Twelve Days to Valentine ✨ ✨

 

Six days more..🧡

"Alright class..."

"You made a big mistake, Noah."

"Who can recall the formula for kinetic energy?"

"You'll be sorry for this!"

"How is this essential to our topic for today?"

"You and your stupid doll will suffer for this!"

"Now, we must calculate the density of..."

"If I don't have my revenge, make I bend!"

"Mr Ekrong!"

I woke up from my bed of thoughts and saw Dr Griffin's angry countenance. I stood up at once with a, "Sir."

Slowly, he took off his glasses. Then he asked the last question I wanted to hear, "What was the last thing I said?"

I struggled to recall but Mikaila's evil laughter was all that came to my mind. With a dejected sigh, I said, "I'm sorry, sir."

I felt the weight of everyone's eyes, especially Chenka's. Dr Griffin put his glasses back on and said those five devastating words, "See me in my office."

The class mumbled in shock. I knew what they were thinking; Dr Griffin's best student was getting called to the office! I hid my shame and resumed my seat.

I was returning from Dr Griffin's office when Dan called me and began to tell me about something irrelevant while trying to lead me to the classroom.

"Dude, what's your problem? I'm not going to the classroom," I shot with irritation.

"Wait na. Your bag is in class," Dan said casually.

"What do you mean? My bag is right..." I looked at my shoulder; it wasn't there. Where's my...

"Are you looking for this?" Chenka asked and held my bag up.

"Chenka... Give it here." I went to her but she threw my bag over my head and said, "Oma, catch."

"I got it!" Oma said and kept it from my reach.

"Oma, give it here," I demanded.

"Oma, here," Dan said and Oma threw my bag to him.

"Dan!"

"Don, smile first. Make I give you," Dan said.

"Bring it here!" I heard Chenka call from behind and Dan ran to her. When I turned, I saw she was beside a waste basket. In her hand was my school bag.

"Chenka!" I whined and they laughed. Chenka whispered that she liked it whenever I whined like that. On a better day, I would have laughed but I was not in the mood, and I told them so.

"Tell us why," Chenka ordered.

"It's... It's nothing," I said.

Chenka raised her brows and held my bag over the waste basket. She said in her sweet mischievous voice, "I've always wanted to know how designers and trash look together." Then she pouted her mouth and narrowed her eyes in a manner that made my heart melt just to look at her. How could someone look so naughty and yet, so angelic?

"Chenka... Guys, I'm fine. Really. I just..."

"Is it about the project defense? Guy, you worry too much! After, you'll be brandishing your first class," Oma said leading me to the classroom.

"Yeah, don. Forget whatever it is Dr Giraffe abi Griffon told you," said Dan.

I sat on a chair and said to Dan, "You know I'm the rep of his course."

"Ai! Dan, be careful, oh!" Oma said with a laugh as she sat on the table before me.

"So? Wetin Giraffe fit do?" Dan said nonchalantly.

Oma dramatically narrowed her eyes, pulled off her invisible glasses and said "See me in my office!"

We laughed merrily.

"No. You got it wrong, Oma. He'll say, 'Young man, what is your name, and your reg number?'" I said mimicking good old Dr Griffin.

"You dey use your own doctor dey catch cruise?" Dan asked and we laughed.

"What is the vertebral column of your argument?" I mimicked Dr Griffin's usual statement whenever a student affronted him with a smart question. They laughed at my impression. I laughed too. Chenka joined us. "Rich kid, so you have the morale to make fun of Dr Griffin?"

"Why? Will you report me?" I asked and held her eyes with mine. She opened her mouth to speak and closed it almost immediately. I smiled. She smiled too.

"Awwwn," went Dan and Oma. I laughed and Chenka gave an embarrassed chuckle. Dan and Oma decided to tease us. Dan caressed Oma's cheek and Oma blushed. "Oh, Chenka! My darling Chenka! You're the garri I drink to survive," Dan declared loudly.

"My rich kid! Stop it. Can't you see I'm shy? Rich kid, buy me meshai," Oma responded with equal drama. 

"Oma, I'll kill you!" Chenka screamed and chased Oma who ran for her life. Everyone in class laughed, especially me.🤣 I laughed till my ribs hurt. Even when everyone had forgotten the joke, I still laughed over it.

"Ah-ah, Don, it don do, na," Oma said as we walked home after classes but I laughed all the same.

Friends!😌 They're always there to cheer you up when your down in the dumps. There's no _dulling_ with them.

I followed Oma and Chenka to their hostel. Chenka stayed with me at the quadrangle while Oma went to her room after announcing, "I'd better leave you two lovebirds alone."

Alone with Chenka 😌 I normally craved for moments like this, but today, I felt rather distracted. I turned on my data and saw that Mikaila had sent another threat voice note. I pulled out my earpiece and listened to the messages curiously. As I listened, my face creased with concern. How far was this dangerous lady determined to go? What was she planning? Was Chenka safe?

"What are you listening to?" Chenka asked as she pulled one of my buds from my ear and put it to hers. I quickly paused the voice note and closed my WhatsApp. She gave me a suspicious look. I feigned a relaxed smile. Deep down, I was nervous she would read my mind.

"What are you hiding?" she asked.

"Do you think I'm hiding something?" I said elusively.

"Last night, when you called me, you were sounding worried. What was wrong?" she queried.

"I was scared you were over-reading again. Chenka, madness is real, oh. I don't want to hear you were reading through the night," I lied.

"That's not true!" Chenka fired.

"Okay. You're right. I wanted to know if you were feeling shy." I said and folded my hands.

"Why?"

"So I could get you meshai," I said and laughed. She punched my shoulder lightly and pouted her lips at me as she squealed, "Noah, I'm serious!"😳

I started. "You called me Noah," I said and she lowered her eyes. Excited, I held her chin and raised her head so I could look into her eyes. "You called me Noah," I said again nearly laughing for joy.

She pushed my hand away and said, "So what? Is this the first time?"

I replied by gazing at her. She stuck her tongue out at me and I laughed.

"I'm serious."

I looked at her and knew she was. There was a hint of anxiety in her eyes. She reached for my hand gently and asked while monitoring my expression, "Did your parents get angry with you because of the money you helped me with?"

"No. Why should they?" I said with a grimace. I added comically, "That's one of the advantages of being a rich kid. You can spend your money anyhow you like."

"Then why are you moody? You've been worrying about something lately. What are you thinking of?" she asked in that beautiful voice that made me think of the angels in paradise. I gazed at her pretty eyes as they begged me to confide in them.

I shook my head slowly and smiled. Then I said with all honesty, "I'm just marvelled at how you came into my life and changed me."

Smooth, Noah, very smooth 😌 I saw her blush a little. All that remained was to confess my love to her. She didn't give me a chance though, for she raised her eyebrows at me and said, "Really? Do you think that is going to work?"

"I'm fine, Chenka. Really," I said taking her hand in mine.

"Just don't hesitate to talk to me if you're not fine. I'm your friend, am I not?"

I smiled lovingly at her and pulled her into an embrace. She didn't resist.

We stayed like that until Chenka pulled herself from me suddenly and said that Oma would be waiting. Then she called me rich kid before leaving.

As I watched her leave, all my thoughts went back to Mikaila's voice note. I frowned. Was my Chenka really in danger?

To be continued.