Chapter 8 How we met

SUSAN

I couldn't believe seeing him that weekend was all I needed to want him more.

"I was a fool." I said to myself then took a sip of coffee from my cup. Aiden still looked as handsome and attractive as he always has been. Maybe it was the fact that his chest is wider or his shoulders in that white top he wore or the innocent look he had on his face.

I shoved a chair out to have my seat, in the kitchen and began to remember when he and I met.

"Hey." He said when he approached me.

"Hey." I said as I checked the books on the shelf in front of me.

"I noticed you've checked almost the whole shelves in the library," he said while returning the book in his hand to the shelf, "are you new here?" He asked.

"Yeah, I am-actually."

"Okay. So, which book are you looking for?" He asked taking a bow which made me laugh.

"Shhhh." The lady who was reading close by said.

"Sorry." We both whispered.

"So, what book?" He asked again, smiling at me.

"Any book on history and geography." I said.

"Hmm you're in the wrong section, come let me show you." He said stretching his hand for me to take.

After he and I had found the books I needed for my assignment, we both left for home. Our homes were in the same direction so we walked together.

"Wow! How come you're so good with history?"

"My dad," he said, "he's so obsessed with Canadian history." He said laughing.

"Here's my stop, thanks for walking me home." I said.

"You're welcome."

"Bye." I said. I could feel my mixed breed cheeks turning red from all the happiness I was feeling.

"So, we'll see in school tomorrow." He said looking at me and taking steps backward.

AIDEN

"Vmmm vmmm..." the constant vibration from my phone woke me up."Je ne peux pas juste dormir bein? Can't I just have a good sleep?" I said turning to the other side to avoid the sound the vibration made. "Vmmm ---vmmm--" it continued.

"Oh mon Dieu!; my God! Arghh." I said then sat up rubbing my eyes and grumbling when my phone started to vibrate again.

"Hello?" I said, dragging my voice, "Sorry, who's this?"

"Aid, aren't you coming to work today?" It was Yusuf.

"Shit!" I shouted and stood up immediately, "bro, what's the time?"

"Uhhh--- eleven' ten." He replied.

"Holy shit, bye," I said then hung up, I looked at my alarm clock, "why didn't you buzz stupid clock?" Immediately, I rushed to the bathing room to have my bath. When I was done, I came out to the sitting room and saw my sister.

"Vivi, you're here?" I asked, staring at her with my mouth open.

"Wow! Really! Of course." She said, shaking her head.

"I totally forgot I'm sorry. I have to leave for work, I'm super late." I said walking towards the door.

"Wait --wait--brother, I made food, won't you eat?"

I stood for a while holding the door knob and looking at her...

"You're finally here!" Yusuf said when I got in.

"I'm sorry, I got home really late last night. Mom refuse I left in the morning."

"Ooh, okay---what are those?" He asked looking at my hands.

"Uhh---breakfast or brunch, I don't know. Vivian made them--here's one for you."

"Oh yeah and Laurence said he wants to see you." Yusuf said as I was about to have my seat.

Laurence is the owner of the company in which we work. For sometime now, he and I began to have a kind of relationship-- a father to son kind. He began to like me very much because of my attitude towards work, but today that I had come late. I think I knew what was coming already.

*

"Hey Aid!" She said with a beautiful smile when she saw me.

"Hey Suz, how was your weekend?" I asked.

"Awesome," she said. Her blue eyes always shines bright even in the day. "How's that 3D visual app you were working on?"

"Ughh--- it's going fine, I should be done by tomorrow, hopefully." There was silence for a little while until we had to go to our different classes. "Hey Suz," I felt my heart pounding very fast, "do you mind if we meet by seven this evening?"

She looked up for some time and then looked at me. "Hmm, I don't think I'm doing anything to be honest, sure!"

*

I worked in a computer visual company in Kanata, our company specialized in 3D reconstruction, image tracking as well as developing virtual reality game softwares.

When I reached Laurence's door, I took a deep breath in then out before knocking on his door. "Bang--- bang."

"Come in!" He yelled from within, "have a sit boy." He said.

"Good day sir." I said, having a seat, "Yusuf said you wanted to see me."

"Ahh, yes. I'm going to go straight to the point, how's the new software going, any developments?" He asked.

I looked at the vase on the window behind him. "Aid?" He called.

I took a silent breathe in and out, then began to rub my nose. "No sir."

"What's the delay boy? This company will pay us millions of dollars for this, don't you want your pay cheque to rise?"

"I'm sorry sir." I said staring at the floor.

"We don't have much time okay, just two weeks. You can go." He said

"I'll get right to it sir, I promise, sir." I said then stood up to leave.

"Aid!" He called as I was about to open the door, "money."

With that word, I understood what he meant. Concerning the software, I had come up with an idea I wasn't even sure I could achieve with our current computers in the company. I was the game changer the company needed. In the past years, RS Tech had not been receiving as many deals as before but since my hiring, deals have been more.

Now I had just two weeks to complete a software with not so great computers.

"How was it?" Yusuf asked when I got in.

"It's about the VR software for that game, and I'm supposed to complete it in two weeks." I said crashing onto my chair.

"Two weeks!" Yusuf exclaimed.

"Yeah. Good thing I got that Dell system. I should be able to work with that from home."

*

"Dum--dum--dum." I heard the knock on my door when I was preparing to meet with Suz in a restaurant that evening. "Who's there?--- I'm coming." I walked forward to open the door.

"Suz!" I said with wide eyes when I opened the door. She looked so beautiful, with her shining blue earrings which matched the color of her eyes, her glossy red lips and a smile which can blind a man. "Suz--uhh -- I was supposed to come meet you outside school."

"Yeah, I know, I decided to come here. May I?" She asked.

"Oh! Uh--yeah sure." I laughed stepping aside so she could come in.

That night was one of my best nights on campus. Then of course from there, we went on dates, and our relationship started becoming more than friends, then one Friday, I invited her over to my apartment.

"I'm here, so what's the surprise?" She asked.

"Okay, before you come in-- close your eyes." I said with a wide smile.

"Okay." She said.

Taking her hand, I led her in and guided her to the surprise. "Ouvre tes yeux; Open your eyes." I said holding her hand. I had hung a poster on the wall asking her to be my girlfriend with some decorations and flowers around it. So I knelt down and looked at her.

"Seras-tu à moi, Suz?; Will you be mine, Suz?" I asked looking up to her face.

"Aid wow---this is beautiful, stand, stand," she said lifting me, "I love it, Oui. Oui je serai à toi; yes, I will be yours."

I could see the joy in her eyes, as though she had been waiting for that question all this time. She held my face and brought it to hers, then she whispered. "I love you, I always have."

*

I felt I needed to see Susan again. Maybe my mom was right, maybe she was right one for me.

SUSAN

I was seated on the couch in my apartment when my phone's vibration brought me back to reality. Throughout the day I had my mind drift to how I ended things with Aiden even though I still loved him. "Why? Why'd I do that?" I asked myself. I didn't feel like checking who was calling but my phone kept ringing anyway.

I went to my fridge to pour myself a cup of water, then sat back on the couch. After taking a sip, I was finally ready to pick the call.

"An unknown number, hopefully the person would call again."

"Vmmm---vmmm." My phone vibrated again. At first I was reluctant to check who the caller was but then I picked it up and saw it was Aiden.

"Hey!" I said when I picked. I hoped I didn't sound too excited, I thought.

"Hey Suz--alm, I'm just calling to check on you--aaand to thank you for coming to my mom's birthday."

"Ooh yeah--" the sound of his voice still made my hormones jiggle, "I--it's my pleasure." I found it hard for me to speak clearly.

"Alright take c---" He said.

"Aid!" I called before he could finish his send off, "look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."

"You don't need to; it's okay and you're entitled to your opinion Suzzy."

"Thanks." I said to him.

"See you some time okay, bye." He said then hung up.

He said he was going to see me sometime. Those last words lingered in my head, so Aid still wanted to see me.