Chapter Thirteen – Sometimes You Catch Feelings and Other Times You Grow Them

My Saturday was off to a very boring start since Lara had decided to go home and give herself a much-deserved break, leaving me to come up with a creative way to waste time. I figured I’d go see Boateng so we waste the day together when I got a call from Sly.

He had a speaking engagement that evening at one of the TV Stations and was hoping I would come with him. After all the free tutoring he’d giving me, there was no way I was saying no. Plus, who doesn’t like a chance to go to a TV station and see behind-the-scenes?

I asked him what I should wear and he suggested anything casual but the last thing I was going to do was dress casual to a place where I could potentially meet my future husband. My mother always says a lady should never be caught slipping and this is law.

I settled for a maxi skirt with a cute crop top vest with some chunky loafers. As you can tell, I consume too much foreign media. My makeup was set up and ready to go when Boateng came in with his laptop. He had had the same idea I had before I got the call.

He was surprised that Sly had asked me to go and I had said yes. I could tell from his face that he had more to say but instead he set up his laptop and a Netflix show played as he watched me do my makeup.

He begged me to allow him to apply the mascara and nearly poked my eye out. He was so fascinated by the lash curler that I offered to curl his lashes too. Next was lipstick and then eye shadow and soon he looked like a drag queen. He stole one of my wigs and we proceeded to take a few snaps together.

I was ready way before time so we had some fun before Sly came knocking on the door. He entered and I introduced the two boys. Being of similar height, Boateng’s little cocky attitude didn’t phase Sly and before Boateng left, Sly told him to work hard like a father would tell his son. Boateng was not enthused.

He asked me to call him and keep him updated before leaving.

Men and their ego, so ridiculous.

As we stepped out, Sly told me that I looked amazing. He had never seen me in makeup and admitted that it suited me really well.

Sly was exceptional at the interview, sharing some things about Economics. I struggled to keep up with my limited knowledge. He wasn’t the only student on the panel, as others shared their opinion on the Ghanaian economy and how it was affecting the youth.

When they were done, he got off the stage and handed the microphone over to one of the crew men and walked to me. He was beaming from ear to ear. He asked how he did and I told him he was fantastic. He was very happy and suggested that we grab some ice cream before heading back to campus.

The night breeze was very relaxing and so we took a seat at one of the tables outside the shop. We argued a little over ice cream flavors. He condemned me for getting a lemon flavor and I was critical of him getting something with peanuts in it but we both agreed that cookies and cream was heavenly.

“Are you sure I did good on the interview” he asked after our little squabble had died down.

“Are you kidding? You were so great. Really, is there anything you’re not good at?”. I asked genuinely. This man was literal perfection.

“Yeah, there are a few things”.

“Like what?” I teased.

“Like, I’m not able to tell a girl when I really like her and then I end up wallowing in the friend zone” he said before taking a lick of his ice cream.

I laughed and replied before I could catch myself, “why though? Any girl would be happy to know that a guy like you liked her. You’re a hot cake.”

I had expected him to laugh but he was more somber. “Would you be happy if I told you I liked you?”

I nervously laughed and spent the rest of the time heavily invested in my ice cream. I didn’t dare to look at him.

We drove back to campus in relative silence and he dropped me at my room and gave me a hug before leaving. We had hugged many times before but this time felt different; weird.

I didn’t even bother to take off my clothes. I just threw myself onto my bed. I took of my shoes, of course, because one, I’m not a heathen, and two, Ghana germs are very much real.

I dug my feet into my bed as I thought. What was the meaning of what he said? Could I be taking him out of context? He could just as well be flirting. After all, he was a Level 300 boy and I was a Level 100 girl. September rush may have been a term used in the 90s but it was very much a current phenomenon.

Or could he have been genuine? I shifted myself on the bed, hanging my legs up against the wall. I spent a few seconds inspecting my toe nail polish before switching back to the thoughts that plagued me.

Since we had met, Sly had been nothing but open and genuine and perhaps, Boateng’s flirtatious nature had skewed my judgement of every man’s actions. That was a possibility but there’s a reason we say all men are the same.

What if Sly had meant what he said though? What if he liked me, what then? Did I like him back? I think I did. Wait, this was all a little nonsensical. Just because he had seemingly confessed his feelings, was I now in love? There was no way.

Well, I might not exactly like him like that but I was certainly catching feelings. I would often go to his room under the guise of studying but it really was just because I wanted to hang out with him.

Okay, let’s all calm down for one second. Araba, you’re overreacting. There was so much unknown right now but one thing was certainly clear, I did like Sly as a person. He was a very nice person. He very well might have asked that question because he wanted to know whether I would like him so he would know if I was telling him the truth or just gassing him up.

There was absolutely no need to freak out about this.

These were the thoughts I reasoned at the time but the truth is, the seeds had been sown and if I wasn’t ever thinking of Sly in that way before, I was now.

My phone buzzed and I checked to see that he had sent me an Anagram game on iMessage.

This isn't the interactive kind of story, but reader, do you think perhaps Sly liked me? Or even still did I like him?