Where It Started

Piece of advice, when you're in a public bus, try your best to seat close to a window, because if a foolish fellow farts and you are no where near ventilation, my brother and sister, you will die there. .............. The sun burned hot against Victoria's skin. She waved her hand against her face to ward off the heat. It proved little to no permanent solution to that problem. It was only 3: 23 in the evening. "How do you feel?" Her older sister, Ife, asked for the umpteenth time and she sighed. "Should I be honest with you?" Victoria asked and she nodded curtly.

"Have you seen where trailer hits a motorcycle? The kind of head ache the bike rider will have, multiply it by two and your answer is what I feel," the younger sister replied and the older one laughed even when Victoria meant no humor in what she said. The big yellow bus called the BRT arrived with its conductor calling its destination. There were few passengers seated in the six rows of two seats by each side. The duo climbed in without any questions. "I'll just assume it's spending two hours in front of a computer answering questions that is affecting your brain," She answered between laughs. Victoria groaned and tried to make herself more comfortable in the bus. The two sat beside the window, Victoria in the first row and Ife in the second behind her. Hopefully, Victoria thought to herself, no one lets loose a fart. The heat the passengers shared was enough, gas from the anus was another thing. "Do you know what can make this six hours of sitting in a bus memorable?" Victoria turned to face her sister behind her. "What?" Ife raised a brow as Victoria smirked. "You see that cute guy at the door about to climb in?" Victoria nudged her head to the dark skinned, tall and lean guy with his ear pods plugged in. "He should just sit beside me from here to Lagos. Oh, it would be so dreamy," She sighed. It would be more interesting stealing glances at him now that her phone battery is dead. Her eyes followed the cute boy who seemed to be in his mid-twenties. When he climbed in and approached their seat, her heart skipped a bit. She began to tap her feet on the floor and picked at my nails. Mr. Handsome, as she decided to call him, stared down at her. Her cheeks flushed and she bit her lower lip. Excited, her heart thumped faster and then— Mr Handsome turned his head and looked at the seat behind her and took a spot, beside her sister. Fuck, she thought. Ife gave a smug smile which made Victoria glower. Embarrassed, she slouched in her seat and leaned her head against the window. Victoria could not blame Me Handsome. Her sister was obviously older, about his age and did not pick her fingers or looking at him like she was holding in a fart. She heaved a heavy sigh. She perked up and sat up straight. But on the other hand, she could beg her sister to switch seats but then again, who would want to reject a cute guy sitting beside you for probably a whole day trip. She slouched in her seat again, contemplating the idea when a voice called up to her. "Sorry oh, is someone sitting beside you?" She looked up and found a plump— No, plump is an understatement. God, this woman is fat, she exclaimed in her head. The newcomer's derriere was so large that Victoria swallowed a nervous gulp. If this woman sat down beside her, she would occupy the chair and worse! What if she farts?! Holy crap! "Um.. y-yeah, someone already paid for this seat," Her tied tongue loosened as she explained. The woman looked at her with a small frown before nodding, walking to the front of the long BRT bus. "Phew!" Better safe than sorry. "Can I seat here?" Victoria perked up at the deep voice that belonged to the new person standing over her. Her jaw dropped as she inwardly exclaimed, 'My God!' Her cute boy radar was in high alert as she sized him up. He was in a blue shirt sleeved shirt and black jean trouser. His eyes were heavy with dark bags but he was still... extremely attractive. On a scale of one to ten, this new guy was a seven which according to Victoria meant adorable. This adorable guy was asking her for a seat. She pouted at the fact he was not necessarily asking me on a date or to marry him but what a gentleman is he for asking for a seat. "Hey!" She snapped back to reality when the guy snapped his fingers. The guy regarded her with a look of disgust. "You're letting Prince Charming get away," Ife mumbled to her ear. Clearing my throat, she finally spoke. "N-no, I mean yes you can. You can seat here," she stammered. "Real smooth." Ife chuckled lowly and Victoria turned to give her a glare. Her sister stuck out her tongue in retaliation. Ten minutes of silence and watching how people bought and sold from the open window of the bus, the driver announced that the bus would be departing soon. "Ife, I want to—" Victoria turned abruptly to face her sister but stopped midway when she hit the adorable stranger beside me and knocked his book to the floor. "I'm sorry, I didn't—" She reached down to pick the book only to hit her head with his. Hard. "Ouch." She pouted, rubbing her forehead. The boy rolled his eyes, mumbling some incomprehensible words. The idiot hit her and he was the one complaining. She frowned at him but paused when she noticed the book he held; a past question physics textbook for UTME and the prescribed novel, Sweet Sixteen. UTME was an exam set by JAMB for all students entering university. "You did your jamb today?" She blurted out before mentally slapped herself for talking. "Yeah. You?" He redirected the question. Wait. Did this boy just answer me? Yay, he spoke to me. "Yeah," she replied and a long silence ensued. Say something, say something, she urged herself. "What department?" He spoke first. "Art. What about you?" She threw back at him. "Art," He replied blankly. No, the conversation shouldn't end. "Where do you want to study?" "Lagos state university." He shrugged. "Wait, really? LASU? Me two." Her pitch went a tone higher than she intended. Victoria cringed but felt at ease when he chuckled. "What course?" The smile was still on his face. "Psychology," she replied. "Really, I heard they are usually weird." He smirked. The mockery was obviously laced in his tone. Fool, she thought and rolled her eyes. "I know, and I'm proud to be weird," she said, her chest swelling with pride. "What about you?" "Criminology." "Hun, and you think psychologists are weird." She scoffed letting the sarcasm obvious. That will teach him. "Trust me, you guys are weirder." He smirked devilishly. "Not." She pouted. "Are." Her lips parted for a reply when she did something terribly embarrassing. She sneezed. And she sneezed out loud. The cute boy stared at her in disbelief along with a hint of disgust. He turned his attention to the front of the vehicle. " I told you. You can't hide how weird you all are," He said and her shoulders dropped That was a major embarrassment of all time. Sneeze? Why the hell did she sneeze? You're so stupid. Bravo. "I'm Ayo. By the way." His voice was lower this time. "I-I'm Victoria." I guess I'm not really done for. Then the bus began moving. Let the journey begin.