CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE: THE GROUP DISCUSSION
The next few days passed in a way that left me more confused than before.
Not because of school.
Not because of assignments.
Not because of hostel life.
But because of Samuel.
The boy seemed to have made it his life mission to confuse me.
One moment he would act as if I was the only person in the room.
The next moment he would be laughing with Gift or discussing something with another person, making me wonder if I had imagined everything.
It was exhausting.
Very exhausting.
I was beginning to understand what Gift meant when she said Samuel had a way of making people unable to tell where they stood with him.
The annoying thing was that she was right.
And I hated admitting it.
It was Wednesday morning.
The weather was unusually pleasant.
Clouds covered most of the sky, protecting everyone from the harsh heat that normally attacked us during assembly.
After assembly, we returned to class for our first lesson.
Everybody seemed unusually lively.
Perhaps because it was the middle of the week.
Or maybe because our Agricultural Science teacher had not come to school.
Either way, the class was noisy.
Very noisy.
I sat quietly, arranging my notes while Samuel rested his head on his desk.
"You look tired," I said.
Without raising his head, he replied.
"I am."
"Why?"
"Couldn't sleep."
"Again?"
He turned his head slightly.
"Hostel was noisy."
I laughed.
"That excuse again?"
"It is true."
"You use it every time."
"Because it keeps happening."
I shook my head.
Samuel smiled.
Then he closed his eyes again.
I found myself staring at him.
Just for a second.
Okay.
Maybe two seconds.
Or three.
Not that I was counting.
Unfortunately, somebody was.
"Ahn ahn."
I immediately looked away.
Victoria.
She was standing beside our desk with Morayo.
Both of them wore identical expressions.
Expressions that usually meant trouble.
"What?" I asked.
Morayo folded her arms.
"Nothing."
"Then leave me alone."
"We didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to."
Victoria laughed.
Samuel opened one eye.
"What did she do this time?"
"Nothing," I answered immediately.
Victoria gasped dramatically.
"See how fast she answered."
Morayo nodded.
"Very suspicious."
Samuel sat up.
"I think I missed something."
"You did," Victoria replied.
"Victoria!"
"What?"
I glared at her.
She grinned.
Samuel looked between all of us.
Then surprisingly, he laughed.
"Interesting."
I immediately faced my notebook.
I was not interested in whatever was happening.
At all.
Absolutely not.
Second period had barely started when our English teacher entered the classroom.
The moment she entered, everybody stood up.
"Good morning, ma."
"Good morning. Sit down."
We sat.
She placed her books on the table and adjusted her glasses.
Then she smiled.
Immediately, the class became suspicious.
Teachers only smiled like that when they wanted to stress students.
And as expected...
We were right.
"You will be doing a group project."
Groans filled the classroom.
"Ahhh."
"Ma!"
"Again?"
She raised her hand.
The class became quiet.
"The project contributes to your continuous assessment."
Everybody became serious immediately.
Marks changed everything.
"The groups have already been arranged."
Another groan.
Teachers arranging groups usually meant you would end up with people you didn't choose.
She brought out a sheet of paper.
Then began reading names.
The first group.
The second group.
The third group.
Then she got to mine.
"Group Five."
I looked up.
"Floral."
Okay.
Normal.
"Samuel."
My heart skipped.
Normal.
Still normal.
"Victoria."
Interesting.
"Morayo."
Even more interesting.
Then...
"Gift."
What?
I blinked.
Twice.
Maybe I heard wrongly.
Unfortunately, I did not.
The teacher continued reading other groups.
Meanwhile, my group members exchanged looks.
Morayo was the first to react.
"This is going to be interesting."
Victoria laughed.
Gift rolled her eyes.
Samuel simply rested back on his chair.
Meanwhile, I wanted to disappear.
Not because of Samuel.
Okay.
Maybe partly because of Samuel.
But mostly because of the combination.
Me.
Samuel.
Gift.
Victoria.
Morayo.
In one group.
What could possibly go wrong?
Everything.
The answer was everything.
During break period, our group gathered under one of the mango trees beside the classroom block.
Students moved around noisily.
Some ate snacks.
Others played games.
A few people simply gossiped.
Typical boarding school break time.
"We need a leader," Victoria said.
"Not me," Morayo replied immediately.
"Same."
Everybody looked at Gift.
She shook her head.
"No."
Then everybody looked at me.
"No."
Samuel sighed.
"Why is everybody rejecting leadership?"
"Because it comes with stress."
"Exactly."
Samuel shook his head.
Then smiled.
"Fine. I'll do it."
Nobody objected.
Honestly, we were relieved.
"Good," Victoria said.
"Now what exactly are we doing?"
The next few minutes became surprisingly productive.
Ideas were shared.
Suggestions were made.
Arguments happened.
Corrections followed.
For the first time in a long while, it almost felt like old times with Victoria and Morayo.
Not exactly the same.
But close.
Very close.
At one point, Morayo even nudged me.
"Pass your pen."
I passed it.
Simple.
Normal.
Yet somehow meaningful.
Months ago, we could barely have conversations without tension.
Now we were working together again.
Slowly.
Carefully.
But progressing.
I liked that.
I really did.
The discussion continued until Gift suddenly frowned.
"I don't understand this part."
Samuel moved his chair slightly closer to explain.
I watched them.
Then immediately hated myself for watching them.
Why was I even looking?
He was helping her.
That was normal.
Completely normal.
Yet something inside me felt uncomfortable.
I looked away.
Only for Samuel to call my name.
"Floral."
"Hm?"
"You understand this part better."
I blinked.
"What?"
"Explain it."
I took the paper from him.
Then began explaining.
By the time I finished, everybody understood.
"See?" Samuel said.
"I told you she understood it better."
Gift nodded.
"Okay. That actually makes sense now."
I smiled slightly.
Then looked away.
Trying very hard not to feel happy over something so small.
The discussion ended shortly before the next lesson.
Everybody stood up.
Stretching.
Packing books.
Preparing to leave.
As we walked back toward class, Victoria and Morayo moved ahead.
Gift followed shortly after.
Leaving only me and Samuel behind.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then Samuel suddenly said:
"You've been avoiding eye contact today."
I nearly stumbled.
"What?"
He laughed softly.
"You heard me."
"I haven't."
"You have."
"I haven't."
"You have."
I stared at him.
He stared back.
Then smiled.
That annoying smile.
The one that always made it difficult to stay serious.
"See?" he said.
"What?"
"You're doing it again."
I rolled my eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You do."
"No."
"Okay."
The way he said okay made it obvious he didn't believe me.
At all.
We entered the classroom.
The conversation ended.
But unfortunately...
The effect didn't.
Because throughout the rest of the day, one thought refused to leave my head.
Samuel noticed things.
Tiny things.
The kind of things most people ignored.
The kind of things people only noticed when they paid attention.
And whether I liked it or not...
Samuel paid attention to me.
The problem was that I still didn't know why.
And somehow...
That confused me more than ever.