Veronica's POV
Seeing Tobi at Nonso's place that day brought back memories I thought I had buried. We didn't date for long, but our relationship had been… sweet. Tobi was the kind of guy who made you feel like you were the only person in the world. He was caring, thoughtful, and always so protective. Honestly, when I broke things off, I didn't think it would sting this much, even now.
But here we are, months later, and all I can think about is how much I might still miss him.
And then there's Nonso. Sweet, shy, quiet Nonso. She has no idea how special she is, but I can see it in the way Tobi looks at her. It's the same way he used to look at me—like she's the only person that matters. I know he likes her. Anyone with eyes can see it.
The selfish part of me wonders if I can win him back. After all, Nonso doesn't seem like she likes him in that way. She's always guarded when it comes to boys, and I doubt she even notices how much Tobi likes her. But the bigger part of me knows that I can't do that. Nonso is my friend—no, she's more than that. She's the best friend I've ever had.
I couldn't risk losing her over something as fleeting as puppy love.
So I did the only thing I could.
One evening, when it was just Nonso and me hanging out in her room, I decided to be honest. "Nonso, can we talk about something?"
She looked up from the magazine she was flipping through, her brow furrowed. "What's up?"
I hesitated, but then I said it. "About Tobi and me."
Her expression froze, and for a moment, I worried that she might be angry. But she just nodded slowly, waiting for me to continue.
"I know you've probably noticed that things have been… weird lately. Especially when Tobi's around," I started. "The truth is, Tobi and I used to date."
Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't interrupt.
"It was short, and it wasn't anything serious," I continued. "He was great, honestly. So nice, so caring. But I was the one who broke it off. I didn't think we were ready for something like that, and I needed to focus on other things." I took a deep breath. "But seeing him again… it brought back a lot of feelings I thought I was over. And I don't want you to think I'm trying to mess things up between you two."
Nonso tilted her head. "Between us two? There's nothing between us," she said, though her tone wasn't as convincing as I expected.
I gave her a small smile. "Nonso, I know Tobi likes you. And honestly, I think you like him too, even if you don't realize it yet."
She opened her mouth to protest, but I held up a hand. "Look, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you're my friend. You're really special to me, Nonso, and I don't want to lose you over this."
Her face softened, and before I knew it, we were hugging.
"Thanks for telling me," she said quietly.
After that, things between us felt lighter. I told her about how Tobi and I broke up and made sure she knew it wasn't his fault. It was just bad timing. We were cool again, and it felt good to have my best friend back.
Tobi's POV
I couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between Veronica and Chinonso. They seemed closer now, like they'd shared some kind of secret. It wasn't that I was jealous. Okay, maybe I was a little jealous, but not in the way you'd think.
The truth is, I didn't know where I stood with either of them anymore.
I liked Nonso. That much I knew. There was something about her quiet strength, her determination to hold her head high no matter what, that drew me to her. I wanted to be the one she trusted, the one she felt safe with. But Nonso was a puzzle I hadn't quite figured out yet.
And then there was Vee.
I had cared about her once—still did, in a way. She had been my first real girlfriend, and for a while, things had been great. But when she ended things, I didn't fight it. I knew she needed space, and I respected that. I thought we had moved on. But seeing her again, seeing her and Nonso together, stirred up emotions I wasn't ready to face.
One afternoon, as I walked into Ada's house for a group study session, I saw them sitting together on the couch, laughing over something on Nonso's phone. They both looked up when I walked in, and for a split second, I felt like an outsider.
"Hey, Tobi," Vee said, her tone light and casual.
"Hey," I replied, glancing between the two of them.
Nonso didn't say anything, but she gave me a small nod.
As the study session went on, I couldn't help but feel like there was something unsaid between us. Nonso barely looked at me, and Vee avoided being alone with me altogether.
Later that evening, as we all walked home together, I fell into step beside Nonso.
"Are we okay?" I asked quietly.
She looked up at me, surprised. "Why wouldn't we be?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. You've been a little… distant lately."
She hesitated, then said, "I just needed some time to think about things. But we're fine, Tobi. Really."
Her words were reassuring, but the look in her eyes told me there was more to the story. For now, though, I decided to let it go.
Whatever was happening between the three of us, I could only hope that we'd figure it out together.
CHINONSO'S POV
The new academic year was starting soon, and for the first time in a long while, I felt genuinely excited. After everything that had happened—Dad, the divorce, and the move—I hadn't felt this lighthearted in years. It was as though I could finally see a sliver of hope breaking through the clouds of my life.
But, like always, the joy didn't last long.
It started when Mum told me she was seeing someone. She didn't ease into it, didn't sit me down to have a conversation. No, she just brought him over to the house one evening, introducing him as though everything was normal. As if her broken marriage hadn't wrecked both our lives. As if Dad's abuse hadn't left deep, unhealable scars.
I was furious.
I didn't try to hide it either. Throughout dinner, I made sure my disgust was visible in every glare, every sarcastic remark. The man, whose name I barely cared to remember, was clearly annoyed. He didn't even try to pretend otherwise. He just sat there, stiff and uncomfortable, occasionally throwing a glance at Mum like he was waiting for her to defend him. But Mum said nothing.
When dinner ended, I threatened to cause a scene if he didn't leave. He left.
That night, Mum and I had the biggest fight we'd ever had. I yelled at her, called her selfish, blamed her for everything. And then it came out—the secret I'd buried so deeply that I almost believed it would never surface.
I told her.
I told her how her husband, the man who was supposed to be my father, had S.A.ed me. How it had gone on for three years, how I had begged her to leave him even when she was still enduring his abuse. And how, when she finally divorced him, it was already too late.
She just stood there, frozen, as the truth hit her.
I couldn't bear to see her face. I couldn't stay in the house any longer. I ran out and went straight to Ada's place. Her mum didn't like me—she never had. According to her, I was "too beautiful for my own good" and would "lead men to sin." A woman like her, calling herself a servant of God, didn't make sense to me. But Ada didn't care what her mother thought, and that night, she let me sleep in her room without asking questions.
While I lay there staring at the ceiling, I made a promise to myself. I wouldn't be like my parents. I wouldn't marry a monster like Dad, and I wouldn't be blind to the pain of my own child like Mum had been. If I ever had a family of my own, I'd be a good person, a good mother.
The next morning, Ada's mum told me Mum had come looking for me the night before. She'd been frantic, but by then I'd already fallen asleep. I knew it wasn't her fault that my father was a monster, but I couldn't understand how she could trust another man after everything she'd been through.
Still, I decided to leave it all behind.
When I walked into school that day, I was determined to let the past go. I would focus on the present—on the new academic year and on the people who truly cared about me. Whatever happened next, I'd handle it with a positive attitude.
And for the first time in years, I felt ready to try