Deep Connections: Shanakay's Story

Chapter 2

It had been three years since David Francis left Clarendon and within those three years he had managed to become the leading Financial Advisor in Trinidad. He also formed his own company and one would say he was doing very well for a twenty four year old. He didn't dwell on his past in a bid to focus on being the best but the past often has a way of lurking around just waiting for the opportunity to rear its head. Her smile often haunted his sleep and the times he had with her, both the fun and the creepy times when her feelings for him got out of control. It was strange but he yearned for her. That innocent smile was always crawling into his mind and he sometimes couldn't control his thoughts. She was never a major option for him because she was younger than him and he liked other girls but maybe it was the way she tried to get him to like her that was now making him think of her. It seemed that after they broke up from their four day relationship she didn't seem interested in him anymore. He didn't think anything of it then but now it made him wonder how someone could put so much effort into getting him and then not showing it when they were dating or after they broke up. It puzzled him to no end how she had no feelings for him now just when his feelings for her had begun to grow. She didn't even try to contact him after he left the school or through college or after he left the country. Now that he was back he wondered what had become of her.

He packed his luggage on the cart and a young man brought them to his car. He sighed and then walked out the airport into the scorching sun of Jamaica and tried to take in a bit of sea breeze that his skin welcomed and then he sat in the air conditioned filled car that shielded him from the intense heat of his home country.

"Are you ready sir?" asked his driver Phillipe.

"Yes. I'm tired so please take me home."

*****************

"Welcome home sir," Mr. Wallace, his butler, said in an excited tone.

"It's good to be home. I'm going to freshen up and then you can serve me lunch okay."

"Okay sir," replied Mr. Wallace as he hurried off to the kitchen.

"Keysean bring my luggage to my room please."

"Yes sir," replied Keysean whose pants were low, showing his underpants. David looked at him strangely and shook his head in dismay; apparently this is what the men in this country had become. He then walked up the stairs and went into his bathroom to freshen up. About a hour later he came down the stairs and sat to have lunch. Mr. Wallace served him and asked,

"How was Trinidad sir?"

"It was fine; the business is doing well as expected."

"Sir forgive my boldness but what about the female you left with? Are you two no longer together?"

"No actually, it appears we weren't as compatible as I had thought but there's one person that has been of interest to me. You remember the girl I told you about that was obsessed with me in high school? I think I might try to find her."

"Why would you want to do that? Obsessed people can be very dangerous," Mr. Wallace pressed.

"Well I don't believe she is obsessed with me anymore, in fact I think she has forgotten about me."
********************

An hour later Melissa drove to Khadeen's house in Glenmuir Housing Scheme then parked in front of her gate. She stepped out the car and screwed up her face at Khadeen's neighbors and walked towards her friend's one bedroom board house. One of the neighbors screwed up her face in disgust at her but Melissa wasn't about to be fazed by anyone. She walked even slower as if she was expecting the woman to try something but she didn't. Melissa walked through Khadeen's yard and went around to where she saw her friend sitting on a table under the mango tree lost in a book. Khadeen looked up from her book and her brown eyes lit up at the sight of her best friend. She got off the table and embraced her friend in a hug. Her dad came out and Melissa said afternoon to which Khadeen's dad nodded and went into his goat/ pig pen.
Melissa let go of her friend and walked after him and looked in the pen. The pig, Albert, upon seeing her jumped up on the railing and started snorting at her. Melissa smiled at it then turned to Khadeen's dad,
"Mr Johnson can Khadeen come with me to May Pen?"
Khadeen's dad looked up from cleaning his pig pen and nodded his head. He wasn't a talker and was not a fan of his children being on the road but he liked Melissa and Shanakay so he was willing to let his daughter associate with them. Melissa said her thanks and walked out of the pen back to her friend,
"Well you heard the man so go get ready woman."
Khadeen let out a grunt as she walked off towards the inside of her house. She looked through her clothes basket as to what she would wear, fully knowing she had no idea what to wear. Eventually she chose a pair of black jeans that were ripped at the knees, a white blouse that had 'Stay back, I'm allergic to Stupid' along with her black and white Airwalk sneakers. She grabbed her panties and bra then took a shower in her outside bathroom. Thankfully her creepy neighbors didn't pass while she showered so she had a quiet shower. She then towel dried and got dressed. Her hair was braided so she put it in a bun then put on simple black eyeliner and lipgloss. She didn't require eyeliner as her eyes had that natural look but Khadeen still liked to wear it. When she was ready she came outside to find her friend talking to her dad while she was eating a cheese and ham sandwich. She knew that Melissa saw her dad like a father because she had none so Khadeen didn't mind when her friend spent time with her dad.

"Hey," she called to Melissa to capture her attention, "I'm ready or do you want to hang with my dad all day?"

Melissa turned around with her mouth full, "Naa that's okay I'm ready. Bye Mr Johnson."

Khadeen's dad waved bye to them and Khadeen walked away with her friend. Melissa pulled her car and they both got in then drove off.
"So where to?" Khadeen asked.
Melissa shrugged, "We're going to Pizza Hut in New Kingston then Emancipation Park. I was bored at home and Shan wasn't willing to come out."

"I swear you love pizza way too much. Let me guess we're getting the Amazing four."
Melissa's eyes lit up immediately and she smiled,
"Aww Deen you know me so well."
"Dude I've known you since first form so of course I know you're obsessed with that pizza. Also don't you know Shanakay washes on Saturday when her mom and sisters go out? You'd think after knowing each other so long that would be printed in your mind."

When they arrived at Pizza Hut they picked up the order Melissa had made on the phone and made their way to Emancipation Park. Melissa spread a blanket on the grass and they sat on it. She opened the pizza and took a slice of the one with barbecue chicken on it then took a bite and moaned. She didn't like pineapples on pizza so she had requested that it be without. Before Khadeen could say anything two guys who were twins and short by Khadeen and Melissa's standards came over to them. Melissa and Khadeen weren't short girls and even though they weren't that tall these guys didn't stand at the same height as they did, they were cute though so Khadeen entertained the conversation.

"Hey girls, what's up?" they said together.

Melissa mentally rolled her eyes when she noticed them and said in an annoyed tone, "We're having pizza."
The boys obviously didn't realize what was going on so they sat on it he grass near them and introduced themselves as Simoes and Lanrey Blake. Melissa decided to be nice and she introduced herself and so did Khadeen. The conversation was decent and the boys turned out to not be the classic boy that their first instinct was to ask for a girl's number. Lanrey was very friendly but it was Simoes that drew Khadeen's attention because he spoke to her first. Lanrey, the eldest twin by four seconds, mentioned that they were in university and were studying Medicine and Law respectively while Khadeen and Melissa told them they were in upper sixth form at Glenmuir High. They found out that the boys had gone to Glenmuir as well so they bonded on that and as an added bonus they were very handsome. Melissa exchanged numbers then the twins left. After the boys had left Khadeen threw her thoughts on Melissa,

"Small world it is, can't avoid Glenmuir people apparently. You love give out your number I see."

"You're right about the Glenmuir thing and no I don't love giving out my number but they might be something in the future and it's a good idea to network. You should try it. Also don't think I didn't notice that Simoes was staring at you. I know he likes you."

Khadeen blushed, "So what? You know I already got a boyfriend."

"You have a boyfriend? Since when?" Melissa joked but stopped so she wouldn't choke on her pizza. "But anyways enough of your fantasy, what's up with Shan and Daniel and why doesn't she just give another guy a chance. I'm sure any other guy would be better than Daniel that she has to wait almost four hours for him to send one text."

"What are you asking me? I'm not even sure they together or them just playing around with each other. You know we aren't good at relationships so it's a high possibility that this phase she is going through will eventually wear off."

"I'm very much aware of our unluckiness with relationships but I don't think that should be a deciding point in our lives but then again I'm one to talk because I've given up on relationships. The last one I was in really did a number on me and I'll never let myself become like that for any guy." Melissa looked on her left hand where a cross was present. She had made it there with a razor at age 17 and she gave up her emotions then and there. She finished her last slice of pizza and got up.
"Come let me drop you home before your dad starts thinking I've taken away his pet."
"Who you calling a pet?" Khadeen replied while they left Emancipation Park.