The bright Monday morning filtered through the open windows of the 200-level Pharmacology class, casting golden beams onto the wooden desks. A soft chatter hummed through the room as students trickled in, some looking well-rested from the weekend, while others still bore the sleepy look of those who had indulged in too much fun.
Kaima sat at her usual spot near the middle of the class, flipping through her notes while Chelsea scrolled through her phone beside her. Chuma, ever the early bird, had arrived before them and was currently standing near the lecturer's desk, chatting with a few guys.
The clock struck 9 AM, and Dr. Ikenna, their Bio-pharmaceutics lecturer, walked in, silencing the scattered conversations. He was a tall man in his late forties, known for his strict but engaging teaching style. Dressed in a neatly pressed white shirt and navy-blue trousers, he adjusted his glasses as he surveyed the class.
"Good morning, everyone," he greeted, placing his laptop on the desk and connecting it to the projector.
"Good morning, sir," the class chorused, some voices more energetic than others.
"I hope you all had a restful weekend because we have a lot to cover today," he continued, his deep voice echoing through the classroom. "Today, we will be discussing drug absorption and the factors that influence it."
As the lecture progressed, Dr. Ikenna broke down complex concepts with ease, engaging the class with questions that kept everyone on their toes. Chelsea, despite her usual dramatics, was actively participating, while Chuma, ever the serious student, nodded along, scribbling notes with impressive speed. Kaima, though still processing the events of her weekend, kept up with the lesson, her pen gliding across her notebook.
An hour and a half later, Dr. Ikenna checked his wristwatch, nodding in approval. "That will be all for today. Make sure to review the materials before next class. Have a productive week."
With that, he packed up his things and strode out of the classroom, leaving the students to erupt into chatter.
Kaima stretched, sighing as she closed her notebook. Chelsea dramatically slumped into her chair.
"Ah! Thank God he's gone," Chelsea groaned, placing a hand over her chest. "That was too much for a Monday morning. Who even authorized serious lectures after Valentine's weekend?"
Chuma smirked, shaking his head. "Chelsea, we're students. Every day is serious. No one cares about your Valentine's hangover."
Chelsea scoffed, flipping her braids over her shoulder. "Excuse you? I did not have a Valentine's hangover, thank you very much. My weekend was boring."
At this, some students from the row in front of them turned their attention to her.
"How was it boring?" Zahra, the class 'IT girl,' asked with a raised brow. "I thought you and Chuma had plans?"
All heads turned to Chuma, who suddenly coughed and looked away. Kaima bit her lip to keep from laughing.
Chelsea smirked. "Oh, we did. But this one"—she pointed at Chuma—"was as stiff as a plank the entire time."
The class laughed, and Chuma groaned. "Chelsea, stop exaggerating!"
"Exaggerate? Me?" Chelsea placed a hand over her chest dramatically. "Chuma, tell them, did you or did you not sit with your arms crossed for almost an hour at dinner?"
The class erupted into laughter again, and Chuma shook his head in defeat.
"You know what? I refuse to have this conversation." He turned to Kaima. "Please, Kaima, save me from this slander."
Kaima chuckled. "I mean, she has a point, Chuma. Loosen up a little, yeah?"
More chuckles followed, and Chuma muttered something about having the wrong friends.
Meanwhile, in the 300L classroom, some students were engaged in a separate discussion about the weekend.
"Did you guys hear about the Valentine's party at MARTINI's LODGE?" someone asked.
"Oh my God, yes! It was crazy," another chimed in. "Apparently, some guy almost got into a fight because his girlfriend was dancing with another guy."
Amanda and her friend, Fiona exchanged glances before turning to the speaker.
"That's wild," Amanda murmured.
"See why I say love is stressful?" Fiona quipped. "Please, I don't want wahala."
One of the guys in the row ahead, Bolaji, turned in his seat. "Speaking of love, Obinna, how was your Valentine's Day?"
At the mention of Obinna's name, Amanda interest spiked. She turned slightly to see him seated a few rows away, engaged in conversation with Aaron. He must have heard his name because he looked up and met her gaze briefly before smirking.
"It was nice," Obinna replied casually, his deep voice carrying across the classroom. "I spent time with someone special."
Amanda quickly looked away, pretending to check her notes as Fiona shot her a questioning grin.
"Ohh, mysterious," Ahmed, a lean guy seating beside Amanda teased. "So, no juicy details?"
Obinna only chuckled and shrugged, not offering anything more.
Back at the 200l class, the class was still chatters.
"So," Chuma said, steering the conversation to safer waters. "What's on everyone's schedule this week?"
Kaima sighed. "Aside from burying myself in assignments, nothing much."
Chelsea huffed. "Same. But also, I am praying—praying—that these lecturers don't spring another test on us. I need a break!"
"Let's not jinx it," Chuma muttered. "Dr. Nwosu might just decide we haven't suffered enough."
At this, the entire class groaned.
Adebayo, another classmate, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I heard the SUG is planning something for the school in a few weeks. A concert or something. Maybe that'll make up for all the stress."
"Ooooh, I hope so!" Chelsea clapped her hands. "We need vibes, please."
Kaima smiled as the class continued to buzz with energy. There was something comforting about these Monday morning discussions—the way they all found small joys in stressful student life.
Despite the chaos of the past weekend and the uncertainty of the weeks ahead, one thing was clear—life at Forcados University was never boring.
----
Back at her lodge, Kaima tossed her bag onto her reading table and let out a tired sigh. The day had been long, filled with lectures, endless discussions, and, of course, Chelsea's dramatic recounting of the Valentine's weekend. Now, as the golden hues of the setting sun filtered through her window, she felt the need to unwind.
She stretched her arms over her head before flopping onto her bed, her phone already in hand. Scrolling through her messages, she smiled as she noticed an unread one from Ada, her older sister.
Ada: Madam, you disappeared all weekend. No updates, no gist. I hope you haven't been kidnapped by school stress.
Kaima chuckled, shaking her head. Ada never changed. She quickly tapped on the call button, placing her phone against her ear as she waited for the familiar voice to come through.
"Finally, she remembers she has a sister!" Ada teased the moment she picked up.
Kaima laughed. "Oh, please, you're making it sound like I abandoned you. You know school can be a lot sometimes."
"Excuses, excuses," Ada huffed dramatically. "Anyway, I forgive you. So, spill. How was your weekend? And since it was Valentine's. Who kidnapped my baby sister?"
Kaima rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress her grin. "Nobody kidnapped me. But… let's just say it was eventful."
Ada gasped. "Ahh! Eventful? You? Kaima, are you keeping secrets from me? Start talking before I disown you!"
Kaima laughed, sitting up and crossing her legs. "Okay, okay. So, where do I start?"
"From the beginning, of course," Ada said impatiently. "I want every detail. Don't leave anything out."
She heard Kaima laugh, then take a deep breath before diving into her story. As Kaima narrated everything—from the stress of their Friday test to Aaron's dramatic cafeteria proposal for Amanda, to the moment when Obinna waited for her outside school with a bouquet—Ada's jaw dropped.
"Jesus! Roses?! Wait! For you?!"
"Yes, for me," Kaima admitted, her voice laced with embarrassment.
Ada shrieked. "Kaimaaa! My baby sister is being romanced! What kind of sweet love story is this?!"
She could practically hear Kaima rolling her eyes. "You're so dramatic."
"And you're acting like this is normal," Ada shot back. "Obinna? Roses? A handwritten note? That boy is serious!"
Kaima sighed. "I know."
Ada smiled knowingly. "So, what happened next?"
Kaima continued, telling her about the dinner date, the bookstore visit, and the quiet stroll that followed. Ada listened intently, letting out dreamy sighs at the right moments. But when Kaima mentioned the almost-kiss at the Valentine's party, Ada gasped dramatically.
"WHAT?!" she practically screamed.
Kaima groaned. "Can you stop screaming?"
"I cannot! This is serious!" Ada exclaimed. "What do you mean 'almost'?"
Kaima explained how they had been dancing, lost in the moment, how he had leaned in but stopped, choosing instead to kiss her forehead.
Ada was quiet for a moment before saying, "Hmm. This one is playing the long game."
Kaima frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, Obinna clearly likes you. But he's taking his time, letting you process things instead of rushing you. That's a green flag, baby girl."
Kaima hesitated. "You think so?"
"I know so," Ada said confidently. "So, what's next? Where do you stand with him?"
Kaima exhaled. "I don't know, Ada. I like him, but I also don't want to rush into anything."
"That's fair," Ada agreed. "Just take your time and see where it goes."
There was a comfortable silence for a few seconds before Kaima spoke again. "Anyway, that's my weekend story. Now, let's talk about yours. You mentioned last time that you met someone interesting."
At this, Ada grinned. "I did. And I think you'll be very surprised when you hear who it is."
Kaima's interest peaked. "Okay, now you have my full attention. Spill!"
Ada smirked, already picturing her sister's reaction. "So, remember that wedding I went to on Saturday?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I was supposed to be my friend Tolu's plus-one, right? But guess what? She bailed on me last minute because of work."
Kaima gasped. "Oof. That's terrible. So, you went alone?"
"Alone ke?" Ada scoffed. "Never that. Tolu's cousin stepped in as my replacement date."
"Okay… and?"
Ada smirked. "And, my dear sister, the cousin in question just so happened to be Dare."
Silence.
Then, "Dare? As in, our childhood friend Dare?"
Ada grinned. "Yes, that Dare."
Kaima let out a high-pitched scream. "Are you joking?! The same Dare you had a huge crush on back in the day?!"
Ada giggled. "The one and only."
Kaima's voice was pure excitement. "Ada, you have to tell me everything. How did this happen? What was he like?"
"Relax, I'm getting there," Ada teased, enjoying every second of this. "So, Tolu tells me last minute that she can't make it and that her cousin—whom I haven't seen in ages—will go with me instead. I was already stressed, but then this tall, fine man in a perfectly tailored suit shows up at my door, and I nearly fainted."
Kaima laughed. "Wait, so he looked that good?"
"Girl," Ada said, placing a hand on her chest. "You don't even understand. The boy glowed up. He's a full-grown man now, Kaima. Beards, deep voice, confidence, the whole package."
"Oh my God," Kaima whispered. "So, what happened next?"
"We get to the wedding, and at first, it's just casual talk. 'How have you been?' 'What do you do now?' But then, during the reception, he pulls me to the dance floor."
"Wait. Dare danced?" Kaima sounded shocked. "The same Dare that used to run away from social gatherings?"
"Exactly!" Ada exclaimed. "I was just as shocked. But he danced. And not just awkward two-step dancing—real dancing. Hand on my waist, leading me like a pro. I swear, my knees almost gave out."
Kaima cackled. "You're finished!"
"Finished is an understatement," Ada admitted. "We danced, we talked, and then after the wedding, he asked if I wanted to get ice cream."
Kaima gasped. "Nooo. He actually asked you out?!"
"He did," Ada said, smiling to herself. "And we sat in his car for hours just talking. It was so easy, like no time had passed between us."
Kaima sighed. "This sounds like a romance movie, Ada."
"I know, right?" Ada said dreamily. "But here's the thing. Before we left, he said something that's been on my mind all day."
"What did he say?" Kaima asked, sounding eager.
Ada hesitated, then said softly, "He said, 'I always wondered what would've happened if I had asked you out back then. Maybe now I have the chance to find out.'"
Silence.
Then Kaima screamed again. "Adaaaaaaa!"
Ada laughed. "I know, I know!"
"What did you say?!"
"I just smiled," Ada admitted. "I didn't know what to say. But Kaima, I think he's interested in me."
Kaima gasped. "And are you interested in him?"
Ada hesitated for a second before whispering, "More than I want to admit."
Kaima exhaled. "Oh wow. So, what now?"
"I don't know," Ada said honestly. "But I think I want to find out."
A comfortable silence stretched between them before Kaima spoke.
"Ada… I think we're both about to enter something."
Ada smiled. "Yeah, I think so too."
And so, the sisters spent the next hour exchanging stories, laughing, and teasing each other.
By the time they ended the call, Kaima felt lighter, happier. No matter what happened, she was grateful to have Ada in her corner—her confidant, her best friend, her sister.
And as she lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling, she wondered what the future held for her and Obinna.
Maybe, just maybe, Ada was right. Something beautiful was unfolding.
And she was finally ready to embrace it.