Ulrich and Brenda

***Ulrich Embolo***

The bell had just rung and all the students were shouting for joy as it marked the end of classes and the beginning of the weekend.

My friends and I had already packed up our things and so we left the classroom immediately.

"What's up guys? What's the schedule for the weekend? Asked my friend Brayan as he patted my shoulder.

"You know my parents grounded me because of the general supervisor telling them about all my crap so, I'm not sure I'll be there if you guys are organizing something" retorted Zeze with a sigh.

I couldn't help but laugh, especially since that sentence came from him.

He was the rowdiest of the three of us and one of the most delinquent boys in school but we loved him just the same!

"They watch you too because you're a kid," I replied, laughing at him.

Zeze, whose real name was Zetala Brayan, was a dark-haired boy who was very cute but not tall like Brayan Onana and me.

Yes, my two best friends were called "Brayan" but I called Brayan Onana "Brayan" and Brayan Zetala "Zeze".

"I'm your equal, it's just that I'm not a tall man, so you have to respect me," he said with authority to get it through our heads so we would stop making fun of him.

We laughed.

"Little boy listen to me very well, girls like tall boys, you understand?" said Brayan laughing out loud.

"Idiots, who are you calling 'boy'? Besides, you don't know that there are several girls who like me? And let's be honest, I'm not that little... Don't exaggerate, guys," he said angrily.

We liked to tease each other. That's how it was! We walked across the courtyard and through the school gate...

"Guys, I have to leave you because if I'm here for more than a minute, my parents will not hesitate to punish me even more. Goodbye and see you Monday...

After laughing at him, we went in his direction so he wouldn't feel alone and after five minutes of walking, we parted ways with him.

"So Brayan, what do we do now"?

"What do you say we go to my house and play a game?

"I'm in no hurry to go home. I'm not in a hurry to go home, so I'm okay with that idea.

Bryan was a very funny boy!

We laughed all the time with him and he knew how to put on a good mood. He was a little brown and very cute. The three of us were, according to people, and I have to admit that the girls at school were shaking their heads at us. They all wanted to be in a relationship with us.

We could have taken a cab to his place but we decided to walk to enjoy the nice weather.

"I hope you're ready to get slaughtered! You know I'm the best when it comes to the console, right?" asked Brayan, laughing at me.

"Always brag! Then when I win you, you're going to tell me it's because you have a headache or a stomachache.

"Oh no, that's something I used to do before, when I didn't know how to play but now I'm strong and I'm going to win you!

"Tell me, would you like to talk about basketball instead?

He laughed as he walked away from me because he knew that Basketball was my domain and that against me he was no good.

"Now you're running away," I said, laughing.

I was a tall, dark-skinned boy, not very talkative like my friends, and I wasn't a delinquent like them. I was rather quiet and very observant. Sometimes I would observe certain situations without talking about them. In fact, I was a bit shy but the girls liked me because I was physically very handsome! That's what they kept telling me.

My school outfit fit me very well and was always clean and well ironed. As for my shoes, I always wore brand name sneakers like the "Jordan" for example...

I arrived at Bryan's house and he stayed outside to straighten a cable that was hanging from the roof of the house.

I went in to drop off my bag and saw two girls, but I only recognized one: Victoire, Brayan's little sister.

She was sitting in front of a girl who was so beautiful and had a smooth black complexion.

I didn't know who she was and I was curious to know.

"Good evening," I said, keeping my gaze on her.

"Good evening Ulrich, how are you?" asked Victoire smiling at me.

"Yes thank you and you"?

"I'm fine Ulrich! It's been a long time! Come and sit down!"!

"Okay but I'm going to meet Brayan outside first to ask him something".

I put my bag on a chair and as I walked in the door, I heard: "Good evening" coming from this beautiful girl.

How beautiful were her brown eyes and her sweet voice!

Without saying a word, I turned around and walked out.

Brayan had already finished straightening the cable and was about to enter the house when I asked him:

"Who is the girl inside"?

"Who are you talking about?" he asked in surprise.

He had the reflex to look out the window to see which girl I was talking about and then he said with a smile:

"Ah I see I see of whom you speak! It's Brenda, my new girlfriend.

"What? Is she really your girlfriend?" I asked her while being surprised and disappointed.

"Yes of course! Am I just anyone?" he said boastingly.

"You're not just anyone, but since when have you been having romantic relationships with such beautiful girls?"

I have to admit that I felt a twinge of sadness when I found out that the two were together.

Brenda was so beautiful and just seeing her had triggered something in me, something I had never felt before.

"I see you're downplaying me huh Ulrich! I thought you were my friend!"

We laughed and walked into the house.

He gave Brenda a kiss on the cheek and when I saw that, I wanted to be in her shoes.

"How are you doing Brenda?" he asked, winking at her.

"Yes, I'm fine thank you and are you okay?" she asked him in her sweet voice.

"I'm fine and I'm glad you're here! Give me a few minutes!"

He headed for the bedroom and I stayed around the table with the girls.

"I'm sure you're going to play the console," said Victoire, looking at me.

"You're right. We're going to play the console!"

When I said that, I saw Brenda laugh before she retorted, "Men and the console! They look like they're related haha!"

Not only did I love the way she laughed, but never the sound of her voice. It was soft and soothing.

"Oh yeah, we like that," I replied, looking her straight in the eye as she shyly looked at me.

Brayan soon joined us in the living room and we played.

I have to admit that I wasn't focused at all and that's because Brenda was there. I glanced around to admire her.

"Brenda, who are you supporting?" asked Brayan.

"You of course!

"It's only natural that she's on her side since you're her boyfriend" I said out loud.

"I'm the best, Ulrich! You have to understand that!"

"Good for you buddy!"

When we finished playing and Brayan won, Brenda decided to go home and said she wasn't allowed to stay out until 6pm.

Brayan, Victoire and I decided to go with her and I realized that she lived only a three minute walk from the house where Brayan and his family members lived.

I used to pass by this area but never saw her. I also used to visit Brayan often but never saw her around.

Wow, the two of them were in the same neighborhood and lived next door to each other and on top of that, they were a couple!

"See you next time honey!"

"Okay, kiss you!"

She opened the gate, walked in, then closed it and we left.

"Victoire and Brayan, I have to leave you. It's time for me to go home!"

- Okay Ulrich! Goodbye and have a great evening!

- Thank you Victoire, have a nice evening too!

She left and I went on my way with Brayan. The latter noticed that I was pensive because he was talking but I didn't really answer.

"What is it, Ulrich? Is it defeat that makes you so calm and nervous?"

I didn't want to laugh but I did.

"You are sick! I've even forgotten about that defeat since! I'm fine, don't worry! But tell me, are you serious that Brenda is your girlfriend? I don't believe it man! She's too beautiful for you!"

"Am I ugly?"

"No, but you're not her level, you know! His level is men like Chris Brown, Justin Bieber or Kobe Bryant" I answered him, making fun of him.

"She's my girlfriend, the proof is when you said she's on my side because I'm her boyfriend, she didn't argue.

"You're right! Good for you then!"

He went with me and left me at the crossroads where I took the motorcycle to my house.

Nobody was home. I went to drop off my bag and took off my school clothes. I took a nice shower and went to the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat and ate.

When I finished, I went straight outside to play basketball. There was a little spot in front of the house with a post and a hoop and that's where I often practiced, especially when I had nothing to do or when I was bored.

I don't know why but even shooting the ball in the basket seemed difficult that day because my thoughts were only on Brenda.

This girl was in my thoughts and I was trying to forget about her especially since she was the girlfriend of one of my best friends.

I wasn't the type to rip off people's girlfriends but what could I do?

To calm my heart that was beating strongly for her, I stopped playing and went to bed.

It was when the house bell rang that I woke up. It must have been 8pm if I remember correctly.

It was my mother and she had just come home from work.

"Hi mom, did you get home okay?"

"Good evening son, yes I'm home, thank you".

I carried the groceries she had brought and went to the kitchen to drop them off before going back to my room to play the console.

The next morning I was shocked to find that I woke up thinking about Brenda and that's when I realized that there was nothing I could do to fight the feeling I had for her. I realized that I had to learn to live with it because if I tried to fight it, I would think about her even more.

I told myself that I would have to live with it and pretend that it didn't happen.

Around afternoon, Brayan let me know that he was coming to play basketball. He told me in a message.

"Alright man, I'll wait for you then!".

I couldn't wait for him to come so I could get revenge for last time's loss. Basketball was my domain so I had to show him who's boss.

"I'm with Brenda, we're coming!"

What? I couldn't believe my eyes! He was coming over with his girlfriend who was also the girl I had a crush on?

To be continued...

***Brenda Seigning***

***How I met Brayan***

The last teacher didn't show up, which is why we were asked to go home. All the students were happy, including me.

So I went home and when I got home, I went to the kitchen to get a nice plate of food and after I finished eating, I went to get undressed to take a shower and then I left the house because I was going to see a friend of mine: Stella.

She was a black girl like me, very cute and had the same shape as icki Minaj.

She was a girl from the neighborhood that I was friends with and got along with very well.

Her house was ten, maybe nine or eight minutes away from mine on foot so it wasn't far.

I started to walk quietly and I left and when I was already close to his house, I saw a boy coming the other way...

He was a little brown, tall compared to me and he was so cute.

For a moment, everything stopped working around me. I felt like the sky was gone and there was nothing around me...

He passed by and continued on his way as if I were invisible. And I thought he was going to greet me and ask for my number like most of the boys in the neighborhood and school did.

I turned around and watched him walk. He had a very nice walk too!

I had never seen him in this neighborhood and this was my first time.

But who was this guy who had made my heart sing?

When I arrived at Stella's house, we said hello and I told her what had happened.

"It's like I know him! You say he's tall in stature and a little dark?"

"Yes Stella! Wow, if you know him it's only right".

I hoped in my heart that she knew him because I didn't want to leave this boy. I wanted to have him at all costs.

"I know him! His name is Bryan and I know his little sister. Her name is Victoire and you know what's good?" she said to me with a smile.

"No but tell me, please!"

"Their house is close to yours!"

What? I couldn't believe my eyes. This handsome guy lived near my house and I didn't know about it?

"Swear?"

"I swear! But there's no proof that we're talking about the same boy, you know..."

"You're right! Then take me there so that we can confirm whether we're talking about the same person or not. Because I've never seen him in the neighborhood and I'm surprised that you say he lives near the house."

"Okay! Let's pretend we're going to visit his sister and when we get there, we'll see if he's there or not. How about that?"

"Yes Stella! I hope it's really him because for me, he's my prince charming! He is the man of my life and the future father of my children!

Stella started laughing as we went.

"Don't rush into it like that...! Who knows? It's probably just an attraction that will go away in a few days or weeks or months.

"No, I am sure of my feelings! I had a real love at first sight and I am sure that he is the man of my life!

I was so sure of my feelings because what I felt when I saw him was very strong. It's true that he was so handsome and that at the time I was only attracted to super handsome guys and that's still the case today although I understood that behavior also counts and that in reality even everyone is handsome!

We arrived in front of a rather simple house, of a medium size but which was in a very large concession with several other houses and Stella said to me: "It is in this house that he lives!"

I was so happy while hoping it was really him.

She knocked on the door and it was a black girl with a shaved head who came to the door.

"Good evening Victoire, how are you?" said Stella smiling.

That's when I knew that she was the famous Victoire and that she was the sister of the famous Brayan.

"Good evening Stella, I'm fine thanks and you?"

"I am very well thank you! Who is this girl?"

I was shy in front of people I didn't know so I let Stella speak for me.

"This is Brenda, a friend of mine," Stella replied, touching my shoulder.

"And she doesn't talk? I see she's shy!"

I flashed a slight smile before saying, "Good evening Victoire!"

"Good evening Brenda. Come on in then!"

We walked in and sat down.

I looked at Stella and she looked at me and then she looked at Victoire and she asked, "Are you alone? Where is your brother?"

"Yes I am alone right now but Brayan is out and I think he will be back soon!

"

My heartbeat began to accelerate like a plane speeding up to leave the ground.

"Oh okay," Stella retorted with a sigh.

I really hoped that this Brayan was the guy I had seen a few minutes earlier because if it wasn't him, I was going to have to search the whole neighborhood and even the whole city for him so much I liked him even though I had only seen him once.

A few minutes passed and my heart was beating more and more because I was looking forward to see this famous Brayan when suddenly, I saw the curtain open.

First I took a deep breath and quickly ran a hand over my hair to touch it because of the stress and there a young man entered.

It was him, the guy I had seen a few minutes earlier...

It was Brayan!