That night, the smell of hot stew and pounded yam filled the kitchen as Mama Tayo—Zayne's grandmother—sang softly to herself while dishing out food.
The small living room was quiet except for the distant hum of a generator outside. The walls were lined with old photographs, awards, and wooden carvings. In the middle of it all sat Folu, her son—a cheerful, middle-aged man with a strong laugh and deep eyes.
Zayne sat across from him on the worn-out sofa, bowl of food in front of him, untouched.
His spoon hung in the air, but his mind was far away. His brows were furrowed slightly. He kept staring blankly at the rice on his plate like it held the answers to the universe.
Folu noticed.
He set down his own spoon, leaned forward, and asked softly:
"Zayne... are you okay?"
Zayne blinked, snapping out of his thoughts.
"Huh? Yeah—yes, I'm fine, Uncle."
But he wasn't. Not really.
Because while his body was in the house…
His mind was still in that classroom.
Still beside her.
Still lost in her quiet voice, the way her fingers twirled her pen, the soft way she said, "Thank you," like she had no idea what it did to him.
Folu didn't push. He just smiled, picked up his spoon again and said:
"Sometimes silence says more than words, my boy."
Zayne smiled back, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Later that evening, he sat in his room, staring at the ceiling, phone in hand. His thumb hovered over the screen. Her number was already saved. He had typed it in the moment he got home—Liana 🌸.
But now… he didn't know what to say.
He had texted girls before. Some of them flirted first. Some were bold, some shallow. But with Liana, he felt like even a simple "hi" had to be perfect.
Finally, he gathered the courage and typed:
Zayne [8:41 PM]
Hey… it's me. Zayne. From class today 🙂
Hope you got home safe?
He stared at the message. Then hit send.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
His heart raced faster than it should over a simple text.
Then—ding.
Liana [8:46 PM]
Hi Zayne 🙂 yes I did. Thank you. Did you?
Zayne smiled.
He quickly typed again.
Zayne [8:47 PM]
Yeah, got home fine. My grandma made rice, but I forgot to eat half of it 😅.
Liana [8:48 PM]
😂 How can someone forget to eat rice?
Zayne [8:49 PM]
I was… thinking too much 😅
Liana [8:49 PM]
About tutorial? The homework is plenty oo 😩
Zayne [8:50 PM]
Yeah, something like that…
Maybe not tutorial alone. Maybe someone in tutorial 😶
He immediately regretted that message.
Too soon, he thought. Too obvious.
But she just sent a simple:
Liana [8:52 PM]
Hmm 🤭
Zayne grinned, biting his lip. That "hmm" said a lot—and also said nothing. But it was enough to keep him up that night, staring at the screen with a foolish smile.
It was Thursday.
Bright, breezy, and a little quieter than usual.
Lisa and Linda didn't come with Liana to tutorial that day. Liana arrived alone, holding her books tightly to her chest.
Zayne saw her the moment she entered. His heart did that thing again—skipping, thumping, rushing.
They didn't talk much during class. Just exchanged quiet glances, a soft smile here and there. The teacher gave them work and everyone fell into study mode.
But Zayne didn't write much.
His mind… was on the girl sitting two benches ahead.
After class ended, students poured out the gate. Some headed straight to bus stops, others lingered around chatting.
Zayne noticed Liana was walking alone.
He quickly caught up beside her.
"Hey," he said, adjusting his backpack.
"Hi," she smiled.
They didn't talk at first. Just walked together in silence—both of them heading to the junction where they'd go their separate ways. The sun was setting, casting long shadows on the dusty road. The quiet between them wasn't awkward. It felt… peaceful.
As they walked, Zayne glanced sideways at her every few seconds.
Her face was calm. Her lashes long. The sunlight kissed her cheek in a way that made his chest feel heavy.
She still had no idea.
No idea what she was doing to him.
You still don't know what you're doing to me, he said in his mind.
You don't know that I haven't been able to focus since you said "hi."
You don't know that every time you look down, I look at you like you're the most beautiful thing in this world. And you don't even see it.
When they reached the junction, she turned.
"Thanks for walking with me," she said, softly.
"Anytime," he replied, voice lower.
They stood for a second, just looking at each other.
Then she waved and walked off, turning the corner.
Zayne stood still, heart full, watching her disappear again.
And he knew—without a doubt—he was in trouble.