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Anita's POV

I walked majestically to the door just to come across as bold and confident in Samson's house, until the house itself set a trap for me just to embarrass me in front of him.

Something on the floor made me trip. I thought I was going to hit my butt hard on the floor 'cause I was ready for it, but then a hand gripped me by the waist firmly. It was Samson's hand, obviously.

As soon as he touched me, there was this sensational feeling I felt and trust me, it was pleasant. We stayed glued, starring at each other for what seemed like forever. He was looking at me as if he was piercing through my soul and I was also looking at him that way. His eyes were so captivating that I couldn't get enough of it. They were just...wait, did I just want to say that they were beautiful? What was wrong with me? I shouldn't feel this way towards a guy, at least, not again.

"Very good!" Was the sinister word that ruined the special moment. I wanted to remain like that with him but...

We both abruptly stood up and starred at the being that was right in front of us. Trust me, the girl's look was killing. It was so venomous.

"Uh...uhm..." Samson seemed to find words hard to say. He stuttered and exchanged glanced with me and the stranger in front of us. "Zainab! Wh...what are you doing here?" He scratched his head nervously.

She squinted her eyes and folded her arms around her chest. "Really? So you ask me what I'm doing here. What is she doing here?" She gestured at me, disapprovingly.

I cleared my throat. "Er...I guess I have to go now." I checked the time in my wrist watch. "It's past five. I have to run along now." I spoke swiftly. Then rushed to get my bag from the chair. "Bye Samson." I didn't even wait to hear what he had to say, I just hurried out.

"Wait Anita!" Samson hollered at me. I snapped my head at him. "You don't know your way out." He stated.

"I can manage. I don't want to keep the girl in your house waiting."

"No, I can't leave you to walk alone. Besides, this is rural area and I have to ensure your safety." He pleaded.

"Aw..." I let out a fake smile. "Okay." I shrugged.

—————

The next day came so quick.

"So how was your study with Samson?" Ola asked with enthusiasm.

It was break time and we were walking to the food vendor. Samson and I had been avoiding gazes, not to talk of speaking to each other. It was quite awkward for me though, but I passed.

We sat down on our favourite desk at the food vendor.

"It was great." I answered simply.

They both exchanged glances at each other before looking at me in a 'duh' manner.

"Is that just it, great?" Susan questioned.

"What else do you want me to say?" I looked at them perplexedly.

Ola narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. "Something. Anything but great."

"Okay. It was fun." I knew what they wanted but I was playing charade. Duh, they have to ask for a gist if that was what they wanted.

"Really Anita, Really?" Susan sounded quite annoyed.

"What?" I chuckled.

"Gist us!" They both bawled.

"More like it." I smirked triumphantly. "Anyways, it was quite an experience. Wait, did I gist you guys on our first encounter in my house?" Don't be surprised guys, I was quite the serious type but that doesn't mean I was boring.

"You don't say!" Ola exclaimed.

"I do say. It was..."

"Wait!" Susan cut me off. "Are you trying to say that yesterday you studied in his house?!" Her eyes were wide opened.

"I guess you read a lot of meaning to that. Well, yes!" I smiled at them.

"Oh. My. God!" They both squealed. "Are you like being serious right now?!" Ola gushed like a sissy.

"Do you want me to be jesting?" I was surprised at their sudden excitement. Mostly Ola's. Just because of a guy?

"Wow. This is...exciting." Susan exhaled.

"What's exciting!" Wale interrupted with a smug smirk on his supposed handsome face. Don't get me wrong, he had a handsome face but I didn't see it that way neither did I see it as ugly.

I rolled my eyes at his presence. "Do you mind?"

"Nope, I don't mind." He took a seat beside me, making his body gum to mine. I then adjusted so that there would be enough space in between us.

"What do you want?"

"You."

As he said that, a low groan escaped Susan and Ola's mouth. They probably didn't make it loud 'cause literally everyone in the class were afraid of him except for me. I presume you all know the reason. 

"That aside, what were you girls gisting about?" Wale continued to talk.

"Duh..." Ola waved at him, girlishly. "I'm a guy." He stated matter of factly.

"Oh. So you're a guy? I didn't know o. I thought you were a fag!" He then burst out in a rage of laughter.

I looked at Ola and the look on his face was anything but happy. He looked so hurt and instantly, I pitied him.

"Can you please get out!" I said to Wale, which made his laughter die down.

"I should go?" He frowned at me.

"You heard right." I rolled my eyes unapologetically and pouted my lips.

"Fine!" He stood up and hit the desk hard, making all of us jolt. "Anita, remember my proposal." He said before storming out.

"Or what?" I muttered.

There was silence in the air. The three of us stayed mute for a while before I decided the break the discomforting silence. "Just the perfect way to ruin our fun." I found myself saying. "Ola, are you all right?" I wanted to retrieve him to earth. I sure as hell knew that after Wale had called him a fag, he wasn't himself anymore.

He took a peek at me. "Sure. Why?"

"Uhm...never mind. Since you say you're all right, then it's fine."

"Because he called me a fag?" He said seriously. "I've gotten more than that." This was the first time Ola was this serious. I bet it really got to him and I pitied him.

"Ola," I held his palm. "Don't let whatever anyone tell you get to you. You are who you are and no one can change that, asides from you." I said in a suiting manner.

"Stale stale." He feigned yawning.

I giggled and playfully hit him on his arm. "You've started again." I smiled at him. "But I'm being serious here. Don't let people's word get to you. Yeah, at times they could be right but still...you are you. I prefer this side of you and not the serious type." We both laughed at my words.

Susan cleared her throat, interrupting our moment. "The gist o." She put up this 'I don't care' face.

"Are you for real?" I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

"Yeah, the gist." Ola chimed in and that caught me off guard. After Wale just talked him down, he still was interested in the gist. It was just funny how he was so interested in anything that involved Samson. He actually could be gay, just saying. 

"You guys are impossible." I shook my head and we all laughed heartily.

—————

Closing time.

The discussion we had during break time was a long and interesting one. I told them all that they needed to know, however, I scrapped the part of him being poor. I couldn't possibly tell them that or they'd see him in a different way.

Susan, Ola and I were outside the school compound talking. I was waiting for Tracy, so they were keeping me company.

"My driver is around already, I have to run along now." Ola stated. "Are you coming with me, Susan?" He asked Susan.

"Nope. I'm going somewhere."

"Okay. Bye then."

"Bye." We both waved at him.

"Where are you going?" I asked Susan immediately Ola was out of sight.

"Just...someplace." She smirked at me mischievously.

"Hmm...don't transform into something I wouldn't be able to call my friend again."

"So now we are playing the skepticism game." She stated rather than a question.

"Maybe." I shrugged.

"I thought you trusted me." She hit me on the shoulder, hard.

"Ouch! That hurts!" I shrilled.

"Just as my feelings hurt now." She dramatically touched her chest. We both laughed at her action.

"Hmm..." Someone cleared the throat. We looked at the person, surprisedly, it was Samson. I mouthed an 'o' when our eyes locked.

"Good afternoon." He smiled sheepishly at us. "Anita, I was just thinking...maybe you and I...like both of us...you know? We could just..." And he kept on rambling nervously and shyly.

"Study today?" I spat out. His  nervousness was quite adorable, surprisedly. I found him cute at the moment. What was wrong with me?

"Exactly." He confirmed. I smiled genuinely at him and I guess it was contagious, cause he returned the gesture. Although, he was still shy but less nervous.

"Mmm-hmm. Well, not today Samson."

He snapped his head at me. "Why? I mean, we have to study everyday so as to win the competition."

I folded my arms around my chest. "But we haven't been studying, have we?" The look on his face was priceless. He looked embarrassed yet shy. "Look Samson, why don't we just skip today and study tomorrow. Also, I think we need a timetable because we can't be studying everyday. It's kinda stressful."

He nodded his head in approval. "Yeah right. Uh...so...what you up to today?" He licked his already pink lip, making it pinker and wet.

"I..."

"Uhm...excuse me." Susan interrupted. "I have to be on my way, Anita. Bye." She waved at me and scurried away. Why did she do that?

He chuckled nervously, licking his lip again. I was forced to raise an eyebrow at him. I wondered why he was chuckling.

"What's funny?" I asked perplexedly.

"Er...nothing. I...I just...never mind."

We remained awkwardly silent after. The silence was killing that I, for the first time in a long time, was actually uncomfortable with a guy.

"I...I need to go look for my sis now." I finally broke the silence. Phew!

No sooner had I left his midst than he called me back. "Wait Anita!" He paused for a while. "I'm sorry."

My eyebrows merged in confusion. "Sorry? For what?"

"For everything. For the fact we didn't study for the two days we were together. For what happened yesterday at my place. For letting you avoid me throughout the day. For..."

"Stop it already, Samson. None of them were your fault. Life just happened."

"Then why do you wanna skip studying today?" He said softly.

"I'm not just in the mood." I said truthfully. "Now I have to go and look for my sister. She's taking like forever to get out here. I wonder what she's doing in there. Bye." I waved at him and walked inside the school compound.

"Bye." I heard him say.

* * * *

Yay! I'm back. Hope you didn't miss me too much. Anyways, new cover there. How's it? Which do you prefer in this and the other? Suggestions.

Yeah, how was the chapter? Hope it covers up for the late update. And guys, check out my other book– Threshold of a new life. You'd surely like it just as much as you like this. 😉

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