Chapter 5

He asked me out

‘Hey... Petunia right?’

‘Oh, hey Billy. Yes, it is Petunia. How are you?’

‘I’m good. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?’

‘Oh, I’m sorry. This is Anna, Anna...Billy.’

‘Hello, Billy, nice to meet you.’

‘Nice to meet you too, Anna.’ Billy said so while kissing Anna’s hand. That was sweet of him and Anna’s cheeks were filled with a rosy pink color of pure blushes. I bet she had even forgotten that she wrote Billy off just the day before.

‘So you ladies are both trying to make your way into the Tourism industry?’ Billy asked with his charming voice.

‘Oh yes, yeah. We are both doing the same course (Travel and Tourism).’ Anna stressed. ‘But how did you know that we are tourism students?’

‘I guess I have been stalking you girls hahahahaha’. He said jokingly.

‘Come on Billy, stalking? Don’t be silly.’

‘Hahahahaha I’m kidding, I kind of asked around hey. My lecture starts right about now. I will chat to you ladies later.’

‘Bye’

‘Yoh chomee, he asked around about us. Do you know what that means?’ I said to Anna soon after Billy disappeared. I was too excited.

‘No, what does it mean?’ Anna pretended to be confused.

‘Chomee, he might be into one of us. Maybe he can even introduce us to his hot friends. This is going to be a good day believe me.’

‘Chomee I think you are reading way too much into this. Maybe he was just joking.’

‘Joking? He even remembered my name. Stop being so hopeless Anna.’

Anna was starting to work on each and every nerve I have with her negativity. One minute she was happy about Billy, the next minute she spoke about him like he is the devil’s favorite demon. Why couldn’t she just go with the flow? It was beginning to annoy me. What’s wrong with being excited about Billy? It has always been what I wanted and she knew that. Billy was starting to show a little bit of interest in me and the least she could do was to be happy.

‘Petunia, your assignment? Aren’t you going to hand yours in?’ That was Miss Bhengu, our Tourism Operations lecturer. ‘Where is your head?’ My head was still filled with the recent memory of Billy remembering my name. I didn’t realize that I walked all the way to our next class in total silence and ignored the whole world completely.

‘Sorry Miss B. It’s right here.’ I told her.

‘Good, I don’t expect you to be one of those students I have to run after for assignments.’

Anna was staring at me with a kind of concerned face. She looked at me like she’s a worried mother who just heard that her teenage daughter is pregnant. That annoyed me. ‘Anna should learn to loosen up a bit.’ I thought to myself. ‘Didn’t she have a crush in her life? A real crush. Not the one she does for me. Doesn’t she want to know how it feels to be liked and loved by someone of Billy’s caliber?’

‘....Petunia, I asked you a question....’ That was Miss Bhengu again.

‘Sorry Miss B. Can you repeat the question again?’ I said with shame. ‘Billy was not even my boyfriend but look at what he is doing to me already.’ I thought.

‘Can you exchange the GBP to ZAR?’ Her voice was a little irate I must say.

‘...GBP?’

‘British pound...?’

‘Yyyes Ms. B. I can.’

‘Good, can you show us?’ I think Ms. Bhengu was losing her patience with me. Why did she anyway? It is not like I did this every day. I never thought about Billy Anderson like that in class before. It was just that one time and Ms. Bhengu didn’t need to lose it. And now she was making me stand in front of the class to show them an example. ‘Seriously, I am very shy. She can’t make me stand in front of the whole class.’ I thought to myself as I dragged my feet towards the whiteboard.

‘Can you try walking a little faster please?’ Doesn’t this lady stop really?

I did the calculation in front of everyone and because I knew how to do it better than many other things, I got it right. That felt very good. I thought maybe now Miss B will let me be.

‘Well done Petunia, now we would like you to stay in class. Mind-body and everything okay?’

‘Yes Ms B.’ I was very embarrassed. Especially because a burst of laughter erupted after Ms. Bhengu's lame joke. I hated being the center of attention. Especially embarrassing attention like that.

‘Petunia, can I see you after the lecture?’ Ms. Bhengu whispered to me.

‘Yes ma’am.’ I already kind of knew what she wanted to see me for. ‘Where is your head, are you okay...blah blah blah, lecturers turning themselves into shrinks. Like I needed a shrink after I just had one episode of divided attention. I will just stay to make her feel good about herself.’ I thought.

The other students left when their time was up and I, like a good little high school girl stayed behind.

‘Okay. Petunia I think we both know why I asked you to stay behind. I’m not going to waste your time because you have other classes to attend.’

‘Okay Ms. B.’

‘Tell me, what is going on with you today? It is unlike you to lose focus like that. Are you okay?’

‘I am fine ma’am. I just have a headache.’

‘Just the headache? Nothing more?’

‘Yes Ms. B.’ I was avoiding eye contact. I knew she would see right through me if I looked right into her eyes. How was I going to explain to her than I am blinded by Billy Andersons' looks?

‘Okay, you must get yourself some Panado at the canteen. I’m sure you will find one there. And as long as it is just a minor headache and nothing else is bothering you, I am happy. You are excused now.’ She said with a faint smile on her face. She is a very good woman. And she was worried about me for real. I knew that because I was one of her favorite students.

‘Chomee, what did she want from you?’ Anna asked as soon as I joined her.

‘Nothing hey, she just was concerned about my divided attention that’s all.’

‘Did you tell her about your crush? Because that is the only reason you can’t focus on anything nowadays.’

‘Come on Anna, you are just being dramatic. I focus on the important thing as well. Plus Billy Anderson is not the only thing on my mind. I think about other things too.’

‘Other things like his car, his popularity, his very hot friends?’ She said jokingly

‘Noooo, other things like future. My father got retrenched last year and I don’t know how I am going to get funding for my studies.’

‘I’m so sorry chomee. Why didn’t you say anything before?’

‘I was not worried about it before, but now after I heard Mpho complaining about the bursary funds, I am getting worried.’

‘But it should be enough to cover the college fees.’

‘Yes, the fees will be covered. But what about my transport and accommodation?’

‘Eish. We will make a plan my friend. We must find part-time jobs.’

‘That’s a good idea, but where are we going to find them?’

‘I don’t know, at the mall, in the shops maybe, the restaurants?’

‘Yes, we will start looking this weekend.’ I was a little bit optimistic about looking for a part-time job. I had to have a back-up plan to pay for my accommodation in case the bursary funds weren’t enough. Right there and then, I saw Billy with his friend, Fabian.

‘Chomee, would you mind if we go and say hi?’ I asked Anna as if I needed her permission.

‘Hi! To who?’

‘Duh. Billy and Fabian of course.’

‘Why?’

‘What do you mean why?’

‘Because I am trying to understand why you would want to become Anderson’s groupie.’

‘I am not being his groupie. I am just trying to be his friend.’

‘Did he ask you to be his friend?’

‘Anna, can you just stop with this negativity of yours? Have you forgotten that I like the guy?’

‘Petunia, please! Does he like you?’

‘I will make him love me.’

‘And how do you plan on doing that pray tell?’

‘I don’t know, but I will find a way.’

‘Go ahead and make a fool of yourself. I will be in the computer lab.’

‘You see? That’s what’s wrong with you. You are always either carrying a book or sleeping on one. You never want to loosen up.’

‘That’s because I am here to study, not to loosen up.’

‘Anna, I don’t need your permission to do what I want to do.’

‘I never suggested otherwise. See you later.’

She left. I didn’t care. Anna likes to behave like she is my guardian or something. She was just my roommate, but she would go on like she is my babysitter.