CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO: MIXED SIGNALS
The hostel was unusually noisy that night.
Rainy evenings always made boarding students more restless. Maybe because everybody was trapped indoors. Maybe because cold weather somehow increased people's energy instead of reducing it.
Girls moved around the room loudly, dragging buckets across the floor, arguing over sponge, cream, and whose soap entered another person's bowl.
"Who off this torchlight?"
"Please shift your leg!"
"Senior girl is coming o!"
The room buzzed endlessly.
I climbed carefully onto my upper bunk after changing into my nightwear. Samuel's sweater was folded neatly beside my pillow.
And unfortunately…
I couldn't stop staring at it.
Gift noticed immediately from below.
"You kept it?"
I blinked and looked down at her.
"Hm?"
"The sweater."
"Oh." I looked away quickly. "Obviously. I'll return it tomorrow."
She hummed softly.
Not accusing.
Not friendly either.
Just… thoughtful.
The atmosphere between us remained that strange middle ground we had lived in for weeks now.
Neither friends nor enemies.
Just two girls constantly aware of each other.
"You and Samuel are getting closer," she suddenly said while applying cream to her arms.
My chest tightened instantly.
"We've always known each other."
"That's not what I mean."
I stayed quiet.
Because honestly?
I knew exactly what she meant.
Gift finally looked up at me directly.
"He notices you too much lately."
My heartbeat shifted awkwardly.
"He notices everybody."
"No," she replied calmly. "Not like that."
Silence settled briefly between us while noise continued everywhere else in the room.
A junior girl nearby was crying because somebody mistakenly poured water on her bed. Another group argued over whose turn it was to sweep.
But somehow, despite all the noise, Gift's words stayed loud inside my head.
"He notices you too much lately."
I swallowed slowly.
"You like him too," I said quietly before I could stop myself.
Gift paused.
Then she laughed softly.
"Everybody likes Samuel."
"That's not an answer."
This time she sighed lightly before lying back on her bed.
"Fine," she admitted calmly. "I like him."
Hearing it directly somehow felt different.
Realer.
More uncomfortable.
"He's handsome, smart, calm, popular…" she continued casually while staring at the ceiling. "Most girls in this school like him."
I didn't respond.
Because she wasn't wrong.
"And besides," she added quietly, "he used to talk to me more before."
That statement made me glance down at her immediately.
Before?
Gift noticed my expression and smiled faintly.
"Relax. I'm not fighting you."
"I'm not fighting anybody either."
"I know."
But somehow, despite her calm tone, I could feel the hidden tension beneath everything.
We both liked the same person.
And both of us knew it.
Neither saying it openly.
Neither admitting the jealousy properly.
Yet both aware.
Very aware.
The senior girl suddenly clapped loudly from the front of the room.
"Lights-out in five minutes!"
Groans immediately filled the hostel.
"Ahhh!"
"I never finish reading!"
"Please nau!"
I sighed softly and lay back properly on my bunk.
Then unexpectedly, Gift spoke again.
"Do you think he likes you?"
The question hit too directly.
I stared at the ceiling quietly for a few seconds.
"I don't know."
And honestly…
That was the truth.
Because Samuel confused me constantly.
One moment he acted caring in ways that made my heart feel too full.
The next moment, he became distant enough to make me question everything.
Gift laughed softly beneath me.
"That boy likes confusing people."
I frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
"He acts close," she replied quietly. "But sometimes you still can't tell where you stand with him."
That sentence stayed with me long after lights-out.
Because deep down…
I understood exactly what she meant.
…
The next morning, the weather remained cold from the previous night's rain.
The school compound looked muddy, and students carefully avoided puddles while rushing toward morning assembly.
I walked beside Victoria and Morayo sleepily.
"I hate rainy season," Morayo complained for the hundredth time.
"You hate everything," Victoria replied.
"That's because everything hates me too."
I laughed softly.
As we reached the assembly ground, students arranged themselves according to classes noisily.
Then suddenly, Morayo nudged me.
"Your boyfriend is coming."
I rolled my eyes instantly.
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Yet," Victoria added teasingly.
I ignored both of them completely.
Unfortunately, Samuel actually walked past at that exact moment.
And to make matters worse…
He smiled directly at me.
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
Morayo nearly screamed dramatically.
"Omo!"
"Behave yourselves," I muttered.
Samuel stopped briefly beside us.
"Good morning."
"Morning," Victoria and Morayo chorused immediately like excited children.
Traitors.
Then his eyes moved toward me.
"You didn't return my sweater."
I blinked slightly.
"Oh. I forgot."
"You forgot because you like it," Morayo whispered loudly enough for only me to hear.
I nearly elbowed her.
Samuel looked amused suddenly.
"I'll collect it later."
I nodded quickly.
Then surprisingly, he added quietly:
"It looked good on you yesterday."
My heartbeat immediately lost stability again.
Before I could even process properly, assembly prefects started shouting for silence.
Samuel walked away calmly toward his row.
Meanwhile, Victoria looked ready to explode.
"Floral."
"What?"
"That boy likes you."
"Please keep quiet."
Morayo grinned wickedly. "Even blind person can see it now."
I faced front immediately before my face embarrassed me further.
But secretly…
Very secretly…
My chest felt dangerously warm again.
…
By second period, the classroom atmosphere became lively as usual.
Students discussed assignments loudly while waiting for the teacher.
Daniel entered the class carrying a long broom dramatically over his shoulder.
"Make way for hardworking citizen."
I laughed immediately.
"Why are you carrying broom like weapon?"
"Punishment," he replied tiredly before dropping into his seat beside Gift at the far end of the class.
Gift laughed softly at him.
"You definitely annoyed teacher."
"I only asked reasonable question."
"Which was?"
"Why seniors suffer more than prisoners."
I burst into laughter.
Even Gift covered her mouth smiling.
Daniel rested his head dramatically on the desk.
"Nobody understands my struggles."
Then suddenly his eyes moved toward me.
"You returned sweater?"
I froze slightly.
"How did you know?"
Daniel looked offended.
"I have eyes."
Gift glanced briefly toward me before looking away.
The atmosphere shifted again slightly.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
Before anyone could continue the conversation, Samuel entered the class.
And strangely enough…
The moment he walked in, my eyes found him automatically again.
Maybe I was already too deep into this whole thing.
He sat beside me calmly before opening his notebook.
Then after a few seconds, he spoke quietly without looking up.
"You slept well?"
Such a simple question.
Yet somehow it affected me too much.
"A little."
"Hm."
"You?"
"I couldn't sleep early."
I glanced at him curiously.
"Why?"
He shrugged lightly.
"Too much noise in hostel."
I laughed softly.
"Same."
Then unexpectedly, our eyes met briefly.
And once again, that strange tension settled quietly between us.
Not uncomfortable.
Not fully understandable either.
Just there.
And somewhere at the far end of the class, I noticed Gift watching us silently for a brief moment before facing front again.