EXAMS HAD STARTED, and Nora barely saw Nate. He was writing his finals, which likely explained his absence. Meanwhile, Dave and Mir were officially dating, with Mir spending most nights at his place, and Graig was doing his best to make time for Bims as well.

Nora shifted her gaze from her textbook to her phone, only to find it still dark. She groaned, switched it off, and tossed it on the bed in frustration, attempting to focus on her studies. Tomorrow's exam was a challenging subject, yet instead of concentrating, she found herself waiting for a text from someone who probably didn't care.

The last time they spoke on the phone was a week ago, and their last chat was four days prior. Did studying truly prevent someone from sending a quick message? At first, she was okay with initiating most of the conversations during the exam period, reasoning that he was busy preparing. But as the weeks dragged on, she started to pull back, hoping he might reach out first. He didn't, and the realization stung. Nora felt a need to preserve her dignity and wait it out, despite the pain it caused her.

She was confused. First, he had refused to take things further between them, and now he wouldn't even bother to text. She had contemplated reaching out to him herself; even her friends urged her to "cut the crap and just text him." But the fear of receiving no response held her back. She wanted to see this through to the end, to figure out what it all meant.

Nora felt her stomach growl, reminding her of the empty kitchen. Dressed in jean shorts, a big t-shirt, and a face cap, she contemplated her destination. Was she really going to Relish to satisfy her hunger, or was she secretly hoping to see a certain someone? Regardless, her primary concern was to quell her appetite.

Upon arriving at school, she made the short walk to Relish, panting slightly as she pushed open the door. The sight that met her almost made her drop the door, which would have resulted in a rather embarrassing situation. Nate was at their usual table, but he wasn't alone; a girl sat across from him. The one from before. His friends were notably absent, and Nate was engrossed in his phone. Nora had assumed he was busy studying for finals or had somehow lost his phone seeing as he hadn't been texting her, but it was clear that he had just been simply preoccupied with someone else. Temi's words resonated with her again, how stupid she must have been to even think Nathan Ayobami could have feelings for her.

For a fleeting moment, she contemplated turning back and retreating home, but her hunger wouldn't allow it. "Okay, Nora, you can do this. He doesn't mean anything to you. He doesn't," she reassured herself as she walked toward their table. Just as she was about to approach, Nate's voice called out to her, halting her in her tracks.

"Hey, Nor!"

She turned, her heart racing, and caught his eye. He gestured for her to sit with them. She hesitated, wanting to protest, but he cut her off before she could speak. Reluctantly, she gave in and took a seat.

"How have you been? Oh God, I've missed you!" he exclaimed, his tone genuine.

Nora rolled her eyes internally, a mixture of irritation and amusement swirling within her. If only he could find a way to reach out to her during the week, she thought, but instead of voicing that frustration, she settled for a simple, "Fine."

He gave her a look that said he wasn't satisfied with her response, but Nora ignored him and went over to make her order. She wasn't feeling very hungry anymore, so she just got Jollof rice, coleslaw, and chicken. They were laughing about something when she returned with her plate of food, and she spared them no glance as she ate slowly.

"Aren't you going to introduce her to your friend?" the girl asked. Nora was surprised; for someone as pretty as she was—yes, she admitted, the girl was pretty—her voice was deep. Nora had expected her to have a high-pitched voice that grated on people's ears, but it was the opposite.

"Oh, my bad. Susan, this is Nora, my friend. Nor, this is Susan." Nate introduced them casually, but the lack of a defined relationship with Susan left a bitter taste in Nora's mouth.

"Nice to meet you," Nora said as politely as she could, forcing a smile. "How are you?"

"Doing well! Just enjoying the break between finals," Susan replied, her eyes sparkling. She then slapped Nate on the arm playfully. "Hey, why didn't you introduce her as your girlfriend!"

Nora's world suddenly tilted. Girlfriend? The word struck her like a bolt of lightning, its weight crashing down around her. Her heart raced as she tried to process the implications. A million thoughts raced through her mind until she heard Susan's voice cut through the chaos.

"In fact, I'm your first wife, the only love of your life. I'm filing for a divorce right away!" Susan joked. Or did she? Nora couldn't tell anymore.

Nate chuckled, and Nora felt a surge of anger boil within her. He had the nerve to find humor in this situation—was she a joke to him? She knew Susan was probably just being playful, but Nora was in no mood for it. She at least deserved an explanation. The food tasted bland now, and with a huff, she dropped her spoon and stood up, making her way out of the cafeteria. As she stepped outside, she realized how foolish she must have looked walking off like that.

Nora leaned against the wall, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. She debated heading back inside and concocting some lame excuse about needing the bathroom. "The toilet's inside, not out here, dummy!"

She opened her eyes to see Nate standing before her. The setting sun bathed him in warm light, accentuating his handsome features. It was no longer a surprise how he managed to hear her thoughts.

"Leave me alone, Nate. I'm going back inside, and I'm going to my table," she said defiantly.

"Then I'll join you there," he replied, determination evident in his voice.

Nora tilted her head to the side, letting her shoulders slump in defeat. "Suit yourself," she muttered as she turned to leave, but he rested his hands on the wall above her head, effectively trapping her in place.

"What do you want?" she asked, crossing her arms in an attempt to regain some control over the situation.

"I want to talk to you," he said, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart race. But she averted her gaze, unwilling to let him see the turmoil swirling within her.

"I really don't want to talk to you, go and talk to your girlfriend!" She retorted, her tone sharp.

"Okay. What just happened?" His voice held a hint of irritation, catching her off guard. "Why did you run off like that?"

"I don't know why I should have to explain anything to you. We don't owe each other explanations," she shot back.

""If it's about Susan, she was just joking. I thought you could tell that," he said calmly.

"Okay. Can I go now?" Nora asked, trying to distance herself from the confrontation.

He searched her eyes, holding her chin up when she averted her gaze. "Hey, are you mad at me?" Nate asked, concern etching his features.

"Should I be?" she countered, feeling the weight of the situation press down on her. "I came here to eat, and I really should be doing that."

Without waiting for a response, he took her wrist and tugged her in the general direction of the parking lot. Knowing she would be stubborn about entering the car, he opened the door, settled her in, and then went around to the driver's seat.

"Nora."

"Nathan," she replied, matching his tone.

He gave her a pointed look as if to say it wasn't funny. "Why are you mad at me?" he asked, his frustration palpable.

"You should be inside with Susan, you know?" she retorted, folding her arms tighter.

"I'm serious, Nora," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride at having frustrated him.

"When was the last time you were online?" she probed, determined to make her point.

"Today," he replied, glancing at her.

"Great. When was the last time we chatted online?" she pressed.

"Four days ago," he answered, and she noted the way his brow furrowed slightly, as if he was genuinely surprised by the realization. Impressive that he kept track, she thought, but it only fueled her frustration.

"Good. That's what I wanted to know." She wasn't going to give more than that, the last time she told him how she really felt, all she got was a smile. She tried to open the door to take her leave, but he had locked it from his side. She unlocked it, but he was quick to lock it again.

"You didn't text me either," he complained.

She gave him a 'seriously?' look. "You know what, Nathan? I really don't want to do this. Let's just leave things the way they are. What do you mean, I didn't text you either? Is this a joke? Let me out, please. Right now."

His expression was unreadable, but she noticed his jaw tense as he didn't open the door. She tried to remain calm, waiting for an explanation. A minute passed, then two, and when it became clear that she wouldn't be getting one, she unlocked the door, swung it open, and made sure to slam it behind her.

Nora walked away in swift paces, tears rolling freely down her cheeks. "Fuck you, Nathan Ayobami," she muttered under her breath, the pain in her chest throbbing with every step she took.

She felt a mix of anger and hurt swirling inside her, battling for dominance. The confusion of their relationship, the weight of unspoken words, and the sting of his indifference all collided into one overwhelming feeling. As she reached the good distance from relish, she paused, glancing back to see if he would follow her, but he remained in the car, watching her with an unreadable expression.

Her heart ached at the sight, but she didn't want to show him how much he affected her. It felt too vulnerable, too raw. She turned and walked away, determined to forget all about him.

As she walked the campus grounds, the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows that mirrored her own turmoil. She needed to think, to process what had just happened, and perhaps, in time, to figure out what she really wanted from Nathan. But for now, all she could do was keep walking, hoping that the tears would eventually dry and the ache in her heart would fade.

***

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