Chapter Three

Purity was surprised to see how easy it was for her now to make friends and how her peers even started making an effort of speaking English when with her during break times. Apparently it made her realize that it was not the language barrier that had made her friendless in first year, it was her. She was the one who had been unfriendly, unapproachable, full of negative thoughts always sad and maybe if she had tried smiling and saying hie to people as she did now, then she would have made friends then. She started no longer being insecure about herself and changed her dressing. She could now wear dresses, tight jeans and hairstyles which showed her whole face.

She started being positive, no longer worrying about what people thought of her and only God`s opinion mattered. She started growing in confidence no longer being afraid to approach people, join school activities as she always told herself she could do anything through God who gave her strength.

She no longer sat alone, at break times had group of friends to chat with and they even started teaching her their language too. She joined sports and clubs causing her to make more friends from other grades too. At church she also started making friends too. Because she was now able to socialize with people this brought problems as apparently before boys had been afraid to approach her as she was anti-social but now she was easy to approach and talk to. She was after all beautiful but she herself never realized it not knowing that many boys had always wanted to date her from the first year she arrived.

At church and school she started getting asked out, boys confessing their feeling to her or fighting over her. Most of them were player always changing pretty girls, so it was always easy for her to say no and refuse them politely remaining as friends. She mastered the art of putting guys in the friend zone.

It was then one day a guy she actually like back came to her as she was sitting outside for lunch with a group of friends.

She was really enjoying the conversation she was having with her friends about a movie they had gone to watch yesterday at the theatre when they all suddenly stopped as the most popular boy in school Alexandra Lucas Dmitri, football captain and a senior had actually come to stand at their table. All the junior girls then looked at him curious hoping he was here to see them as he was after all handsome and every girl`s crush.

“Hie, ladies can i please borrow Purity for a second.” He then said causing Purity to look at him in surprise as she never thought in her wildest dreams that he would know her. Just like her friends she also had a crush on him but never thought he would notice her. He had these muscles from playing football, a charming smile, golden brown hair and those gorgeous blue eyes.

“Um sure,” Nina one of her friends then quickly said causing Purity to stand up and go with Alex who gave her a charming smile that caused butterflies in her stomach. He then led her near the school carpark faraway from all the other students trying to eavesdrop their conversion as it was rare for seniors to even talk with the juniors. Then there was also Alexandra being popular.

They then stood under this huge tree and Purity felt nervous wondering what he wanted from her. But she then convinced herself not to worry as maybe he wanted school help or something. Unknown by Purity, Alexandra had noticed her from the very first day she came to the school, she had forgotten her encounter with him but he still remembered. 

On the first day she had arrived as she was rushing to her next class she had collided with him in the school hall, causing the book he was holding to fall down. She had quickly picked up the book handed it to him saying a quick sorry without looking at him and then carried on before he could ask her for her name. She was unforgettable ad to him she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen especially those gorgeous big brown eyes she had.

He had wanted to go find out more about Purity until he realized that he had a girlfriend whom he was dating, Patricia a gorgeous blonde and cheerleader captain. And now a year later he had broken up with Patricia after finding her cheating on him with his vice-captain. And now in his final year about to graduate high school he had decided to finally pursue Purity and tell her how he felt. And here they were now.

“So hie im Alexandra by the way.” He then said to her running a hand through his hair and giving her a charming smile. He knew how girls liked that.

“I know,” Purity then said shyly in reply to him.

“So i wanted to ask if you would like to become my girlfriend,” he then said to her casually as if he was talking about the weather. After all he was football captain, used to girls falling at his feet and never needed to put any effort to get girls.

He then looked at her waiting for her to rush into his arms hugging and kissing him just like most of the girls did when he told them he was interested in him.

Purity first looked at him surprised that he was interested in her but also icked that he was not putting any effort and just expected her to just say yes and become his girlfriend. But Oh! How she wanted to be normal and say yes to having Alexandra the most popular boy in school as her boyfriend. She could already imagine how the other girls would be jealous of her and as a bonus he was handsome too.

“Im sorry but i can’t,” Purity then said to him in reply after some silence. No matter what, she was going to keep her word to her Grandpa but God too since she made the promise to him too.

Alexandra looked at her in shock as this was the first time in his life that a girl had ever refused him, they always fell at his feet.

“Why,” he then questioned wanting to really know what reason would be there for refusing him.

“Because this your final year and you will soon be leaving for college. So i dont want to be left brokenhearted and i know long distance relationship will not work.” Purity then said to him after thinking up a reason. Luckily she remembered hearing Alexandra`s name being called out during an assembly and the principle talking about how he was one of the people who had been accepted to a prestigious university in England. She could not tell him the truths that she had made some promise to her dying Grandpa.

“I could apply and got to a nearby college for you, i really do like you.” Alexandra then said to her while also surprising himself to realize that he was willing to do that for her. He had now moved closer to her and was holding her hand in his. It was soft and felt good in his.

“Im sorry Alexandra, but i cant let you ruin your future for me.” Purity then said to him with pain in her voice as she also really liked him back. He was a wonderful boyfriend always treating any girl he dated right. But she slowly removed her hand from him and rushed to the girls toilet where he could not follow her.

She then stood in front of the bathroom mirror, with tears freely flowing.

“Oh grandpa! Why did you have to make me say that stupid promise to you! And now i think i may just have refused a boy who could have treated me right. I hope you are happy watching me suffer up there.” Purity then shouted at herself and started having a breakdown as she thought of all the times her friends would talk about their boyfriends, first kisses and how they would receive flowers on Valentine ’s Day while she had none. She then entered one of the toilet stalls and freely cried.

Do not rush but patiently trust in God and i promise you he will bring you your prince charming at the right place and the right time, in better quality too.

The words that her Grandpa had once said to her flashed in her heard and she quickly stopped crying and now felt okay. She quickly wiped her face with some tissues and made sure she looked decent and her eyes were no longer teary.

She waited for the bell to ring and then went to her next class. She arrived to find her friend all eagerly waiting to hear why the most popular guy in school wan ted to see her. She just lied to them and said he wanted to ask about school work.

Purity suddenly became worried that maybe Alexandra would be one of those guys who would not take a no for an answer and would pursue her until she said yes and thought maybe she would have to avoid him. But she was suprised to see Alexandra not doing any of that. She started hearing that he pulled out of being the football captain, he now started preferring to sit alone by himself and was always now looking sad and depressed unlike his cheerful personality before.

This worried Purity as she blamed herself thinking that maybe he was becoming like this because she rejected him. But she finally found out it was not about her, apparently Alexandra`s father had passed away. The weird thing was no one had ever seen his family even his friends. He lived there at the school hostels and visited his family during holidays. He then suddenly left before the year ended to finish his last semester homeschooled. But he did come for his high school graduation and left to study College in England.  That was the last she heard of him.

After that life went on, Purity with her never dating anyone and instead focusing on her studies.

While there were good sides to dating in high school, the romance, Valentine’s Day, Purity also saw the bad too in her friends’ relationships.

From girls fighting and dragging each other by the hair over a boy, to some getting pregnant and being forced to leave high school without graduating. Then there was the cheating boys, dating and sleeping with as many girls as they could.

While her friends worried about their boyfriends no longer loving them or coming to class in tears saying that he broke my heart, Purity sighed in relief that she did not have to face those kind of problems. She still learned about dating from her friends so she was really not that clueless. They all confided in her as she never tried to force her beliefs on them or judge them. Plus they all knew she never dated so she would not steal their boyfriends from them if they told her their secrets. Some of her friends even thought that maybe Purity was secretly a lesbian but she never let it get to her.

Three years had passed ever since Alexandra left and Purity in her senior year  was sure that by now Alexandra must have graduated and finished University or in his final year. She usually thought about him when events like Prom happened which required a person to have a date, and so she did not attend hers.

But luckily she still got to attend another school dance which happened which did not require boy dates. She had enjoyed it going with one of her friends. She also realized that the other girls who had brought their dates, boyfriends for that dance were forced to sit, be good girls to impress their boyfriends who looked bored.

While she and her friends who did not have dates, were busy in celebratory mood, dancing however they like, funny or crazy, eating lots of food, removing their shoes and walking barefoot whenever their heels were killing them. Screaming, laughing like crazy people and jumping into lakes while wearing their pretty dresses. So she never regretted that as she knew that if she had been with a boyfriend at that dance she would have not enjoyed as much as she did.

Purity then remembered a conversion she had with one of her friends one day.

Her name was Lauren one of her bestfriends and she came to Purities house for a sleep over as they studied for their final exam together.

So she then confided in her as they were lying on her bed after studying and now just chatting while doing their nails. Having friends.