Twelve Days to Valentine ✨✨

 

Two days more..🥺

"Concerning yesterday's incident, sir, I'm very sorry. It was unintentional. I was thoughtless at the moment."

"It's alright." After a pause, he asked, "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"

"Sir?"

"Concerning Miss Chenka?"

I looked at Dr Griffin in a puzzled manner. "I don't understand, sir."

"You don't think that I have been your lecturer for a while now and I have not seen the way you look at her like fresh shawarma, do you?"

I chuckled nervously. He had removed his glasses and was staring straight at me. I shifted uncomfortably on my seat. He noticed and gave a friendly chuckle that reminded me of who he was, good old Dr Griffin.

"She's a lovely girl. She's dutiful, polite, kind. She's very serious at times," Dr Griffin said emphatically and I chuckled.

"You really know how to pick 'em," he complimented.

"Thank you, sir," I said a little unsure.

"Do you intend to marry her?"

"Sir?" I asked feeling the interview was going too far.

"Calm down, boy. You're practically old enough to be a father," said Dr Griffin. "Well, do you?"

"Um, sir... If she is willing to have me..." I stuttered.

"So you will propose?" Dr Griffin asked inquisitively.

"Sir, I really don't know how I should answer these questions. I..." I stopped determined to say nothing more.

"Well," Dr Griffin waited eagerly, "spit it out. Can't you see I'm scouting for wedding rice?"

I laughed. He laughed too. "Never mind me, boy. There's still plenty to do before you think of settling down. There's your project defense for instance. Let's not let love get in the way of education, for as the Bible says, there's time for everything."

"Yes, sir."

"However, a bird in the hand is worth more than a billion elsewhere. Chenka will make an excellent companion."

"Thank you, sir," I said after a phase of silence. I felt he wanted me to appreciate his encouragement or something. 

The next question really got me, "Does she agree to the match?"

I didn't respond. How was I supposed to know when I was too scared to ask her?

What an eventful morning with Dr Griffin, I thought. Despite how awkward it all had seemed, I brooded on his valuable words. My bird at hand was worth more, and I wasn't willing to lose her for anything, if she would have me.

I had to find out.

"Excuse me, do you happen to have a bouquet of blue roses?" I asked a florist.

"Blue roses? No, sorry. We only have red and pink roses."

"How much for that one?" I pointed at a pretty pink rose.

"The price is 200 but we are doing a valentine bonanza so the price is 150."

I gave her 200 and asked her to keep the change. Then I hid the rose in my jacket and went to find Chenka.

I entered my classroom with a smile on my face. Everyone seemed busy with something. As I passed, they looked at me and began to whisper. Strange🤨 If that was strange, Dan's behavior was stranger. "Don, wetin you do?" he asked repeatedly and went on his way without telling me what he meant.

Is everyone okay? I shrugged and went to Chenka. I found her in the midst of my course mates. They all looked at me sternly. Oma who was among them gave me a bitter, "How could you?"

I didn't respond. I looked at Chenka who sat transfixed with a paper in her hand. She looked like she had seen a ghost. She was also breathing unsteadily.

"Chenka," I called gently but she didn't reply me. She kept staring at open space. I looked at the paper in her hand; it had her handwriting on it. I took it and saw that the paper was an exam script.

"Phy 101," I read in shock. How come? This script... It was the same one I had...

Chenka stood up and eyed me stonily. "What is this?" she asked with tears in her voice.

I stared at her speechlessly. I stood before her and searched for what to say.

"I... I..."

"Noah," she began calmly, "this script was part of the ones you helped Mrs Njoku take to her office after the exam. Did you... Did you deliberately remove my script and cause me that carryover?"

Oh, God.😥 I had prayed for this day to never come. That's why I had thrown it away, but here it was, in my evil hands, after four years! How?

"I... I... I didn't..." I began like a fool.

"Noah," she called me in a trembling yet determined voice. "Yes or no?" As she said this, tears gushed down her cheeks.

My heart raced. My hands shook with fear, with confusion, with guilt.

"Yes," I said at last. It took me a lot, but I said the truth. I had hurt her; I wasn't going to lie to her.

Without a word, she turned her back to me and left the classroom. I grabbed her shoulder and the rose fell from my jacket. I said desperately, "Chenka, please, let me explain..."

My cheek smarted as Chenka landed me a heavy slap. The impact caused everyone to exclaim. I held my mouth in pain. I tasted blood.

I dared not meet the deadly glare she gave me after the slap. I dared not. I only stared at her hand as it shook with the choked sobs that gripped her. When I eventually glanced her face, my heart broke💔

Without a sound, she turned her back to me once more and walked out of the classroom, and, out of my life.

To be continued.