Chapter 4 More Bad Memories

Audrey remembered how her liking Jerry all started. It was her eighteenth birthday, and her father had organized a big party for her. While the guests were having fun to the fullest, Audrey felt a surge of energy, and so she grabbed Leopold Demp, asking him to join her to take a ride in the new convertible sports car that her father had just bought for her. Audrey sped across the city at dusk. Her long, black, elegant hair, floated in the air, while she marinated in the newness of what time had gifted her, a brand new year. While Audrey's new sports car sped across the city, she spotted a boy standing under the street light in a distance. He wore a white shirt, on black trousers, and appeared to have his head buried in his phone. He was tall from Audrey's point of view, and his sleek black hair accentuated a chiselled face that could stop time. Audrey could not stop staring at him. Hearing the rev of the car engine approaching him, the boy raised his head and looked in the direction of the car, and that was when the magic happened. Audrey caught a glimpse of his face and the tag on his white shirt that read Bullen City School. That was all it took for Audrey to start asking her dad to enrol her in Bullen City School, instead of going back to the international school that she was originally attending. For more than a month, Audrey tried several ways could come up with, to get Jerry Dank to like her, but the boy would rather chew stone than has to answer Audrey's advances. Audrey snapped her mind away from the dream that she had, and heaved a deep weary sigh. She decided that it was high time she got her life on track, and stopped dwelling on the past unrequited love that she had faced in the hands of Jerry Dank. She returned to school the following day and took a seat close to Leopold Demp. She used to be seat mates with Jerry Dank before, but naturally, she could no longer be that close to him. His very existence made her remember the nasty dream she had about him, and generally all forms of sadness as far as liking him, and telling him was concerned. The dream she had about Jerry gave her goosebumps, and at the moment, she would love to stay away from Jerry by all means, because he gave her real chills. Leopold Demp was puzzled to see Audrey come to take a seat by him. ''Audrey, are you okay?'' Leopold asked her in genuine confusion. ''What's up? Tell me,'' he added. When Audrey switched schools from the international one to Bullen City School, Leopold Demp followed her as if she had worked on him with a remote. Regardless of the loyalty that Leopold showed to Audrey, she dumped him and ignored his special attention, and then followed Jerry to his seat. ''It's nothing. I just don't think that it is worth it, you know? He doesn't like me, and he has made it clear, so why should I try to force it?'' Audrey replied to Leopold's question. ''Oh, finally,'' Leopold exclaimed. ''You have gotten a hold of your senses. That's good to know,'' Leopold replied. Leopold and Audrey had known each other since kindergarten, and he knew that Audrey never chased anyone. She always had a line of boys and girls longing after her. Seeing her chase Jerry Dank was a new development, and it was further appalling to see that Jerry was not entertaining her interest in him. Now that it had come to an end, Leopold could not thank the universe enough. What was it about Jerry Dank? His facial features were just nice, that was all that he had over anybody else. He was handsome. Leopold was happy to do anything Audrey wanted, and so he helped her carry her books when she was leaving the class. However, Jerry Dank didn't budge. He could care less who Audrey Turnah now sat with, or who did favours for her. Luckily, Audrey was over him. She looked at Jerry's oblique face, and then the next person that her eyes fell on, was Elizabeth Coker, who now had a band-aid on her face from being hit by the basketball that Audrey mistakenly threw at her. Elizabeth looked sober and apologetic. Before Audrey switched schools, Elizabeth and Jerry already shared a mutual relationship, otherwise, there was no way Jerry would have been sitting with Elizabeth and conversing excitedly, up to the extent of accepting a gift from her. Audrey felt bad for hurting Elizabeth the way she did. It was not Elizabeth's fault, honestly. When it was time for recess at school, Audrey and Leopold went to the mall. Audrey bought a lot of gifts. From a high-definition headset to sets of cloths and bookmarked carved and engraved books, to even sweet-scented flowers. ''Audrey, can I ask for what reason you are buying all this? Who are they meant for?'' Leopold asked Audrey while he held on to every single thing that Audrey had bought with both of his hands. Audrey didn't lift an item. Her hands were free, yet Leopold was suffering overloaded hands like that. ''I want to apologize,'' Audrey replied. Leopold was speechless. ''What the hell has come over this girl now?'' He muttered, thinking that Audrey was trying to apologize to Jerry Dank with all those gifts. ''Apologise? To who?'' Leopold dared to ask Audrey. His heart melted when she mentioned the name of the person that she was going to apologize to. Leopold had never come across anyone with a heart as pure and gentle as Audrey's, and now he had even more admiration for her. When Leopold and Audrey got back to school, the entire class was stunned to see Leopold holding all those gifts, which everyone knew were bought by Audrey, and with a gentle aura and countenance, Audrey had Leopold place the gifts on Elizabeth's desk.