By the middle of the semester, Ruth had settled into her usual rhythm lectures, group projects, late-night study sessions, and the occasional weekend outings with Dav. It wasn't a routine she ever grew tired of. If anything, it felt like a comfort, a pattern that reminded her she was never truly alone. But as much as she cherished it, there was one thing she couldn't avoid: her friends were starting to notice things she tried very hard to ignore.
Miriam was the first to bring it up.
It happened one breezy afternoon in the campus café. Ruth had just returned from the gym with Dav, her hair still damp from a quick shower, when she found Miriam waving at her from a corner table. A half-empty iced coffee sat in front of her, and her eyes carried that mischievous sparkle Ruth knew all too well.
"You're glowing," Miriam said as Ruth slid into the chair opposite her.
Ruth blinked, confused. "Glowing? It's probably just the sweat. Dav dragged me to the gym again."
"Ah, Dav," Miriam drawled, sipping her drink slowly. "You know, if I had a dollar for every time I heard his name in your sentences, I'd be rich by now."
Ruth groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Don't start, Miriam."
"Why not? Everyone else already has." Miriam leaned forward, her grin widening. "Seriously, Ruth. You two are always together. People think you're dating."
Ruth peeked at her friend through her fingers, half amused, half exasperated. "Well, they're wrong. Dav is… Dav. My friend. That's all."
Miriam raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Just a friend, hmm? Funny how your 'just a friend' knows your favorite snacks, makes sure you get home safe every night, and spends more time with you than some boyfriends spend with their girlfriends."
Ruth rolled her eyes but said nothing. She knew Miriam was only teasing, but the words still found their way into her chest, settling there like an itch she couldn't scratch.
A few days later, it was Grace's turn.
The four friends Ruth, Miriam, Grace, and Tolu were gathered in their hostel room, sprawled across the beds with textbooks open and snacks scattered between them. They were supposed to be revising for an upcoming test, but as usual, the study session had derailed into laughter and side conversations.
At some point, Grace who was usually the quiet observer spoke up.
"Ruth," she said suddenly, her tone soft but deliberate.
Ruth glanced up from her notes. "What?"
"Do you… like Dav?"
The room fell silent. Even Miriam, who had been giggling at a meme on her phone, looked up with wide eyes.
Ruth laughed nervously, trying to shrug it off. "What kind of question is that? Of course I like him. He's my friend."
"No," Grace pressed gently, "I mean… do you like him? More than a friend?"
Ruth froze, pen hovering above her notebook. She could feel the weight of all three girls' eyes on her, waiting. A thousand thoughts rushed through her mind, but she forced herself to smile.
"Don't be silly," she said, shaking her head. "Dav doesn't see me that way. And I don't see him that way either. We're just close, that's all."
Tolu snorted, clearly unconvinced. "You're lying. I can tell. Your face is giving you away."
Ruth grabbed a pillow and threw it at her, laughing to mask the sudden tightness in her chest. "Can we please get back to studying?"
The girls exchanged knowing looks, but they didn't press further. Still, the question lingered in Ruth's mind long after the textbooks were closed and the lights were switched off.
Do I like him?
It was a dangerous thought, one she had avoided for months. But now that her friends had spoken it aloud, it echoed louder than ever in her heart.
The truth was, Ruth didn't know how to answer.
Yes, she cared about Dav. She loved his company, his laughter, his little quirks. She loved how safe she felt when he was around, how he could turn the worst day into something bearable with just a smile or a joke. She loved that he never treated her as less, never made her feel invisible, even when others did.
But was that love or just friendship?
She told herself it was the latter. It had to be. Because anything else felt too risky, too terrifying. If she admitted it if she admitted she had fallen for him and he didn't feel the same, everything would change. Their easy laughter, their weekend gym trips, their silly football games… all of it could vanish in an instant.
No, she couldn't let that happen.
So she swallowed the truth and buried it deep, smiling whenever her friends teased, pretending the flutter in her chest didn't exist.
Dav, meanwhile, remained blissfully unaware of the storm inside Ruth's heart. To him, their friendship was one of the best parts of his life. He leaned on her without hesitation, trusted her with secrets he didn't share with anyone else, and looked forward to every moment they spent together.
One evening, as they sat on a bench near the library, sipping soft drinks after a long day of classes, Dav turned to her with that easy grin she knew so well.
"You know," he said, "people keep saying we're dating."
Ruth's heart skipped, but she forced a laugh. "Well, they're wrong, aren't they?"
"Of course," he replied quickly. "You're like my sister. I don't know what I'd do without you."
The words were meant to comfort, to reassure, but to Ruth they felt like tiny shards. She smiled anyway, hiding the sting in her chest.
"Yeah," she whispered, staring at the bubbles fizzing in her drink. "Siblings."
Dav didn't notice the shadow in her voice. He was too busy telling her about a new gym routine he wanted to try. But Ruth noticed. And for the first time, she wondered how long she could keep pretending that being "just friends" was enough.
That night, lying in bed, Miriam's teasing voice returned to her mind. Grace's quiet question echoed again. And though Ruth tried to silence them, she couldn't escape the truth anymore.
She was falling for Dav.
The only question was: what would she do about it?