You’re sitting up in bed, ignoring the noisy backdrop from screaming generators of your fellow students.
Reading the notes you jotted down from your morning lecture and smiling that smile; you know, the one you smile when you’re all alone in your world, away from prying and judgmental eyes. That smile that makes even you; the ‘smiler’ blush.
Well...
It tickles to think you’re smiling because of her.
Really. Do you remember how you guys met?
The thoughts of her in your mind drowns out everything you've been reading. There's definitely no way a lecture note could make you smile and blush at the same time; not even when you have one of those eureka moment.
It was her all along.
Doing things in your head that a few months back, you would have thought them impossible.
You remember now and smile even more.
Life in this lodge had been bland, boring and largely uneventful until that fateful saturday evening when you were returning from your campus fellowship and met this young, innocent but matured-looking girl, moving her things into one of the rooms in your lodge - A new lodge-mate and neighbour!
She was strangely beautiful. You know, those kind of faces that the more you look at them, the more beautiful they look. Like you missed a detail the last time you looked, so much that when next you stole a gaze at her, the beauty you missed the first time would be present. She was like someone that walked out of one of your dreams.
Whatever force that was at work that day had surely defied any scientific laws or explanations because.. Being the shy, baby-faced looking churchy boy that you were, the spontaneity of your reaction surprised even your soul.
"Hey beautiful, It looks to me like some masculine muscles are required in moving those large boxes of yours?" You say, and ask at the same time. Hiding the shakiness in your voice with that faux show of confidence.
"Good evening," she says with a smile that sends fire running through your entire system.
You're not sure what or how to respond. Should you ask how she's doing or just say the expected "good evening" reply?
Still in the darkness of your doubt, you just pick up her locker and follow her.
A few more trips to and fro, and her things were all inside. She says "thank you" deep from her heart as you make your way to your room. And as if by works of Providence, her room was exactly opposite yours.
"You're welcome," You say.
"I'm Marvelous, by the way"
"I'm Treasure. Thanks again for assisting me." She says, this time her smile was now looking homely. Her face radiantly bright despite the tricklets of sweats from the packing.
That was the beginning of a journey of friendship that is sure to give Jack and Rose a run for their money.
A friendship that would see you running to her room at every opportunity to 'keep her company'.
She reciprocated by making sure your stomach received exclusive attention whenever she was done with cooking.
She cared so much for you such that the other guys in the lodge displayed signs of jealousy. But you both didn't care. As far as you were concerned, they could all go and jump down from the last floor of Faculty of Social Science.
It was with this thought that you drifted off...
You were a young boy in his early twenties, with a baby-face and beardless jaw that made your guys nickname you - bottle - because your jaw was as smooth as a bottle. The peak was that you could pass for a 17-year old.
She, on the other hand was your opposite in looks and physique. She was just 16, but looked like a 20-year old.
Your unique differences brought you even closer!
As the days rolled by... Feelings had now hit new heights.
You wish your show of confidence of that fateful evening would take over again. You prayed to summon enough courage to tell her how you now felt. Your landlady made matters worse by calling you 'husband and wife'.
She wasnt free from the love-bug either. She now looks at you questioningly. As if to say... "Ask me out already!"
But your shyness and search for the perfect time and words kept you on the throne as the King of Procrastinators.
Slowly but steadily. You were beginning to find your confidence. In fact, you had concluded on telling her how much you loved her on her next birthday.
First thing tomorrow morning, you said to yourself as you let out a deep devilish smile!
You are now standing in front of your mirror, rehearsing. Mastering your facial expressions and grabbing a hold of yourself whenever you feel your heartbeat's racing faster than is ideal.
You made to try again when you hear a sharp sound pierce into the calm ambience in your room and jolts you back to full consciousness and ultimately back to reality. It was the sharp beep-beep sound from your alarm clock.
You wake up. On your bed in your family house as reality hit you in the face like a hot slap from an army officer. You had been dreaming all day.
Everything about Treasure and the lodge had all been a dream. Yes. Very much so. Because you just realised that you weren't even a student anymore. You had graduated two years ago.
