LOVE BIRDS, A Novel.

PROLOG

      The story explores the love life of two High School teenagers who found themselves in a romantic and blissful relationship that was truncated by their individual health problems, and myriad of unavoidable pains, miseries and sorrows that made it seem like the universe was not in support of their live for each other. In the book, we see them battle life’s curbs as they fight to save their love which grew with them as they transited from teenage age to adulthood. Their intelligence and the wealth of their parents could not save them from the pangs of death; and death itself could not end their love for each other. Perhaps they shared the same star with cupids, find out in this thrilling romance, and what becomes of the love birds.

CHAPTER ONE

SCHOOL BEGINS

Monday, September 23, 9:00

        The entrance examination into Thomas Jefferson High School had just been completed and it was the beginning of another School year. In the principal’s office, a conversation ensued between the principal and the assessment and head teacher of the 10^th graders.

               ‘Good morning Mr. Brookes’ greeted Ms. Peters.

                ‘You sent for me’ she added.

                 ‘Oh yes Ms. Peters, I sent for you. But first, how is your husband and daughter’ Mr. Brookes asked solicitously as he does to every teacher at the beginning of a new school year.

                   ‘They’re all fine’ Ms. Peters responded with a smile that revealed her well-spaced perfectly squared teeth.

                    ‘Thanks for your concern, Sir’ she added.

                     ‘The pleasure is mine’ Mr. Brookes responded.

                      ‘Actually, I called you to inform you that this year’s entrance examination into the 10^th grade was really very commendable, and the students with the highest scores were; Henry Philips, Jane Colgate, and Naomi Graham. Put an eye on those geniuses’ Mr. Brookes said in an official tone.

                      ‘Alright Sir, can I have a copy of the results?’ Ms. Peters asked stretching her right hand.

                      ‘Sure, here’ Mr. Brookes said handing over a copy of the result, which Ms. Peters collected and left the office.

                       ‘Do have a nice day’ Mr. Brookes added as Ms. Peters stepped out.

                       ‘And you too Sir’ she reciprocated.

            It was the first day of school, and as usual first on the list was the roll call.

                       ‘Good morning class and welcome to Thomas Jefferson High School where your future is secured. I am Ms. Peters, your head and assessment teacher, and I’ll like you all to listen to your names and put up your hand when you hear your name, and I’ll also like the bearers of the last three names on the list to rise to their feet upon hearing their names-Paul Cleveland, Carol Anderson, Jacobs Jakes, Hamilton Young…Henry Philips, Jane Colgate and Naomi Graham. Henry Philips you scored highest in the exams. Congratulations’ said Ms. Peters stretching her hand for a hand shake.

                       ‘Thank you Ms. Peters’ replied Henry as he shook her hand. Henry was a very light-skinned, dark-haired boy from Fairfax County in Virginia, in his late teens; and looked and sounded much younger than his age. His brightly colored eyes gave his countenance a more handsome look, adding to its chiseled nature. He had an amazing muscular physique and his skin was so light skinned, it looked pale in the heat of the summer sun. His height did not also match his age, for he was of average height. He was the first son of a family of four; composed of Mr. and Mrs. Philips, his parents, and Rooney, his kid brother. His Uncle Mr. Fred, a bright skinned young man in his late thirties, whose skin had patches of red to it, lived in New York and managed the New York headquarters of the Philips Group of Companies, dealers of clothing and cosmetics, owned by his brother, Henry’s father. All the members of Henry’s family were all natives of Fairfax County.

    The mere mention of Henry’s name by Ms. Peters and the sight of him pulled a string in Naomi’s heart. She instantly fell head over heels in love with him. She was just having a bout of infatuation which was however, may be, soon going to develop into full blown love.

              ‘And you two’ Ms. Peters continued looking in the direction of Jane and Naomi.

              ‘I am proud of you. Congratulations. And for the rest of you congratulations and once again, welcome to Thomas Jefferson High’ she said shaking the hands of Naomi and Jane simultaneously.

                ‘See me in my office right away. The rest of you prepare for the orientation teacher. Good bye for now’ the pale-colored, plump assessment teacher of the 10^th grade concluded leaving the class, the girls following after her. Ms. Peters had called the girls to further congratulate them, and encouraged them never to feel inferior before Henry or other guys because they were girls. She also them she believes men and women have equal rights and privileges in every society. She happened to be an Egalitarian.

      After school that day, Henry was in the hallway putting his stationary together when Naomi came by. She was a chocolate-skinned girl of Henry’s age grade, though a year younger. The blonde- bobs she kept did well in revealing every attractive feature of her smooth and tender looking face, decorated with ever glowing eyes, pointed and dainty nose, and  well-arranged, closely occurring teeth with a middle slit that sparkled each time she smiled, arousing her deep dimples. Though relatively young, her feminine frame swayed gracefully from left to right as she walked, supported by her straight spotless and hairless legs. She was a ravishing maiden and the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Graham, natives of Washington DC. She had inherited a skin-color typical of her mom’s family, but opposite to her father’s very-light skin that almost seemed to lack pigments. Her aunt, Vivian was also resident in New York City where she owned and controlled a fashion empire. As she got to Henry’s locker, she started up a conversation.

           ‘Hi Henry’

           ‘Uh hello Naomi, how are you and how was your day’ he replied with a smile on his face.

           ‘F-f-fine’ was the reply with a pulse of excitement and nervousness moving down her spine, all at the same time. He likes me she thought to herself. But as it turned out, Henry was just one of those social dudes who got on well with everybody.

           ‘Can we be friends’ Naomi asked after taking a deep breath and stretching her hand.

           ‘Sure’ was a lively reply from Henry as he took her hands and kissed it. At this point Naomi developed goose bumps and her heart pumped a little faster; again she become nervous, but excited still.

           ‘Can, can, can I get your number’ she asked.

           ‘No, not today, Jane is waiting outside for me’ he responded to her utter dismay.

           ‘Oh Jane, I saw her outside but never knew she was waiting for you’ Naomi spoke up looking dismayed. Just then;

           ‘Come on Henry, it’s getting late’ was a shrill cry from the entrance of the hallway. It was Jane calling on Henry, but looking in a different direction and so did not know he was chatting with Naomi.

            ‘Alright Naomi, we’ll see tomorrow. Bye’ Henry said hopping out of the hallway.

              ‘Bye’ Naomi responded, disappointed.

              ‘So it’s Jane he loves and not me. Was it because she scored higher than me in the Entrance Examination’ Naomi soliloquized as she padded down the hallway, her day being a mixture of good and bad. What she did not know was that Henry and Jane lived in the same neighborhood and had known each other since the first grade. Naomi was also a humble girl for though her father was wealthy enough to transport the whole of Thomas Jefferson High to their respective homes, she had insisted that she be treated like a normal average kid and be given fares with which she boarded the bus home every day. But just as she shuffled down the hallway, she was intercepted by Mark Blake, an 11^th grader. He was a stout hairy boy, whose pointed nose matched his elongated jaw-bones, adding to his already prominent facial features. His father controlled the New York Times printing house, and his mother owned a string of clothing lines on

Broadway Street

in New York. He had rented an apartment off campus and drives to school everyday in his red Porsche.

        ‘So, is this your first day beautiful?’ He asked in a flirtatious and confident manner.

        ‘Yes, but I am not in the mood for a discussion right now. Just leave me alone’

        ‘Uh I think someone’s had a bad day. But hey, I’m not also in the mood for a chat’

        ‘So what do you want?’

         ‘Just your number baby, your number is all I need, and I bet we will have a lot to talk about. It’s a promise’ Mark said beaming confidently, his right hand in his hip pocket.

          ‘Sorry, but I do not give my number to strangers. I’ve got to leave now’ Naomi said as she hurried down the hallway.

          ‘Wait, you didn’t even tell me your name’ Mark shouted as she hurried down.

           ‘And you didn’t ask!’ Naomi responded as she left out the door.

           ‘It was nice talking to you. See you around!’ Mark replied. By this time, Naomi was already out of sight.

      

        The next day the 10^th graders would be having their first class with Mr. Johnson, the Geography teacher. He was a tall, athletic-bodied man in his late forties. Mr. Johnson is known by old students for his characteristic bald head, rimless spectacles that rested on his pinched nose, a little distant from his eyes, and his corporate dressing.

              ‘Good morning class’ was a greeting from Mr. Johnson’s deep voice, deep enough to input respect in the students.

                ‘Good morning Sir’ the class chorused.

                ‘Call me Mr. Johnson, not sir. Mr. Johnson. Is that clear?’ he asked slightly tilting his head and looking through his specs.

                  ‘Yes, Mr. Johnson’ they all responded again.

                  ‘Hmm, good, today we shall be looking at the Earth as a peculiar planet in the solar system. By the way, can any one outline the names of the nine planets of the Solar System, in order of their distance from the sun?’ Mr. Johnson paused for his first question.

                   ‘Sir’ was a confident call from behind. It was Henry.

                   ‘I like your guts kid’ commended Mr. Johnson.

                   ‘Y-e-s’ he said asking for the answer to his question which Henry was hesitant in answering, not having fully digested Mr. Johnson’s first compliment.

                    ‘Sir, sorry Mr. Johnson, they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Those are the nine planets. Thank you Mr. Johnson’ responded Henry smartly.

                     ‘Excellent! I mean bravo! What’s your name boy?’ Mr. Johnson asked adjusting his specs which was now sliding down his pinched nose.

                      ‘Henry, Henry Philips, that’s my name’

       At this instance, cupids appeared in the atmosphere above. But now it was Cupid Henry shooting an arrow of love into Cupid Naomi’s heart. Naomi was lost fantasizing how this Fairfax genius would be her boy friend. But with Jane on the way, she thought it impossible. Just wishful thoughts she imagined. At the close of school that day, Henry gained fame and friends and since Jane had gone home earlier that day, he thought he would go home alongside his new friends. Just as Naomi was about going home, she saw Henry leaning forward against his locker in the hallway, looking perturbed. She thought it altruistic to inquire what the problem was.

                      ‘Hi, Henry, what’s up, why the frown?’

                      ‘I kind of lost my transport fare’ he answered raising his face to take note of the round-faced, pretty girl standing beside him. He could not ignore her feminine features. She became irresistible to him; ‘Naomi is ravishing he thought. How come he never noticed this all along’ he thought to himself. Now he admired and desired her. However, Henry could have just called his dad to come pick him up, but like Naomi he prefers living as a normal kid; he rather treks home than beg, or have his dad come pick him up.

          ‘Not to worry’ Naomi said as she dipped her hands into her hip pocket.

          ‘Here,’ she continued presenting him with some dollar notes, and having in mind she was going to trek home.

           ‘Will that be enough’ she asked as if she had more to give to him.

           ‘Y-yes, thank you Naomi’ Henry said looking cheerful; his brightly colored eye beaming with joy.

           ‘Oh anything for you Henry’ she replied.

           ‘Eh, here is my phone number you asked for the other day. Give me a call’ Henry said slipping a piece of paper on which he had scribbled his number into her hand.

           ‘Here is mine too, I’ll call you’ Naomi said with a smile as she wrote her number on his right palm. It was an instant chemistry; now Henry gave Naomi his number requesting she calls him not really for the fare she gave him but for the instant fire of love, or may be attraction that now burnt within him. He was not just going to socialize with Naomi as with other girls, but was going to treat her differently.

           ‘But how do you intend going home’ Henry asked.

           ‘Oh don’t you bother your cute head about me, I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow’ she said as they parted ways in the hallway.

 TO BE CONTINUED...

 All rights reserved

Copyright 2009

Lysious Ogolo.