Favour had decided to return to school on the same day as Ariel. She had arrived a few hours earlier, unpacked, and even cleaned their room so it would look fresh when her friend arrived. After freshening up, she left to get a few things from the market for cooking. On her way back, she spotted Ariel at the gate, dragging her big bag behind her.
When they finally got to their room, Ariel collapsed on her bed with a dramatic groan. "You have no idea how much I missed this vibe. The holidays were so boring. Nothing exciting ever happened."
Favour laughed, sitting across from her. "Same here. Just eat, sleep, and scroll. At some point, I even started missing lectures!"
"That's when you know it's serious," Ariel teased, sitting up. "Oh, and guess what—I heard there's a party tonight. Do you want to go?"
"A party?" Favour raised a brow, pretending to be uninterested.
"Yes, please," Ariel begged, hands clasped. "We've been apart from all the fun for too long. And Divine and Samuel aren't even back yet, so it's just us. Let's go together."
Favour rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine. But if it's boring, you're buying me suya after."
"Deal," Ariel said with a grin.
---
That evening, the two girls dressed up beautifully and arrived at the lively venue of the party. Music boomed, colored lights danced across the walls, and the atmosphere was filled with laughter and chatter. But as they looked around, they realized they didn't recognize many faces.
"Hmm," Favour murmured, "this might be a mistake."
"Don't say that. Let's just get drinks first. Maybe things will get better," Ariel replied, tugging her toward the drinks table.
They chatted, cups in hand, trying to enjoy the vibe when suddenly a slim, strikingly beautiful girl walked up to them with a warm smile.
"Hi," the girl said confidently. "I'm Emily. Emily James. First year, English Literature."
Ariel and Favour exchanged a glance before smiling back. "I'm Ariel," Ariel introduced. "And this is Favour."
"Nice to meet you both," Emily said. "Honestly, I don't know anyone here. I just joined this semester, and I'm hoping to find a few friends who could help me out. You know, directions, advice… surviving campus."
Her openness made them laugh. "You're in luck then," Favour said kindly. "Ariel's also in English, so she's basically your senior in the department. And I'm in my final year, so… let's just say you're in safe hands."
Emily's eyes lit up. "Really? Wow, I'm so happy I ran into you two."
The three stuck together for the night, talking, laughing, and even dancing a little before deciding to leave the noisy party. They took a walk under the cool evening air, and Ariel noticed that Emily's cheerful vibe made her easy to like.
---
Over the next two days, Ariel, Favour, and Emily became almost inseparable. Emily tagged along everywhere, and soon it felt as though they had known her for much longer.
Ariel was in their room with Emily, gushing about Divine. "He should be arriving today," Ariel said with bright eyes. "After one whole month of being apart. I can't wait."
"You really like him," Emily remarked with a small smile.
"Like him? I love him," Ariel corrected, blushing.
Emily chuckled. "That's cute. I can't wait to meet him then."
As if on cue, a knock came at the door. Ariel practically leaped off her bed. "That must be him!" She hurried to the door and opened it.
There he was—Divine, smiling warmly. Ariel's heart skipped. She jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Divine!" she exclaimed.
"I missed you so much," he murmured, hugging her back firmly. "You have no idea."
"I missed you more." Ariel pulled back only to throw her arms around him again.
Favour and Emily exchanged amused glances from their beds. Emily tilted her head, studying Divine carefully. "So that's him?" she whispered to Favour.
"Yes," Favour whispered back. "That's Divine."
Emily's lips curved into a sly smile. "He's… very handsome." Her eyes lingered on him, almost too long.
Favour notice and frowned slightly.
---
After a while, Divine and Ariel left, holding hands as they caught up. Emily leaned closer to Favour again.
"So… how old is he?" she asked, pretending to be casual.
"Twenty-one," Favour replied shortly.
"And what department?" Emily pressed.
"Same with Ariel."
Emily nodded thoughtfully. "When did he and Ariel start dating?"
"Last semester," Favour answered, now visibly irritated.
Emily smiled, her gaze still fixed on Divine as his figure disappeared into the distance. "Interesting. They look good together."
When she noticed Favour's narrowed eyes, she quickly added, "Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm just curious because he's my friend's boyfriend. I need to know about him too, right?"
Favour forced a smile but said nothing. Deep inside, she was uneasy. Emily's interest didn't sound innocent—it felt like more than curiosity.