We were preparing for the prefect ship positions in class. It was an exciting time for most of the students, and the chatter about who would get what position was endless. Everyone already knew Tobi would be the Head Boy. He was neat, intelligent, hardworking, and most of all, incredibly popular among the students and even the teachers.
I, on the other hand, doubted if I would get any prefect ship position. I avoided the teachers like a plague. The only extracurricular activity I was involved in was the tech group. Sure, I was brilliant, but brilliance wasn't everything. Prefects were usually students who were outgoing and active in school activities, and I just wasn't that girl.
Ada, on the other hand, was a social butterfly. She'd make the perfect Social Prefect; everyone liked her. She was friendly, vibrant, and knew just how to make anyone feel comfortable.
Yet, despite everything, I couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance whenever I saw the girls flocking around Tobi. I hated it. I hated how effortlessly they giggled at his jokes, how they leaned into him just a little too much, and how he'd flash them that killer smile. The worst part was, I couldn't even do anything about it. Tobi wasn't my boyfriend.
Most of the time, though, Tobi tried his best to stay away from the attention. It wasn't his fault that he was handsome, but I wished the girls could back off a little.
After a week of staying at Ada's place, I decided it was finally time to go back home. I was nervous about facing Mum again, but I knew we couldn't keep avoiding each other forever.
That night, we had the talk.
Mum sat me down, and for the first time, I saw the weight of her guilt and pain. She apologized—not just for failing to protect me from Dad but for not realizing what I had been going through until it was too late. We cried together that night, tears that washed away years of bottled-up anger and sorrow.
She suggested therapy, something I hadn't considered before. I wasn't sure if it would help, but the fact that she was trying made me willing to try, too. She also made a decision I hadn't expected—she decided to sue Dad.
The case was massive, and while Dad never confessed to what he had done, the evidence we presented was enough. When he was finally arrested, I felt a sharp pain lift from my chest. It was as though a weight I'd carried for years had finally been dropped.
For the first time in years, I felt like I could breathe.
Mum and I still weren't close, but we were making progress. Slowly. We kept the details of the case to ourselves; the last thing we needed was society pointing fingers and gossiping about what had happened.
School became my safe haven again. I was happy with my friends. Tobi and I grew closer, and though I still struggled with trust, I let him in little by little. He was patient, never pushing me to open up but always being there when I needed him.
I noticed Ada's sudden distance, but I didn't take it to heart. Ada was… complicated.
She wasn't the "pretty" type, at least not in the conventional way. She was chubby and cute in a way that made her look younger than her age. But she had this holier-than-thou attitude that could be a little annoying sometimes. I didn't blame her; it probably came from her family background.
Ada was a pastor's daughter, raised in a home where everything was either a sin or a blessing. She acted uninterested in guys, always turning down advances with a stern glare and a Bible verse. But I knew the truth.
She had a soft spot for Korean guys. K-pop idols and K-drama actors were her guilty pleasures, and she would gush about them whenever she thought no one was listening. It was funny, honestly.
Despite her quirks, Ada was still my friend. She was someone I could rely on, even if we didn't always see eye to eye.
That academic year felt different. I didn't know what the future held for me, but for the first time, I felt like I had a chance to live again.
Mum and I were building something new, and with Tobi, Ada, and my small circle of friends by my side, I was ready to face whatever came next.
We were preparing for our WAEC examinations, and the tension in the air was palpable. Everyone was focused on studying, revising, and acing their papers. Amidst all the hustle, Tobi did something unexpected—he asked me on a date.
I was taken aback at first. It was so unlike him to be that direct. My instinct was to say no, to keep things strictly platonic between us, but a tiny, girlish part of me wanted to say yes. I wanted to get to know him, and maybe even allow myself to experience something new.
So, I said yes.
He suggested we meet at the canteen near my house. I didn't want to overdo it with my outfit, but I still wanted to look nice—maybe even impress him. I spent way too much time picking out a killer dress and decided on a little makeup, just enough to accentuate my features. I knew I was pretty, with or without makeup, but that day, I wanted to feel extraordinary.
When I arrived at the canteen, Tobi was already there, waiting for me. The moment I sat down, he looked at me with a smile and said, "You look beautiful."
I blushed so hard, I had to look away for a moment.
The date itself was surprisingly comfortable. We talked about school, our plans for the future, and even shared a few jokes that had me laughing until my sides hurt. I didn't think about my past, my pain, or anything else that usually clouded my thoughts. For the first time in a long time, I felt normal.
When it was time to go home, Tobi offered to walk me back. As we strolled under the faint glow of streetlights, I wondered if this was what it felt like to finally let someone in.
TOBI'S POV
When I asked Chinonso on a date, I wasn't sure what her response would be. I was nervous and unsure if she would say yes. But when she agreed, I felt like I had won a jackpot.
Chinonso had become my happy place. Spending time with her made me forget about the chaos in my life. My mum had been battling an illness for months now, and my dad—who I once thought was the rock of our family—had checked out completely. To him, it wasn't his responsibility, and the bitterness that brewed inside me was sometimes overwhelming.
But Chinonso had this way of making everything feel lighter. Around her, I could breathe.
I got to the canteen early, unable to sit still from the nerves. I kept checking my watch until I saw her walk in. For a moment, I was speechless. She looked amazing, like an angel.
"Wow, you look beautiful," I said as soon as she sat down. I didn't miss the way her cheeks flushed pink. She looked shy, but in the cutest way possible.
We talked and laughed like we had known each other forever. She was so easy to talk to, so real, and so different from anyone I'd ever met.
When it was time to leave, I offered to walk her home. As we walked, I kept glancing at her, trying to summon the courage to tell her something I had been holding in for so long.
There was so much I wanted to say, so much I wanted her to know. But I wasn't sure if I could handle it if she pulled away from me.
As we reached her gate, I decided to wait. Tonight was perfect, and I didn't want to ruin it.
Chinonso's POV
The walk back home was unexpectedly peaceful. There was something about the way Tobi walked beside me, hands in his pockets, stealing glances at me like he was trying to memorize every detail. It made my chest flutter, though I refused to fully admit it to myself.
"Do you ever think about what life will be like after school?" he asked, breaking the silence.
I thought about it for a moment before responding. "All the time. I think about leaving this town and starting over somewhere new. Somewhere far away from the memories."
Tobi looked at me, his brows furrowing slightly. "You don't like it here?"
"It's not about the town," I said quietly. "It's about what it reminds me of."
He didn't press me further, but there was a soft understanding in his eyes that made me feel like he knew more than he let on.
"What about you?" I asked, eager to shift the focus.
Tobi shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I've always wanted to do something big, you know? Something that makes people proud. But sometimes it feels like no matter how hard I try, it's never enough."
There was something vulnerable in his voice that I hadn't heard before, and it made me pause. I hadn't realized how much pressure he carried on his shoulders. For the first time, I wondered if the confident, easy-going Tobi that everyone saw at school was just a mask.
"You're already someone worth being proud of, Tobi," I said softly, meeting his gaze.
For a moment, he didn't say anything. Then, he smiled—a small, genuine smile that made my heart skip a beat.
"Thanks," he said simply, but the way he looked at me made it feel like the words meant more.
Tobi's POV
Walking Chinonso home felt like the highlight of my day. She didn't even have to say much; just being near her was enough to calm the storm of thoughts in my head.
When she spoke about leaving the town, there was a sadness in her voice that I couldn't ignore. I wanted to ask her more, to understand why she wanted to run so far away, but I didn't want to push her. Not yet.
I told her about my dreams, about the pressure to succeed, and for the first time, I felt like someone actually heard me. Really heard me.
"You're already someone worth being proud of, Tobi," she said, her voice soft but steady.
Her words hit me harder than I expected. I'd heard compliments before, but this felt different. It felt real. And the way she looked at me—like she actually believed it—made something inside me shift.
For the rest of the walk, I couldn't stop sneaking glances at her. The way the streetlights caught the curve of her face, the way her hair swayed with each step—it was mesmerizing.
As we reached her gate, I knew I didn't want the night to end.
"Chinonso," I said, my voice quieter than I intended.
She turned to look at me, her eyes reflecting the dim light. "Yeah?"
There was so much I wanted to say in that moment. That she made me feel things I didn't even know I was capable of feeling. That she was the one bright spot in my life right now. That she made everything feel a little less heavy.
But the words got caught in my throat. Instead, I said, "Thanks for tonight."
She smiled, a small but genuine smile that lit up her whole face. "Thanks for asking me out."
And just like that, the moment passed.
As I watched her walk through the gate and disappear inside, I knew one thing for certain—I was falling for Chinonso. Hard.