The morning sun streamed lazily through the tall windows of the lecture hall as Favour walked in with her books pressed against her chest. Her eyes scanned the rows of seats until they landed on Samuel. He was already seated near the middle, leaning slightly toward a female classmate.
The girl beside him was Emma, a bright-looking student with round glasses and neatly braided hair. They seemed to be whispering about something, both of them chuckling softly.
Favour's steps slowed, her heart tugged with a strange unease. Still, she forced a smile and walked to the seat on Samuel's other side.
"Good morning," she greeted softly as she settled into her chair.
Samuel turned, smiling warmly at her. "Morning, Babe. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, I did," she replied, though her tone carried a hint of stiffness. Her gaze flickered briefly toward Emma, who smiled politely but quickly turned her attention back to the lecturer entering the room.
Throughout class, Favour found it difficult to concentrate. Each time Samuel leaned toward Emma to explain something or share a small remark, Favour felt her stomach twist. Why is he whispering so much to her? she thought, biting her lip.
When the lecture ended, Samuel stretched and packed his books. "Favour, Emma's coming with us to the library," he said casually, as though it were nothing unusual.
Favour hesitated, her brows slightly knitting. "Oh… okay," she murmured, forcing a small nod.
At the library, the three of them settled at a table near the window. Samuel patiently explained some of the day's material to Emma, who was struggling to keep up. At one point, Favour leaned closer and asked softly, "Samuel, could you please explain this again? I'm really lost."
Samuel studied the page and shook his head lightly. "You should try it one more time. It's not too hard. Read it carefully—you'll get it."
Favour sighed but obeyed, flipping her notebook while muttering to herself. She simply lowered her eyes to her own notes, trying to ignore the twinge of jealousy in her chest.
---
That afternoon, Ariel sat in a cozy café with Emily. The sweet aroma of coffee and pastries filled the air, and the two friends were waiting for someone.
A tall, lively young man approached their table, his smile disarming.
"Hello, beautiful ladies," he greeted with a playful bow. "Do you mind if I interrupt two angels enjoying paradise?"
Emily rolled her eyes and chuckled. Ariel raised a brow but couldn't help smiling faintly. "You sound like someone who rehearsed that in front of a mirror."
He laughed at himself, pulling out a chair but waiting for their approval before sitting. "Maybe I did. But tell me it wasn't worth it."
Emily gestured for him to sit, amused already. "Who are you, really?"
"I'm Kelvin," he said with a grin. "Third-year, Business Administration. Professional joke-cracker, part-time dreamer, full-time admirer of beauty." He tapped his chest dramatically. "And today, I've clearly been blessed to meet the prettiest girl in this café."
Emily smirked. "Which one of us?"
"Her," Kelvin said without hesitation, pointing to Ariel.
Ariel's cheeks flushed. "Me?"
"Of course. You must be Ariel, right?" His tone softened as he added, "You have the kind of smile that could make someone forget they're broke.
Emily burst into laughter, nearly spilling her drink. Ariel shook her head, struggling to hide her amusement. "You're ridiculous."
"Ridiculously honest," he replied smoothly. "So, do you always sit in cafés, dazzling innocent students who happen to pass by, or did I just get lucky today?"
"You definitely just got lucky," Ariel said, finally laughing.
"Then I'll press my luck further—can I get your number? Strictly for friendship, of course." He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Unless, of course, you're offering something more. In that case, I wouldn't dare say no."
Emily gasped theatrically. "Kelvin, you're shameless!"
"Shameless and proud," he replied with a wink.
Ariel hesitated but eventually gave him her number. Kelvin's grin widened like he'd just won a lottery. "Perfect. Now, don't forget—Kelvin doesn't disappear easily. If you ignore my texts, I'll just show up with coffee until you say yes."
Emily laughed again while Ariel shook her head, half-exasperated, half-flattered. After a few more jokes, Kelvin stood up, saluting them playfully. "Alright, ladies, I'll leave you to your mysterious meeting. Don't worry, I'll keep today in my memory. Especially you, Ariel. Be ready—I'm a loyal friend. And a funny one."
He winked again before strolling out.
Moments later, Divine arrived with Sophie. Ariel's smile returned, though her eyes darted between Sophie and Emily, already sensing tension.
"Sorry for the delay," Divine said warmly as he sat beside Ariel. Sophie smiled politely at the group.
Emily's eyes, however, stayed glued on Divine.
"So," Ariel began, "how have you been, Sophie?"
Sophie smiled kindly. "I've been fine. It feels good to be in school, though it's a little overwhelming as a new student. I'm glad I ran into Divine—he's been a familiar face."
"That's nice," Ariel replied.
Sophie leaned forward suddenly, her chin resting on her palm. "Divine, you've changed," she said lightly. "I mean, you even sound different. I almost didn't recognize your voice."
Divine glanced at her briefly, then gave a short smile. "People grow," he said simply, then turned his attention back to Ariel.
Emily's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer before she forced a laugh, pretending not to care. But Ariel noticed. She noticed every flicker of Emily's attention, every lingering smile.
Meanwhile, Sophie leaned closer to Ariel. "I can see you and Divine are really close. Honestly, I admire that. Not many couples survive long-distance or breaks in communication."
Ariel smiled faintly. "It hasn't been easy, but we've managed."
Sophie nodded. "You're lucky. He really seems to love you. I could tell just by the way he talked about you when we reconnected."
Those words softened Ariel's heart. For a moment, she began to warm up to Sophie's presence.
Still, she couldn't ignore how Emily's eyes followed Divine whenever he spoke. As the four of them chatted, Ariel kept her composure, but her thoughts circled back to Sophie's earlier warning about Emily: Be careful. She looks innocent, but Divine likes innocent girls.
By the end of the café meeting, Ariel was smiling, chatting, and trying to act normal. But deep inside, her mind was restless, watching Emily's every move.
---
That evening, back in her room, Favour dropped her bag onto the bed and sat beside Ariel.
"You won't believe the kind of day I had," she said with a sigh.
Ariel, who was scrolling through her phone, glanced up. "What happened?"
"Samuel… he's been spending time with Emma. You know, our classmate. He explained things to her in class, and she even followed us to the library. They kept whispering, and honestly, I didn't like it."
Ariel leaned forward, concerned. "Did you ask him about it?"
"No… I didn't want to cause drama. But it bothered me all day."
"Favour," Ariel said gently, "you should ask him directly. Don't keep it inside. If it's nothing, he'll explain."
Favour nodded slowly. Later that evening, she messaged Samuel:
Favour: "Can we talk? I'd like us to take a walk."
Samuel: "Of course. Meet me outside the hostel."
---
They walked quietly under the soft glow of the streetlights, their shoulders brushing occasionally. Samuel glanced at her several times, sensing her silence.
"You've been moody all day," he finally said. "What's wrong, Favour?"
She looked away, her lips pressed tight.
"Is it… because of Emma?" he asked gently.
Favour stopped walking, folding her arms. "You tell me. You've been giving her so much attention lately. Whispering in class, helping her in the library—what do you expect me to think?"
Samuel sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Favour, listen. Emma came to me because she's struggling. Her grades dropped last semester, and she's scared it will happen again. She asked me for help, so I agreed. That's all."
"But do you have to give her so much attention?" Favour asked, her voice soft but wounded.
He stepped closer, his tone coaxing. "You're the only one I care about, Favour. You know that, don't you? I'm sorry if it felt like I was ignoring you. I should've told you earlier."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. "I just don't want to feel like someone else is more important to you."
Samuel smiled, taking her hand gently. "No one else is. You are. Always."
Favour finally smiled, leaning against him as he kissed her forehead. "Okay. I forgive you."