The hall was full of cheers as the MC announced the top two contestants. Deola and Semilore, they stood on the podium and I sighted Semilore. She had done a great job ever since, and I did not think she would have been able to pull it through. She was confident and bold, maybe the stage was the charm. She had overshadowed her other competitors with her beauty and poise, one would think she was a professional model.

The MC was collecting the final results from the judges as I stood on my chair, everyone was doing the same. Well, everyone but our prince charming Ephraim, he was gulping down his soft drink.

"Hey, don't you want to see her announced winner" I yelled through the noise so he could hear me. He stood up and climbed the chair too, smiling at me.

"Oh God," he groaned. "One reason why I don't like school activities" he smirked.

"What? Is she not your friend"  I asked him.

" Yes she is. But I just don't like stuff like this".  He replied.

"So why are you here," I asked.

"Cos I want to see a party with you" he smiled and I blushed.

Just the MC arrived with the results.

"Go Semiloore!!!" I yelled out loud, some people looking at me. I giggled as I playfully hit Ephraim, to do the same.

"No I'm not doing that" he protested.

"For me?" I said and made a babyface.

"Oh God," he sighed. "Go Semilore!!!" He yelled. Just then, every one by our side started starting at us, and some started saying the same.

The noise must have reached the front as Semilore started grinning. The MC started talking.

"The winner of this year's Miss Fresher competition is!!!!!!!" He started. I started yelling Semilore and others joined me, it seemed many other people liked her too.

" Semiloore Ernest!!!!" The MC announced. The hall was full of cheers as I started jumping. My friend was the new miss fresher,  I jumped down
and started heading for the podium, Mo' was already there. Semiloore was all happy as she laughed and jumped.

"Semiloore!" I yelled as I jumped when I got to her, hugging her tightly I started saying "you won, my baby won". She was so so happy, she looked beautiful as she was being crowned. The music started and we started dancing, I danced so rigorously to songs I had never thought I would ever dance to.

Ephraim joined in the celebration as he congratulated Semilore.  After a few minutes, the party was set to commence, the four of us went back to our seat but it was already occupied. I groaned and smirked as the new occupants, weren't ready to vacate the seat for us.

A boy ran towards us as he tapped Semilore on the shoulder. " you have a seat at the front ma'am" he said. We happily went there but there were only two seats available.

" Oh no," I groaned again.

" I'll lap you" Mo' offered and I smiled ready to sit on her laps. Just then Ephraim held me back,

"We'll find a seat," he said as he dragged me away.

"What was that for?" I asked him as a dragged me away. " I would be comfortable sitting on Mo's lap".

"So where would I sit," he asked.

" Am I supposed to care?" I asked rudely.

" oh?" His grip on my hands loosened.

"I'm sorry Ephraim, but where are we supposed to seat now". I asked as we walked through the space between rows of chairs, with no particular destination as we scanned through the chairs for empty ones. The students staring at us and many of us probably gossiping already, his hand was still holding mine.

" Here," he said as he pointed at an empty chair.

"It's just one," I said.

"You'll sit on my laps," he said.

"What?!??!??!" I yelled in protest but he dragged me with him. He sat down and forcefully made me sit on his laps. I didn't know whether to laugh, scream, yell, or to insult him. So I said nothing, I just covered my face and rested my head on the chair in front.

I raised my head when I felt Ephraim talking to someone, it was Dunsin, who I had always thought was his friend. I didn't know why but I felt stupid at that moment. Maybe because I felt I was taking his actions to another level, maybe because I had started to like him. Seeing him laughing with friends seemed like they were talking and making jest of me. I felt bad and motioned to leave.

"Where are you going," he said and gave me the usual look that had always made me weak to the knees. I changed my mind and sat back.

"Nowhere," I said. To be frank I had never been so much of a center of attraction until today. All eyes were on us and Ephraim didn't even seem to care. I was only thankful that I couldn't see Fikayo and any of her minions anywhere near us. She must probably be busy as our class rep.

" Hey, we've met before right?" Dunsin asked.

" Yeah, I met you when I came to get a form. Good evening " I answered.

"Congrats on your win, you were amazing," he said.

I smiled and replied, "Thank you".

The party has already started and drinks were already going around. The school's best DJ and sing artists were around and it was all fun. I had to do things I had not done before today, well apart from alcohols. I had first attended a party that wasn't a birthday party for a simple teenager or a child, I had been in this party on a 'date' with the school's prince, I danced to secular songs I had never thought I would, I sat on a boys laps at some point in the night and now I'm resting on a boy's shoulder as we danced to a slow song.

The night was crazy but it seemed I felt solace and a feeling I couldn't quite describe in Ephraim's arms. The night went fast and after two hours Ephraim offered to take me home.

" Let's go home" he whispered in my ears.

" Why? The party is not over" I said as I continued dancing.

" Yeah but sincerely you wouldn't want to wait till the end of the party. There always a fight, some harassments during the party, towards the end. So I think we should go now. Dunsin left already". He said.

"What about my friends," I asked.

" We will call them," he said, and with that, he pulled me out of the crowd and out of the hall. We stepped out and sighted a couple making out at some corner.

"Ew!" I said at the sight.

"Ew?" He said laughing "let's go jhor" he said playfully.

A few minutes later we were in a lonely place, my legs were hurting me from all the dancing, jumping, and hurting. If I didn't find somewhere to sit I would probably fall, because of my leg condition.

"Ephraim my leg I hurting me. I can't continue, I need to sit for a while" I told him.

"The hostel is only a few minutes away," he said.

" I've got a leg condition, if I don't sit, I'll fall and probably not be able to walk in a few days. And remember, I sprained my ankle yesterday". I explained.

"Oh okay, I see a bench over there let us get you there". He said. We walked towards the bench as he held me firmly. I blushed as we sat together in that dark lonely corner, his eyes glittering in the dark, he was the most handsome soul alive.

We talked and laughed about the competition and party. He was super fun to be with, I loved his company.

" Jemi, remember I told you I wanted to tell you something," he asked.

"Yeah" I responded immediately feeling eager and anxious. A million thoughts ran through my mind, thoughts I wasn't proud of.

" We've met before," he said.

"I don't understand," I asked genuinely confused.

"Before I met you the church program, we've met before. But you don't remember me" he said his head downcast.

I tried to understand what he was driving at but I couldn't.

"Please explain".

" I've liked you for four years," he said. I couldn't comprehend his words.

" What?!?!"