Chapter 10 My Secret Love

The only regret I had about telling Jeremy I liked him too was that I did so too late. He had only a few days to spend in the country, only a few days for us to explore our feelings for each other.

Yes, we had spent most of the holidays together, but that was different. I didn't know he likes me then, neither did he know I would like him back. We were just friends. Two buddies goofing around all day. At least, that was how I saw it.

He told me It was love at first sight for him. He saw me swimming in those waters and he was 'Captivated!' 'Entranced!' 'Bewitched!'. Those were his exact words.

So all that time, while I hung out with him as a friend, he had a crush on me. 'Saw me as a woman.'

It wasn't an easy journey to get past how awkward my confession was, but when we did get past it, he wanted to know every reason behind my awkwardness.

I had to tell him about my first unrequited love, my promise to myself and my resolve to wait till highschool before I gave myself the chance of ever liking someone.

Jeremy was more interested in my first love than in the 'silly promise.'

"Have you ever seen him again since then?" He asked

"I don't even know his name. I wouldn't know if I met him again. All I know is, he should be about your age by now." I replied.

"And his face? Do you remember his face?" He insisted.

"I was six!" I cried

"Six years ago." He persisted. "I was six when I had my first kiss, I still remember her face and it was eight years ago."

"Well, I didn't kiss him. I didn't even touch him, so you can't blame me for not remembering his face." I argued.

"Scientifically, a child begins to have it's permanent memories at the age of six. Personally, I can remember things from when I was three!" He proffered.

"Well, maybe that's because you are a genius. I don't remember what I wore yesterday." I defended.

"It's a yes or a no, Gina. Do you remember his face?" He insisted.

"So what, if I remember his face? What then?"

"He and I, who do you think is cuter?" He asked. I laughed hilariously, guessed he was joking. But his serious face, waiting for a response told me he was far from joking.

"Jeremy, he was a child, six to eight years. You're a teenager, in your ugly state of puberty. Do you really think you can beat a six year old at cuteness?" I asked

"If he were my age?" He insisted.

"I haven't seen him since then. Okay, just show me your baby pictures. I'll compare it with the memory." I suggested

"Never mind!" He gave up.

"Why? You're not confident of your baby pictures?" I teased him.

"I'm giving him a chance. I wouldn't have an unfair comparison. My dazzling cuteness against figments of your fading memories of him? That'll be unfair to him."

"Show me your baby pictures! You were an ugly duckling!" I went on teasing him.

"I wouldn't want to bedazzle you." He said, I laughed.

"You were definitely an ugly duckling!" I laughed again.

"Believe what you want." He said and I went on laughing. When I stopped, he asked me seriously.

"Do you still like him?"

I was shocked.

"Jeremy, I was six!" I cried. "Tell me, do you still like your first kiss?"

"That's not fair." He frowned.

"They're pretty close from where I stand." I shrugged.

"Never mind." He said, feigning heartbreak

"You know, it's you I like now. Whoever I liked yesterday, last year, six years ago or in my past life doesn't matter!" I assured him. His smile was warm and from the heart.

"And you? Do you still like your first kiss?" I asked him. He immediately became uneasy.

"I was just making a point, I didn't mean....." He stuttered.

"It's a yes or a no, Jeremy. A yes or a no." I broke him off with a practiced glare.

"No, Gina. No. I don't like her anymore. It's you I like now." He said with a crooked smile, sighing at the fact that I had used his words against him.

I wouldn't say that qualified as or first fight, as most of our days were spent like that, arguing over anything. The same way we spent our 'buddies days', only back then, we were just friends. Now, we were dating. A couple, as he called it.

Jeremy Maduka, the son of Paul Maduka, the Americana, and I were a couple! How was I keeping that down?

I was dating Jeremy Maduka and nobody knew?!

I wanted to tell everybody!

By everybody, I meant my friend Uju, my sister Uloma and perhaps my parents.

Jeremy didn't tell his parents. His dad didn't care for details about his dating life. His mum was more than zealous to get every detail, and get actively involved even, but we made sure to keep it a secrete from her especially. It was Jeremy's request.

"She wouldn't give us any space, I tell you." He said.

So, to Mrs Maduka, Jeremy and I remained buddies. But really, nothing changed between the two of us. Our daily schedules remained the same. We went out together, visited the stream quiet often, spent days in my father's compound and evenings in his father's mansion. Like the usual, like every other day. We just knew we liked each other, which made the time spent more fun. Every activity now had a special feeling attached. The feeling behind every word, every look, every moment. The feeling was all the difference, and I couldn't believe I was going to starve myself of this feeling, this affection until I was in highschool!

I did feel guilty from time to time that I had let myself down on that promise, and the guilt did make our affair seem sinful at some points. But being with Jeremy was a sin I was prepared to walk through hell for. And I was just twelve!