At Crossroads

Gray slung his bag across his back and crossed the busy road in front of the All Brains High School.

There were lots of students on uniforms too who trooped the road like it was a riot. Well, this was how the road really was during the end of school days, always busy, filled with students who were in different groups chattering as they walked home.

Someone called his name and he turned. It was Rebecca, his old friend from junior secondary school. She was wearing a different uniform from his and had a crossing bag to fit her hair knobs which helped pack her hair in a fine style. She was smiling, and he was too.

"Long time Becky, how was school today?" He greeted her and waited for her to meet him up on the walkway by the road.

"Good and yours?" She replied as she got closer to him.

"Just busy"

She smiled. Well, she always loved his presence and he was glad things hadn't changed though they weren't attending the same school now.

She was slim, like sliced yam. Only her skin colour was brown. So maybe she was like a sliced potato and had a dark lip. Well, she was beautiful, just like every young girl you'll see on the roads.

Now they were on the same tarmac and headed for the bus stop.

"I was finding a way to get across to you so I could invite you...

" it was Gray talking. He half finished

and she interrupted him almost immediately.

"Invite me to where?" She asked

This was one of the attitudes she put up when she was curious.

"To my birthday party at home next week" he finished.

Then she broke into a smile again

"Wow! I'd love it"

"So a yes?" He smiled back at her.

"Of course Gray, always a yes" She was still smiling.

Gray was used to her. They had been to some children's parties in the past but she wasn't much of a dancer herself. She tried, some said but it was poor.

Rebecca wasn't the brightest then in school but man! She had the luck of always matching the right answers and luck! This made her famous in her own way. But they had been friends, and even when they changed schools they had kept in contact, but there was nothing serious.

This time they had gotten to the bus stop and said their goodbyes. Gray got into a taxi and waved her as the ricketty cab pulled away. She waved back.

Inside the taxi, he pulled his headphones from his bag and turned them on. Then he nodded his head in rhythm to the song playing. (His house wasn't a far journey but he was tired that day and it made the journey seem long).

Then his mind switched off to Kate. The girl at school who everyone seemed attracted to. Almost everybody in their class spoke about her. She was beautiful, way more beautiful than other girls at his school, she was intelligent (their class teachers had almost made good compliments on her results) and she didn't let all those get to her because she had friends too, not being bossy a bit.

When she had arrived at their school last year he never looked in her direction because someone occupied his head then. But now all he could ask for was her.

Well, he had failed on his several attempts to have a good time with her and they had all gone bad. So with his party coming up soon, he set up a new strategy.

He had all his friends at school give out invitations to as many people as possible.

He wasn't famous but people knew him as cool.. the only thing they could remember he had done wrong was last year too. He had gotten a suspension for slapping one of his classmates for stealing his assignments and copying them. She was wrong, the principal had said but he still shouldn't have slapped her.

There was this thing that whenever you had a quarrel with the opposite sex and you kept seeing that person, things would become better and nature would in its power draw you both closer. This was what happened between them. After the incident, he apologized to Lucy and even surprised everyone at school giving her one of the best birthday gifts ever. So despite the bitter past, they got along and it was through Lucy he set up this new strategy.

Lucy was a good friend of Kate and he gave her an invitation personally for Kate. Somehow he knew he would get her no matter how long it took and he was ready. Kate didn't smell any foul play when she got the invite.

"Planet G is the best place to throw a birthday party

" she said, at least her weekend was not going to be boring after all she thought.

"So we are going?" Lucy asked her, it was a good thing if she didn't have to persuade her into it.

“Yep!”

"Nice..." Lucy was going to add something else

"What?" it was Kate asking

"There's something else" she replied not looking at her friend

"And what's that?" Kate was impatient already

"He wants you to be his girl for the day..." the words reeled out of her mouth.

She didn't know what Kate's take was going to be but well she wanted to know where it came " So what?.." she asked.

Kate couldn't believe it

"His girl? It doesn't just work like that!" Kate started "If that's why he's luring me to a party then no!" The "no" was resounding.

Lucy watched her in awe. Kate was mad at his gesture and maybe mad at Lucy herself for thinking of helping a guy lure her into his arms

"Why don't you think about it?" Lucy kept trying

"My answer is NO! You want to know why?" She was really mad at the unbelievable offer.

Lucy nodded yes.

"Because I know where I belong. How do I get invited to a party only because he's crazy for me? I can't" Kate told her already-broken friend

"Okay, I'd tell him just that"

"Good She heaved and packed her hair it was time to go home and she was tired from the day, and now the ridiculous birthday invite. So much she wanted to escape from.

At school the next day, Kate made stern faces at him the time they crossed paths and it sent a signal. During the break, he met Lucy.

"What's up with Kate?"

"What?" Lucy wanted to know if she told him anything already

"She's keeping a straight face the whole day"

Lucy then knew.

"Oh! She's mad at your offer" Gray couldn't bear the turn down.

"So what do I do?" He asked Lucy

"Idk, she's not planning on attending your party at all again. How I wish you grow the courage to talk to her Gray. It could go easier" She knew how he felt already.

"Alright I'll try" he said sorrowfully and went away.