THINGS NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IN CHURCH

I froze.

Daniel had seen me.

The girl standing beside him turned too.

For a second, nobody spoke.

Then Daniel forced a smile.

“Amara.”

I walked over, pretending I wasn’t already imagining different things in my head.

“Good morning.”

“Morning. You’re going for your lecture?”

“Yes.”

He nodded.

“Oh… let me introduce you. This is Sandra.”

The girl smiled politely.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

She was beautiful. Light-skinned, neatly dressed, with the kind of confidence that made it obvious she wasn’t intimidated by anyone.

“I’m in Daniel’s department,” she said.

I smiled back.

“Oh, okay.”

That was all.

Nothing strange.

Nothing suspicious.

But as I walked away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d interrupted something.

Later that afternoon, Daniel called.

“Are you free?”

“Yes.”

“Can we talk?”

We met at a small shawarma spot just outside the school gate. It wasn’t fancy, but students loved the place because the food was cheap and the owner always played old Afrobeats.

Daniel looked unusually serious.

“You’ve been quiet since this morning.”

I shrugged.

“Have I?”

“You have.”

I smiled faintly.

“It’s nothing.”

He leaned forward.

“You’re wondering about Sandra.”

I didn’t answer.

He sighed.

“I knew you would.”

“So… who is she?”

“My ex.”

The words landed heavily.

“You dated?”

He nodded.

“For almost two years.”

I looked down at the table.

“I thought…”

“You thought I had never been in a relationship?”

I didn’t know what to say.

He smiled sadly.

“I’ve made mistakes too, Amara.”

“What happened?”

He was quiet for a while before speaking.

“We wanted different things. We kept hurting each other. Ending it was the only option.”

“You still talk?”

“Sometimes. We share the same department. Avoiding each other completely is impossible.”

His explanation made sense.

At least, it sounded like it did.

When we finished eating, I felt better.

Maybe I’d overreacted.

Maybe Teni’s warning had entered my head.

That evening, I got back to the hostel feeling lighter.

Teni looked up from her laptop.

“So?”

“So what?”

“You met your fellowship president.”

I laughed.

“He is not the fellowship president.”

“You know who I mean.”

I sat on my bed.

“He was talking to his ex.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“And he told you that?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.”

“What does ‘hmm’ mean?”

“It means I hope that’s the complete story.”

“You don’t even know him.”

“I don’t.”

“So why are you judging him?”

She closed her laptop.

“I’m not judging him, Amara. I’m just saying people don’t always tell the whole truth.”

I became defensive.

“Everybody has a past.”

“I agree.”

“So why should I hold his against him?”

“I’m not saying you should.”

“Then?”

She looked at me carefully.

“I’m saying don’t be in a hurry to trust someone because they speak softly and carry a Bible.”

Her words irritated me.

Maybe because I felt she was being unfair.

Or maybe because a part of me knew she could be right.

Over the next few weeks, Daniel and I became closer.

He started waiting for me after lectures.

We studied together in the library.

Sometimes we’d buy roasted corn and pear from the woman near the campus gate and just talk while walking back.

He listened.

Really listened.

When I talked about home, he paid attention.

When I talked about how everyone expected me to be perfect, he didn’t laugh.

One evening, I admitted something I’d never said to anyone.

“Sometimes I get tired.”

“Tired of what?”

“Being the good girl.”

He looked at me.

“What do you mean?”

I sighed.

“I feel like people only love me because they think I’ll never disappoint them.”

He nodded slowly.

“I understand.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do.”

I looked at him, surprised.

“You know what it feels like when people expect you to be something all the time?”

He smiled without happiness.

“They expect me to always be strong. Always have answers. Always smile.”

“And?”

“Sometimes I just want to be human.”

His words settled somewhere deep inside me.

For the first time, I felt truly understood.

Not admired.

Not praised.

Understood.

A few days later, fellowship held a purity seminar.

The guest speaker preached passionately.

“Sex before marriage destroys destinies.”

The hall was silent.

“If you truly love God, you won’t put yourself in situations that lead to sin.”

People shouted, “Amen!”

I did too.

But something bothered me.

The sermon made it sound so simple.

As if temptation always announced itself.

As if people who made mistakes simply didn’t love God enough.

Nobody talked about loneliness.

Nobody talked about emotional attachment.

Nobody talked about wanting someone to choose you.

Nobody talked about how slowly boundaries disappear.

After the service, everyone discussed the message excitedly.

As we walked back, Daniel suddenly asked, “What did you think?”

I hesitated.

“It was good.”

“But?”

I looked at him.

“I just think… some things are more complicated than people admit.”

He didn’t speak immediately.

Then he smiled.

“That’s one thing I like about you.”

“What?”

“You don’t pretend.”

I laughed.

“If my mother heard that, she’d say I talk too much.”

He laughed too.

“No. You think deeply.”

That night, while brushing my teeth in the hostel bathroom, I caught myself smiling at my reflection.

Then I stopped.

“What is happening to me?” I whispered.

I had never been this excited because of someone’s messages.

Never looked forward to seeing someone every day.

Never checked my phone this often.

It scared me.

Because I wasn’t just enjoying Daniel’s company anymore.

I was beginning to need it.

The next evening, Teni walked into the room carrying a bottle of soft drink.

She looked at me for a long moment before speaking.

“Amara.”

“Hmm?”

“I know girls like you.”

I laughed.

“What does that even mean?”

“The problem isn’t that you’re innocent.”

I frowned.

“The problem is that you think temptation will come looking like temptation.”

I stared at her.

She continued quietly.

“Sometimes it comes looking exactly like the answer to your prayers.”

Her words followed me long after she fell asleep.

Because for the first time…

I wasn’t completely sure she was wrong.

Do you think Amara is already falling in love, or is she simply enjoying the attention she’s never had before?

To be continued…