Growing in love

Three is a crowd

Everything between Justin and l had been going well for the past couple of weeks since he started lower 6.

He was actually becoming a good influence on me. He was so passionate about school and studying for good marks so much that l was shocked to find myself starting to care about my own.

He was doing Physics, Mathematics, Geography and Chemistry. 4 A level subjects! That was a lot! Only very bright people did more than the required 3 A'level subjects. He said he wanted to be an Engineer, but wasn't yet sure which kind.

I asked what he had got at O'level and he said 12A's. I was mind blown! 12 straight A's!

The best part about Justin is he seemed to believe l could do it too. I was skeptical, but he insisted. He said if l gave myself enough time to study, and l paid attention to my teachers, and l asked for guidance were l wasn't clear, l would do just as well as he did.

For some reason, l believed him. I liked him so much l wanted to be like him. I wanted to be smart like him. I wanted to impress him. All of a sudden, instead of spending my free periods chatting with friends in class, l would now go to the library and study instead.

I would be especially happy if he walked in the library and found me there studying. He would give me a look that said "I'm proud of you!"

He could have said run a marathon and l would have done it! That's how much infatuated l was! It was like his approval, his nod, his every smile, was a reward and l wanted to get as much of the rewards as l could!

*

The following weekend was a sports day. I was very much into sports, but had unfortunately fractured my ankle during high jump inter-house competitions earlier this term and the sports patron banned me from playing any sport for the rest of the term.
What a bummer!

So this sports day was now district level, other schools were coming to compete so that the best players would make up the provincial team to represent at nationals.

Other schools coming meant that the athletics team from St Anne's High were also coming, and that meant Tom was also coming.

Who was Tom?
wouldn't you like to know.

Here goes...

I had always been into athletics, short distance runs, high jump and short put were my speciality. When l was in form one, l had represented my school and province at nationals for under 16 high jump.
When l was in form two, l represented for under 16 both high jump and short put.

The trips were always fun, we would stay in nice lodges for the weekend and the schools would give us a lot of money to spend. The best part of being in a provincial team was it wasn't just about my high school only, it would be different individuals from different schools who were best in different activities.

It was during these trips that l first met Tom. He was form 2 and l was form 1. We were in the same provincial team and he was there for long and short distance runs.
We had sat next to each other in the bus and he had kept me good company, he was talkative and funny, very entertaining.
We were away from school gossips so l relaxed and enjoyed the attention l was receiving.

We arrived at our destination lodge and Tom arranged with his friends to carry my luggage for me. I was thoroughly charmed.
After supper he came and asked if l wanted to go for a walk, l told him l wasn't familiar with the town we were in but he said we wouldn't get lost.
We took a walk just 2 streets away from the lodge and we returned back to the others.

Some of the teammates were seated outside in the lodge patio, it was now dark, they gave us curious glances and l was shy thinking maybe they thought we were naughty.