SHATTERED

╣FOURTEEN╠

       Immediately the last class was over for the day, Ethel began packing her books into her bag. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up to see who it was.
“Hey, Brian.” she smiled.
“Hi, am sure you enjoyed today's physics class.” Brian said smiling back at her.
“Mr Gregory and his humors.” Ethel laughed rolling her eyes.
“Yeah, if he doesn't make physics interesting the whole class will be sleeping as he is teaching.”
“That's true.”
“Are you going home already?”
“Yes I am. What about you?”
“I am not going home yet, I have football practice. Remember we are going to play on the end of the first term party.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. This term went so fast, whew!”
“It really did. So do you have a date for the prom.”
“No.”
“Can you be my date? ”
“Hell no!” she blurted out.“I am sorry… I…I won't be available that day.” she said fondling with the zip of her bag.
“Why? It's the end of the term  party, it won't be good if you miss it.”
“I know. I have better plans to do that day.”
“So you aren't coming at all?”
“Yes.”
“Not even to collect gifts?”
“I am not.”
“What if you get a prize?”
“Miss Sebastian will keep it for me,” she looked up at him and said, “Why don't you ask Sylvia out?”
“Sylvia?” pink colour filled on his cheek as he scratched his face.
“Yes. She doesn't have a date yet.”
“I don't know how to ask her out, she is a talkative. What if she turns me down, insulting me in public. She has disgraced me in public before, just because I farted,” he smiled covering his face with his hand. Ethel chuckled.
“I like her but I am just too shy to ask her out.” he adjusted his bow tie on his neck and tucked his hands into the pocket of his trousers. “I'll try.” he said.
“I'd have loved to be your date but I have my reasons not to, I am sorry.” she said trying not to hurt his feelings. After all, she was doing this for Sylvia, she didn't what Sylvia to start ranting again over this issue.
“It is okay. See you tomorrow.” he smiled and walked away out of the classroom. Ethel sighed deeply as she stood up, strapping her bag on her shoulder and left the classroom.

                    ➰➿➰

       The cold wind blew at Ethel's blonde hair making it flap as she rode her bicycle along the bicycle path to  Sylvia's house. It was Sylvia's birthday and she wanted to surprise her.
“Autumn, I love autumn.” she muttered to herself, inhaling the fresh cool breeze.
When she arrived at Sylvia's house, she parked her bicycle at the bicycle stand, near the garden of Ethel's house, removed her bicycle helmet and got doen from her bicycle, picking up the present she had bought for Sylvia from the basket in front of her purple bicycle. She climbed the porch stairs, pressing the doorbell. The door opened the moment she was about to press it the second time.
“Good afternoon ma'am.” she greeted the elderly woman that had opened the door for her who she presumed to be Sylvia housekeeper because she didn't see the woman here when she first came over for a slumber party during the weekend while she and Sylvia were still friends. Perhaps, the woman had gone home for the weekend.
“Good afternoon young lady,”
the elderly woman beamed at her. “Are you for the party?”
“Yes. I came although I didn't have an invitation card.” Ethel smiled.
“Okay, please come in. The party's venue is on the second floor, in the second sitting room. You are welcome.”
“Thank you.” Ethel said as she walked in, climbing the stairs to the venue. Sylvia's house was a beautiful Massive duplex furnished and  adorned with expensive things to make it attractive. As Ethel entered the large sitting room she saw how beautiful the venue was. It was colourfully decorated and a huge princess cake was at the front of the hall. There were other teenagers present and they were already seated. Some of them were from Sylvia's church, some from school and some from the neighborhood and the others were her family members.
      Brian's eyes widened in surprise when he saw Ethel. He waved at her as soon as she sighted him. She was wearing an attractive cream collared sleeveless pleated gown with a bright blue colored shirt to matched her eyes color and her long blonde hair was packed up in a ponytail which brought out her beautiful oval shape face and she applied a neutral colored lipgloss. Ethel walked over to an empty chair beside Brian and sat.
“Oh la la! You came!” Brian smiled at her, his eye lashes batting.
“Yeah, you too.” she laughed.
“Sylvia invited me.”
“Oh cool,” Ethel looked around the sitting room before looking back at him.
“Where's the celebrant?”
“She hasn't come out yet. She's might still be dressing up.  She is trying to look her best. I can't wait to see her.” Brian said ethusiastically as he rubbed his palm together.
His full sleek black hair was combed all the way back and he wore a sky blue suit in a white sleeve shirt with a red bow tie on his neck.
“You are looking good, Brian” Ethel commented on his appearance. She just couldn't conceal the fact that he was looking handsome.
“Thanks,” he blushed.“You too.”
“How was the end of session party, were you able to ask Sylvia out?”
“Yes. I almost died though.” he rolled his eyes holding his chest.
“What! Why?”
“She was wearing a stern face that day so I was quite scared, I summoned the courage to ask her to be my date and she gladly said yes.”
“That is good.”
“The party was interesting. I had fun. Your name was called for the best in chemistry.”
“Yeah, Miss Sebastian told me about it and she bought a bicycle for me because I won an award.”
       Their voices died down as soon as the party started with the music playing. Sylvia appeared, she was looking gorgeous. Words can't even explain how beautiful she looked. Her brown hair fell on her face in curls. She had a perfect make up on her and a beautiful pendicured toenails and manicured fingernails. She wore a red long off–shoulder ballgown with a silver tiara on her hair.
“Before we cut the cake, I want some of us to come up here to say a good and bad thing about Sylvia.” the emcee of Sylvia's birthday party said.  Many people raised up their hand, including Brian and Ethel. The emcee gave those that raised up their hands numbers and one after the other they climbed the stage to speak.
“Hello everyone my name is Belinda Steven, I am Sylvia's cousin. Sylvia is a headstrong teenager who does what she knows it's good for her and the well-being of others. She is not self-centered, she is selfless. She is beautiful, smart, funny and a great sprinter but the bad thing about her is that she talks a lot like a parrot.” an half-caste girl with light skin and a curly hair wearing a dark blue palazzo trousers with a orange polkadot tank top said. Every one clapped and the next person went up the stage. Brian was next, he cleared his throat before he spoke.
“ Hi people! My name is Brian Stewart. I couldn't have asked for a better seat partner in church. She is so funny, friendly, an extrovert, attractive and brilliant to the extent that she knows almost all the bible verses. Her best color is silver and that rhymes with her name Sylvia…” everyone bursted out laughing. Brian laughed too, before continuing. “What I dislike about her is that, she exaggerate a lot. I can remember when I farted in church, she screamed, calling the attention of the other students in the Sunday school class like as if I just dropped an atomic bomb.” Brian pouted, blushing for saying one of the most embarrassing moment in his life. Ethel glanced at Sylvia, she saw her blushing too and she was smiling. Everyone spoke until the last person who was Ethel. When Ethel climbed up the stage she developed cold feet, her heartbeat increased, she inhaled sharply holding her breathe for about two seconds before exhaling as she closed her eyes, trying to avoid the stares of everyone, including Sylvia.
“I can do this.” she whispered to herself, trying to psyche herself up.
“You're a friend who would be called a true treasure, hanging out with you has always been a real pleasure.” she began. “Oh what joy it is to have a friend like you. For giving me the strength the way you do. For lifting me up  when Iam feeling down and putting a smile on my face when I am wearing a frown. Thanks for being there and helping me grow. Your friendship means a lot and I will like you to know. Happy sweet sixteenth birthday, Sylvia!”
When she ended, there was a grave silence. She looked at Sylvia whose face was stained with tears and then darted her gaze to Brian who gave her a thumbs up, smiling widely. Suddenly there was a uproar of applause. Ethel smiled shyly looking down to the ground as she went down the stage. She felt the stares of people as she walked down the aisle to get seat.
“You were amazing out there! That poem was so heart-warming, I almost felt like crying.” he blinked rapidly.
“Thanks” she grinned.
       Sylvia birthday ended with the sharing of refreshments to guest and a vote of thanks by the birthday celebrant. As Ethel rode her bicycle home, she hummed a Christian song– praise looks good on you by Don Moen that she had heard in Sylvia's birthday. The call if her name jolted her. She stopped her bike and turned her head back to see who it was. She saw Sylvia running barefooted, raising her ballgown up so she could run conveniently. Ethel was astonished, she got down from her bike, running towards her. Sylvia engulfed her in a squashing embrace when they met. Sylvia was crying when she released he from the squashing embrace.
“Ethel…I'm sorry, I am so sorry,” she blubbered. Her face and nose was red from crying. “I am sorry for the hateful words I said to you. I was just jealous. The poem you recited about me made me see you differently. You are truly a fantastic friend…please forgive me.” She cried kneeling down.
“Please Sylvia stand up, I have forgiven you since that day you spoke harshly to me…it's okay, the truth is Brian likes you not me. Anytime he sees me, he always asks about you and wants to know how you're doing.” Ethel told her pulling her up.
“Really?!” she sniffled wiping her tears away from her cheeks.
“Yeah, he has always wanted to ask you out but his just afraid that you might embarass him.”
“But, he asked me out to the prom?”
“I told him to though he was anxious.”
“I am really a big fool… even if he had asked me to be his girlfriend, I wouldn't have agreed because we're not even matured for a relationship.”
“Hmm, that's true. That's wisdom sylvia.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate your presence today, you made my day. You were the last person I least expected to come for my birthday party.” Sylvia held Ethel hands, saying.
“Did you see my birthday gift for you?”
“Birthday gift?!” Sylvia said surprised, “No, I haven't. I will open all my present once I get home, I know yours will be the best.”
Ethel laughed, “It is a simple one though.”
“Simple or expensive, it doesn't matter. You are really a friend indeed, what more can I ask for?”
“The continuity of our friendship.” Ethel said.
“Absolutely! God I rededicate this friendship today, let our friendship be forever, amen! Forever together!” she said giddily as she hugged Ethel.
“Forever together always!” Ethel laughed as tears trickled down her cheeks, it was tears of joy. They cried hugging each other in the middle of the quiet and non busy road with the bright yellow sun shining on them.
This was what Ethel prayed for and God answered her prayers. If he could answer this one then she is rest assured he will answer the rest.