CHAPTER EIGHTY: WHISPERS AND ATTENTION
The next morning began with noise.
Not the normal hostel noise of girls dragging buckets and shouting over missing slippers.
This one was louder.
More energetic.
More chaotic.
Interhouse sports had officially ended, but the excitement refused to die down. Everybody kept discussing who won what, who embarrassed themselves on the field, who looked attractive in sportswear, and who was secretly crushing on who.
Boarding school students could turn anything into gossip within minutes.
I climbed down from my upper bunk slowly, still feeling slight pain in my legs from yesterday's relay. Gift was already awake beneath me, sitting cross-legged on her bed while applying cream to her legs carefully.
"You walk like old woman," she commented casually after noticing how slowly I climbed down.
I rolled my eyes immediately.
"And whose fault is that? Interhouse sports nearly killed me."
She laughed faintly.
"You still did well though."
"Thank you."
The room buzzed with activity around us. Some girls were already tying wrappers around their uniforms while rushing to the bathroom queue. Others stood before tiny mirrors trying to arrange their hair neatly before morning assembly.
"Who has my black socks?!"
"Shift from my bucket abeg!"
"Senior girl is coming!"
Typical morning chaos.
I grabbed my towel and toothbrush before heading toward the bathroom area with Gift behind me.
"You and Victoria are talking again?" she suddenly asked as we walked through the corridor.
I glanced at her briefly.
"A little."
"And Morayo too?"
"Kind of."
She nodded slowly like somebody processing information carefully.
"That's nice sha."
I didn't reply immediately.
The truth was, things still felt strange between me, Victoria, and Morayo. Yes, we were talking again. Yes, they were trying. But the closeness we once had still felt distant somehow.
Like cracked glass trying to fit back together.
As we joined the queue outside the bathrooms, I noticed several girls whispering nearby.
At first, I ignored them.
Until I heard my name.
"… Floral and Samuel sef…"
"… yesterday during prep…"
"… they fit each other…"
I stiffened slightly.
Gift noticed too.
She glanced sideways at the girls before facing front again.
Neither of us said anything.
But suddenly the atmosphere between us felt uncomfortable again.
…
By breakfast time, the entire school compound was alive with movement.
Students rushed toward the dining hall in lines while prefects shouted at slower juniors.
"Move fast there!"
"No noise!"
"Carry your plate properly!"
The morning sun had already started becoming harsh despite the early hour.
I walked beside Victoria and Morayo toward the dining hall while trying not to think about the whispers from earlier.
"People are already gossiping," Victoria muttered quietly.
I sighed immediately.
"About what?"
She gave me a look.
"You and Samuel na."
My chest tightened.
Morayo nodded dramatically. "This school doesn't let people breathe. Just one interaction and everybody becomes FBI."
"I'm serious," Victoria continued. "Yesterday after prep, some girls in my hostel were already saying Samuel likes you."
I nearly choked on air.
"What?!"
Morayo laughed softly at my reaction.
"You should see your face."
"I'm serious!" I whispered harshly. "People should stop saying nonsense."
"But…" Victoria paused meaningfully. "Does he?"
I immediately looked away.
"I don't know."
That answer alone made both of them exchange knowing looks.
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
The moment we entered the dining hall, the usual morning noise welcomed us immediately. Plates clattered loudly. Students argued over bread sizes. Some SS3 boys shouted football arguments from one corner while teachers on duty monitored movement strictly.
I collected my tea and bread quietly before finding a space to sit.
Unfortunately, Samuel and his friends entered almost immediately after.
And somehow, despite the entire dining hall being filled with students, my eyes found him instantly.
Gift noticed him too.
Of course she did.
She sat straighter unconsciously.
Samuel greeted some boys near the entrance before his gaze moved across the hall.
Then it landed on me.
And just like yesterday evening, he smiled faintly.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just enough to make my stomach betray me again.
"God," Victoria muttered beside me. "That boy likes you."
"Please eat your bread," I grumbled.
Morayo burst into laughter.
But even while pretending annoyance, I couldn't stop the warmth spreading quietly inside my chest.
…
Classes that morning were stressful.
Partly because teachers suddenly remembered academics existed after sports week.
Partly because my brain refused to concentrate properly.
Everywhere I turned, it felt like somebody was watching me differently.
Even during Mathematics, one SS2 girl passing our class peeped inside and whispered something to her friend while looking directly at me and Samuel.
This school would not let me rest.
During short break, Samuel rested his elbow lightly on our desk and sighed dramatically.
"These teachers want to kill somebody."
I laughed softly.
"You say that every single day."
"Because every single day they prove me right."
I shook my head smiling.
Then suddenly, his expression changed slightly.
"Are people disturbing you?"
My smile faded a little.
"What do you mean?"
"I heard some boys talking this morning."
My heartbeat slowed nervously.
"Oh."
"They're saying things," he continued quietly. "About us."
I stared at my notebook awkwardly.
"It's normal. This school talks too much."
"Hm."
Silence settled briefly between us.
Then unexpectedly, Samuel leaned slightly closer.
"Does it bother you?"
The question caught me off guard.
I looked at him properly for the first time that morning.
His expression looked calm.
But his eyes searched mine carefully.
I swallowed.
"A little," I admitted honestly.
He nodded slowly.
"Me too."
That answer surprised me.
"You too?"
"Obviously," he said quietly. "People exaggerate things too quickly."
Something about his tone felt strange.
Not rejection exactly.
But cautious.
Careful.
And suddenly fear crept quietly into my chest.
What if he didn't actually like me the way I hoped?
What if I was misunderstanding everything?
Before I could overthink further, Daniel suddenly appeared beside our desk holding two meat pies.
"Cafeteria woman finally remembered me today," he announced proudly.
I laughed immediately.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you." He handed one meat pie toward me naturally.
I blinked.
"I didn't ask for one."
"I know."
Samuel watched quietly as I collected it.
Then Daniel looked between both of us.
"Why do you two look serious like divorced parents?"
I burst into laughter immediately despite myself.
Even Samuel laughed softly.
Daniel grinned proudly.
"See? I just saved the atmosphere."
"You're actually stupid," I told him while shaking my head.
"Yet you people love me."
Samuel scoffed lightly.
"Who is 'you people'?"
"All my fans."
"Delusion."
Daniel placed a dramatic hand on his chest.
"Pain."
I laughed again, this time harder.
And somehow, for a moment, everything felt normal again.
Simple.
Easy.
Until Gift walked toward us.
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
Not obviously.
But enough for me to notice.
Gift stopped beside Daniel first.
"You didn't wait for me at the cafeteria."
"You were inside already," Daniel replied casually.
Then her eyes moved toward me and Samuel briefly.
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Her tone sounded light.
But something underneath it felt sharper.
Samuel sat upright slightly.
"Nah. Daniel was disturbing us as usual."
"Excuse me?" Daniel protested dramatically.
Gift laughed softly before turning toward Samuel again.
"Are you still coming for practice later?"
"Yeah."
"Okay then."
She smiled slightly before walking back toward her seat.
But not before glancing at me once.
Just once.
And somehow that single glance carried too many unspoken things inside it.
The moment she left, silence settled briefly again.
Daniel sighed exaggeratedly.
"This class is becoming emotionally stressful."
"Then leave," Samuel replied immediately.
"I would, but Floral likes me too much."
I nearly choked on my meat pie.
Samuel laughed under his breath while I glared at Daniel.
"You actually need help."
"But you smiled."
Unfortunately… he was right.
And maybe that was the real problem.
Because lately, whenever I was around Samuel, Daniel, or even Gift…