BOOKS BY RIRI

CHAPTER THREE

CLASS BANTER

The lecture hall buzzed with low murmurs as students filed in, some settling into the back rows with laughter and chatter, others scanning for the best view of the whiteboard. Amari adjusted her bag, her eyes already set on the second row her usual spot. But Bella tugged at her wrist.

“Let’s sit over there,” Bella said, nodding toward the middle section where her friend group had gathered, girls with full glossed lips, flashy nails, and the kind of laughter that made people turn.

Amari hesitated. “You know I like sitting in front. I can’t concentrate from the middle.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “Come on, just for today. The girls haven’t seen me and Joel together since we made it official. I want them to see how we vibe.”

“I’m not here for the vibe,” Amari said, soft but firm. “I came to learn.”

Bella folded her arms. “So I can’t enjoy my relationship and still be with my friends?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“You don’t support me. That’s the truth.”

Amari looked around students were starting to glance their way. Her voice lowered. “You’re making this about something else.”

Before Bella could retort, a hand slipped between them.

“Enough,” Joy said, stepping in with a tight frown. She looped her arm through Amari’s. “Amari, come. It’s not worth it.”

Amari allowed herself to be pulled away, but her heart pounded with frustration. She didn’t like public drama and Bella knew that.

Later, back at the hostel, the common room buzzed with more than just the usual evening banter.

Bella was perched on the edge of her bunk, surrounded by her clique Ifeoma and Precious. Someone had brought up the argument from earlier, and before long, the story had twisted into a spectacle.

“I mean, why’s she always acting like she’s better than us?” Ifeoma asked, chewing on her gum like it owed her money.

Precious scoffed. “Because she gets straight A’s? Please. You know I heard she’s been sneaking around with someone’s man.”

“Whose man?” someone from the corridor called out.

“Maybe she’s eyeing Joel. That’s why she didn’t want Bella sitting with us.”

“No way,” Ifeoma chimed in. “I heard it’s someone else. Someone she’s been hiding.”

By the time Amari walked in, holding her shower bucket and headphones slung around her neck, the laughter stopped. Eyes followed her. Whispers trailed behind her steps.

She paused, sensing it all.

“Wow,” Bella said loudly. “Speak of the devil.”

Amari turned slowly, her gaze locking with Bella’s. “If you have something to say, Bella, say it.”

“Oh, I don’t need to,” Bella replied with a smug smile. “Apparently, you’ve been saying plenty behind everyone’s backs.”

The silence was sharp, stinging.

Amari scanned the room, hurt flickering in her eyes. Then she turned and walked away.

She didn’t owe them anything.

But in the pit of her stomach, she knew this wasn’t the end.

Amari waited until after dinner.

She’d had enough of the whispers, the sideways glances, and the half-muttered comments that stopped whenever she entered a room. Her appetite had disappeared sometime around noon, replaced by a storm brewing in her chest.

Bella was in the common area again, lounging on a chair while Precious braided Ifeoma’s hair on the floor beside her. The laughter and loud music were background noise but it all faded when Amari stepped in.

Her presence silenced the room like someone hit pause on the evening.

“Bella,” she said firmly, not caring about the audience. “We need to talk.”

Bella looked up slowly, brows arched, mouth already curled into a smirk. “Oh? Now you want to talk?”

“Yes. Right now.”

Bella stood, brushing imaginary dust off her shorts. “Say what you need to say, Amari. But don’t think I’ll stay quiet.”

Amari took a breath. “I heard what you and your friends have been saying about me. That I’m a boyfriend sn**cher. That I’m sneaking around.”

“And?” Bella crossed her arms.

“And it’s a lie.” Amari’s voice sharpened. “Joel and I are friends. That’s all we’ve ever been. You know that. You’ve always known that.”

Bella let out a cold laugh. “Best friends that act like you’re glued together? Always whispering, always texting. Always sitting close. What am I supposed to think?”

“That you trust him. And me,” Amari snapped. “Instead, you’re spreading lies and turning people against me.”

“I didn’t spread anything,” Bella said, raising her voice. “People are just finally seeing you for who you are. A hypocrite. Smiling to my face while chasing my boyfriend behind my back.”

“I’m not chasing anyone!” Amari shouted. “And maybe if you weren’t so obsessed with putting on a show for your friends, you’d see that!”

Precious stood now. “Bella, don’t let her twist things.”

Amari ignored her. “You want the truth? Fine. I do have someone. But it’s none of your business. And it’s not Joel. So stop calling me a cheat, stop calling me names, and stop acting like you own people.”

The room went still.

Bella stared at her for a long second eyes wide, mouth trembling, as if she wasn’t sure whether to scream or cry.

“You’re lying,” she said finally. “Trying to cover your tracks.”

“I’m done explaining myself,” Amari said, voice quiet now. Cold.

She turned and walked away.

Behind her, the silence stayed, heavy and thick, until someone muttered under their breath, “This hostel is about to catch fire.”

And they were right.

Because Bella wasn’t going to let it go.

Not now.

The room was dark, quiet. Joy had fallen asleep long ago, her soft breathing rising and falling like background music. Amari lay on her bunk, phone in hand, eyes fixed on the dim light of the screen. Messages had come in earlier some pitiful, some passive-aggressive, none from people who mattered.

Except one.

Jordan
Still awake?

She responded.

Me:
Unfortunately.

Her phone rang almost instantly. She didn’t think she answered.

“Hey,” he said, voice soft, almost like a whisper.

“Hi,” she replied, managing a small smile no one could see.

“You sound tired.”

“I am tired,” she murmured. “Emotionally, mentally… maybe even spiritually.”

Jordan chuckled gently. “Let me guess Queen Bella strikes again?”

“Harder than ever.” Amari turned onto her side, staring at the wall. “She’s on a full-blown PR campaign to drag my name through the dust.”

“What’s the latest headline?”

“That I’m a shameless cheat, juggling my best friend and some mystery guy at the same time.”

Jordan whistled. “Wow. Your villain origin story is unfolding fast.”

“I’m not even mad about the lie,” Amari said, her voice lowering. “I’m mad that people believe her. People I’ve known for years.”

Jordan paused. “You and Bella... were never friends, right?”

“No. Not even close. We’ve known each other since year one. Been in the same classes, crossed paths. That’s it. I tolerated her. She tolerated me. Until Joel.”

“Right,” he said slowly. “Then suddenly your name made it onto her blacklist.”

“Exactly. The second she started dating him, she decided I was a threat. Like I was just lurking in the shadows waiting to steal her man.”

Jordan’s tone turned playful. “Well, to be fair... you did sn**ch someone’s heart.”

Amari smiled despite herself. “Shut up.”

“I’m just saying,” he teased. “Maybe Bella’s right. Maybe you are dangerous.”

She laughed a tired, real laugh that sounded foreign to her ears after such a long, draining day. “You’re the worst.”

“But the worst who loves you,” he said simply.

There was a pause. Then his voice softened. “Amari... I know you act like you’re fine. You joke, you bounce back fast. But I know when you’re hurting.”

She closed her eyes, her smile fading slightly. “I didn’t think her words would get to me, but they did. I hate the idea of people seeing me that way. Like I’m fake, or manipulative.”

“You’re none of those things,” Jordan said. “People believe lies more easily when they come wrapped in drama. But anyone who really knows you? They’ll see the truth.”

She let silence fill the line for a moment. “I just wish things could be normal.”

“Normal’s overrated,” Jordan replied. “I mean, sure we’re sneaking around like a K-drama couple with an overprotective villainess. But look at the bright side: at least you’re not actually in love with Joel.”

Amari burst into another laugh. “Can you imagine? That would’ve been chaos.”

“Absolute chaos,” Jordan agreed. “You’re way too good for him anyway. You chose the hot twin.”

“You’re impossible,” she whispered, warmth settling in her chest.

“I’m yours,” he whispered back.

The silence that followed wasn’t heavy—it was comforting.

“I needed this call,” Amari said softly. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Jordan replied. “I’ve got you, no matter how messy things get.”

She smiled into the dark. “I know.”

The morning sun spilled lazily through the hostel corridor, warming the tiled floor and the walls still damp from early mopping. Amari was brushing her teeth outside when she noticed the sharp shift in the atmosphere girls pausing their conversations, heads turning subtly in her direction.

Here we go again, she thought.

Bella had stepped into the corridor, face made up, voice loud as ever. She wasn’t even trying to pretend anymore.

“So that’s her,” Bella said to no one in particular, but loud enough for everyone to hear. “The one that can’t keep her hands off other people’s boyfriends. Shame no longer exists.”

Amari didn’t even flinch. She continued brushing like nothing had been said, though her blood was boiling.

“Imagine calling yourself innocent when you’re playing two boys at once. Girls like that should be banned from hostels.”

A few girls giggled half entertained, half afraid to be Bella’s next target.

Then a firm voice cut through the air like a blade.

“Bella, rest.”

Every head turned toward Chioma, Amari's roommate, a final-year student known for her sharp tongue and zero tolerance for nonsense. She stepped forward from her corner of the corridor, her arms crossed, her expression one of bored disgust.

“Seriously. Don’t you get tired of embarrassing yourself?”

Bella blinked, momentarily stunned. “Excuse me?”

“No, you need to be excused,” Chioma fired back. “Excused from this childish obsession you have with Amari. Since when is a girl not allowed to be close to a boy you’re dating? Do you hear yourself?”

“She’s not just close” Bella started.

“Oh, so you have evidence now?” Chioma snapped. “You’ve been shouting and ranting for days with nothing but jealousy and makeup fumes to back it up. Girl, if your man can be taken, take it up with your man. Not Amari.”

Gasps rippled across the corridor.

Bella's mouth opened, then closed.

Chioma stepped even closer. “You call her a cheat? Last I checked, Amari’s never been caught sneaking out of any boy’s room at midnight. But you? You’re famous in more than three blocks for crying outside after every argument with your ‘precious Joel.’”

Laughter erupted now some muffled, some bold.

Bella’s face turned red. “You people are just”

“No, Bella. You’re just loud, insecure, and bitter,” Chioma snapped. “You want to be feared, but you’re just tiring. And the more you attack Amari, the more people are seeing you for who you are.”

Bella stood there, frozen, trying to save face. Her eyes darted around the crowd. No one was backing her this time.

Not even Precious or Ifeoma.

Amari watched it all silently from where she stood. When Bella finally turned and stormed off without another word, she rinsed her mouth and walked back inside calmly, as if nothing had happened.

But inside her, she felt lighter.

Chioma caught up with her by the stairwell. “Let her bark. You? You walk. Always walk.”

Amari smiled quietly. “Thank you.”

Chioma winked. “Girl, anytime.”

Hey lovely readers! 💖

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story your support means the world to me! 🌍✨

If you're enjoying the chapters so far, please don’t forget to like and leave a comment! Your likes help the story reach more amazing readers, and your comments truly keep me inspired to keep writing. 📝💫

I’d love to hear your thoughts, favorite scenes, wild theories, or just a quick “hi”! 💬💕

Let’s keep this journey going together! 🚀
Much 💕 😘

©RiRi

CHAPTER TWO

CLOTHESLINE AND CODED WORDS

It was a humid Saturday afternoon, and the hostel yard was buzzing with activity girls scrubbing, rinsing, gossiping. The thick scent of detergent hung in the air. Amari had just wrung out the last of her bedsheets and made her way toward the drying lines, a familiar rhythm after every laundry day.

But the moment she turned the corner, she stopped short.

Bella was there.

Spreading her bright tops and lacy underwear across the longest line Amari’s usual spot.

“Really?” Amari said, dropping her basin with a thud.

Bella turned, her expression a perfect mix of fake innocence and smug pride. “Hi Amari. Sorry didn’t see your name written here.”

Amari crossed her arms. “You’ve never used this line before. Why today?”

Bella shrugged. “People evolve. Besides... sometimes, new beginnings need a little more sunlight.”

From the side, Precious and Ifeoma Bella’s roommatesexchanged gleeful looks like the front-row audience to a show they’d been dying to watch.

“Must be exhausting trying this hard,” Amari muttered.

Bella didn’t miss a beat. “Must be frustrating watching someone else get what you never had.”

The silence that followed was heavy dense with unspoken truths and old assumptions.

Joy, who had been scrubbing her jeans near the tap, stood up straight. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Bella tilted her head. “Nothing o. Just speaking facts. Some of us finally have someone who actually sees us. Not just... hangs around out of loyalty.”

“Ohhh,” Precious whispered dramatically.

Joy walked up, face set. “You’re talking about Joel, aren’t you?”

Bella smiled, eyes locked on Amari. “I didn’t say any names.”

Amari’s voice was low but sharp. “If you think dating Joel makes you better than anyone, you’re more clueless than I thought.”

Bella’s expression hardened. “I don’t think I’m better. But at least I don’t hide behind a fake friendship pretending nothing’s going on. People talk, Amari. Everyone knows you were just waiting for the right moment.”

Amari stepped forward. “You’re right people talk. And most of the time, they don’t know sh*t.”

The air grew still.

Joy stepped between them. “Back off, Bella. This line drama is just your excuse to pick a fight you think you can win.”

Bella narrowed her eyes. “Or maybe I’m just tired of pretending Amari’s perfect. Everyone walks on eggshells around her. Rich girl, smart girl, bestie of Joel. Like we all have to bow.”

Amari laughed coldly. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not tired you’re insecure.”

Bella’s face flushed with anger. “I’m not the one threatened by someone else’s relationship.”

Amari leaned in, voice calm but cutting. “I’m not the one so desperate for validation, I’m trying to win a man I don’t even understand.”

“Ooooh!” a few girls nearby chorused.

The tension had drawn a crowd.

Joy crossed her arms. “News flash, Bella, Amari doesn’t want your man. You can relax and enjoy your two-week-old romance without dragging her into it.”

Bella clenched her jaw. “You act like she’s some angel. But I see it. The way she talks to Joel. The way he looks at her”

“Then maybe,” Amari said, now deadpan, “you should be worried about him instead of trying to fight me over clotheslines.”

The air shattered with murmurs and gasps.

Bella blinked, caught off guard.

Amari grabbed her clips and walked past her. “You can keep the line. I don’t need sunlight to shine.”

Joy followed, shooting a final glare at Bella. “Next time, don’t bring a crush to a confidence fight.”

Bella stood frozen, chest rising and falling fast, with her friends whispering around her—some in support, some in confusion.

Amari tossed her pillow aside and sank deeper into her mattress, phone pressed to her ear. The window was cracked open, letting in the warm breeze of late afternoon and the distant chatter from the hostel courtyard.

“Jordan,” she said as soon as he answered, “your brother’s new girlfriend is mad. Like actually mad.”

Jordan chuckled instantly. “Okay wow, what happened this time? Did she step on your sneakers or fight you for bathroom space?”

Amari groaned dramatically. “Worse. She tried to hijack my drying line.”

“Your what?”

“My drying line! The one I use every Saturday. You know how I do my laundry routine like a normal human being? Well, I got there today and found Bella spreading her fancy tops like she was shooting a commercial.”

Jordan laughed. “No way. Not the sacred drying line. How dare she?”

“Oh, it gets worse,” Amari said, flipping onto her stomach. “She starts making these lowkey comments—‘Some of us have new routines now’... ‘people evolve’... ‘red looks best on me’—I swear she was using the sun to flex her relationship.”

Jordan burst into laughter. “Wow. The confidence a two-week relationship gives people.”

“I know right?” Amari shook her head. “Then she and her sidekicks started throwing shade like I was the problem. Like I’m still holding onto Joel. Which is hilarious, by the way.”

“She’s jealous,” Jordan said simply.

“She’s annoying,” Amari countered. “And clearly threatened.”

Jordan hummed. “So what did you say?”

“I told her if she thinks dating Joel makes her better than anyone, she’s more clueless than I thought. Joy backed me up, thank God.”

“Oh, I love Joy,” Jordan said. “She doesn’t let nonsense slide.”

“You should’ve seen Bella’s face. It was like she thought I was going to back down and cry.”

Jordan laughed again. “That girl keeps picking the wrong person to compete with. You’re not even playing the same game.”

“I told her she could keep the line,” Amari said smugly. “Because I don’t need sunlight to shine.”

There was a beat of silence on the line, then Jordan started clapping slowly. “Iconic. I’m stealing that line for future use.”

Amari grinned into her pillow. “Please do. I deliver drama with dignity.”

Jordan sighed fondly. “I swear, I wish I was there to see it. That would’ve been premium entertainment.”

“I wish you were too,” she said, voice softening. “It’s only your reaction that makes it all feel funny instead of frustrating.”

Jordan was quiet for a second before he said gently, “You know I’ve got you, right? Always.”

“I know,” she replied.

There was something comforting about his voice in her ear, far away from the gossip, the petty fights, and the assumptions. He saw her not as Joel’s friend, or the rich girl in class but just Amari.

“And if Bella tries it again,” Jordan added, his tone teasing, “let me know. I’ll come down and hang my own clothes right next to hers in red boxers.”

Amari laughed so hard she wheezed. “Jordan! Stop! My stomach!”

“I’m serious!” he said through his own laughter. “I’ll hang a sign that says, ‘Reserved for Amari's boyfriend. Kindly shift.’”

“God,” she gasped, tears in her eyes from laughing. “You’re so annoying.”

“But yours.”

“Always.”

Amari stood at the base of Joel’s front porch, arms folded and lips tight. She didn’t bother hiding her annoyance as Bella bounced past her, practically skipping with excitement.

“Your house is so cute, Joel,” Bella gushed, sliding into the living room like she belonged there.

Joel, trying to play peacekeeper, gave Amari an apologetic look. “She begged, Mari. Said she just wanted to see how our ‘legendary movie nights’ go.”

Amari didn’t reply. She walked past him into the house, biting back the hundred reasons Bella shouldn’t have come. This wasn’t just movie night. It was their time — hers and Joel’s — and more importantly, it was the one night a month she got to see Jordan, even if only through a screen.

They set up in the living room. Bella claimed the middle cushion on the couch, forcing Joel and Amari on either side. She talked non-stop about the new horror movie she wanted them to watch, ignoring the fact that Amari always chose something nostalgic, like a coming-of-age classic or a light comedy. But tonight, Bella was determined to steer the night.

Amari’s phone buzzed. Her heart skipped.

Jordan💙 Incoming video call...

Amari quickly got up. “I’m going to take this in the guest room,” she said casually.

Joel nodded, already knowing who it was.

But Bella’s gaze flickered to the screen as Amari walked off. The name Jordan💙 lingered in her mind.

Minutes later, Bella “went to get water” — or so she claimed — and walked past the guest room just in time to glimpse Amari inside, laughing softly, wearing nothing but shorts and a bra top. The intimate, relaxed look. The kind of outfit one wore only around someone they were completely comfortable with.

Bella’s eyes narrowed. She walked away quietly, but the jealousy sat hot and bubbling in her chest.

When Amari came back, her mood had soured. She sank onto the couch, arms crossed again, and barely acknowledged Bella’s chatter.

“So,” Bella said brightly, “we’re watching The Silent House. Everyone says it’s terrifying.”

“I’m not in the mood for horror,” Amari said flatly. “Let’s do The Breakfast Club. Like we always do.”

Bella scoffed. “That’s so old. We’re not seventy.”

“It’s a classic.”

“Yeah, so is dial-up internet. Doesn’t mean we use it.”

Joel sighed, rubbing his temples. “Okay, okay, let’s compromise. One episode of Stranger Things, then we watch The Breakfast Club. Cool?”

Neither girl looked happy, but both nodded.

The rest of the night passed with a strange, quiet tension. Joel noticed. He always did. But he didn’t push it.

Back in the girls’ hostel later that night, Bella stormed into her room, slamming her bag on her bed.

“She’s hiding something,” she announced.

Her roommate, Ifeoma, raised a brow. “Who? Amari?”

“Yes. She went into the guest room to answer a call from someone named Jordan with a heart emoji. Came out in nothing but shorts and a crop top. Looking smug and moody.”

Ifeoma grinned. “You think they’re hooking up?”

“I don’t know, but it’s weird. And she got mad when I tried to choose a movie. Like she owned the night.”

Ifeoma sat up, suddenly intrigued. “Well, if you want to find out, you’ve got options. You could try befriending her. Get close, act like you’re cool with her, and then snoop.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “I’m not fake.”

“Then be bold. Ask Joel about Jordan. Or better yet, get his number from Joel’s phone. Pretend you accidentally saw it or something.”

Her other roommate Precious, chimed in from her bed, “Or just wait. Secrets always come out. Especially when someone’s that obvious.”

Bella didn’t answer. But the gears in her mind were turning.

---

Meanwhile, back in Amari’s room, things were calmer. She and Joy sat side by side on their beds, textbooks open, practicing questions for the upcoming test.

“Bella’s gonna be a problem,” Joy said, chewing on the end of her pen.

“You heard them?” Amari asked, glancing up.

Joy nodded. “Thin walls. Thin patience. She’s not just nosy — she’s jealous.”

Amari sighed, leaning back. “Can't I just want to be able to talk to someone in peace. Is that too much to ask?”

Joy smiled faintly. “You’re in a soap opera, girl. Except no one knows who the villain is yet.”

They laughed — but Amari’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. She could feel the drama building, and this time, she wasn’t sure she’d get to stay a step ahead

Ever since movie night, something had shifted in Bella. She couldn’t shake off the image of Amari slipping out of the guest bedroom, face drawn and mood foul, after taking a mystery call. The way she’d declined it first, then answered in private—it didn’t sit right.

Joel had brushed it off with a shrug, too nonchalant for Bella’s liking.

And Amari? She was walking around like nothing happened. Calm. Unbothered. Unreachable.

Bella hated that.

At lunch the next day, she sat with Precious and Ifeoma in the hostel common room, absentmindedly stirring her cup of cereal.

“She’s hiding something. I swear,” Bella said, her voice low.

Precious leaned in. “What do you mean?”

“I just… I don’t know. I feel like there’s this whole other life she has, and I’m not allowed in. Joel says nothing. But she always knows what he’s thinking, what he needs. It’s like I’m the stranger.”

Ifeoma scoffed. “What did you expect? You’re new to his life. She’s been there longer.”

“But they keep secrets together,” Bella muttered.

“So dig,” Precious said simply. “You want to know? Look for what they’re not telling you.”

—

The next few days, Bella watched closely. She started noticing things she hadn’t before.

Amari rarely mentioned her own personal life, never spoke about any guy she was dating or interested in. Yet she was always texting, always sneaking away for private calls.

Joel laughed with Amari in a way he didn’t with her. Like they shared a world she wasn’t invited into.

One afternoon after class, Bella saw Amari laugh at a text message before quietly slipping outside to answer a call. When Bella peeked at her phone screen as she passed, the name was saved as “Jordan💙"with no photo.

"Jordan"

Bella’s brows furrowed. "Was it the same person?" It couldn’t be.

She turned to Joel beside her, acting like she wasn’t already boiling with curiosity. “Hey, do you know anyone named Jordan that Amari talks to a lot?”

Joel blinked. “Jordan?”

Bella nodded, tone casual. “She’s always calling or texting someone with that name.”

Joel tilted his head slightly, then shrugged. “Probably one of her cousins. Amari has a big family.”

“Oh,” Bella muttered, disappointed. “She never talks about them.”

“She’s private like that,” Joel said, not looking up from his phone.

Bella gave a tight-lipped smile and turned away.

That night, she vented again to her roommates.

“She’s too perfect. Too untouchable. And now there's some guy named Jordan she’s always calling?”

“Maybe that's her boyfriend,” Precious said quickly. “That would explain her secrecy.”

“But why keep it from Joel?” Bella pressed.

Ifeoma rolled her eyes. “Please. Maybe Joel already knows and just doesn’t care.”

Bella frowned. “That’s what bothers me.”

—

Meanwhile, across the hall, Joy dropped her pen and looked up from her notes.

“Bella’s getting obsessed,” she told Amari.

Amari smiled without looking up. “Let her. She’s digging in the wrong places anyway.”

Joy giggled. “Imagine her finding out who you were really speaking to .”

“She’d explode,” Amari said with a grin. “But don’t worry. She never will.”

“Promise?”

“I could tell her straight to her face and she still wouldn’t believe it.”

They laughed quietly together, the sound muffled by the hostel walls.

Bella didn’t know she was chasing shadows.

And Amari had no plans to let her catch the truth.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here is chapter two
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CHAPTER ONE

Rain and Realizations

"Good morning, sweetie," Joel greeted with his usual charm as he slid into the seat beside Amari for their first class of the day.

"You’re late," she replied, rolling her eyes but hiding a smile behind her sarcasm.

"You’re a weirdo," he shot back playfully, leaning into her shoulder just enough to annoy her. When she didn’t respond, he pulled out his phone and started tapping away.

"I think you need to reduce the time you spend on your phone," Amari muttered, not bothering to look at him as the lecturer walked in.

Joel scoffed under his breath. That’s rich, he thought. Coming from the queen of screen time herself.

The classroom quieted as the lecture began, though pockets of hushed voices still floated from the back rows. It wasn’t until the lecturer paused mid-sentence and threatened to kick students out that the murmurs died completely.

For Amari, the lecture dragged on endlessly. Her mind wandered from the formulas on the board to the nap she planned to take, to the book she'd left half-read, and finally to the secret text message she received last night from Jordan, Joel's twin brother.

She glanced at the clock again.

Almost there... just ten more minutes.

But the moment the lecturer finally dismissed the class, the sky darkened ominously. Thunder rumbled and rain began to pour as if the clouds had been holding back just for this very moment.

"Not now," Amari groaned, her plans crumbling like a poorly made paper boat in the storm. She clutched her bag and glared at the windows, wishing the rain away.

"Calm down. Do you want to enter the rain and risk falling sick?" Joel asked gently, watching her face twist in frustration.

Before Amari could reply, Bella appeared at their table like a ray of forced sunshine.

"Hey Joel, hello Amari," she chirped, holding her books close to her chest.

Joel gave her a polite smile. Amari barely managed a glance before looking back at her phone, disinterest painted all over her face.

"Can you please help me with your note? I couldn't get what the lecturer was saying," Bella said with a pleading look one she directed at Amari, but addressed as if Joel was the one in charge.

Joel nudged Amari’s shoulder. She looked up sharply. "What?"

"Your note," he said calmly, knowing she’d caught on.

Amari narrowed her eyes at him, then reluctantly pulled her notebook from her bag and handed it over. Joel passed it to Bella, who received it with an awkward smile.

As soon as the rain slowed to a drizzle, Amari bolted out of the class. She needed space fresh air, peace, and most importantly, distance from Bella.

She hadn't gone far before Joel and Bella caught up with her.

"Are you planning to walk all the way to the hostel or want to take a bike?" Joel asked, watching her glance at the sky like she could interpret the weather's next move.

"I’ll walk," Amari said after a beat. "There’s a shortcut anyway."

"Let’s walk together, Amari!" Bella chimed in, linking her arm with Amari’s before Amari could protest. The contact lasted barely three seconds before Amari’s withering look made Bella quickly unlink their arms.

Right then, a group of Joel’s friends passed, laughing loudly and talking about heading to the stadium. Joel hesitated for a second before excusing himself and jogging off to join them.

And just like that, Amari was stuck walking with Bella.

She sighed inwardly. It wasn’t that Bella was a bad person. She was nice enough, friendly even. But she was also overly bubbly, too attached to Joel, and too oblivious to the fact that her crush on him was obvious to everyone but herself.

Still, Amari wasn’t the confrontational type not over something like this. Let her think whatever she wanted.

"Let’s go," she finally said.

The walk was mostly quiet, save for the occasional squish of their wet sandals and the wind whistling between buildings. Then came the question.

"Do you think Joel has a girlfriend?"

Amari’s steps didn’t falter, but mentally she let out a groan. Here we go again.

"I don’t think he does. Why? Do you like him?"

"No, no! It’s not like that!" Bella sputtered, her cheeks coloring. "I just find him... you know, attractive and cool."

Amari gave a small smile. You deserve an award for that lie, she thought. A full Oscar performance.

They reached the hostel in silence after that. As soon as they stepped into the compound, Amari felt a wave of relief.

"Alright, bye Amari! See you later!" Bella waved cheerfully, heading toward her room.

"Bye," Amari replied curtly, already turning toward her own building.

Once inside her room, she closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a deep breath. She pulled out her phone and saw a message waiting.

Jordan: You free to talk? I miss you.

A small smile crept across her face.

Finally, she thought. Something worth her attention.

The next day’s class started off. The lecturer droned on about economic theories, occasionally pointing to formulas on the board. Amari was halfway through doodling tiny clouds in her notebook when a sharp voice cut through the lecture.

“Guy, abeg give me that pen now!” someone shouted from the back. There was laughter, followed by a loud thud a chair had tipped over.

Everyone turned, and even the lecturer paused, glasses lowered, clearly unimpressed.

“Do you all think this is a marketplace?” he barked.

Joel smirked and leaned closer to Amari. “It’s always the unserious ones that want to be the loudest.”

She chuckled quietly, not taking her eyes off the scene. “You’d think they were paid to act like clowns.”

The lecturer resumed teaching, but the disruption had already pulled the class out of focus. A few students were still whispering.

“I’m just waiting for one more outburst so he can send them all out,” Joel whispered again, clearly entertained.

“Same. This class could use fewer comedians and more concentration,” Amari replied, her voice soft but tinged with annoyance.

Just then, Bella leaned forward from her seat behind them. “I know, right? So annoying. That guy at the back is always talking like he owns the class!”

Amari blinked, startled by her sudden presence in the conversation. Joel turned halfway in his seat to give Bella a polite smile.

“We were just saying that,” he said vaguely, not really inviting her in.

But Bella wasn’t getting the hint. “Do you think the lecturer will report them to the HOD? Because he looked super pissed.”

“Probably not, the matter is too light for the intervention of HOD” Amari answered flatly, not looking back.

Silence fell again, but not the peaceful kind. Bella lingered for a moment before sitting back with a pout, obviously frustrated that her input hadn’t sparked the same energy between them, and Amari made her look like a fool in front of Joel.

Later that day, Bella stormed into her hostel room, flinging her bag on her bed. Her roommates, Ifeoma and Precious, glanced up from their conversation.

“You won’t believe the snub I just experienced,” Bella announced, dramatically falling into her chair.

“Let me guess,” Precious said, twirling a comb through her hair. “Amari again?”

“Obviously!” Bella said, arms crossed. “The girl acts like she’s allergic to me. Anytime I try to talk to Joel, she’s always there with her cold eyes and stiff attitude, like a princess in the 80's.”

Ifeoma scoffed. “You sef, stop wasting your time on them. That girl is just a snob. All this quiet and innocent act? Please.”

“She thinks because she’s from a rich home, she owns everyone,” Precious added. “Let’s be honest, if Joel didn’t have money, you think she’d even sit beside him? I heard his dad’s into oil and gas. She’s probably using him.”

Bella bit her lip. “But Joel seems genuinely close to her.”

Ifeoma rolled her eyes. “That’s how girls like her play the game. They act sweet and mysterious, then boom you’re left confused while they collect everything.”

“Exactly,” Precious said. “She’s probably already controlling where he goes, who he talks to, how he breathes.”

Bella let out a dramatic sigh. “I just want a chance. Joel is... different. He’s nice. But with her always by his side, it’s impossible to even get to know him.”

“Well,” Ifeoma smirked, “we’ll see how long that little ‘friendship’ of theirs lasts. Rich girls like her never stay in one place for long.”

Bella smiled faintly, comforted by their words. But somewhere deep down, a flicker of jealousy burned hotter than she'd expected. And whether she admitted it or not, she didn’t just want a chance with Joel—she wanted to knock Amari out of the picture entirely.

Joel had never been confused about his feelings before. Not like this. He sat in the corner of his room, headphones plugged in but no music playing, watching the ceiling fan whirl.

He and Amari were close—everyone knew that—but what no one knew was that, for the first time in a long while, his heart had started reacting to someone else.

Bella.

The girl who tried too hard, laughed too loud, and clearly struggled to find her place between him and Amari’s friendship. Yet, lately, her presence lingered more than it should. Her awkward smiles, the way she tried to be part of their jokes, even her clumsy attempts to connect—they were starting to matter to him.

He liked her.

Not in the explosive, thunderous way love is portrayed in movies. But in the way someone starts noticing the little things: the light blush on her cheeks, the nervous tugs at her hair, the vulnerability in her voice when she asked about his day. It was small, but it was real.

The problem?

Inviting her to his place.

He lived off campus, in a quiet two-bedroom apartment he rarely spoke about. The second room was kept ready for Jordan’s occasional visits, though no one besides Amari knew that. And he wasn’t about to explain that to Bella—it would lead to more questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

He sighed and picked up his phone.

> Joel: Hey. Are you free this weekend? I wanted to show you something. You can come over if you’re comfortable.

He stared at the message, then added:

> No pressure though. I won’t try anything weird.

Then he hit send before he could overthink it.

Saturday Afternoon

Bella stood outside Joel’s gate, nerves bubbling in her stomach. She’d spent far too long picking her outfit casual, but not sloppy. Pretty, but not too obvious.

Joel opened the gate, dressed simply in joggers and a black shirt. He gave her a reassuring smile.

“You came,” he said, stepping aside.

“You invited,” she replied, walking in cautiously.

His apartment was surprisingly clean. Minimalist. Two bedrooms, one of which he casually said was “for study and guests.” She didn’t ask further.

They sat in the living room, talked about random things—classes, music, embarrassing hostel stories. The awkward tension gradually melted into laughter.

Then came the silence.

The kind that hums softly in the background when something unspoken hangs in the air.

Joel looked at her, no longer smiling. “Bella, can I be honest with you?”

“Please do,” she said, voice barely above a whisper.

“I think I like you,” he said. “And not just as someone who sits behind me in class or walks to the hostel with Amari. I mean, I really like you.”

Bella blinked, stunned. “Joel... I was hoping you’d say that.”

Her voice trembled. “I’ve liked you for a while now. I just didn’t know how to... get close to you without looking ridiculous.”

Joel chuckled. “You did look ridiculous sometimes.”

“Hey!” she smacked his arm.

“But I found it cute,” he added, smiling.

For a second, they just sat there no rush, no pressure. He didn’t lean in. She didn’t expect him to. It wasn’t about the kiss, or proving anything. It was about finally being seen.

Back at the Hostel Later That Night

Bella burst into her room, eyes glowing with happiness. “GUYS!” she shouted.

Precious looked up. “You’re yelling like you won a scholarship.”

“Something better,” Bella said, twirling. “I went to Joel’s house today.”

Ifeoma’s jaw dropped. “You went where?”

“And he confessed he likes me. Like, actually likes me!” Bella beamed.

Precious let out a dramatic gasp. “You mean you finally broke that icy wall he and Madam Amari built around themselves?”

Bella laughed. “I guess I did!”

“Please oh,” Ifeoma scoffed, “Amari's the type of girl who’d rather date a guy's wallet than his heart. Maybe now she can rest.”

“She always looked like she was guarding Joel from the rest of humanity. Like, girl, relax—it’s not that deep,” Precious added.

They all laughed.

In the next room, Amari sat at her window, earphones off, clearly hearing every word.

Instead of anger, she chuckled quietly. If only they knew she wasn’t interested in Joel like that. If only they knew the guy she snuck texts to every night lived in that same apartment—just in the second bedroom.

She shook her head, amused.

Let them think what they want, she thought, already reaching for her phone .

Amari lay curled up in bed, phone pressed to her ear and a wide grin stretching across her face. She had waited all evening for this moment—a call with Jordan. Her real safe space.

The moment he answered, she didn’t even give him time to greet her.

“You will not believe the nonsense I just heard.”

Jordan laughed softly on the other end. “Good evening to you too, my love. What's the latest gossip in that precious hostel of yours?”

Amari rolled onto her back, the ceiling fan spinning lazily above her. “So, Bella went to Joel’s place today—finally—and confessed she likes him. Apparently, he beat her to it.”

Jordan made a mock gasp. “What? My twin brother grew the guts to say something before someone else did? Miracles still happen!”

Amari giggled. “Wait, it gets better. Bella runs back to the hostel and starts screaming like she just won a lottery. Of course, her roommates—those two witches—Precious and Ifeoma—were ready to feast.”

“Oh Lord,” Jordan said with a grin in his voice. “What did they say this time?”

“They said, and I quote: ‘Maybe now Amari can rest.’”

Jordan burst into laughter.

“Wait, wait,” he said between wheezes. “Rest? Rest from what? From breathing in the same air as Joel?”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Amari giggled. “Then one of them added, ‘She’s the type of girl who’d rather date a guy’s wallet than his heart.’”

Jordan howled. “Wow. So now you're a gold digger too?”

Amari laughed so hard she snorted. “Apparently! And guess what? Joel is the victim of my vicious gold-digging ways.”

“Poor Joel,” Jordan said mockingly. “He buys gala for you once and suddenly he’s your ATM.”

They laughed together, the kind of laughter that made her eyes tear up and her stomach ache. There was something beautiful in being able to laugh about the lies, the rumors, the misunderstandings—because they knew the truth.

He was her secret. Her choice. Her peace.

“You know,” Jordan said after a pause, his voice softer now, “sometimes I wish we could just tell the world. Let them talk, but at least they’d be talking about the truth.”

Amari exhaled. “I know. But for now, I kind of like it like this. No pressure, no drama. Just us.”

“Just us,” he echoed.

A beat of silence passed, comfortable and warm.

“By the way,” Jordan added with a smirk in his voice, “next time you hear them dragging you, record it. I need that premium entertainment.”

“Idiot,” Amari muttered fondly.

He chuckled. “But your idiot.”

“Always,” she whispered

Here is chapter One