WHEN THE TONGUE SLIPS

Setting standards is one thing we all are good at. Thinking we are less likely to fall into a trap if we correctly identify what we need. Not that it is a bad thing No! When you do not set a bar for what you want you will not know if what you have is truly what you need.

Vanessa is one great girl with the best reputation and character, I would not say she is so beautiful that every guy would fall for her at first sight but she surely is unique. Blessed with intelligence and she is well disciplined. Having her as a friend was one thing every girl in high school would strive for. 

I remember when she used to tell me her thoughts of an ideal man. She loved fantasies, she could doubt if her ideal kind of man truly existed, but that did not stop her from hoping that one day she was going to find an ideal man with just every quality she has always wanted in a man. Vanessa always thought an ideal boyfriend should be a top student. 

According to her, having an intelligent man as a husband would reflect the degree of intelligence of the children she will have. But does she know that the gene for intelligence does not come from the father? it actually comes from the mother, basically the level of intelligence of the man you marry should not matter. 

Let me not diverge into starting science facts. Vanessa left home to college with only one goal; to let everyone know that a determined woman who knows no word spelt as impossible was on campus. She was in College with one mission to win whatever academic award there was.

The reason for the determination is the reason why I am sharing this story. Back in high school Vanessa used to work very hard for herself and of course because her life the word failure was non-existent. She was a student who did not know how to be second best when it came to academics. She was at an all-girls school called Matanda which also had an all-boys school with the only thing separating the two institutions being a giant wall. They shared the same teachers and same schooling materials like books.

Vanessa knew for sure that the man she would like must be someone with very similar interests as her.

The school organised some competition between the boys and the girls to determine which side holds the best brains. Vanessa studied really hard so that during the competition she would be noticed as the most competent one.

The day of the competition came, it was happening at the hall on the Matanda girls’ campus. The group of boys walked in as the moved in a synchronous pattern. Surprisingly girls were very excited I bet the guys were too, as some of them had spent 4 months without seeing a lady except for their mothers when they come to see them and same was true for the girls. 

I could feel the rising dopamine levels in every student as some tried spotting their prospective significant other. Sounds crazy but seeing a guy in an all-girls school was something every girl could get excited about. The adrenaline rush, the fast heartbeat as if we had spotted a cake after a week of fasting. The girls dressed up smartly and neatly in their full school uniform which rarely happens as most girls in an all-girls school can go days without taking a bath. They could wash their uniforms once a week, it sure was surprising to see some girls dressed in clean school uniforms as I have never seen them neat since I joined the institution.

Everyone was well dressed, their clothes well ironed, their neckties well positioned, their shirts well tucked in and their school shoes well-polished.

Vanessa did not know people had prepared this much neatness as she spent the whole night studying just to allow her brain do the impressing and hopefully win the competition.

We all sat in the designated sits each individual sitting where their name was placed. The quizzing competition started. And they paused the first question for the girls’ no one was able to raise their hand due to shyness. We had one student Madalitso who was a carefree genius, we could say she was second from Vanessa when it comes to academic excellence. She took the question and gave the correct answer and that was our first two points. Vanessa told herself that she was only going to answer the tough questions so that no one could steal her spotlight. 

The tough questions were being asked and the only people answering from the boys and girls side were Kondwani and Vanessa respectively. I do not know whether I should call it ill-fate but Kondwani he was a top student in the boys’ section and he was also the chairperson of a religious organisation called PRAY. Vanessa was the secretary of the same group on the girls’ side. I just heard a brief description from the people who knew him from home and I could tell that this guy had similar interests to those of Vanessa and it was safe to call them a perfect match.

Kondwani was a dark skinned, handsome and slim young man he seemed very well behaved. He was just what Vanessa would want in a son. He was very funny with the best smile as he took the questions answering with great clarity, explaining some statements which the teacher hosting the questions could not understand. I could tell Vanessa was in love with the guy as she gazed at his face on every word he was explaining. I could also see Kondwani looking at Vanessa in amazement wondering how we still have a percentage of girls working on their brains and not just their looks.

One thing is for sure, Kondwani was not at the competition to look for a girlfriend he seemed so focused and I could tell Kondwani was just amazed with Vanessa and did not think of anything further than that. After the competition was over, the girls side won surprisingly.

Vanessa gathered her courage to go and speak to Kondwani and perhaps encourage him to continue giving very extensive and comprehensive explanations.

But Kondwani did not like the idea that their team had lost to girls. I mean what was he expecting Vanessa spent the whole night studying. She barely slept and it should not be surprising we won. 

Vanessa approached Kondwani, and extended her hand for a hand shake. Kondwani was very well mannered so he shook back. Since the boys were leaving and going back to their campus. Vanessa decided to tell him whatever she was feeling like saying. She began telling Kondwani how she really had a nice time listening to him answering questions and that she cannot wait for the next competition. She was running out of things to say as she was very nervous because she was not used to speaking to boys and in this case a guy she liked. 

She did not know how to behave around the guy she liked it was one sided love at first sight. As they were talking with Vanessa dominating almost 90% of the conversation a sentence slipped out of Vanessa’s mouth which no one was expecting to hear. She said “I think I like you Kondwani as in love you”. “You do not expect words like that to just slip out” I thought to myself. How confident was Vanessa to reach the extent of confessing to a guy she just met.

Kondwani’s jaw dropped, his eyes widened as if they were about to get plucked out of his sockets. he could not believe what he just heard and neither could I. Kondwani was surprised on how a very intelligent girl like her could speak how she felt out loud without trying to reason what it will do to her reputation.

Kondwani pretended not to have heard her. “pardon” he said. I thought Vanessa was in no state to repeat what she just said but wonders will never end she said it again “I have only seen you once but I think we were meant for each other” Kondwani just stood there trying to assess the degree of sanity in this young lady. 

Did I mention that in my country a girl proposing directly to a guy is considered a taboo? Only done by girls who lack manners. It is said that a girl only has to wait hoping to be asked out by the guy she likes. And if the guy they like does not come along they end up settling for someone who will just fulfil the role of a boyfriend hoping they will learn to love him.

Vanessa and I ended up at the same College and we are now in our third year of college and there is a cute guy who is really tall, handsome, intelligent, does not associate with girls to the point of questioning his motives. He is someone who reminds me of Kondwani, they have almost the same features but he looks very gentle and disciplined as I only see him in the library. He is always in a quite environment. I have never seen perfection in one package but this guy was an adventure which got better by every minute.

I could tell he likes Vanessa by the way he would look at her every time she passes by. Vanessa started college with a bad reputation because the history of her asking out a guy was all over campus. 

I decided to ask this handsome gentleman’s name and he said he is “Konzani” this made me to laugh as it reminded me of Kondwani. Konzani was like an updated version of Kondwani. He was like Kondwani but better, everything like Kondwani but just twice as good. We could say he was the guy of my dreams. 

He liked Vanessa and I introduced the too to each other. They did not start dating they were just good friends and Vanessa was eager to know why she was still stuck in the friendship zone. She did not want to seem petty so she asked me to ask Konkani on her behalf. Konzani said Vanessa was a very wonderful young woman but not the kind you would date because she asked out my younger brother so it would be awkward for him to date her.

I was there standing filled with questions as I did not know he was related to Kondwani, but the great resemblance should have tipped me off, I thought to myself. I explained to Vanessa she seemed very disappointed by the news, she could not believe a thing she did in high school was the reason why her dream guy was going to walk away.

Haunted by her past she wondered how one could undo a situation already done. She wondered how one could fix a bad reputation. She blamed herself on being so careless with her words. She was now determined more than ever on bettering herself.