CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX: SURPRISE ENCOUNTERS
The school compound was buzzing with the excitement of the upcoming interhouse sports competition. From early morning, the air smelled of sweat, grass, and a faint hint of cologne from boys trying to look sharp. Students were scattered around the field, some warming up, others practicing their events. The hostel corridors were unusually quiet, as most girls had left their rooms early to attend morning practice.
I had been in the senior girls' hostel, trying to pull myself together after last night's prep. The room was slowly coming to life. Some girls were making breakfast, others rushing to get their kit ready for the interhouse trials. Gift, as usual, was meticulously folding her uniform into her bag, humming a song I couldn't quite place. She glanced at me once—just once—but didn't speak. We weren't friends. We weren't enemies either. We were just corner mates, navigating the same room, same beds, and same schedules.
I slung my bag across my shoulder and made my way down the corridor toward the field. It was a long walk from the hostel, past the main quadrangle, where the senior boys were already doing their drills. The sun was already high, merciless as always, and the dust of the dry season swirled around my legs.
I was almost at the sports field when I caught a glimpse of something that made my stomach drop.
Samuel.
He was sitting under the shade of a tree, leaning casually against the trunk. And… Gift was beside him. She was laughing at something he had said, her hand brushing lightly against his arm. He was smiling back, just like he did when he was comfortable—dimpled, teasing, and impossibly charming.
I froze, my feet feeling rooted to the ground. My heart skipped a beat, then raced uncontrollably. I hadn't expected to see them together like this, not in such an intimate, ordinary way. It wasn't a secret—Gift liked him, everyone knew—but seeing it firsthand… it stung differently.
I could feel the heat rising to my face. I turned quickly, hoping no one had noticed my sudden pause. But as I glanced back, my eyes caught Victoria and Morayo walking briskly toward me. My stomach sank further.
Victoria's usual smirk was replaced with a softer, almost polite smile. Morayo walked beside her, looking slightly anxious. They were dressed in their sports kits, but the way they carried themselves screamed "mission." We have not been on good terms with each other since what happened in Js 3, and even in the early days of senior school, I'd avoided them. But today… their approach told a different story.
"Floral…" Victoria called, her voice tentative. "Wait small…"
I turned fully, forcing a neutral expression. "Yes?" I asked, cautious.
"We… we just wanted to say… maybe we can start again," Morayo said carefully. "You know, be friends like before."
I blinked at her. Before? There wasn't really a 'before' where we were friends, was there? But I forced myself to consider. Maybe the sports season had softened their approach. Maybe they wanted allies in the hostel corner or on the sports field.
"And you're serious?" I asked Victoria, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course," she said, nodding earnestly. "No wahala. We know we vexed you before… but we're trying now."
I studied their faces carefully. I wasn't ready to fully trust them, but I could sense they genuinely wanted to make some peace. At least for now.
"Okay," I said slowly. "We try. No problem."
Their smiles widened. I noticed a slight relief in their expressions. "Thank you, Floral. I promise we won't do anything again." Victoria's tone was softer, almost convincing.
I nodded and turned toward the field, but that's when my eyes wandered back. And my chest tightened again.
Samuel and Gift were still there, sitting close, talking and laughing like they had no care in the world. I could see the ease between them—the familiarity that I couldn't ignore. My stomach turned, a weird mix of jealousy and frustration.
I clenched my fists slightly, trying to focus on something else—the interhouse sports trials, the warm-up routines, the javelin, the 100 meters, the relay… anything. But my eyes kept drifting back to the shade under the tree.
"Floral?" Victoria's voice nudged me back to reality.
I blinked and shook my head. "I… I'm fine," I replied, forcing a smile. "Let's go, make sure we warm up well. Sports… important."
Morayo nodded, though I could see the slight hesitation in her eyes. I wasn't sure if they were ready to focus entirely on sports, or if they were too aware of what they had just seen with Samuel.
I walked briskly to the warm-up area, and they followed behind me. Every now and then, I stole glances at Samuel. Gift leaned in slightly, whispering something that made him laugh. My chest tightened again.
Why did it bother me so much? I kept asking myself. I liked him. I always had. But seeing him with Gift, so casually… so normally… it was like a punch to the gut. And yet, part of me knew I couldn't act all possessive. We were just students. He was allowed to talk to whoever he liked. But the truth was… it hurt.
I focused on my warm-up exercises—stretching, jogging in place, rotating my shoulders—but I couldn't shake the image from my mind. Samuel's smile. Gift's laugh. Their easy camaraderie.
"Floral, you dey okay?" Victoria whispered again. She had moved closer, probably noticing my distraction.
"I'm fine," I repeated, this time more firmly. "Just… thinking."
She nodded, not pushing further. Morayo stayed silent, adjusting her tracksuit. I could feel their curious eyes, waiting for me to react or say something. But I didn't. I had no words.
The whistle blew, signaling the start of the practice races. I lined up with my housemates, trying to shove the unease to the back of my mind. Samuel's presence wasn't far off—I could see him now joining his house team, still close to Gift, still smiling. My heart refused to calm.
As I ran, passed hurdles, and sprinted for the relay, my thoughts kept flickering back. Gift and Samuel. Victoria and Morayo. Me. How was I supposed to act normal? How could I focus on the 100 meters when my mind was tangled in feelings I hadn't fully admitted?
After practice, as we stretched on the field, I noticed Victoria trying to engage in conversation again. Morayo chimed in, asking about my plans for prep, hostel, and assignments. They were trying, really trying. And maybe… that gave me a little relief. If nothing else, at least some allies in the hostel could help me navigate the awkwardness with Gift and Samuel.
But one truth remained undeniable. Deep in my chest, it throbbed like a drum. I liked Samuel. And it was getting harder to ignore.
Even as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the field, I couldn't shake the image of him and Gift. I couldn't ignore the tightness in my chest every time I thought about him smiling at her.
Victoria and Morayo might have taken a step toward being friendly again. The interhouse sports were about to start. The air was electric with excitement and anticipation. But inside me… it was a storm.
And for the first time that day, I whispered quietly to myself:
"I like him. Samuel. And I don't know what to do about Gift."
The whistle blew again, calling us to regroup. I stood up, stretched, and tried to push my thoughts aside. But deep down, I knew it wouldn't be that easy.