She turned slightly, her bright eyes meeting the beaming face of Anika Moore, her best friend and fellow history major. Anika was everything Valerie was not—bubbly, talkative, and utterly persistent.
"I've missed you so much! You should've taken my elective. Today's class was amazing! We learned about love stories in history! Do you want to know what we learned?"
Valerie arched a delicate brow. "As if you'd stay quiet even if I said no."
Anika sighed dramatically but grinned. "We learned about the legendary love story of Valentine and Valentina. Forbidden Love on Val's Day. That's the name of the story. The intriguing part is that a British man fell in love with a Ghanaian woman." She eagerly shoved a book into Valerie's hands. "I know you don't care for romance novels, but I swear, you won't regret reading this one."
Valerie glanced down at the book, rubbing her thumb over the textured cover. She wasn't a fan of romance, preferring to focus on the lost histories and mysteries that intrigued her. She'd spent years unraveling unsolved events, but she didn't want to crush her friend's excitement.
"I'll take a look," Valerie said, her tone neutral.
Before she could respond further, she noticed a group of students nearby whispering excitedly, their eyes darting toward her and Anika. The shift in energy caught her attention, and she couldn't help but feel a slight disturbance in the air.
Anika, being Anika, wasted no time marching over to investigate. "Hey, what's going on?" she asked, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
One of the girls scoffed. "With your nosy personality, I'm shocked you haven't figured it out yet. I thought history students were supposed to be smart—what happened to your brain?"
This girl, Jerylla, was well known for her disdain toward history students, particularly the women. Recently, she had been on a silent rampage, trying to uncover which girl from the history department had caught Benjamin's interest.
Anika's face twisted in irritation, and she stepped forward, ready to retaliate, but Valerie's cold, composed voice stopped her in her tracks.
"You're directing your anger at the wrong person," Valerie said, her gaze locking onto Jerylla's. Her voice was soft, but the weight behind it was undeniable. "I heard the guy you like is pursuing someone. Instead of picking fights, you should watch out for fake friends—I saw someone close to you sending gifts to your crush."
Her eyes flickered toward a blonde girl standing beside Jerylla, who visibly stiffened. The group fell silent.
Jerylla's expression darkened, but she said nothing. She turned on her heel and stormed off, dragging Bakita along with her.
As soon as they were gone, Anika burst into laughter. "You're terrifying, Val. But seriously, that was hilarious! And did you hear what I said? Benjamin has been sending me gifts! He keeps trying to win you over through me, but I don't like pretty boys. He's not my type."
A softened expression flickered across Valerie's face, but it vanished as quickly as it came. She remained expressionless. "Are you implying you're manlier than Benjamin? You have a death wish. Calling him a pretty boy… don't let him hear it."
Anika dramatically waved her hands. "Ugh, no way! That guy is way too delicate for my liking. Besides, I can tell Jerylla likes him—I wouldn't want unnecessary drama." She paused, then smirked. "Even though he's not my type, I admit he's handsome. No wonder even a beauty like Jerylla likes him."
Valerie arched an eyebrow. "I see you have a death wish today. You and I both know I'm not interested in relationships. I'm here to study, and I'm almost done with my third year. I won't let anything distract me."
The two girls laughed, their banter filling the air as they made their way toward the bus stop, unaware that a certain someone was watching them closely. Benjamin turned away with a bitter smile before stepping out of the gates.