Rachael was in her room, getting ready to go to school for the football match that Saturday morning.

She had just finished dressing up and was now looking at her reflection on her mirror. She was putting on a slightly baggy, white T-shirt and faded blue jean trousers, along with a pair of black sneakers.

Satisfied with her look, she picked up her small and yet portable blue handbag, and left her room.

She could hear her parents voices echoing from the living room as she stepped down the stairs. She soon got to where they were and they both stopped their conversation, and stared at her.

"You look so beautiful dear," her dad commented on her look.

"Thanks dad." Rachael smiled at her dad. "What do you think mum?" she asked her mum who was still assessing her.

"It's nice but why didn't you put on a dress instead? You have some beautiful dresses at the closet you know," her mum suggested, her face scrunched up, clearly disagreeing with Rachael's choice of clothing that morning.

"But mum, it's just a football game, I need to be on something that is casual and simple," Rachael whined.

"I know, but it's not like you've ever liked putting on dresses, they make you look more ladylike and sophisticated you know," her mum scoffed.

"You should know how your daughter is by now, sweetie," her dad took her side.

"Are you insinuating that I don't know what my daughter likes and does not?" her mum asked her dad with a straight face.

"I didn't say that," her dad defended.

"Mum! Dad! Please stop okay!" Rachael shot her parents a disapproving look, getting annoyed at their little argument. She left them in the living room and went to the dining table to eat her breakfast, which was already served by her mum. Her mum and dad joined her on the dining table some minutes after.

"You can leave the dishes on the table, I would take it to the kitchen when your dad and I are done with eating," her mum told her as she was about picking up her used plates.

"Thanks mum." Rachael stood up to leave.

"Take good care of yourself out there okay," her dad said to her.

"Be careful around strangers too!" her mum added.

"Yes ma," Rachael nodded and went out to the garage where Ebuka was already waiting for her. She got into the car and they drove off.

After some few minutes of driving, Ebuka got to a fast food joint and parked the car at the car park, after which, Rachael got out of the car and went inside to get some snacks for the football match.

"Good morning, what can we get you?" a lady at the counter addressed her.

"Two popcorn and two vanilla flavored ice- cream."

"Alright," the lady said and went over to another part of the shop to get what Rachael had ordered.

The lady gave Rachael her order and directed her to a dark lady who was at the other end of the counter, in front of a computer system.

"Cash or card?" the lady asked her when she got there.

"Card," Rachael replied and gave her card to the lady.

Rachael paid for her order and left the fast food joint, back to the car.

They were soon in the school premises after driving for about ten more minutes. Ebuka parked the car in a spot just opposite football field.

Rachael got out of the car and started walking to the part of the pitch that was built for the spectators. The seats were built into concrete in a staircase manner, with the upper seats a little bit higher than the ones lower. Most of the seats were still unoccupied as the match had not yet started.

Rachael's eyes met with a hand raised up at her direction as she got closer to the field.
She soon recognized the hand to belong to Rita and so she walked towards her.

"Hey babe!" Rita greeted as Rachael took a seat next to her. Rita was putting on a blue dress that stopped above her knees. Rachael gave her a hug and saw the little boy that was seated next to her.

"Daniel! How are you?" Rachael talked to Daniel who was putting on a red shirt that had the picture spiderman on it, and black trousers.

"I'm fine," Daniel replied with a cute, little voice, avoiding looking into Rachael's eyes as he spoke.

"I got something for you," Rachael said as she left Rita's side to go and sit next to Daniel.
She brought out a wrap of popcorn and a container of ice-cream and handed it over to Daniel.

"Thank you Rachael," Daniel said with a smile as he accepted the popcorn and ice cream from Rachael.

"How about me?" Rita raised her brow at Rachael.

"Well, since I know you so well, there is definitely no way you would be coming to a football game without snacks." Rachael squirmed on her seat as she spoke to Rita.

"So you are now calling me a foodie?" Rita playfully asked, her brows still raised.

"Well you just said that yourself," Rachael said, picking on her popcorn.

"Seriously?"

"Oh don't worry, I got something for you too," Rachael said and brought out the box of chocolate from her bag.

"Wait, how did you get that? It's rare to find that in shops here in Nigeria." Rita was surprised as she recognized the chocolate brand that Rachael waved at her face.

"My mum came back yesterday and gave it to me," Rachael said with a wide smile.

"Seriously!" Rita snatched the chocolate box from Rachael. "I love this," she said as she took a bite from a bar.

"Yeah, me too. Keep some for Vincent," Rachael said to Rita.

"Of course I will," Rita said with a devilish grin.

"You're up to something right," Rachael said to Rita. Watching the way she spoke and the grin that crossed her face, she knew that Rita was definitely cooking something up.

"Do you want some chocolate?" Rita ignored Rachael's comment and spoke to Daniel who was already done with his popcorn. He nodded and Rita gave him a chocolate bar.

"Where is Vincent by the way?" asked Rachael.

"On the field," Daniel said, pointing his finger to his brother who was warming up on the field, along with some of his other classmates.

Some few minutes later, Diane walked in, holding hands with a boy that looked a little bit older than the boys in their class. And as always, Lisa and Sophia were trailing behind her.

"Interesting. Diane came to the game with her boyfriend," Rita commented just after taking another bite of her chocolate bar.

"The guy beside her is her boyfriend?" Rachael asked, now looking at the spot Diane was seated at.

"Yes, he is a student at the University of Lagos here and also a model too," Rita added.

"I see." Rachael nodded and continued playing with Daniel.

"Seems like Vincent is coming over here," Rita said as she saw Vincent walking over to where they were seated.

Rachael lifted her head up to see Vincent approaching, he was putting on a blue jersey and walking down with so much swag and calm. She desperately tried to ignore her heart rate which had increased at the sight of Vincent.

"Hey babes, thank you for making it here," Vincent said to Rachael and Rita, and gave his brother a knuckle.

"Well, we promised," Rachael said with a lovely smile.

"We would be starting anytime soon," Vincent said, taking a short look around the field.

"You bought that for him?" Vincent asked, his eyes on the ice-cream on Daniel's laps.

"Yes, hope it's okay," Rachael replied.

"It is. Thanks," Vincent said with a small smile.

"You should give Vincent some of the chocolate." Rachael diverted her attention to Rita.

"It is finished," Rita said, raising up an empty chocolate box with a victorious smile on her face. "I told you I would pay you back for what you did at the cafeteria."

"Oh, okay so now it's one-one right." Vincent placed is left hand on his waist.

"Yeah, yeah." Rita stuck her tongue out at Vincent.

"Don't worry, I got some for you here."  Rachael brought out two bars of chocolate from her bag and gave them to Vincent, making Rita to open her mouth wide.

"I thought you were on my side!" Rita cried out.

"I'm sorry dear, I just want peace to reign." Rachael winked at Rita and Vincent started laughing at her as he chewed on the chocolate bar.

"You're a darling Rachael, I feel like giving you a kiss right now," Vincent playfully said but it got Rachael blushing so hard.

"Just make sure our class wins the match," Rachael managed to respond after being swoon by his words.

"Of course. Don't you trust me again?" Vincent winked, showing off his perfect dimples and at that moment, Rachael felt like he didn't even have to try too much to look handsome.

"Watch out for Francis, he has been saying how much he would make sure we win you guys this time around and I really wish that happens," Rita said to Vincent and turned her eyes away. Francis was the best player from the her class.

"We would see about that," Vincent confidently said.

"Be a good boy Dan." Vincent turned to his brother, patting him gently on his shoulder.

"Players please step forward to the field, we are about to begin with the game!" the voice of the referee came up through the speakers.

"Alright, bye guys, wish me good luck," Vincent said in a hurry.

"Good luck!" Rachael bent her head a little bit and a smile sat on her face as she said that.

"I hope you lose to us," Rita coldly said.

"Thanks Rachael, as for you Rita, your wish would never come to pass," with that, Vincent left them and went back to the football pitch.

The match started a few minutes later and the players got into action. Thirty minutes into playing and there was still no goal from any of the team.

"Yeah! Vincent has gotten a hold of the ball. Go! Go! Go!" Rachael screamed, her eyes focused on Vincent who was now kicking the ball towards the goalpost of the opposition team.

"Ah! Thank God," Rita said with relief when Francis claimed the ball from Vincent and passed it to another guy on his team.

The ball was slowly getting closer to the goalpost of Vincent's team. The guy currently with the it shot it towards the goalpost but unfortunately for him, the goalkeeper for Vincent's team caught the ball.

"Yeah! Good one Toyosi." Rachael clapped her hands for their goalkeeper while Rita shook her head in disappointment.

The ball got back into the hands of the science team and was being passed between their players. Vincent got a hold of the ball again and started kicking it towards the goalpost of their opponent.

"Go Vincent! You can do it!" Rachael cheered on.

"GOAL!"  the crowd cheered as Vincent scored the first goal of the game.

"He did it!" Rachael screamed, swinging Daniel.

"Oh no," Rita palmed her face.

"Sorry dear," Rachael patted her friend's back.

The match went on with the art team trying desperately to score a goal to equalize but unfortunately for them, they didn't score any until the final whistle was blown.

The match had ended with the science team winning the art team with a goal to none.
The players all dispatched from the football field to meet with the onlookers. Vincent's classmates cheered his name as he walked towards the crowd.

"Congratulations," Rachael said as he came to where they were seated.

"Thanks dear, your good luck wish worked," Vincent said to her and looked towards Rita. "Are you not going to say the same?"

"Next time Vincent, we are definitely going to be the winners." She sighed.

"Until then." Vincent chuckled.

"Hi Vincent. Can I take a picture with you?" a girl who had just walked over to them said to Vincent. She was also his classmate.

"Of course," Vincent said and she brought out her phone, and took a selfie of the two of them.

"Thanks," she said with a smile before walking away.

"Want to take a picture too?" Vincent asked Rachael who was still staring at the retreating girl.

"Yeah," she said and brought out her iPhone.
She stood next to Vincent and took a selfie.

"Come here Daniel, and you too Rita," she beckoned on Daniel and Rita. Daniel went to meet her while Rita hesitated a little. A smile crossed her face before she went to stand next to the trio.

"I can't let a football match stop me from joining in a selfie, I mean I don't even like the game," she said, making the others laugh.

They took some few more pictures before Rachael got a call.

"It's my driver, I need to get going," she said and waved the others goodbye.

"Take good care of yourself," Vincent said to her as she walked away from them.

"I will, take care of yourself and Daniel too," she said in reply.

"Wait for me," Rita said and ran towards her.

"What's up?" asked Rachael.

"I'm riding with you, my driver had to drop my mum off at the market," Rita explained.

"Okay, that's nice," Rachael said and flung a hand on Rita's shoulder as they both walked towards the spot where Ebuka had parked the car.