CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE: SMALL THINGS
By evening prep, the weather had changed completely.
Dark clouds gathered heavily above the school compound, covering the sky in dull grey. The breeze carried that familiar scent that always came before rainfall — wet sand, cold wind, and something strangely calming.
Students hurried across the compound before the rain started properly.
"Run na!"
"Your notebook go soak!"
"Close those windows!"
The usual boarding school noise echoed everywhere.
I walked beside Victoria and Morayo toward the classroom block while hugging my books tightly against my chest.
"I swear if rain falls during prep, everybody is sleeping," Morayo complained.
Victoria laughed. "Especially you."
"I won't deny it."
I smiled faintly while listening to them banter. Somehow, being around them again felt less awkward now. Not completely normal yet, but softer than before.
As we climbed the classroom stairs, the first raindrops finally started falling.
Girls screamed dramatically while rushing inside.
"Omo!"
"My hair!"
"Close the louvers!"
The rain began heavily almost immediately, hitting the zinc roofs loudly.
By the time I entered the classroom, Samuel was already seated.
As usual.
He looked up the moment I approached our desk.
"You almost got drenched."
"Almost," I replied while dropping my books.
"You should have run faster."
"I was walking with people."
He nodded slightly before pushing something toward my side of the desk.
I blinked.
"What's this?"
"Biscuit."
I stared at him confused.
"Why?"
"You barely ate during dinner."
My heart reacted instantly again.
This boy noticed everything.
"I ate."
"Not enough."
I sighed softly.
"You observe too much."
"And you hide too much."
That answer caught me off guard.
Before I could respond, Daniel entered the class noisily with two boys behind him.
"This rain is wicked!" he complained dramatically while shaking water from his sleeves.
"You're shouting like somebody that melted," Samuel muttered.
Daniel ignored him completely and walked toward our desk.
"Floral, your hostel side is already flooding small."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Some juniors are already carrying buckets inside."
I groaned immediately.
Boarding school plus rainy season was one of the most irritating combinations on earth.
Daniel suddenly noticed the biscuit on my table.
"Oho."
I immediately knew that expression meant trouble.
"Oho what?"
He pointed accusingly at Samuel. "So this is what we're doing now?"
Samuel looked unbothered. "Doing what?"
"Buying biscuit secretly."
"It's ordinary biscuit."
"Exactly," Daniel replied dramatically. "It starts with ordinary biscuit. Next thing, wedding invitation."
I nearly laughed.
Samuel shook his head tiredly while I hid my smile.
"You talk too much."
"But am I lying?"
Before Samuel could answer, the prep master entered the class sharply.
"Everybody settle down!"
Immediately, noise reduced across the classroom.
Rain continued pouring heavily outside while students opened textbooks reluctantly.
The cold weather made the classroom feel unusually sleepy.
Within thirty minutes, half the class already looked tired.
Even me.
I rested my cheek lightly against my palm while pretending to read Chemistry notes.
Then suddenly, I felt something touch my hand under the desk.
I looked down immediately.
Samuel had pushed the biscuit closer toward me again.
I turned slightly toward him.
He whispered quietly without looking up from his notebook.
"Eat before headache starts."
Something warm settled inside my chest again.
Small things.
Samuel always did small things.
And somehow, those small things affected me more than they should.
I quietly opened the biscuit and ate one piece.
A few minutes later, another thing landed softly beside my notebook.
I looked down.
Sweet.
I blinked in confusion before turning toward Samuel again.
He still faced front calmly.
"You too like giving people things," I whispered.
This time, he smiled faintly.
"You complain too much."
I smiled despite myself.
From the far end of the class, Daniel glanced toward us briefly.
Then his eyes narrowed slightly.
Not angrily.
Almost thoughtfully.
Like somebody noticing changes they didn't fully understand yet.
…
After prep ended, the rain still hadn't stopped.
Students gathered near the classroom entrances waiting for it to reduce.
Some SS3 boys even started singing loudly from another block.
Typical rainy evening behaviour.
"I'm not running in this rain," Victoria announced firmly.
"You'll still run," Morayo replied.
"I won't."
"You will."
I laughed softly while standing near the corridor rails.
Cold wind brushed against my skin lightly.
Then Samuel appeared beside me.
"You're waiting too?"
"Obviously," I replied. "Unless you want me entering hostel looking like soaked bread."
He laughed quietly.
For a few seconds, both of us simply watched the rain silently.
The compound lights reflected against puddles forming across the ground.
Students screamed and laughed while dashing through the rain anyway.
Then unexpectedly, Samuel spoke softly.
"You know… I like rainy weather."
I glanced at him.
"Why?"
"It makes everything quieter."
I looked around at the noisy students.
"This is your idea of quiet?"
He smiled slightly.
"You understand what I mean."
And strangely enough…
I did.
The silence between us afterward felt calm instead of awkward.
Then suddenly Daniel joined us.
"Both of you are standing here like movie characters."
I rolled my eyes immediately.
"You don't rest."
"No time."
He leaned against the rail beside us casually.
"Since rain refuses to stop, somebody should gist me."
"About what?" I asked.
Daniel shrugged dramatically.
"Anything. Life. Love. Heartbreak."
Samuel scoffed softly.
"You need help."
"Very badly."
I laughed quietly again.
Then Daniel suddenly looked toward me.
"Actually, Floral…"
"Hm?"
"Has anybody ever toasted you before?"
I nearly coughed.
Samuel turned toward him immediately.
"What kind of random question is that?"
Daniel ignored him.
"Well?"
I frowned slightly. "Why are you asking?"
"Answer first."
I hesitated.
"Not really."
"That's surprising," Daniel replied honestly.
"Why?"
He shrugged. "You're fine."
My face warmed instantly.
Samuel looked away briefly.
Daniel continued casually, completely unaware of the tension slowly building.
"Actually, many boys probably fear you."
I blinked. "Fear me?"
"You always look serious."
"That's because some people are annoying."
"See?" Daniel pointed dramatically. "Exactly what I mean."
I laughed despite myself.
Then suddenly, Samuel spoke quietly.
"She doesn't look serious all the time."
Something about his tone made both me and Daniel glance toward him.
He kept his eyes on the rain while speaking calmly.
"Only around people she's not comfortable with."
Silence followed briefly.
And weirdly enough, that simple statement affected me deeply.
Because Samuel noticed things.
Too many things.
The rain finally reduced slightly after some minutes.
Students immediately began rushing toward the hostels noisily.
"Oya run!"
"Carry your books well!"
"I no fit wait again!"
Daniel stretched lazily.
"Thank God."
As we prepared to leave, Samuel suddenly removed his sweater.
I frowned immediately.
"What are you doing?"
"Take it."
"For what?"
"You'll feel cold."
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
Before I could argue further, he already placed it around my shoulders casually.
The warmth of the sweater mixed with his faint scent immediately.
And suddenly my heartbeat became uneven again.
Daniel watched the entire thing quietly.
This time, he didn't joke.
Didn't tease.
Didn't say anything.
He simply looked away briefly before adjusting his bag properly.
"Let's go before seniors lock hostel," he muttered.
The three of us started walking through the damp compound together.
Rainwater splashed lightly beneath our shoes while students hurried around us.
And for some reason…
The warmth of Samuel's sweater resting around my shoulders made it impossible to think properly anymore.