Zaria's POV.

The girls and I were in the class. The teachers were having a meeting with the Principal and Board of Governors so that gave room for an automatic free period. Most of my classmates had dispersed to God knows where. Some guys have gone to play ball on the field.

Ada was also trying to convince us to go to the field to watch the boys, but I knew very well that she just wanted to cheer Joel up. Speaking of Joel, he's being trying to impress me all week and though I hated to admit it, my resolve is breaking gradually.

So I decided to avoid him at all cost.

"Guys na! Please let's go to the field. Lyla, you can cheer Kelvin up." Ada's whiny voice broke through my mind trip.

"Don't use Kelvin to blackmail me, abeg. I'm not in the mood." Lyla dismissed with the wave of her hand and went back to typing away on her phone. Ada faced me with a puppy dog look on her face and I started shaking my head.

"No. I'm not ready to watch hormonal guys running around the field, chasing a round ball. If you want to go and watch Joel, go right ahead. No one is stopping you." I told her and she rolled her eyes.

The last thing I wanted was Joel and I in the same place at the moment.

"It would be somehow if I'm the only girl there. Joel will definitely think of me as desperate. But if I'm there with you guys, it won't look bad. Please now." She pleaded again. Lyla sighed in resignation. I widened my eyes. If Lyla is agreeing, that means they will drag me along!

"Fine. Let's go." Then she looked at me. "Zaria, oya na. If I'm going then you are going." She pulled me up and I groaned.

My plan to avoid Joel was failing.

"Do I have to?" I asked Lyla and she shot me a glare in reply. I decided to keep quiet as we made our way and to the Stadium, Ada squealing excitedly all the way.

****

We got to the Stadium and saw that some of the girls were there as well watching the guys warm up as they got ready for second half. The hall reeked of masculinity and testosterone. I scrunched up my nose. Now, they will call it manly Musk.

For your mind.

"This is the reason why I hate coming to the stadium when the guys are playing ball." Lyla voiced out my thoughts and I nodded in agreement.

"I agree. It literally reeks." I chipped in. Ada rolled her eyes again and I feared that with the way she's rolling it too much, it might fall off one day.

The thought of that happening made me chuckle softly.

"You guys should just manage jhor. Look, the guys are there. Come on." She skipped away excitedly. Lyla looked at me and shook her head.

"Babe needs to chill." I told her and she nodded. We followed Ada behind and got to where the guys were getting hydrated. Kelvin sighted Lyla and his face quickly lit up.

"Babe." He jumped down from the bleachers and stretched his hand to hug Lyla. Lyla quickly escaped from under his stretched arm.

"No, I won't hug you. You are sweaty." She told him and he faked a hurt expression.

"Come on! This is just manly musk." He moved closer to her and Lyla screamed, running away from his grasp. Kelvin laughed as he resulted to chasing her around. I chuckled and rolled my eyes at their antics

Couples.

Ada was already settled beside Joel, engaging him. Joel turned his head and his eyes met mine. I saw the corner of his lips stretch up in a small smile and I felt myself smile back. I allowed myself scan him. He was in an armless jersey and spot shorts. The party of his body that was left uncovered glistened with sweat, making his caramel skin pop.

"You guys don't usually come to the stadium to watch us play." Charles voice pierced through my mind trip. I looked at him, a small smile playing on my lips and settled beside him.

"I wouldn't have come if not for that madam." I pointed to Ada and Charles looked up at her then shook his head laughing.

"She's being too obvious, honestly." He chipped in and I looked at him, my face contoured in a grimace.

"Charles." I chided. "That's not a very nice thing to say." I said but he rolled his eyes in response.

"I'm being honest. You know how Ada can be when she wants a guy. It's best she knows early that Joel isn't just any guy that can get wrapped around her little finger." Charles stated matter-of-factly.

"Ada has had it rough when it comes to relationships. It's not exactly her fault that she's like this." I said.

"Zaria, I know that but it's best she gets over this phase as fast as she can because her attitude can be a huge turn off and that's coming from me. You of all people should know how much I care about her." Charles replied and I nodded.

"Why don't you tell her then? At least out of all of us here, she listens to you the most." I mentioned and he shrugged.

"I'll try it, but you know how Ada can be when this kind of topic comes up." He reasoned and I nodded.

On cue, the whistle went and it was time for the guys to get back to the field for the second half of the match.

"I should get back to the field." Charles stood up from the bleachers, towering over me. "You can sit here and watch me win." He added, his lips stretched in a smirk and I scoffed.

"Trying to blow your trumpet now, are we?" I eyed him and he chuckled, flicking my nose with his index before running off to the field. I laughed softly as his antics, shaking my head.

Kelvin and Lyla came back from wherever they had ran to. I watched as Joel left Ada's side to make his way to the field. Suddenly, he stopped shot to look back only for a second. His eyes met mine for the briefest moment before he left to the field. That slight gesture had my heart skipping.

I couldn't help the giddy feeling that came whenever he looked at me.

Zaria, with the way your heart is skipping, you will die of heart attack. My subconscious mocked me and I chuckled.

"Why are you smiling to yourself?" Lyla asked me as she settled down beside me. I looked at her and shrugged.

"I just thought about something. Don't worry." I replied. She squinted her eyes at me, looking at me skeptically.

"You guys should shush!" Ada snapped at us suddenly. "The game is about to start. You need to shut up." She added sassily, looking back to the field. Lyla made to reply her but I held her hand, giving her a warning look.

"Don't. Just let it go." I told her. Lyla rolled her eyes and nodded then we both looked back to the field.

The match kicked off and the boys began to play. Charles and Joel were on the same team, Kelvin was the keeper of their team while Taju and Tyler were on the other team. So, I knew which team of was supporting.

I watched the boys play, my eyes mainly on Joel. I couldn't help the control of my eyes as they watched him call unto another boy to pass the ball. I watched as he dribbled the ball pass players from the other team so easily before passing it over to Charles.

I've never had this much fun watching football.

"It looks like he sweats diamond drops, though." I heard Ada coo from behind me and I rolled my eyes. She was definitely talking about Joel. I wanted to speak but Lyla beat me to it.

"Ada, calm down. Your blood too dey hot!" She chided with a scowl on her face and I giggled in response. Ada only hissed.

"Na you sabi." She muttered. Lyla and I exchanged a knowing look before we looked back at the guys playing ball.

Joel and Charles team was leading with 2 goals to 1 and with the look of things, Joel was making waves to score another one. I watched as he kept dribbling the ball and passing it to his team mates who passed it back to him when he was clear. Just as he was about to shoot the ball, someone from the other team tackled him in the 18th box and he fell with a thud.

I gasped.

"Foul!!" Ada screamed in my ear and I snapped my head to the back.

"Ada stop shouting!!" I chided harshly and she hissed at me. I rolled my eyes and looked back and the field.

Charles had gone to help Joel up as the referee yelled "penalty". Joel got into position as he prepared to play the penalty kick. I saw him look back at the bleachers again, towards me and I quickly adverted my gaze.

I don't want him to know that I'm watching him.

I heard the whistle and looked back just in time to see Joel kick the ball straight into the net. Students seated on the bleachers supporting his team screamed in joy and his team mates ran to hover around him. Ada screamed her lungs up but this time I didn't chide her. I clapped as well.

The referee blew the whistle and the players went back to their positions so has to continue the match. Joel took that opportunity to look back at the bleachers again, at me. This time I didn't look away. His met mine and he rose his hand in a curt wave just as a smile spread across his lips. I discreetly waved at him back, a smile playing on my lips.

"He's waving at me." I heard Ada say behind me. I looked at Lyla and saw her looking at me with a smirk playing on her face. She scooted closer to me and whispered.

"I saw him waving but I know for a fact that he wasn't waving at her." She stated simply, a sly smirk on her lips. I chuckled but said nothing.

****

The guys were done with football. After hitting the locker rooms, we decided to spend the remaining minutes of our free time in Love garden. As usual, Ada was settled beside Joel.

"Hope your leg doesn't hurt too much?" She asked him for the umpteenth time. I mentally groaned as I continued to stuff my face with Maryland cookies.

"My leg is fine. Thank you." Joel replied good naturedly.

"Ada, if you ask about his leg one more time, I'll literally stab myself." Taju said.

"Is it your asking?" Tyler shoved Taju.

"Thank you jare, Tyler. Haters will always hate." Ada stuck her tongue out at Taju.

"Oh, I got something." Joel said, getting everyone's attention. I watched him cautiously, asking myself what he was up to. I watched as he brought out a nylon and placed it on the ceramic table in the middle.

"What's that?" Ada asked.

"It's a gift..." He started, then looked at me. "For Zaria." He finished just as my eyes went huge.

"What!!" I exclaimed.

"Just think of it as a peace offering." Charles chipped in and Joel shrugged with a knowing smile playing on his lips. I realized what he was doing.

He is trapping me.

"Are you kidding me?!" I exclaimed again.

"Just open it and see it jhoor." Kelvin said, an interested look on his face. I looked at Joel again and he was watching me. I picked the nylon and opened it. I widened my eyes when I saw what I saw.

Cheesy Enchilada Doritos!

My favourite Dorito of all times!

This kind of Doritos were pretty scarce in Lagos and no one knew they were my favourite...

Except...

I gasped, shooting a look of  mock betrayal at Lyla and Charles.

"You back stabbers!" I screamed dramatically and everyone burst into laughter.

Well, everyone apart from Ada who had her face in a scowl, a confused look in her eyes but I didn't put my mind to it.

"You sold me out!" I whined and Lyla rose her hand in mock surrender.

"I am for anything that can make peace between you two." She pointed between me and Joel. I looked at him and I saw a smirk playing on his lips, a glint in his clear green eyes.

"So you think you can buy my friendship with Doritos." I stated and he shrugged.

"Did it work?" He asked and I made to talk when he spoke again.

"Bear in mind that I am very much allergic to cheese so imagine the trouble I went through, smelling cheese all morning." He added briefly, his smirk widening into a full grin. I looked at the expectant faces of every one and released an exhausted groan.

"Fine!" I growled out and everyone cheered, Charles trading high-fives with Joel. "It's not like I was bound to win anyway." I smiled, shrugging my shoulder and Joel laughed heartily. That familiar deep rumbling sound leaving his lips.

"So," He stretched his hand. "Friends?" He asked. I looked at him for a few minute before caving and shaking his hand.

"Friends." I replied and everyone cheered again, throwing their snacks up the air as a sign of celebrations.

Joel chuckled as he looked back at me, his lips stretched in a small smile while I had my lower lip in between my teeth to suppress the smile that was fighting hard to show. Joel noticed this and chuckled again, rubbing his thumb on the back of my palm soothingly before he finally released it...

...leaving a tingling feeling on my skin.

Wow.

****

The guys had gone further while I was still picking my stuff from where they had fallen on the floor. I stood up straight and came face to face with Ada. I almost jumped out of my skin in fear.

"Jeez, Ada. Must you be so creepy?" I teased playfully but her straight face told me she wasn't playing.

"What was all that about?" She asked me and I frowned in confusion.

"What was what about? I don't understand." I replied, more confused.

"You and Joel. All that just happened. How come I was the only clueless one?" She asked me and I realized. I laughed remembering what had gone down this afternoon.

"Oh that. It was nothing. Joel and I just had a deal about him impressing me till I agree to be his friend. Nothing more." I replied and she looked at me for a while, scrutinizing me.

"It had better be nothing more." She was using a threatening tone on me and I veered back in utter confusion. "If I find out you are making moves on my man..."

"Your man?" My brows furrowed in a utmost confusion and disbelief.

"Yes, my man. If I find out you are making moves on Joel, it won't be funny." She threatened.

"Jeez, Ada! Why are you talking like this? You know me." I told her and she shot me an overly sweet smile.

"Of course I know you, Zaria. But one can never be too careful." She blew me a kiss and skipped away to join the others.

While I stood in that spot, disbelief written all over my face.

Did that just happen?