EPISODE 16 

I invited Sylvia into my room. She paused at the door when she saw Sharon and Joy already in my room. She looked at me and smile. I really couldn’t explain what that smile meant. She walked into my room and greeted Sharon and Joy. 

“Hi girls” “hi Sharon” they responded in unison. “You are here because of the assignment right” Joy said to Sylvia. “Yes” she responded. “Christian let’s start already. We are now three.” Sharon said. Okay, let’s start. I’m ready.” I responded. 

We all went to my bed and sat. I started the tutorial with them without feeling nervous. They asked questions from time to time and I answered their questions perfectly. When I was done, Sharon and Joy stood up to leave while Sylvia remained seated. “Are you not leaving?” Sharon asked Sylvia. “I will. I just want Christian to explain a particular topic to me before leaving.” She answered “okay then, see you in school tomorrow” Sharon said. “See you too” Sylvia responded. 

I followed Sharon and Joy to the door and locked the door immediately they left. I turned to see Sylvia smiling broadly. I knew something was on her mind, but I just couldn’t figure it. I walked back to sit with her on my bed. I still don’t know what Sylvia did to me that has made me so confident being with her. Even sitting on the same bed with her without being nervous. She looked into my eyes with her face still curved in a smile and I held her gaze. “So you invited me to your house because you are nervous of being alone in a room with Sharon and Joy” she said. I never expected her to realize I actually invited her because of that, but she seemed to be smarter than I thought. “Yes, that was actually why I invited you” I confessed she stood up from my bed and walked to the door. She stopped halfway and turned to face me. “Let’s go” she said. “Go where?” I asked. “Don’t ask, just stand up and let’s go,” She said.

 I turned my gaze to the wall clock and realized it was already 9:45pm. Where can we be going to by this time. I was feeling reluctant to stand up. She walked back to me, drag me up from my bed and led me out of my room. I didn’t know where she was taking me to, but I just quietly followed her. It was when I heard the loud sound of music booming from the speakers hanging on the wall, that I realized Sylvia actually brought me to a club house. My heartbeat increased the moment we set foot in that place. I was really nervous. I hate being in such places. The crowd and noise in the place is doing no good to me. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. If Sylvia had told me that this was where we were actually coming to, I’m sure I wouldn’t have come. Everyone seemed to be engaged in one activity or the other, while someone were seen on stage dancing to the hot music booming from the speakers, others were seen drinking themselves to stupor. Sylvia located an empty seat at the far-left and we sat on it. She noticed that I was nervous and held my hand. 

Look at me Christian” she said, encouraging me to look into her eyes. I held her gaze and we stared into each other’s eyes. “You don’t have to be nervous. I’m here with you.” she said yes, I don’t need to be nervous. Sylvia is here with me. All will be fine. I assured myself. It was as if her words did magic to me, because I became a bit relaxed. “Christian” she called, with her eyes still fixed on mine. “You can overcome this. Those thought you always have in mind, that discourage you from doing what you wish to do are not real. Your mind is only trying to play tricks on you. Don’t always follow what you have in mind. Sometimes, you just have to do the opposite of what your mind is telling you. If you always follow what you have in mind, it will hinder you from achieving great things in life. As an introvert, your mind will discourage you from doing both positive and negative things. I believe you know what’s right. You just have to do what you believe is right and don’t listen to what your mind is telling you. Sometimes you get discouraged of doing things, because you don’t want to make mistake. You always want to do things perfectly. Christian, we are humans, and humans are bound to make mistake. we are not perfect, so stop listening to that voice that is discouraging you from doing things you wish to do, because you don’t want to make mistakes.” she paused and took a deep breath.  “Christian” she called, with her eyes still fixed on mine. “You don’t always have to bother about what people might think whenever you wish to do something. That’s what is making you nervous. You always think about what other people may feel when you do things you want to do. You always trouble your mind thinking about what others may have on their minds. The truth is that, they might just be worried about their own problem and wouldn’t even care if you exist. Stop worrying about what others have on their minds. it will only get you nervous. Do things you wish to do and stop bothering about others. Take for example. right now you are nervous because you are in a crowded place, but no one seems to care about you. Everyone seems to be involved in one activity or the other. You are only disturbing yourself, when no one cares if you exist.” She paused again and took a deep breath. “Christian you can overcome this” she continued “you just have to start now. Little by little you will overcome it. you won’t even realize how or when you suddenly became courageous to speak in a crowd.” I listened with keen interest as Sylvia speaks. everything she said about me was absolutely correct. “Thank you very much Sylvia. I’m very grateful. You are one in a million. I have heard all you said. I will start doing things I wish to do from now on” I said “okay, but we can start from here” she said. “how?” I asked “look at that lady over there” she said, pointing to a direction. I followed her direction and realized she was pointing at a lady sitting alone at the far- right. The lady seemed to be drunk already. “I have seen her. Do you know her?” I asked “I want you to approach her and get her number” Sylvia said “what!!!!” I exclaimed “I don’t even know how to start a conversation with a lady”.