THE BOY WHO UNDERSTOOD HER

I didn’t know why Daniel’s message stayed in my head.

It was just two words.

“You are different.”

Anybody could say that.

But maybe because university was still new, maybe because I was far away from home, those words felt different.

Back home, people already had an opinion about me before I even spoke.

“Amara is a good girl.”

“Amara doesn’t do those things.”

“Amara will never embarrass her family.”

Those words sounded like compliments, but sometimes they felt like a heavy bag I was carrying everywhere.

But on campus, nobody knew me.

Nobody knew my father.

Nobody knew my church.

Nobody knew the expectations attached to my name.

Daniel only knew me as the new girl who joined fellowship.

And somehow, that felt refreshing.

The next Sunday, I saw him again.

Campus fellowship was already crowded. Students were everywhere, some looking serious with their Bibles, some laughing with friends, some trying to find seats before the service started.

I walked in with Teni beside me.

Immediately, she whispered, “Amara.”

“What?”

“That guy.”

“What guy?”

“The one you were smiling at yesterday.”

I looked at her.

“I was not smiling at anybody.”

She laughed.

“Please. Don’t use church voice with me. I saw you.”

I shook my head.

“You just like trouble.”

“Me? I am only observing.”

Teni had a way of making simple things feel like a serious investigation.

Before I could reply, Daniel walked towards us.

“Amara, good to see you again.”

“Good to see you too.”

“This is your roommate?”

“Yes. Teni.”

Teni smiled immediately.

“Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

The conversation was normal, but I noticed something about Daniel.

He made people comfortable.

He didn’t force attention.

He wasn’t trying too hard to impress anyone.

After service, he helped some first-year students understand how things worked on campus.

Where to register courses.

Where to get textbooks.

Which lecturers were strict.

The kind of things nobody tells you until you make mistakes.

I watched him from a distance.

There was something admirable about him.

He seemed like someone who had figured life out.

Later that evening, he sent me another message.

“Hope you enjoyed today’s service?”

“Yes. It was really good.”

“Good. By the way, don’t hesitate to ask if you need help with anything. First year can be stressful.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

That was how it started.

Not with anything dramatic.

Not with some movie-like moment.

Just conversations.

Small conversations that slowly became longer.

At first, we talked about school.

Assignments.

Lecturers.

Campus life.

Then we started talking about ourselves.

Daniel told me he was from Ogun State.

He was the first child in his family.

His parents sacrificed a lot for him, and he wanted to make them proud.

I liked that about him.

I understood that feeling.

Wanting to make your family proud.

Wanting your parents to look at you and feel like their sacrifices were worth it.

One evening, we sat outside the fellowship building after a meeting.

The campus was noisy around us.

Students walking past.

Cars moving.

People laughing.

But our corner felt quiet.

“You know something?” Daniel said.

“What?”

“You remind me of someone.”

“Who?”

“My younger sister.”

I laughed.

“Is that a compliment?”

“It is.”

“Why?”

“Because she is one of the few people I know who still believes people can be good.”

I smiled.

“That sounds like a strange thing to say.”

“It is. Because after some things happen to you, you stop seeing people the same way.”

I noticed his expression changed.

For the first time, I saw something behind the confidence.

Pain.

“What happened?” I asked.

He looked away.

“Nothing serious.”

I knew that was not true.

But I didn’t push.

That was one thing about me.

I always wanted to understand people.

Maybe too much.

A few days later, Teni walked into our room while I was replying Daniel’s message.

She looked at me and smiled.

“Interesting.”

“What?”

“You and Daniel.”

I immediately became defensive.

“There is no me and Daniel.”

“I didn’t say there was.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

She laughed.

“Amara, relax. I am not accusing you of anything.”

“Good.”

“But just be careful.”

I looked at her.

“Careful about what?”

“Daniel.”

I frowned.

“What about him?”

She sat down on her bed.

“Nothing. I just heard things.”

“What things?”

She shrugged.

“You know campus. People talk.”

“People always talk.”

“True. But sometimes people talk because there is something to talk about.”

I didn’t like where the conversation was going.

“Who told you?”

“Tosin from my department.”

“And do you believe everything Tosin says?”

“No. But I also don’t ignore everything.”

I stayed quiet.

The truth was, I didn’t want to hear anything bad about Daniel.

Because in my mind, I had already created an image of him.

Daniel was different.

Daniel was mature.

Daniel understood me.

And maybe that was the problem.

Sometimes we don’t fall for people because of who they really are.

Sometimes we fall for the person we hope they are.

That night, I was about to sleep when another message came.

Daniel.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you different from other girls?”

I stared at the message.

I didn’t know what to say.

So I replied honestly.

“I don’t think I am different.”

His response came.

“I think you are.”

I smiled again.

But this time, something felt different.

Because somewhere deep inside me, I knew something.

The attention felt good.

Too good.

And for the first time since I arrived at university, I wondered if being noticed by someone could become something dangerous.

The next morning, as I walked towards my lecture hall, I saw Daniel standing outside.

But he wasn’t alone.

A girl was standing with him.

A girl I recognized.

And the way she was looking at him made my stomach turn.

Because she wasn’t looking at him like a friend.

She was looking at him like someone who had a history with him.

And when Daniel saw me, his expression changed.

Like he was hoping I wouldn’t see them.

Who is the girl with Daniel? Is Teni right to warn Amara, or is she just judging him based on rumours?

To be continued…