Something strange happened at the airport two weeks ago and I am still dazzled until now.
It was a blend of mixed feelings: a feeling of excitement because I met the love of my life, Jade, after two years of blind dates, and a feeling of disappointment as it went sour along the way.
I came into contact with Jade on Facebook, and the first thing that attracted me to her was the hourglass shape on her profile and then her beautiful smile. My instinct told me to take a shot at her, which I did.
"Hello, I am Austin." I excitedly waved at her after she accepted my request."Hey, Jade!", she responded so quickly, and then I decided to keep the conversation going. "You look so beautiful in your picture; I would love to know you better." My heart was in my mouth as I thought I would be ghosted after being too forward for just a few minutes of chatting up a stranger.
To my greatest surprise, Jade responded just immediately, "You aren't looking so bad either; yes, let's roll."
I wore the most mischievous smile ever as I was about to take this adventure. Well, everything in life is a risk, so I'm ready to risk this to see Jade someday.
Every morning started with Facetime, and damn, Jade had an oblong face, cat eyes, and a very fine dentition. Her voice is so soothing, and that's one thing that melted my heart so quickly.
We would chit-chat about random stuff and laugh our lungs out. We started to develop a soft spot for each other, and then on her birthday, February 14th, I asked her to be my girlfriend.
"Yes, Austin, I would date you!", Her response lightened up my day, and so we started our love journey two years ago.
"When would I see you? I don't mind travelling down to Johannesburg to meet you, Austin", Jade kept demanding to see me after two years of a blind date. "What does she need to see me for, after all, we face time. Maybe not yet", I murmured back, as I always felt things might go sour just after we met in person.
Every day, I came up with flimsy excuses just to counter her request to see me, and Jade was so understanding until eventually, I made up my mind to see her.
Fortunately, Jade was into tech, and then her company sent her down to Johannesburg for a tech seminar, which was perfect timing.
"Hey, Babe, I can't wait to see you; my flight leaves in an hour." Her soothing voice resounded through the speakers of my phone, and for me, it was a mixed feeling, wondering what seeing me might result in: "Would she like what she will see?" That's my utmost concern; however, I faked it. "Me too, Jade; I will meet you at the airport soon. I love you!". Then I ended the call.
As soon as I arrived at the airport, I hid someone, hoping to figure out a lady who looks like what she wore. When I sighted Jade, she was finer in person than in pictures; she was tall, light-skinned, her waist was so tiny, and her face was smooth and very beautiful.
In excitement, I rushed off to meet her, "Hey Jade," wearing the most beautiful smile I've ever owned, but as soon as I got close to Jade, her facial expression changed. "Hey Austin," I noticed Jade take some steps backwards like she perceived something awful oozing out from my body or mouth, which I couldn't figure out.
We didn't connect like we used to on the phone, and I was a bit concerned. "Can we talk later? I have some things to attend to in a few minutes", Jade responded as she walked out on me."Just like that? I thought you were excited to see me. What's happening, Jade?" I kept running after her, but all I got was silence, which made me look like a fool.
I left the airport in shame, and when I got home, I started to reminisce about all the promises we shared, especially hers, which kept echoing in my head: "I love you to the moon and back, Austin, and I will never leave you or break your heart."All of these are just mere words, as the opposite is about to happen.
"How could she?", I sat beside my bed wondering what I had done wrong. I'd tried to reach Jade several times, but her phone wouldn't connect. I'd seen her online, but yet she wouldn't respond to my chat. "What could be wrong?" I kept asking myself.
After two weeks, I saw her on a popular vlog site where she was interviewed: "She seems to be happy without me." I whispered and decided to play the vlog anyway.
In that vlog, the interviewer asked Jade, "What could be a petty reason to ghost someone whom you've ever dated?"
I was anxious to hear her response, as that's what I haven't been able to figure out for over two weeks: "Halitosis, urgh, that's a deal breaker for me; no matter how much I love a guy, when his breath stings, I'm gone and done for good." Jade chuckled as she responded to the interview on the Love and Bliss Vlog show.
"Oh, do I have halitosis?" My head was about to explode, I had a feeling seeing her wouldn't go well, but honestly, I didn't see this coming, no one has ever told me I had bad breath not even my best friend Dave. I felt embarrassed, as I guess that was why she left me without an explanation, "but she could have been kind enough to tell me."I murmured.
I quickly made plans to see Doc Donald after watching that vlog to fix my health asap as I wouldn't want that to repeat itself.