Divine had liked Ariel for a long time — longer than he ever admitted out loud. But she had a boyfriend, and for a while, that was enough reason for him to keep his distance. He told himself it was just a crush, something he could ignore if he stayed busy enough. So, he did. He avoided her, watched her from afar, and tried not to care too deeply.
But all of that changed the day he saw Daniel with another girl.
That image hadn't left his mind since.
From that moment, Divine made a decision that he was going to steal Ariel away, not with lies or force, but slowly, by being everything Daniel wasn't. He would find his way into her heart the right way — the sincere way. But he knew something important: he had to make his intentions clear from the start. If he acted like just a friend, she'd only ever see him that way. So on that day, in the store, he told her the truth. Told her he liked her. Told her plainly, gently, sincerely.
And though she said she loved her boyfriend, she hadn't pushed him away. That was enough for now.
---
After Divine's big revelation, Ariel didn't know how to feel. She had smiled politely and made an excuse to leave the library early. Her heart was racing, not from excitement, but from confusion. She walked out into the afternoon sun, needing a familiar voice.
She picked up her phone and called Favour.
"Hey... are you still in the library?" Ariel asked, her voice low.
Favour answered quickly, "Yeah, I'm still here. Why?"
"Are you ready to go home? I'd rather not walk alone," Ariel said, her eyes scanning the students walking past.
"Oh, thank God," Favour sighed in relief. "I'll be right out. I was already tired of sitting here. I'll tell Samuel I'm heading home."
"Alright, I'm outside. I'll wait," Ariel said, ending the call and placing her phone in her bag.
She leaned against the wall by the entrance, taking a deep breath. Moments later, Divine came out of the library too, spotting her immediately.
He smiled. "You're still here."
Ariel nodded slowly. "Yeah... I'm waiting for someone."
Divine stepped a little closer, still smiling. "About earlier... I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
Ariel looked at him carefully. "You didn't. I just... wasn't expecting it."
"I get it. I just thought it was time I told you the truth," he said, his eyes soft. "But no pressure. I'll still be around — same Divine."
Ariel gave him a small smile, unsure of what else to say. Just then, Favour appeared, waving at them.
"There she is," Ariel said quietly, grateful for the interruption.
She turned back to Divine. "I'll be heading home with my friend."
Divine gave her a short nod. "Of course. I'll see you around."
---
Back at their hostel, Ariel dropped her bag and collapsed on the bed. Favour sat on the edge of hers, removing her sandals.
"You look like someone who saw a ghost," Favour teased.
"I might as well have," Ariel muttered.
"What happened?" Favour asked, turning fully to face her.
Ariel hesitated, then sat up. "Divine told me he likes me."
Favour's eyes widened. "He did? Like, today?"
Ariel nodded. "At the convenience store. Said he's liked me for a long time but didn't want to scare me off."
Favour raised her brows. "Well, that's bold of him."
"He wasn't pushy, though," Ariel added quickly. "He just said I should think about it."
"So... what do you think?" Favour asked carefully.
Ariel looked away. "I don't know. I love Daniel, but... he's been distant. Cancelling plans, barely calling. But I know it's because of school."
Favour leaned back and folded her arms. "Ariel, I'm not saying jump into Divine's arms, but maybe... don't shut him out completely either. Daniel isn't giving you anything to hold onto lately."
Ariel shook her head. "He's just busy. I believe him. I still love him."
Favour sighed. "Just be careful. Love is great, but it's not blind. You deserve effort, too."
---
Later that night, while Ariel was on her phone texting her course group chat, Favour lay silently on her bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
Samuel had been acting strange. One moment he was warm, the next, cold. She thought back to earlier — how he barely spoke to her, how he reacted when Henry showed up. It didn't make sense. Was he jealous? Or just annoyed?
She turned onto her side and picked up her phone, scrolling through her chats until she reached his name. Her thumb hovered over it, but she didn't open it.
"I can't keep doing this to myself," she whispered.
Maybe it was time to find out the truth — to stop guessing how he felt. But before that, she needed to clear her head. She needed space.
"I'll stay away for a bit," she muttered to herself. "Then I'll tell him. Whatever the answer is... I just want to be free from this heartache."