Akenya

awkward encounters

- 3. AWKWARD ENCOUNTERS -

It was the morning after the deadly fart incident and I wanted to bury myself under my covers and never step out again.

But it was supercurricular day!

This is where we head out to London and explore different sights and visit different museums, sea parks etc, vaguely related to what we want to study at university.

My friends decided to meet up at the station which I lived slightly further away from.

After putting on The Less I Know The Better by Tame Impala, I was feeling slightly adventurous and decided to put on some gold eyeliner, mascara and nude lipstick.

I was also late. This always happens. No matter how early I get up.

Luckily, there was not much traffic today.

-

Bus journeys are never fun. I always feel so awkward, like everyone is staring at me. And then when I want to have a snack, or finish off my breakfast, I feel bad for those who never got to finish theirs this morning. And no one even talks to each other. We just all sit there in misery.

I stared out the window, watching the cars whizz by. What a familiar smell. Almond? No, coconut? Either way, I was very tempted to look up at the person next to me.

"Akenya?"

It was freaking Munroe. Ah shit here we go again.

"Yeah it is you! I almost didn't recognise. Your makeup looks really nice."

"Thanks, I guess." I whispered.

"What?"

I whispered louder.

"I still can't hear you. Do you have a sore throat or something?"

"THANKS, I GUESS!"

I think the whole bus, including the bus driver looked back at me irritatedly. I buried myself in my thick Winter coat. It's always with Munroe. I take it back. He may look decent but he's such a dick!

"So what are you doing for supercurricular day?"

"If I tell you, will you stop talking to me?"

"Ouch! Someone's in a bad mood." He sang teasingly.

That's it. I had had it. I stomped on his toe whilst moving to the seat opposite.

"We are going to Sea Life. No, I do not want to know where your group is going."

"Actually my friends weren't allowed to come so I'm going to be assigned to a random group."

My friends had told me that someone random will be assigned to our group...

Could it be?

"Actually I think it's your friend Nea's group."

Before I could scream in frustration, we had reached the stop. I dusted off the shitty morning and decided the day started from here. A blank state. At least Munroe had distracted me from my usual social anxiety on the bus. It tends to be manageable when I speak to a familiar person.

As I was getting off, the bus jolted back, nearly knocking me off my feet. I fell onto Munroe's chest and his curly hair touched my forehead. My heart thumped loudly and my cheeks warmed.

"You okay?" Munroe asked, genuinely concerned.

Just like that my frustration towards Munroe for no apparent reason dissolved. My arms still tingled from where he had placed his hands to steady me.

I couldn't look at Munroe directly from the bus stop to the station and was relieved to see Shazzlyn, Nea and a few other girls from my form waving hurriedly.

"Hurry up! We need to get going or we are going to be really late." Nea shouted.

About an hour later, we arrived at the aquarium on time. Munroe was pretty quiet throughout the whole trip and seemed pretty lonely. I felt bad, so I tried to make conversation.

"Have you been to this side of London before?" I took out some Haribos and shared them out with the group.

"I actually used to live in central London before my mother passed away." He said whilst kicking autumn leaves to the curb.

"I'm really sorry to hear."

I had never come face-to-face with grief before, but seeing how it had affected so many people close to me made me understand how transformative it can be. Especially when it's someone close to you.

"What happened to her?"

"She suffered from bipolar disorder. She had a lot of manic episodes and a really difficult time dealing with her mental health whilst raising a family. So when I was 10, she- she unfortunately took her own life."

I could tell he loved his mother very much. That's a lot for anyone to have to think about.

I nodded. Sometimes it's better not to say anything and just listen.

We walked around the aquarium in silence observing the fish. Through some strange turn of fate we had gotten closer. I even felt comfortable enough to tell my own story.

"My mother actually suffers from depression. She has her good days and her bad days. It hurts a lot sometimes. Because I just want to take..." I sighed, not knowing how to explain. "...her pain away but don't know how to. I can only sit on the side lines and try my best to support her. Right now, she isn't doing great. I find it really hard to speak about."

"I understand. We all wish we could do more..."

There was a moment of comfortable silence as we both looked at the orca whales. Swimming free but not free. Safe but not quite.

"Guys! We can't find Shazzlyn." Nea rushed towards us. "We last saw her by the jellyfish and then she just disappeared. I tried calling her but she's not picking up. We've looked everywhere."

"Did you try the toilets? Could she have gone outsi-"

Munroe interrupted, "I think I might know where she is. There's a show at 3pm for the penguins right?"

"Wait isn't it at 4pm?"

"Staff and guests that the staff have invited can go at 3pm. Let's go check." Munroe unexpectedly grabbed my hand as we ran towards the penguin show. I grabbed onto Nea, not wanting to lose another soldier.

How did he know so much about aquariums? I barely knew how to get here. I guess he must have come here a lot when he was younger.

My hands were sweaty and I didn't even have time to wipe them down. Oh man. It didn't seem like he minded or maybe he just pretended he didn't.

It was weird and definitely out of my comfort zone. Munroe is really good-looking when he is passionate about something.

Fine I admit it.

The annoying dick was interesting. Heck maybe even attractive.

I had a feeling that my life was about to get a little more exciting.