WHISPERS OF A FADED HEART

WHISPERS OF A FADED HEART

Chapter one

First love

I was never a believer in love. To me, it was nothing more than a whimsical notion, a figment of our desires that existed solely within the pages of books and the illusion on screens. My innocence was so profound that I once thought kissing in movies was some kind of trick-computer-generated, for surely lips couldn’t meet when the nose stood as an obstacle. Yes, I was that naïve. But my perception was destined to change.

Despite my disbelief in love at the time, I had a girlfriend. A girl I didn’t truly love, and it pains me even now to recall how I treated her. It was unfair, and my heart aches with the weight of that memory. I can only hope that one day, she finds it in her heart to forgive me.

Love isn’t something we seek-it seeks us. It comes uninvited, a divine force capable of softening even the coldest of hearts, sweeping us off our feet as we surrender to its melody and rhythm.

I remember it vividly, the day my life changed. My neck was in the playful but suffocating grip of a friend, his arm wrapped tightly around me-a gesture of affection since we hadn’t seen each other since the Basic Education Certificate Exams (B.E.C.E.).As I struggled, the world around me blurred, my vision dimming, my breath short. But then, through the haze of my fading consciousness, a scent reached me. A scent so pure, so enchanting, it felt as though the gates of heaven had swung open, allowing an angel to descend.

That aroma sparked life into me. My eyes fluttered open, and there she was. Amidst the chaos of the classroom, amidst the noise and chatter, my senses honed in on her alone. Her voice, soft and sweet, washed over me like the gentlest of breezes, giving me the strength to lift head from the ground. And when our eyes met-hers, deep and mesmerizing like those of a goddess-I felt my heart tremble. Her lips, a tender shade of pink, held the blush of innocence, like the first bloom of spring, delicate and pure.

In that moment, I understood. I understood what love was. It wasn’t the grand gestures or the romantic scenes in movies. It was this-this heartache, this inexplicable flutter, this overwhelming urge to be near her. I had fallen in love, not just with a girl, but with the very essence of her being, in a single, soul-stirring instant.

To fall in love is effortless, but to act on those feelings feel like standing at the edge of a precipice. How could I? She was no ordinary girl-her presence was divine, an ethereal force that rivaled even the goddess of beauty herself. She was the kind of beauty that could stir the heavens and the earth, a force so powerful it could launch a thousand ships. If this were Greek mythology, Zeus himself would walk among mortals, seeking her favor, happy just to kneel at her feet.

I didn’t yet know her name, but my heart-somehow-had known her for a lifetime. How could this be? To my eyes, she was a stranger, but to my heart, my very soul, she was everything. Love is unpredictable like that. It sweeps in without warning, like a storm that strikes the shore, shaking every part of you. It’s like a fever that takes over your body, leaving you defenseless, your very soul laid bare.

Just as I was lost in the spell she unknowingly cast, the trance was broken. Reality snapped back when our teacher, Mr. James, strode into the room. A man of imposing intellect and presence, with a touch of humor that made his confidence even more magnetic. He stood at the front of the classroom as if he were David standing before Goliath-unshakable, commanding the room without uttering a word.

With a swift motion, he picked up a piece of chalk and boldly wrote his name across the board, the sound of chalk scratching on the blackboard cutting through the silence like a knife. It signified the start of our first class for the second term. He paused for a moment, surveying us like a hawk, his gaze sharp and piercing as if he were sizing up his prey. Then, with a smirk dancing on his lips, he spoke words that would set my heart racing:

“Before we begin, I see some new faces. Let’s start by introducing ourselves”

My heart leaped in my chest. Finally, I would learn her name. The name of the girl who had taken my heart prisoner with just a glance. The room buzzed with the energy of introductions, one by one, my classmates stood, giving their names, followed by polite applause. But I could hardly hear them. My attention was fixed, my anticipation building as I waited for her turn, as if the entire world were holding its breath.

Names blurred together, faces passed in a haze, and then-it happened. Her turn. My entire body tensed as I watched her rise from her seat, the air around her seeming to shimmer with her presence. Her every movement was graceful, deliberate, like a queen preparing to address her court. She smoothed her skirt with a delicate touch, and in that simple gesture, the room became infused with her scent-a warm, floral fragrance, intoxicating, wrapping around me like a soft breeze. The very air seemed to change, as though her presence had replaced all the oxygen in the room.

Her hand rested gently on the edge of the table, steadying herself. She cleared her throat, a quiet sound, yet it felt like the world had stopped for her. And then…she smiled. A smile that could stop time itself, that could silence chaos, a smile so genuine and radiant, it made my chest ache with longing.

“My God, she’s beautiful” I whispered, barely able to contain the awe that coursed through me.

The classroom seemed to still, every sound faded into nothingness. I felt a shiver run down my spine, a mixture of excitement and fear as she opened her mouth to speak. Her lips parted, revealing a voice so soft, so tender, it wrapped around my heart like a warm embrace.

“HI, my name is Marie.”

Her name floated through the air like a melody, each syllable dripping with sweetness, quenching the thirst of my soul. I had heard the name “MARIE” before, but when it passed her lips, it sounded like poetry. It wasn’t just a name-it was a promise, a dream. Her voice carried with it the elegance of royalty, as if she were destined for something far greater than the rest of us.

My mind spiraled, replaying the sound of her name over and over. I imagined it paired with my own last name, as if fate had already written our story together. Marie-the name of the girl who had stolen my heart with such ease, the girl who had made me believe in love where before there had been only doubt.