by Daniel Olas
As they drew nearer to the beach, Tyler’s heart thumps faster with vigour. Many ideas and questions flashing through his mind. ‘How do I act as the Superman?’ the very question that kept running in his thought. At a time, he was tempted to ask his sister the question but that will further devalue him in front of his sister and might make his sister think he’s no good lover—and of course, he is! With this, he decided to find the answers himself today at the beach.
The beach is a small one that boasts of a thousand people a day. In this beach is located the city pub! As Tyler steps on the sands of the beach, the sun took over. Yes! Its summer!
As the sun rise above the cloud, spreading its tentacle of hotness, the subject of mother earth rushed to take solace. Either in the beach sheds or in the water or the popular city pub. The wind however decided to counter-attack the sun by reducing the degree of its hotness. The wind did this through the sending of cool breeze aided by the trees that surrounds the beach.
Mavis left Tyler as they near a shed.
“Off to my date!” Mavis bellowed as she waived at Tyler.
“Catch ya’ later!” Tyler bellowed back as he enters a shed.
The sheds that dominates the beach were made mainly of sticks—sorghum stalks—and palm fronds yet, the design of the sheds shows the best oeuvre of its architecture. The perfect season and the perfect haven to express the feelings that haunts most, yet, the one that throws you into Alice in Wonderland.
After few minutes of watching and trying to figure out how he could be the Superman of Mavis’ love lecture, he decided to pluck some strings. Tyler brought out his guitar and treat himself to a freestyle:
How do I let go of the past
When I don’t even understand it
The past looks like a dream
Harmless as a dove
Yet being haunted by it
And now…
I seek answers again
To unknown questions
Then playing the guitar more discreetly with a low tone:
If you ever hears me
Don’t bother; just lemme be
But wait; I need someone who cares
Someone who cares
Someone who cares…
A clap interrupted Tyler’s freestyle—
“That was wow!” A girl with blonde hair said standing outside the shed and peeping inside.
“Thank you!” Tyler said sharply and was about packing up when the girl asked another question.
“Can I join you?”
The question took Tyler by surprise. Of course, he was not expecting it and of which left him frozen from zipping up his guitar. Jerking back with consciousness—
“You are welcome” He said adjusting himself back on the seat.
“I’m Sophia—Sophia Williams. Nice to meet you she said stretching her hand.
“Tyler Smiths. It’s a pleasure” stretching his hand so that they shook each other.
“Are you a rock star or what? ‘Cause you handle the guitar quite well!” She said staring at Tyler who’s sitting opposite to her with a table in their middle.
“Nope! I just play it for fun!” He said with a faint smile.
“I heard your lyrics, it was great! I guess you are heartbroken?” She asked again.
Tyler knew he must not stay long enough with this type of girl that puts word in your mouth and makes you divulge the U.S. secret.
“I’m not heartbroken. I just feel like singing it and moreover, it’s just a freestyle” Tyler said looking at his guitar.
“Really, so, where’s your girl? Hope I’m not trespassing already?” she said still looking at Tyler who’s looking at the roaring ocean.
“No! I don’t have any.” Tyler said with blushes over his face.
“Hmm!” Sophia said surprisingly. “Well, I work at the city pub. Presently, I’m on shift. Just trying to catch fun!”
“Really? That’s good!” Tyler said with questions occupying his thoughts. Questions that has no answers till tomorrow. The biggest question is—
“So, I’d working with Sophia—the parrot mouth?”
Drawing her chair back, Sophia made to stand up and get going before she said—
“What is it that’s bothering you don’t have to supress you so as to let you waive off someone you ought to put smile on his/her face”
Getting outside the shed, she said—
“Mr Tyler Smiths, meeting you alone has made my day. Hope to see you again but not in your moody time. Bye!” She said and walked away fading into the crowds.
As she walked off, Tyler remembered a thought that crossed his mind as he left BFHS prom’s night. A solace he took to forget about Vanessa’s issue—you can’t walk out of love and there will always be a lot of girls you can fall in love with but certainly not all you can share your life with. Is Sophia one of them? No! He just met her today, and he doesn’t even know her very well but at least now, they might soon be friends and start the game again. The reality proved beyond the hidden sun of summer is that; they are going to be working together. They will be seeing themselves almost every day. And if Sophia is as pressing and word-hitter-selector as she was some moment ago, Tyler might not be able to help it other than to bow to the whims of love. But wait! What will become of Vanessa? Remember he had to play the Superman to save Vanessa from her heartbrokenness and now again, he must put on the character of his ex-mate—Kyle. He must play the game to suit both sides.
The sun surrenders gradually his reign to evening elements as it goes back behind the cloud. The lights of the beach are turned on already and few hundreds of people are left. Tyler decided to call it a day at the beach with few lines as he stood up and head straight to his home.
…when you are trapped by love
Nothing can ever save you except love
You must be ready to pay the price
And façade the pains with smiles…
