It was the first day of university at the University of Namibia. My friend Angela and I had arrived for orientation, excited yet slightly overwhelmed by the new environment. Since we were both enrolled in the same course, we stuck together as we explored the campus, taking in the unfamiliar yet thrilling atmosphere.
Then, out of nowhere, I froze. My hand instinctively shot out, grabbing Angela's arm to stop her from walking any further.
"Oh my—who in the Idris Elba is that?" I whispered, my gaze locked on a tall, dark-skinned guy who looked like he had just stepped out of a movie scene.
Angela followed my line of sight, then rolled her eyes. "Snap out of it, girlfriend," she said, pinching my arm.
"Ouch! That hurt," I protested, rubbing the sore spot.
"That's Pedro," she said matter-of-factly. "He's in his final year and, trust me, he is bad news. The guy has left a trail of broken hearts all over campus. You don't want to be the next one on his list, do you?"
I frowned, still mesmerized. "Oh, come on. He can't be that bad."
Before Angela could argue, Pedro and I locked eyes across the distance. For a brief moment, time seemed to slow. The noise around me faded, and it felt like we were the only two people in the world. Then, snapping back to reality, I quickly looked away, reminding myself why I was here—to build a future, make my parents proud, and focus on my studies.
The first week of university flew by, and I was already loving it. Everything felt new, exciting, and full of possibilities. By Friday, however, Angela wasn't feeling well and had stayed home, leaving me to navigate the day alone.
After classes, I stopped by a small tech shop to grab something to drink before heading home. As I stood in line, lost in thought, I suddenly felt a light tap on my shoulder.
I turned around—and there he was.
Not Idris Elba, of course. But Pedro.
Pedro looked at me with a confident yet warm smile.
"Hello, beautiful lady. How are you?"
I blinked, momentarily stunned. Was he really talking to me? Because, girl—boy was fine. I hesitated, still processing the moment, when he chuckled.
"Yes, you," he confirmed, his deep voice laced with amusement. "I'm talking to you, my love."
A shy smile crept onto my lips as I finally found my voice. "Hi," I greeted softly.
"So, what course are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm studying law," I replied, then quickly followed up. "And you?"
"This is my last year. I'm doing Accounting," he said with an easy grin. "By the way, I'm Pedro."
"Oh, okay. Nice to meet you, Pedro. I'm Lisa."
He smirked playfully. "The pleasure is all mine, my queen."
I felt my cheeks heat up as I instinctively turned away, smiling. Did he just call me his queen?
"Well, I have to go," I said, trying to compose myself. "I guess I'll see you around."
"Wait," Pedro interjected. "Can I get your number, please?"
"Sure," I replied, handing him my phone.
He typed in his number, then handed it back. "Let me call you real quick—just to make sure it's not fake," he teased.
I laughed. "Please, I'm not one of those girls."
Pedro grinned. "Alright, alright."
Just as I was about to turn away, he leaned in, placed a soft kiss on my cheek, and whispered, "Bye, my beautiful one."
Then, just like that, he walked off, leaving me standing there, blushing furiously as curious onlookers stared.
Oh my… that was weird… and deliciously unexpected.
Shaking my head, I took a deep breath. "Okay, Lisa, get your drink and go home before this day gets any crazier."
With my drink in hand, I made my way to the gate, caught a cab, and headed home—still replaying every second of that encounter in my mind.
Settling into the cab, I plugged in my headphones and let the familiar melody of Everyday by Phil Collins wash over me. The soothing rhythm carried me away, making me lose track of time until the cab suddenly stopped. Realizing I had reached my street, I quickly paid the driver, stepped out, and made my way home.
As I entered the house, the comforting aroma of home-cooked food filled the air. My mom was in the kitchen, as always, preparing one of her delicious meals. Cooking was her passion, and I had to admit—she was amazing at it.
I greeted her with a warm hug before diving into stories about my first week at university, leaving out the Pedro situation, of course. I could already hear the lecture she'd give me about why I was there in the first place, and I was not in the mood for that conversation.
After catching up, I headed to my room, changed into something comfortable, and took a long, well-deserved shower. The warm water eased the tension from my body, washing away the exhaustion of the day. Once I was done, I moisturized, slipped into cozy clothes, and made my way back to the kitchen to help my mom with dinner.
"Where's Romeo?" I asked as I grabbed a knife to chop some vegetables. My younger brother, Romeo, was four years younger than me and currently in Grade 10.
"He's probably in his room playing games," Mom replied without looking up. "Oh, okay," I said, glancing toward the hallway. "Is Dad coming home today?"
"No, love. He's still in Walvis Bay. They'll be driving back tomorrow."
I nodded and focused on helping my mom finish up dinner. Romeo eventually joined us—not to help with dinner, of course, but to make dessert. He had inherited our mom's love for cooking, unlike me. I could cook, but I wasn't exactly a fan of it.
After dinner, we cleaned up, and I retreated to my room, finally checking my phone. A missed call and a text from Pedro stared back at me:
I knew you wouldn't pick up.
I laughed to myself. For someone that fine, he sure doesn't have much confidence. Why was he acting like I had ghosted him? It had only been a few hours!
Shrugging, I called him back. The phone barely rang before he picked up and told me he was out and will call me later.
But before diving into that conversation, I quickly dialed Angela. There was no way I was keeping this Pedro saga from her. I had been dying to spill the details.
---