I opened my locker, expectant. I knew he had gotten me a gift but the boys would usually wait till after lights out; when they would scale the fence of the girl’s hostel to see their girlfriends and give their valentine gifts. This year, after crushing on Chuka since Js1, he was finally my boyfriend!

          I lifted my books one after the other till I found a white piece of paper tucked neatly under my maths note. I looked around the class, the coast was clear. I picked it up and held it to my nose. It smelled like him. That strong, masculine yet sweet scent. I settled into my seat to read the note. It was a poem.

“Roses are red, violets are blue.

Day after day, my heart beats for you.

No mountain’s too high, no valley’s too low

Stronger I promise, my affections will grow

I plan to convince you, cus’ doubt me you might

When your lips and mine meet as one tonight.”

– Chuka

             My cheeks would have gone blood red if I weren’t so dark. Chuka was the best boyfriend ever. All the girls in my class secretly wanted him. I’d heard some of them gossiping about it the other day. But he loved me. He said so all the time. What would he want those flat chested airheads for anyway? It was only befitting that the most handsome boy in our set ended up with the most beautiful girl- me! I planned to ensure that after tonight he wouldn’t have eyes for anyone else.

            I snapped out of my explicit daydream and folded my poem. I needed to go back to clean my room in anticipation of Chuka’s visit. I locked my locker and floated back to the hostel.

         My roommate had fallen ill some days before and had to be taken home. The illness couldn’t have come at a better time.  I spent the entire siesta period cleaning and rearranging my room. The age old cobwebs were removed. The clothes on the floor were folded neatly. I even dressed my roommate’s bed to complete the look. Everything would have to be perfect for the night.

           I was restless throughout night prep. I couldn’t read because of the butterflies in my stomach and I couldn’t stay with Chuka because he had to have remedial maths classes. So I spent the time with Ayo, my best friend. Ose, her boyfriend, also had remedial classes and also planned to visit her that night. We discussed our plans for the evening. I had planned to wear a bra and panties and lie under the blanket waiting for Chuka but Ayo told me she was going to be completely naked. If Ayo was willing to do that; Chuka would probably expect me to go commando too. I thought about it for a bit. Before the end of prep I made up my mind- Sayonara underwear!

***

I, Ose and the other guys stood facing the wall of the girl’s hostel. We were waiting to be sure the security had slept before we climbed in. We waited for ten minutes after the light in the security guard’s room went off.

“It’s time! It’s time” Ose whispered.

Immediately he moved backwards, ran, jumped on the wall and began climbing. Before long I heard the thud he made as he landed on the other side of the wall. Another boy went up next. He was obviously a first timer because he had to make four attempts before he finally got over the fence. I went up next. I’d done this too many times to make mistakes. This was the first time I was jumping the fence for Tolu though. Luckily, her room was on the ground floor. I couldn’t wait to reap the fruit of my effort.

  Soon enough, I was over the fence and making my way through one of the windows. Ose had ensured we would have safe passage by convincing one girl to leave her window unlocked so we could easily climb into it. The boy had thought of everything!

   We agreed to meet in the same room in the same room in 2 hours and dispersed. I made my way to Tolu’s room. She had made sure to tell me at least 200 times that it was “room 32, the last one on the left”. The corridors were thinly lit and all that was to be heard as I walked past doors were the snores of girls and the croaks of frogs. After what seemed like forever, I located room 32. I tried to push open the door quietly but it creaked loudly. The person on the bed turned sharply on hearing the sound. Suddenly, there was a light directed at my eyes.

“Chuka, is that you?” Tolu queried

“Yes, don’t blind me!”

“Sorry. Sorry. Welcome” She stuttered as she fumbled to put off the torchlight.

I felt around in the darkness till I found the bed. It only caused my adrenaline and testosterone to pump faster to find that she was naked under the blanket. My little guy approved.

***

“Students! Be quiet!” Mr. Omonmhenle’s deep voice sent fear through the entire assembly. He pointed at the students presently kneeling before him.

“While the others were caught while about to escape from the girl’s hostel; these two were caught in an immoral and devilish act!” The assembly erupted again.

“Quiet everybody!” He waited for the excitement to wane and then said “It has been brought to our attention that they have been moving about claiming to be in love; as a result, we have decided that one of them will be expelled and the other suspended, but to prove their love for each other, they must choose right here and now which of them will be expelled.”

Chuka and Tolu raised their heads to look at each other for the first time that morning. It was time to prove their love.