King Gnah

19-TRY AGAIN

CAIRO

I woke up confused that morning(I tend to forget where I fall asleep sometimes) and took a minute to realise that this was, in fact, not my room; it was too pink. Then it hit me. I spent the night at some 'Anisha's' room(or Ashley) and things went south--literally speaking.

The olive-skinned girl was curled up next to me. She was beautiful, some chief's daughter from Ghana, though I could tell that she did not grow up there. A real Ghanaian royal would keep her virtue until marriage. They value those things like blood diamonds. But this one...

I was stark naked under the covers, so I looked around for my underwear, found it. Looked at the time, five in the morning. It was a Saturday, so I could make it to my bed and put on some real pyjamas, and hit the sack for another five hours.

"Where to?" Ashley/Anisha groaned.

I rushed to her bedside and caressed her face. She weirdly found that comforting, "Home. Go back to sleep, 'kay?" The last thing I needed was her whining about how I fled her bed.

Again.

She went back to sleep, and I dressed and then flew out the window. Yes, I did. I will not get caught by her man just across the hall. He sleeps like a log. End of story.

I decided to take a slow walk back to my place. I needed the air. Strawberry bubblegum perfume can get nauseating at some point. The streets were quiet, and the street lamps gave the place an aesthetic look. I could do this every day if my narcolepsia let me.

After about five minutes down the street, I turned left and saw someone jogging in my direction in the distance. It was a human, so I did not care much until she passed under the lamplight.

Shit. Anya. 

I wanted to hide. It was two days since that awkward moment, and I don't think facing her after a hookup with afro-bedhead is a good idea.

She got closer, my panic grew, then all of a sudden, she stopped and stared at me from ten feet away. I had nothing to do but slow down and walk towards her until we were two feet apart. Was this too close?

"Cairo, right?" she spoke first. I heard that that was a rare phenomenon.

I could not let my voice betray me, so I nodded.

She nodded too, "Thank you for having my back last time." She held out her hand, "I lasted longer in the chase thanks to you," she added as I shook her hand.

She had the grip of a man. Sexy.

When we let go, she started to jog away, but I instinctively held her. Something in me just clicked, and I knew that there was magic in her. I could feel it.

She stared at where I grabbed her arm, and I noticed that I should let go and use words, God, I sound stupid, "I think we are fated?" That was all I said.

I was waiting for her to laugh, but she just looked shocked. "We?" she asked.

"Yes," I said as I took her surprisingly soft hands in mine, "we."

She shook her head in doubt, "Cairo, are you drunk? Or high? It's like six a.m., maybe a hangover? You need to--"

"I have not poisoned myself in any way, thanks. I've been sober for a year now." I said proudly, "Anya, we just met, but I know it. I'll see you around." I watched her worried but confused expression as I slowly and painfully let go of her hand.

As I walked away(refusing to look back), my heart was threatening the need for a doctor. I was scared my ribs would not hold it from bursting out.

I was in trouble.

I failed to get more sleep after that. All I could think about was Anya's eyes. They had a fog in them. The type that sailors fear but piques the curiosity of a child. I felt like a child.

Speaking of children, I had not spoken to my birth giver in ages(36 hours). I picked up my phone and gave her a call. She answered after two rings, "Cairo, my darling!" She sounded excited.

She had to be; today was the harvest feast at Karil. Everyone would have to smile. Food was free for twenty-four hours. "Mummy, I miss you! I hate school! Come get me!" I cried. I could feel the tears.

"Now, now. That school is expensive. How will you be king if I keep dotting you like this?" she tutted her tongue. "Finish the fees, then we will talk. I swear, your brother is more mature than you..." 

I hated it when she said that, and I think she knew it too, "Fine, jeez. Some love wouldn't hurt you."

"Yes, my love. But it would hurt you."

"Since when have I ever complained, mummy?" I could hear her laughing, "Don't be mean..."

"Fine..." she gasped for breath and said something in our native tongue that I couldn't get, "so, tell me why you really called."

Oh, this old witch knew me too well. I let out a sigh, I did not know I was holding and started to tell her about my disagreement with my best friend, Jay. "We have not spoken properly since then. I mean, what are the odds that we fall for the same person?" The line went silent when I was done speaking. "Hello?"

"Yes, my kitten, I am only thinking," she said as she turned on her queen's voice. She used it to make royal decisions and give advice. I loved how friendly she sounded. "You see, what I do not understand is how you concluded that you fell for the same person."

"Excuse me?"

"Baby, why was he nervous to tell you in the first place?"

"He thought I'd make fun of his love at first sight."

"Were you nervous to express how you felt?"

"No."

"Did he say that what he felt was weird and new?"

"Yeah, he mentioned that."

"Why would seeing a pretty girl be weird?"

I paused. Jay always spoke his mind because he knew that it was basically a war to shock me. So if he was nervous, it could mean..." It was a pretty boy?"

"Bingo!"

I was confused, "Mom, you're saying that Jay just came out to me and I brushed him off? He said grey eyes! Anya has grey eyes!"

"Well, who else has grey eyes?" she asked, "someone close to this Anya."

I thought, and I used my intense memory skills to notice that the only people with grey eyes were John and Seth, the twins. But he said pretty, so it had to be Seth. No way...

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"You knew?" I asked, "You knew that Jay was..."

"Yes, darling. Kinda hard to miss." I heard someone address her in the background, "I have to go now, I love you," and she hung up.

I stared at my ceiling and was silent for a while when someone knocked and opened the door to my room. I looked to see Jay with a laundry basket, "Lisa says that you should stop hogging the washer."

I had nothing to say; all I could make out was, "You're gay?"