FATED

CHAPTER ONE

As usual the weather remains unpredictable, even using the forecast sometimes doesn't work out as shown, looking at my room mate as she kept on talking, was actually getting on my nerves but what can I do? She is literally one of the few people in planet earth that I could tolerate being around, along side my parents, but I rarely see them these days, its like my pitiful existence has been forgotten.

"............ so are you going this year?" Sheilah asked with a scrunched up expression, probably just figuring out the fact that I wasn't even listening.

"Eh...... I don't know, you know I don't do too well with a crowd.....lets see how it goes though". That was the most cheapest answer anyone could come up with but Lily was already at her wit end with this topic.

"That's what you always say Lily, you know you might never get over your fear of crowd if you don't attempt to......." Sighing Sheilah dragged her bag towards her bed and began folding her clothes all the while murmuring .

"How long will take it take at the camp?" Lily asked reluctantly, even though she might not attend this year's camp with Sheilah, she knows that the only way to make her calm is showing a little interest. Sheilah always goes to a certain church or like she calls it spiritual experience camp meeting. I have never been there but from how excited she always sounded every year in attending, can leave a good imagination to ones mind about how good this event was.

"Lily this year is going to be a good year, I can feel it. you know how I have been attending for five years, and I have never been chosen to go in the inner sanctum? " at Lily's little nod Sheilah let out a little squeal and held her folded clothe to her chest as she gave out a dreamy expression that Lilly in all their years of friendship had never seen.

"Lily I have been chosen this year also with the option to bring a family or friend, I chose you cause you are my best friend and I think it will do you alot of good" Looking at Lily with her well practiced puppy eyes she walked towards her and held her hands lightly with that expression still in place .

".......please Lil say you will come, we will be given our own rooms, so you can opt to be in your room if you don't want to mingle or socialize, I just need you to come with me so I don't feel so alone".

"Ah Sheilah you Sabi worry person Sha oh" Knowing I had already made up my mind just made me more irritated .

"ok ok ok, I heard you, let me start packing up my things then".

" Yay! Thanks girlfriend I promise you will not regret this!".
How cheeky of her to say that to my face, when I was already had "I REGRET" expression on my face.

3 DAYS LATER.

"Everyone please step into the line in an orderly manner, first come, first serve" . A short fair skinned lady announced as people came out of the bus.

Holding her bag tightly Lily looked around, already feeling irritated with the crowd, and already feeling the start of a painful migraine, if she wasn't careful she might be spending the three weeks here in a hospital. She discovered her phobia for crowded places, when she attended a crusade program with her parent at the age of seven. It started as an intense sweat, then a painful migraine at the left part of her skull, which affected her eyes to the point where she could hardly keep them open, the worse part was that the more she kept being touched by others, she had flashes of images that she couldn't understand, three days later she woke up in a hospital. The doctors couldn't understand what they were dealing it, and so they labelled it as" Enochlophobia " suffice to say in eighteen years she hasn't been in overly crowded places.

"Lil are you okay, you are sweating so much......why don't we go seat over there, we can tell those in front of us to help reserve our spot for us.....okay ........hold on" As Sheilah went ahead to reserve their spot, Lily staggered a little towards the chair which was a little off from the crowd at the corner of the park.

"Ah! ....excuse me" her eyes already throbbing from the migraine that was raging in full force, she rubbed her forehead that had slammed into a person? Man? Woman? Or object? She could hardly distinguish what was in front of her except whatever it was, was hard as a rock.

"Are you okay? Come have a seat over here, you don't look too good"

"Don't ......please .....don't touch ...." She barely finished her statement, but the man already held her arm to the chair, at the same time she felt like being submerged in ice and soothing instead of the boiling sensation she felt minutes ago, feeling all the symptoms washing away her eyes became clearer as she could open them. Taking a good look at her saviour her eyes widen as she saw sitting besides her was a foreigner, not to be cliche or anything but he was indeed handsome, with a dark low cut hair, green eyes that was staring at her in concern.

" Do you need anything? Maybe water it will help cool you down, it's quiet hot today" As he made a move to stand, she unconsciously held on to his arm as if to say he shouldn't leave, nodding his head a little as if he understood, he took her bag and placed them under the chair for safe keeping and looked at her closely.

"What's your name?" Lily blurted out, surprising them both.

"Kiaris Jackson"

"......"

"What's your name?" He asked with a hint of a smile.

"Lily Emeka....".