The hallway had become a veritable circus, with Miss Okafor as the unwitting main attraction. Smartphones emerged from pockets like a field of technological wildflowers, their lenses trained on the bizarre spectacle unfolding before them. Live streams kicked off with whispered narrations: "Ogbanje girl talks to thin air!"

Scooter boy glanced around nervously at the growing crowd. His conscience battled with his instinct for self-preservation before finally tipping towards the former. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he let out a forced chuckle. "I'm not a ghost," he announced to no one in particular, desperately trying to deflect attention from Miss Okafor's apparent one-sided conversation.

The sound of her name seemed to jolt Miss Okafor back to reality. She blinked rapidly, as if emerging from a trance, and suddenly became acutely aware of her surroundings. Her gaze shifted from Kel's translucent form to Scooter boy's very solid, very concerned face.

"Nurudeen," she acknowledged, her voice a touch too high-pitched to be casual.

"Presence," he replied, relief evident in his tone as he extended his hand once more. This time, she took it, allowing him to help her to her feet.

Kel watched the interaction with fascination, his eyebrows lifting in appreciation as he learned her full name. "Presence Okafor," he mused aloud, savoring the way it rolled off his ghostly tongue. "Now that's a name with some gravitas."

Presence shot him a warning glare, trying to maintain her composure as she brushed imaginary dust from her clothes. The crowd continued to mill about, whispering and recording, their curiosity far from sated.

Nurudeen, still hovering protectively near Presence, glanced around uncertainly. "Are you sure you're okay? That was quite a tumble."

"I'm fine," Presence assured him, though her eyes kept darting back to Kel. "Just a little... shaken up."

Kel couldn't help but smirk. "Shaken up by a ghost, perhaps?" he quipped, knowing full well only Presence could hear him.

She gritted her teeth, fighting the urge to respond. Instead, she forced a smile at Nurudeen. "Thank you for your help. I should probably get going."

As she bent to gather her scattered belongings, Kel floated closer, his voice low and teasing. "So, Presence, about those notes..."

Presence straightened up abruptly, nearly bumping into Nurudeen. She looked between the concerned faces of her living classmates and the mischievous grin of her ghostly tormentor, realizing with a sinking feeling that her day was about to get a whole lot more complicated.

Presence murmured another quick thanks to Nurudeen, her eyes darting meaningfully towards Kel. The ghost caught her subtle cue, dramatically miming silent laughter as he glided after her retreating form.

She led them outside, weaving through clusters of students until they reached a secluded spot behind the faculty building. With a swift pivot, Presence whirled to face Kel, only to find herself mere millimeters from his ghostly visage. For a suspended moment, they remained frozen in that intimate proximity, an impossible tango between the physical and non-physical.

Presence cleared her throat, taking a awkward step backward as she tried to regain her composure. "Okay," she said, her voice a touch breathier than she'd intended. "What do you want?"

Kel cocked his head, studying her with unabashed curiosity. "You don't seem scared," he observed, a note of intrigue coloring his tone.

Presence's eyes darted away, suddenly finding the weathered brickwork of the building fascinatingly engrossing. "I... um..." she stammered, clearly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.

Kel's ethereal brows furrowed as he watched emotions flicker across her face - discomfort, yes, but something else too. Something that looked suspiciously like... familiarity?

"Presence," he said slowly, leaning in despite the futility of physical intimidation in his current state. "Have you... seen ghosts before?"

She swallowed hard, her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered unconvincingly.

Kel's spectral form practically vibrated with excitement. "Oh, but I think you do," he pressed, a grin spreading across his face. "Come on, Presence. Spill the supernatural beans. What's your deal?"

Presence's eyes snapped back to his, a mixture of defiance and resignation swirling in their depths. "Fine," she hissed, glancing around to ensure they were truly alone. "But not here. Meet me at the old library tonight at midnight. And for the love of all that's holy, don't let anyone else see you following me around. I have enough trouble being the 'weird girl' without adding 'talks to invisible friends' to my resume."

Kel's grin widened impossibly further. "It's a date," he quipped, already fading from view. "Don't stand me up, Presence Okafor. I have a feeling you're going to make my afterlife a whole lot more interesting."

As his form dissipated completely, Presence was left alone, staring at the empty space where he'd been. She sighed heavily, shoulders slumping. "What have I gotten myself into?" she muttered to herself, turning to head back towards the bustling heart of campus, the weight of her secret - and her impending midnight rendezvous - settling heavily upon her shoulders.

Presence trudged back towards the bustling center of campus, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. At 18, she had finally seen her first ghost - an event she had both anticipated and dreaded for years. And of course, it had to happen in front of Nurudeen, her long-time crush. Just perfect.

She could already imagine the whispers intensifying, the sidelong glances growing more frequent. The strange girl from the weird family was living up to her reputation once again.

Her family's history was an open secret on campus. Her father, son of a renowned native doctor, had fled to London to escape his destiny as the next Agu-iyi oracle. He'd returned home with a Caucasian wife, further fueling the gossip mill. For years, Presence had weathered the storm of rumors and speculation with stoic indifference.

But now? Now it felt different. The possibility that Nurudeen - sweet, kind Nurudeen whom she'd quietly adored since junior high - might actually start believing those whispers... it made her stomach churn.

All her careful efforts to appear normal, to blend in despite her mixed heritage and unusual family background, seemed to be crumbling around her. She had worked so hard to be seen as just another student, to have a chance at a normal social life - maybe even a chance with Nurudeen.

Presence sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping under the weight of it all. She could handle the stares, the rumors, even the occasional taunt. But the thought of Nurudeen looking at her with that same mixture of fear and fascination that she'd seen in so many others' eyes... that was almost too much to bear.

As she neared the center of campus, Presence straightened her spine and lifted her chin. She couldn't control what others thought or said about her. But she could control how she reacted. And right now, she needed to focus on the immediate problem at hand - namely, the overly chatty ghost who seemed determined to upend her carefully constructed normalcy.

With renewed determination, Presence marched towards her next class. She had until midnight to figure out how to handle this ghostly intruder without further damaging her precarious social standing. And maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to turn this supernatural encounter into an advantage rather than another mark against her in the eyes of her peers - and especially in the eyes of Nurudeen.

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