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Linda never returned to Nigeria. She stayed with her mother, Madam Stella, finally living the life she had always dreamt of-one filled with peace and joy. The past became a distant memory, and the future held a promise of hope.

Julius and Adaobi, on the other hand, got admitted into Covenant University, one of Nigeria's most prestigious institutions. They had their dreams and now the opportunity to realize them.

Titus, ever the wildcard, had somehow managed to pull off a prison break. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the news flash on my phone. "He wasn't about to rot in jail like his parents, after all," I thought, shaking my head.

Reflecting on everything, I couldn't believe how much life had shaped my thinking. I was no longer the boy who craved attention, no longer the noisy troublemaker the neighborhood knew too well. Now, I understand that life has its way of molding us, sometimes painfully, into who we need to become.

I thought back to the heartbreaks-the sight of Charles holding Julie's hand, how that cut me deeper than I could have anticipated. Or the sting when I discovered Janet wasn't what I thought she was. There were so many moments when giving up felt easier. But just when everything seemed lost, Bliss had appeared. She lit up my world like a beacon, guiding me through the darkest parts of my life. Even though her time in my life was brief, she passed the baton to Linda, and who knows who Linda might pass it to someday?

Life doesn't always play out in our favor. But when it does, we must seize those fleeting moments of grace and make the best of them.

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It was our first day at Stanford University, California. The four of us-Julie, Charles, Linda, and I had all made it to the same prestigious school. As we strolled down the stone paths beneath the bright California sun, there was an unspoken energy, like the start of something new.

"Ehm, Sam, can I ask you something?" Charles started, scratching the back of his head.

"Sure, shoot."

"You've been quiet about the Mr. Handsome contest this year. You're not entering?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Look at me, man. They'd throw me out of there before I even set foot on stage. African sun has made sure of that, right, Linda?"

Linda, walking beside me, smiled and nodded. "Trust me, Charles, he's right. You wouldn't want to experience it."

Charles laughed heartily, but I could see the competitive spark in his eyes. "Well, suit yourself, but I'm entering. And I'm going to win again."

"Good luck," I replied with a playful grin.

Without warning, the sky darkened, and a drizzle began to fall. Soon enough, the drizzle turned into a downpour. We ran for cover under a nearby awning, all except for Linda, who stood in the rain, her face tilted up to the sky.

"What are you doing, Linda? Come inside!" I called out, waving at her.

She didn't respond. Instead, she smiled, the rain soaking her clothes and hair, and walked over to me, grabbing my hand. The song "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri began to play from a nearby café, its soft melody blending with the patter of the rain.

"Finally," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "I can check this off my bucket list."

I blinked, wiping raindrops from my face. "What are you talking about?"

She pointed at her lips. "This."

I laughed, the sound lost in the rain. "Who on Earth wants to kiss in the rain?"

Linda didn't answer. Instead, she pulled me closer, her hands gripping my soaked shirt. Before I could process what was happening, her lips met mine. Her kiss was warm, contrasting with the coolness of the rain running down our skin. I wrapped my arms around her waist, lifting her slightly off the ground, surrendering to the moment.

Behind us, Charles and Julie stood under the awning, eyes wide in surprise. "She's a more romantic version of Bliss," Charles chuckled.

Julie nudged him. "Don't let them have all the fun. Get out here."

"What? No, wait-" But Julie was already pulling him into the rain. His protests were cut short by her lips finding him, their laughter mingling with the rhythm of the rain.

I shook my head, a smile tugging at my lips as I watched them. "Some things never change. Julie's still the jealous one."

When we finally broke apart, I looked up at the sky. The rain was starting to ease up, but we were all drenched. Charles sighed, shaking his head at his soaked clothes. "Well, now we definitely can't go to school looking like this."

Linda and I exchanged glances and laughed, water dripping from our hair and clothes. It didn't matter. Today, we are alive, young, and free.

As we began to walk back home, Linda's hand intertwined with mine, I realized that as long as the heart keeps beating, its journey never truly ends. Life is full of twists and turns, some painful, some joyful, but all necessary. And as for love, it has a way of showing up when you least expect it, often in the most unexpected places.

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**THE END**

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