Chapter 4 Crossing the Line

A kind of familiarity soon ensued between Ken and I, we became friends. And after we had passed his quiet phase I found out he was a chatterbox. He had a different taste in music than I did, and I was open to learning new things and finding new artists, but that was later on, at first I thought his taste in music was weird.

He listened to French songs even though he didn't understand French. According to him, enjoying music was more than just understanding the words.

We soon went from being escorts to planning our own hang outs, we'd go to the garden, sit and talk. Ken was fast becoming my friend.

I destroyed my attraction towards him, I just wasn't his type. Each time I saw him I basked in his handsomeness, this man was fine!

Ken was 19, he was just a year older than me, he was already in his second year in the university, this was because unlike me he didn't take a gap year.

He told me how Uni felt like so far, he also told me about a 'situationship' he'd had with a girl named Sophie in his first year.

He had to explain what the word meant to me, cuz I wasn't familiar with it...

"It's when people are not exclusively dating but they are doing things that people in relationships do" he said, I wanted to ask what type of things... but I didn't want to seem ignorant, so I reserved my questions.

"So, why didn't things work out with Sophie?" I asked, looking at him from across the bench we sat on in the garden. This bench has become our hang out spot.

"I wasn't what she wanted", Ken replied with his eyes on me.

"And how's that?" I asked, genuinely confused. This man was tall, handsome and as I've come to know, an amazing human being.

"Well.." he started, "I wanted a relationship, and Sophia didn't want anything serious". He added. It was hard to believe, men who looked as good as he did were the ones doing the toying around, but here he was, saying he wanted stability.

"You liked her that much?" I asked, trying not to sound jealous. I have no reason to be jealous. Ken is nothing but a friend to me, this tingly feeling would disappear in no time, I convinced myself.

"At that time, yes." He answered with a straight face. "But it's in the past, and I'm happy nothing serious happened" he added looking at me.

I was trying not to smile so badly, shy. Is he happy nothing happened? Is it because of me? I shook my head as though the movement would expel the thoughts.

I wanted to know more about his relationship with Sophia, did they kiss, I wanted him to go deep...

"How 'bout you?" His words interfered with my thoughts.

"Me?" I asked, taking a sip of my chocolate milk.

"Yes, are you seeing anyone?" he asked, his eyes looking straight into mine as if trying to find the truth.

Should I tell him about Marcus? He had

just been honest with me, it'd be unfair to lie to him.

"Well" I started, "I think I'd also call it a situationship", I said, my expression completely blank as I recalled all that had happened with Marcus. The only difference is, we didn't actually do anything.

"I'm guessing it's with the guy you saw at the cafeteria right?" Ken said, how did he know?

I looked at him wide eyed, "I could tell because your mood changed anytime he was around" Ken said, as though he had heard my thoughts. I cleared my throat as I searched for a reply.

"Uhmm, is it still a situationship if you guys don't do anything?" I asked taking the conversation off Marcus.

"I don't think so", he replied as he sipped his coke...

We hung out often as a result of giving Nora and Victor some privacy. He was a really interesting and funny person. It was obvious he didn't know how handsome he was because of the way he'd look downward when he laughed.

We had planned to watch movies back at his room that evening. A movie we had both been looking forward to watching had just been released.

It was Saturday evening and the security men guarding the quarters were off for the weekend.

Ken was waiting for me just outside my quarters, I wore a short denim skirt and a sleeveless blue top and met him outside. He looked even more handsome every time I saw him, he wore a black hoodie over beige shirts.

Little did I know that my whole life was about to change...

"Hi ken" I said as I approached him. "Hi Barbie", he replied. My cheeks flushed, and if I was any lighter in completion I'm sure they'd be pink. He would always call me Barbie each time I said hi to him. And it made me feel fluffy inside, I didn't want to read much into it, but it was nice to hear him call me his Barbie, even if it probably didn't mean anything to him.

Nina and Victor left earlier that Saturday, for one of their dates outside of campgrounds.

There were no activities for campers during the weekends, so it was the perfect time for Ken and I to watch our movie.

As we walked into Ken and Victor's room, I saw snacks like popcorn and my favourite chocolate cookies along with his laptop on a mat right next to his bed. The room was of the same setting as Nina and my room, two Identical twin mattresses placed at the edges.

I took my purple crocs off and walked over to the mat, "you've really outdone yourself Kenny" I said in a playful tone. He smiled back at me expressing that he got the joke.

It was evening, 5pm to be exact.

We had already started watching the movie, We live in time. About 2 hours later we were done, the room was quiet as the movie had passed on a strong message that had both of us reminiscing.

"There's a real possibility I could be falling in love with you" Ken said, cutting through the silence. I turned to look at him and I chuckled, "is that your favorite line from the movie?" I asked as the credit rolled on the screen of his laptop, providing us with enough light to see each other in the dark room.

Those words were what Andrew Garfield had said in the movie. "I'm serious Lora.." Ken said with a pause, I looked at him in disbelief. Is this some kind of prank? I asked, in my head, girls like me weren't what people as gorgeous as Ken would go for. I had killed anything that looked like feelings for him during our first days of getting to know each other.

There it was again, the look in his eyes, is this what it meant? Admiration? Did Ken really like me?

"Why?" I managed to say after the awkward silence that lasted about 5 minutes.

"Well, for starters.." he began, "you're absolutely beautiful Lora, and you're so easy to be around" he finally said

"Is that what love is to you?" I said with my legs folded in front of me. That question took me back to my last conversation with Marcus, where he said I didn't know what love was, what is love?...

"Love is what we make it Lora" Ken said as his hand gripped mine and his other hand cupped my face. I had a reflex as I sat up from the mat, the room was dark, I could barely see. The lights on the laptop screen weren't sufficient enough.

Ken put on his flashlight and walked towards me, he put one hand on my waist, we were too close for comfort. I wanted to push him away, but my hands betrayed me. I stood still as I felt his body close to me, too close. I felt like I couldn't breathe...

Before I knew what was happening, Ken picked me up. There was only an inch difference between our faces and lips, my breathing was shaky. My whole being wanted him to close the distance between us, I'm so eager to know what his lips taste like. Because of our height difference kissing me while he stood was difficult. He held me like I was a baby. He finally closed the distance between us after mumbling some words, "do you want this?" He asked, I nodded. His lips are soft and sensual. My legs are wrapped around his waist. This feels so right...