My first Kiss...

“Gbedemaaaaaaaah” my mum yelled for the umpteenth time from the Kitchen after apparently calling me all the while. 

“Yes, mum, I’m coming” I responded vulgarly on top of my voice from the room I shared with my kid brother. I was anxiously getting prepared for the big day. It was ‘Our Day’ and I was wearing one of my well ironed gray political suits, humming and forming images in mind about how the day was bound to turn out. At nine years, I had five political suits. I got the first one when I was four years and since then, it had become a ritual to proceed to the only Tailor in the neighborhood for him to take my measurement for eventual designing of a ‘top and down’ for my Christmas and every important function in the coming year until another was sewn in December.

I cherished those moments i walked into the Tailor’s shop with other people practically queued up to take their measurements, and to instruct the Tailor on the kind of style they wanted. Usually, it turns out that nothing has changed about the previous style they sewed, but you can’t blame them feeling all important as they direct him on what he should do.

I quickly zipped up my flap, wore my ‘under green’ canvas and walked out of my room into my mummy’s to watch myself in her vanity dresser. I turned around to see how my back looked like, almost turned around again and was satisfied with my looks. Yes, at nine, I cared about my looks. I had a girl called Dedevi and I was looking forward to showing off my new political suit since it was the first ‘our day’ in the year. I had to, because I knew she was also going to dress-to-kill.

I hurriedly walked into the kitchen to attend to my mummy’s call, but she was nowhere to be found. I wasn’t worried since it wasn’t about her. She called to notify me that she was done, so I got closer to the cabinet where my cane woven basket with a bowl of rice and stew and one bottle of 7up and a Bouna biscuit was neatly arranged and covered with a beautifully embroidered napkin. I knew what to expect since it was the norm but I had to ascertain what was in the basket. 

After certifying the contents of the basket and smiling sheepishly to myself, I carried the basket carefully into the living room and that same care was to characterize the carriage of the basket until everything I had in it was emptied. 

I went towards the living room divider where my mum always placed my pocket money except the money had been doubled today. I pocketed it without checking the sum, because I knew my mum couldn’t lie to me. I walked to the center table, picked my woven basket in one piece and stormed out of the house with the trap door shut behind me.

The atmosphere on campus was euphoric as both boys and girls started hailing me as soon as I went through the gate into the school. I couldn’t help but to sway my head like a pendulum oscillating endlessly. Everybody was immaculately dressed and was looking beautiful in their one-time dresses. Some of my friends were checking out my outfit while others wanted to know the content of my basket as if they were actually expecting anything different from the normal rice and stew. Some had seen my pair of shoes before so the main focus of their inspection was actually on my gray political suit.

They escorted me to one of the rooms where everybody had lodged their basket of food and drink(s), after which I went in search of Dedevi. Most of the pupils were loitering around that particular classroom and won’t go anywhere, because they were protecting their valuables. They couldn’t afford anyone taking or tampering with their baskets

Dedevi was my first love and was one of the reasons why I went to school every day. Untill she became a stumbling block to my studies from our teacher’s perspective. we shared same desk and shared all the candies her mom stuffed her bag with, however, my teacher, Miss. Boamah had to re-arrange our sitting positions because she claimed we were always talking.

I loved Dedevi so much even though I could not express how I felt towards her. Either I didn’t know that I had to convey my feelings to her or I just did not know how to go about it but I knew heavens had even endorsed my love for her and she knew it herself and all our class mates knew. Dedevi was eight years and already had prospects of becoming a very beautiful and a brilliant woman. She already knew how to control her strides, she was already aware of the numerous advances from the other guys in the school, yet I was the only one she warmed up to.

If we were not in love, how come I felt moody when she was caned in class for getting some of her class exercises wrong? Why do I feel good when I was teased that she was my girlfriend? Why do I secretly watch her play ampe with her friends when I should be playing football with my friends? Why was I worried if she got herself in trouble and practically followed her everywhere?

Loving Dedevi compared to what I have come to know now was blissful and turned out the best. All I had to do to satisfy Dedevi and put smiles on her face was to look into her eyes. I needn’t take her to the movies, rivalry from other guys where she would be trying to choose from other alternatives was non-existent, and I needn’t take her to any fanciful eatery to get her attention neither must we drive around town just to spend much time together. Loving Dedevi came without stress.

When I finally saw Dedevi with her two best friends; Tutua and Joan at where I thought I would see them, it was almost time to assemble for the program to start. The bell for assembly rang and everybody fled towards the assembly grounds. 

To be or not to be….

I put one and one together and stopped Dedevi in the way, ask her to meet me behind the headmaster’s office since it was the best place we could have our privacy. I calculated that, all other things being equal, no one will dare be around that location and it was the last place someone will be looking out for deviant pupils. She gladly followed me to the corner.

Here we were, looking into each other’s eyes and panting. I didn’t know what to do next. I was just standing there, clueless, with so many thoughts running through my mind. I thought I had carefully planned this in my mind. 

We had just gotten there but it seems like eternity, as we heard the grumpy voice of the Headmaster who was noted for instilling discipline into any pupil who will play the buffoonery.  I was now edgy and torn between making a false move and pulling her away from the headmaster’s office to the assembly ground. I chose the latter, so I stretch my hand for hers so we can leave, and that was to be the gesture that changed everything. She thought I wanted to embrace her, so she walked into my arms instead and embraced me too and all I could manage then was to roll my eyes. 

I still did not know how she did it, but that was when she tilted my chin and planted her lips on mine and kissed me. Dedevi had just kissed me and it felt good and all I could think at that time was how to break the news to my friends instead of returning her kiss. i was awashed with elation and that was when it dawned on me about where we were and how politically incorrect we were acting and as If on cue, we heard some footsteps approaching our direction.