Coventry,
United Kingdom.
1991
Jake sits down inside a restaurant
called shrimpers, known for its name because of the incredible shrimps that are
served there arguably the best in the whole country. He is surrounded by
friends chatting about the game that was played yesterday between Manchester
United and Arsenal. But all that does not concern him, because his eyes are
glued on a girl that goes by the name of Alexia. The girl in his school he has
crushed on for the past one year of his average university life. One of his
friends noticing his lack of involvement in the conversation breaks his gaze by
waving her hand in front of his eyes.
“Why don’t you just go and talk to
her?”
Jake inhales deeply and says “If only
it were that simple.”
Cindy instantly replies “It is. You
are just afraid of the outcome, which you should not be. She will like you as
we all do.”
“I know but she is so above my class.”
Jake says as he resumes his stare.
Cindy makes a retort to the disgust
of Jake as she springs up from her chair and walks towards Alexia. Before Jake
could even utter a word, she was talking to Alexia and pointing to Jake while
she spoke. All this happened within a minute, Jake just watched them both as
they spoke and then Cindy signals him to come by waving him over. Jake not
wanting to be rude waves back and heads towards them.
“Jake meet Alexia and Alexia meet the
wonderful Jake I have been telling you all about” Cindy says with a big smile
on her face and without waiting for a response, she turns and heads back
towards her friends.
“Hi, I have heard so much about you
in the last one minute.” Alexia says as she pulls a chair for Jake to sit on.
“What have you heard about me?”
She tosses her hair back and flashes
a grin. “The usual, like how you have been crushing on me for the last two
years. Why you have not stepped up to me and told me is beyond me? However, I
know whatever your reasons are, they are good”.
He just sits there amazed at her
confidence “There are many reasons but talking to you right now makes all of
them useless. I should have come to talk to you a while back but I was not sure
how you would receive me. But that’s all in the past now, I have not formally
introduced myself to you. My name is Jake Ashburn.”
“It is nice to finally meet you Jake
Ashburn. My name is Alexia Satton but you can call me Alex.” She says, as she
stretches her hands to meet his.
Their handshake marked the beginning
of a relationship that lasted for the next two years. Both Alexia and Jake
graduated from Coventry University with dreams of conquering the world and
achieving so much. Alexia quickly finds a job working as a junior assistant in
one of the firms that her affluent father sits on the board of. Jake decides to
further his studies by going for a master’s degree in the United States of
America. The decision was not an easy one to make but Jake believes that he
needs to do this in order to be able to take care of Alexia and give her the
life she deserved. He knew it was a good decision for their future with Alexia
having to agree with him.
Heathrow Airport, London
“Make sure you take care of yourself
for me. No looking at other women, you are mine Jake Ashburn, you are mine
alone.” Alexia says as she holds on to him and kisses his neck.
“I know Alex. I will call you once I
get there. Take care of yourself also. It is only two years and I will be back
in no time. Once am back, you will be Mrs. Ashburn. You have my word my dear.”
Jake says as he holds on tightly to her.
Jake carries his backpack and starts
to head towards the departure terminal. Looks back and waves at Alexia mouthing
off “It’s only going to be two years.” He walks straight ahead reassuring
himself that it was only indeed going to be two years and then he would be back
and he will have the woman of his dreams as his wife. But there was a feeling
hovering over him that indicated that things would not go according to plan. He
waves off that feeling and keeps reassuring himself. ‘It’s only two years’.