not really. "I start off with a smile on my face...then I burst out laughing. They all look at me like am mad or something.
"I met him once on the streets....and he kissed me!"
"He what???" that was the response I expected, and it was what I got! And so I told them about what had happened that Monday about a month ago!
"Wow...."Anna chirps in as they all turn to look at the man again. "He's hot!!"
"And you didn't tell us about this...because??" Bea asked as they all nodded agreeing with her.
"A girl's got to have her secret....right?" I say smiling as I stand, grab Bea's bag and head for the bathroom! Drilling time...that was what it was going to unless something more interesting showed up while I was at the ladies. Truth was I had not shared with them the experience coz I felt a bit stupid about the whole thing. I mean, you don't just meet a guy on the street, kiss them and have the effect I did and not think there is something terribly wrong. Especially if you end up running into them again here...as I had. If I were alone, I would have left. For very obvious reasons....but now, unless I could come up with a pretty good reason for wanting to leave, I was stuck there. Maybe, I thought hopefully, the girlfriend was here...and having seen me would ask that they leave. On my short glance I didn't see her...but she had to be around. And once I had left the ladies, I am sure he/they will be gone.
I bumped into this big solid 'wall' as I came out of the ladies and Bea's bag dropped. Probably another drunk, I thought as I bent down for my bag. No need of confronting a drunk. Other hands got to my bag before mine and as I looked up my eyes looked directly into the his eyes. I lost my balance and was just about to fall when the strong arms stopped me. His face was just inches from mine when he drawled.
"Are you stalking me" I had been busy looking at his lips and thinking of the previous kiss that it took a while for his words to sink in. Immediately I stiffened. What did he think I was? What kind of impression had I given this man.
"Excuse me? "I said as I struggled to free myself from his hold. He loosened his grip and I quickly moved a couple of steps back till I hit the wall and couldn't move any further.
"Listen.....Michael...I don't know what kind of person you think I am....but you should not be thinking anything. You don't know me....and I'd like it to stay that way." That said, I started walking past him but he blocked my way. I sighed...and without looking at him said. "I need to get back to my friends" as I again tried getting past him.
"A name....that's all am asking for" I looked up and our eyes met and held for a while and my insides trembled. This was insane! I looked away and saw a group of girls heading for the ladies. Perfect timing. I looked up at him and smiled,
"The girl you kissed on the street seems just good enough for a name!" and with the distraction of the girls filling into the corridor, I slipped past him and walked hurriedly to the others. I needed to get out of there immediately and I didnt care what the girls would think. This guy was affecting my feelings way too much and since to him it was all a game, I really had to put the distance between us and make it permanent. A complication was the last thing I needed in my life right now.
I managed to leave the girls okay. They didn't have many questions, and seemed to buy my story when I said I had just received a call from my sister and had to meet up with her urgently at home. They all bought it, that is, except Bea. Bea and I are pretty close. She could just about see through me when she wanted to, and I had a feeling she knew it was a lie. But she kept it to herself. And after sending her a silent thank you, I walked out of the club, and out to the open, less noisy surrounding. Luckily, I hadn't run into Michael again. I didn't know what I could have done if I had. There were a couple of things I needed to sort out in my head. One being the effect he was having on me. I had read books of people being attracted to one another that intensely, but had never really gone through it before. I am a pretty sharp and level minded girl, but my thoughts got all jumbled up whenever I ran into Michael. Whenever? Was I serious? I had only run into him twice and I was going to work on making sure it never happened again. I got all confused and stupid in his presence. I couldn't risk saying or doing anything I would probably regret as soon as it happened. You know the saying, before the gods destroy, they make horny! And I just wasn't ready for destruction either.
And Just what exactly did he think I was? He met me a long the streets, kissed me, felt me respond like I have never been kissed before. All this time I had thought he had been surprised after the kiss because he had experienced a similar effect from it! How could I be so stupid? It was obvious....he had thought me cheap tramp! An easy lay! If he could get me to return his kiss in the middle of the road, what would stop me from going into his bed? I was stupid. I thought as I crossed the road to get a bus to take me home. I was very stupid!
I waited on the curb for the car to pass so I could get into the bus that had stood just next to it. My mind was all jumbled up by feelings of confusion and hurt. I couldn't help beating myself up. It took me a while to notice that the car had actually blocked my way and wasn't really going anywhere. With a loud enough curse for the driver to hear, I tried going around it! I needed to get home, to the safety of my four walls, and work on all the shame I felt.
"Dee, wait." I stopped on my tracks. It was the voice, I would recognize it in my sleep, but the name...how did he know my name? Slowly, without turning back I took two more steps then stopped and turned. He was standing there, looking at me like I made him feel nothing but lust! I grunted.
"My name..." I started but my voice came out all wrong. I cleared my throat and tried again, "How did you know my name?" He took a step forward and I took one back. I glanced quickly behind me to see the bus drive away!
"I wanted to know it...I always get what I want." He had laughter in his voice. Laughter?
"You are full of **** you know that?" I said my anger building up. "Always you say? Well you'd better think again! I won't be..."
"Dee..it was a joke ! I ..." his face was all sobered up, but I was on the roll, and I wasn't going to stop now. He took a step forward and I immediately took a step back!
"A joke? A JOKE? Do I look like am laughing? Do I look like...."
"Watch out!" He shouted as he started towards me, the look of horror in his eyes made me follow his glance and looked sideways, I saw the bright light, as a scream got caught in my throat, then....darkness!
I woke up with a strange feeling. A very annoying banging pain was in my head. I couldn't think at all. I tried opening my eyes but the light was too bright. I squinted and saw a man standing at the far end of the room talking to someone...some people. Then one of them came over and did something...I couldn't see clearly...but I started drifting off to sleep again. And this time the last thought in my mind was. "Oh my God, he kidnapped me!"
When I opened up my eyes my sister was looking at me with sadness in her eyes.? I looked up at her she smiled at me through her tears.
"Hey," she said with a whisper, "how are you feeling?" I tried smiling but it felt like my face had frozen up!
"What did he do to me?" I asked as I started getting really scared. "Was he arrested, is he in prison, did he rape me?"
"Wowowow," my sister interrupted me, "Slow down a bit kiddo! Rape? What are you talking about? There was an accident...you got hit by a car remember?" It slowly started coming back to me. The whole argument, the bright light, the man's eyes!
"Flo...," I started but she interrupted me.
"Get some rest, will you? We'll talk next time!" I started dozing off again "Thanks for coming back." I heard her say as I drifted off. Whatever was she talking about?
I drifted in and out of sleep for the next three days. During the time I was awake my sister had filled me in about what had happened. Apparently, Michael had rushed me to hospital, and pretty much stayed in hospital for the two days I was completely out. He had kept apologizing to my sister saying it was all his fault. He had retrieved my sister's number from my mobile phone and manages to get her at the hospital as soon as I got there. I had pointed out to my sister that it was a pretty expensive place, but she had said Michael had agreed to cover my bills since he held himself responsible.
"He is a pretty nice guy," my sister had pointed out with a naughty look in her eyes,"He is a man with a guilty conscious," I had pointed out in return and had told her about my whole experience with him, "don't let his looks fool you." I had said, but she had looked at me sadly and squeezed my hand.
"He is a good man." She had repeated. And quickly the subject had changed to other things.
It was about two weeks after the accident that I saw Michael again. I was being discharged that day; I had broken a rib, fractured my leg, and had lots of cuts and bruises. But finally I was fit enough to go home. He had offered my sister to drive us home, and my sister who had already classified him as the perfect gentleman had quickly accepted. But then she had later called me to say she couldn't make it as she had to go to an important meeting. Would I mind driving home with Michael? She had asked and quickly continued before I answered, thanks, I will make it up to you. I'll get dinner. Then she had hanged up.
He knocked quietly and entered my room. I was all set. My clothes were in a bag on my bed, my clutches were next to the bag, and I was all washed up. I couldn't look at him directly in the eye. I wasn't sure exactly what I felt for him now. Was I angry or annoyed? I wasn't sure. All the time he had not come to visit, why not? Did he feel guilty? What did I want? I was happy he felt guilty, but also angry that he did not visit me, not even once since I regained consciousness. I very much wanted to believe all his hanging around had meant more to him than a guilty conscious, but how could I? First, it was because I looked cheap, and now it was because of a guilty conscious! I knew exactly where I stood....it was nowhere near him.
"Hey," he said and I looked up at him.
"Hi," I said as I took my clutches and started getting on my feet. He quickly rushed forward to give me a hand, "I can manage," I curtly said as I made myself more comfortable on my one foot. "Do you mind helping me with the bag?" He had picked up the bag before I could finish the sentence. I limped towards the door and heard him sigh,
"Dee..."
"We really should get going if we want to beat the rain and the traffic." I said as I opened the door and hopped out. We walked silently towards his car and after a hand from him I got in. He walked around and entered the driver's seat. He started the ignition then just sat there not releasing the handbrake! I also sat quietly looking ahead till my patience got the better of me.
"Do you need me to drive?" I asked with sarcasm in my voice, "Well, now that I can't do....thanks to you!"
"Get it off your chest!" He silently.
"What?" I asked that had not been the response I had expected.
"Do it...you want to scream at me, blame me, whatever...just get it over with."
"I...," I had no idea what I wanted to say. "Just get me home...please." I said quietly. Immediately he started the car and drove towards my home. I realized he didn't ask for directions. Maybe Flo had given them to him before...
"I dropped your sister home sometime last week," he said as if reading my mind. I nodded. We drove on in silent till we got to the gates of my apartments. After parking the car and helping me out of the car, he took my bag and walked me up the stairs. All along the ride I had been thinking of how hateful I should be to the man, after all, he was the cause of all that had happened. If he hadn't kissed me in the first place, if he hadn't followed me.....it was all his fault! But was it? I had enjoyed the kiss....and it was the stupid scared part of me that had led me to run off as I did from the pub. It wasn't entirely his fault. It was my fault too. And the grown up thing for me to do was to accept that. At the door, I stopped and turned to him. He assumed I was asking for his help with the door so he took the keys from me and opened the door. I gave him a wan smile as I passed him to get into the house.
"You need help with anything else?" He asked after placing the bag on one of the seats.
"No...I think I'll manage!" I said with a smile. He nodded, his face emotionless.
"I'll be on my way then." He said as he turned and started for the door.
"Mike....wait," he stopped but didn't turn. "I'm sorry." He turned then and looked right into me. It gave me the feeling again.....the feeling I was trying very hard to fight. I had to get this over with fast...without letting this emotions interfere with everything.
"Dee...,"
"Just let me finish," I said as I sat down and set the clutches on the seat beside me, "I was mad at you...I really was...but it wasn't entirely your fault....and I know that now. Its just that....I knew what you thought of me...and....well...its not true! Ok! Am not just some girl that sleeps around...and just because I..."
"Wait a minute..."he started as he strolled and stood towering above me
"Listen to me...am sorry I was a ***** to you a few minutes ago! But am making this clear just this once. I am not some easy lay you can get just because your libido is calling. And now that I have said that.....thanks for the ride." I had said all this without looking at him. Slowly he lowered himself until our eyes were at one level.
"Cheap?" He asked with a quiet voice. "Dee...that's the last thing that came to my mind!"
"What?...then why ...why did you look all surprised after you...we...kissed? Why did you follow me?"
"Did it occur to you, at all, that maybe I was doing it because I had the same effect you had?" he asked quietly. I looked away from him. Too scared to want to believe I was hearing him right! Was he saying he felt the attraction too? That he had actually liked the kiss? That he was actually after me for something serious?
"Mike..." I started. Intending to stand up and walking away from him as I felt I needed the distance to think straight. A sharp pain shot through my leg and I immediately collapsed into his arms.
"Are you ok?" He asked with a look of concern in his face.
"I think I forgot I injured my leg for a while there!" I said feeling pretty stupid as I tried to move away from his grasp so I could sit down again but he didn't let go.
"I have that effect too...forgetting things...when I see you!" I looked up at him and saw that he was smiling. I smiled back. This dream was beautiful. If it could go on forever my life would be content. But...
"Don't say it!" He said as he saw the smile disappear from her face.
"Say what?" I asked, genuinely surprised? What did he think I was going to say?
"Your sister warned me about all the reasoning you would use! But am not going to let you do that Dee! We have something here, and am going to make sure we both find out what it is and work on it. Fate made us meet that day, we can't keep throwing the chances fate give us to the wind!" I started shaking my head negatively, looking down at his hand joined to mine, "damn it Dee...look at me right now and tell me you don't feel anything, that you don't believe we were thrown together for a reason," his hands quickly came under my chin and pushed my chin up, "look at me damn it!" I looked up and he saw the laughter in my eyes. "what the ..."
"What I was going to say," I said as I lifted my hand and placed it on his chin, "was, could you kiss me again and see if it still has the same effect?" His eyes immediately sobered up, and slowly he lower his mouth to mine and we kissed. And no matter how prepare I thought I was for it, the effect was even stronger, and the kiss left me completely breathless! I slowly opened my eyes to see me looking down at me, a smile on his face. He planted another kiss on my forehead.
"Maybe," I whispered, "maybe it isn't fate. It's just the effect of a stranger's kiss." He looked deep into my eyes again and I felt a stir within me. Slowly he helped me back to my seat and knelt beside me. Then stretching his hand towards me, he said,
"Hey, my name is Michael Nkonu...and you are?" Confused I looked at him like he was out of his mind.
"What are you doing?"
"Making sure it is not an effect of a stranger's kiss!" He said with a grin on his face and I burst out laughing. Taking his hand into mine I said,
"Dee Riako. Pleasure to meet you." Then slowly he raised his mouth to meet mine as he said,
"Now lets find out if it's still the same," my laughter was stifled by his mouth joining mine.
He was right. This was not about a strangers kiss. This was fate!
Copyright 2008 Deb
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