"I'm sorry I'm late," Nina said.
"My mom had to drop my brothers off at school first."
"It's fine," he replied with a warm smile.
As Nina fumbled with her handbag, trying to put her phone away, he asked, "How are you?"
His gaze rested on her, but Nina was too focused on her bag to look up. Still, the question sent a flutter through her chest.
She repeated it silently in her mind, wondering why it had caught her off guard.
"Good morning, Sir," she said with a grin, finally looking up. She assumed he had asked how she was because she hadn't greeted him yet.
Instead of answering, he chuckled, and Nina found herself laughing too, though she wasn't quite sure what was so funny.
"Sir, I should hurry," she said, remembering why she was there. "I have a piece to deliver today."
His eyes lit up with interest. "Oh, really? I'd love to hear it."
A wave of nervousness washed over Nina, and her smile faltered.
"Thank you, Sir," she said softly. "I'm just a little nervous about speaking in public."
Just then, Alia stepped through the doorway they were about to enter.
"Hey, Nina! You're just getting here?" she asked warmly.
Turning to him, she added, "Good morning, Sir."
"I'll catch up with you inside. I just need to make a quick call," Alia said before hurrying away.
The exchange was over almost as quickly as it had begun, leaving Nina alone with him once again as they stepped through the doorway.
"Thank you, Sir," Nina said with a smile. "I should probably get going."
Instead of responding, he simply looked at her, his gaze lingering for a moment longer than she expected. A flutter of unease rose in her chest, and she quickly made her way into the hall.
Alia was the only person Nina knew in the entire club. Just being there was a challenge for her. Still, it was one of the few places where she could pursue what she loved, and little by little, she was beginning to feel at home.
They had attended the same secondary school. Although they had never been classmates, they'd stayed in touch over the years. Nina wasn't the type to strike up conversations with strangers, so having Alia there made everything a little less intimidating.
This was only her third visit to the Art Club. The first had been overwhelming, the second a little easier, and now, despite the lingering nervousness, she was proud of herself for coming back.
As they walked out, Nina's heart was still racing.
Alia nudged her playfully. "You were amazing up there! I loved your piece."
Nina smiled. "Thanks, Alia. I'm just really glad it's over."
Alia chuckled. "Nervous? Don't worry, that's part of the experience. You're a natural."
Nina laughed. "I guess I've come a long way, huh?"
Alia grinned. "You have no idea. I remember how quiet you used to be in school."
Nina rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Who would've thought I'd be performing poetry in front of a crowd?"
They were still talking and laughing as they reached the main gate when Nina's phone rang.
She smiled when she saw it was Momma.
She had called her earlier to say they were finished and ask if she was coming to pick her up, but the call had gone unanswered.
She answered immediately.
"Momma, we're done. Are you coming to pick me up?"
The same gentleman Nina had met earlier that morning walked toward them. While she continued her conversation, Alia greeted him.
"Are you sure you can manage?" her mother asked again.
"Yes, Momma, I can do it."
"Be careful, okay? See you."
The call ended, and Nina slipped her phone into her handbag before turning to the gentleman with a smile.
"Hello, Sir."
"Hello, Miss Poet," he replied with a smile.
"Oh, I'm Nina, Sir," she said, pulling a funny face.
Alia laughed and mimicked her. "I'm Nina, Sir."
The three of them laughed.
He turned to Alia. "And what's your name?"
After she introduced herself, he said a few kind words about Nina's performance. Nina could only stand there, blushing, while Alia happily responded on her behalf.
Just then, his phone rang, and he stepped aside to answer it.
Nina and Alia continued walking toward the road.
"He's one of the organizers," Alia said. "You weren't at the first meeting, so that's why you don't know him. He introduced himself as Liam that day."
Nina mentioned that her mother was no longer coming to pick her up, so she would be taking a taxi instead. Since Alia was heading in a different direction, they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.
As Nina settled into the taxi, she found herself replaying the encounter in her mind.
A flutter stirred in her chest whenever she thought about Liam and the way he had spoken to her.
The taxi lurched over a pothole, jolting her back to reality.
She smiled to herself.
She couldn't shake the feeling that something had quietly changed.
As Nina stepped into the house, she glanced at the clock.
2:05 p.m.
The parlor was empty except for the television, which played softly in the background.
She headed for the dining area, calling out, "I'm home, guys!" with a laugh, already knowing Momma would tease her for being dramatic.
Femi and Folu came running to greet her.
"Welcome!"
Nina dropped her bag and phone on the table before scooping them up, one after the other, and spinning them around until they burst into giggles.
"How was school?" she asked as she set them down.
Momma emerged from her bedroom, where she'd been helping the boys with their homework.
"How's it?" she asked.
"It's great, Momma," Nina replied with a grin. "I have so much to share."
Momma smiled knowingly.
"Let me freshen up," Nina said as she headed to her room. "My stomach's growling. I'll be right back."
As she walked away, she called over her shoulder, "Did Dada ask about me? We didn't talk today."
After freshening up, Nina joined her family for lunch and told them all about her morning.
Later, she retreated to her room for a nap, joking that it was her medicine after being around people.
That evening, as she settled into bed, her mind wandered back to the day's events. She had performed, and the thrill of it still lingered. She couldn't wait to tell Dada and Praise all about it.
But instead of calling either of them, she found herself lying there with her phone in her hand, a silly smile spreading across her face.
"What am I doing?" she whispered.
Then it hit her.
Liam.
Her heart fluttered as she realized she'd been thinking about him.
Her mind replayed the moments they'd shared that day, and she couldn't help smiling.
"Hello, Miss Poet," she whispered, remembering the way he'd said it.
Her cheeks warmed.
"Oh, Nina, what's gotten into you?" she murmured with a soft laugh before finally pushing the thoughts aside and dialing Dada's number.
As the phone rang, her thoughts wandered back to Liam. She wondered what he'd thought of her performance and whether he'd noticed how nervous she'd been.
"Hey, what's up?" Dada's cheerful voice broke into her thoughts.
"Dada, I did it!" Nina said, barely able to contain her excitement. "I performed today."
Dada let out an excited squeal.
"That's amazing! I'm so proud of you! Tell me everything!"
Laughing, Nina told him all about the performance.
"I was so nervous, Dada. My heart was racing, and I thought I was going to mess up."
"I'm sure you were amazing," Dada said with a chuckle. "You're always so hard on yourself."
Nina smiled.
"Thanks, Dada. Just talking to you makes me feel better."
"Anytime, kiddo. I'm proud of you. Now get some rest, okay?"
"Okay, Dada. Love you."
"Love you too, sweetie. Sleep well."
The call ended, leaving Nina
with a quiet sense of peace.
She snuggled deeper into her bed.
A moment later, thoughts of Liam found their way back into her mind.
She smiled to herself.
Before long, she was asleep.