FLOWERS IN SAHARA

' 🄽🄸🄽🄴 '

Lolade stared at the guy in front of her in a daze. And yet again, he had lazily loosened the knot of his tie and one of his buttons was buttoned. His voice rang in her ears again as she nodded.

"Yeah" she replied quietly. She couldn't tell him that only her mom called her that.

"Congratulations" he said as he slipped his hands into his pockets and Lolade smiled lightly at him.

"You too" Lolade said as she smiled brighter.

"You were so good" Lolade added as both of them went silent.

"Jesse" someone called and Jesse turned to see Christopher pointing at the bus.

Jesse turned back to her with a small grin "Do you have a pen?" He asked and Lolade nodded while bringing out her own from her left breast pocket and giving it to him.

Lolade sucked in a breath as Jesse closed the distance between them and grabbed her palm.

"What..... " Lolade didn't get to ask her question before she saw Jesse scribble something on her palm.

He turned to her and slipped the biro back into her pocket.
"Give me a call when you get home ehn?" Jesse said as he jogged towards the bus leaving Lolade twice as dazed as when he met her.

Her classmates rushed towards her with jealousy and excitement all over their faces.

"You know that boy?"

"What's hos name?"

"What did he give you?"

"What did he say?"

Ignoring the numerous questions been thrown at her; Lolade clamped her right hand tightly as she tried to carry her gifts into the bus.

"Do you know that DRC student?" Mr Ilesanmi asked with a small smile and Lolade shook her head.

"He came to congratulate me" Lolade replied as she sat down on her seat.

"Its good to make new friends" Mr Ilesanmi said as Lolade opened her palm. She smiled at the italic handwriting that was spread all over her palm as she brought out a note and scribbled the phone number at the back of the note.

"He didn't sounded like he knew you before now" Someone said beside her and Lolade turned to give him a bored look.

"So?" Lolade asked.

"You didn't tell anyone that you knew a DRC student" Stephen replied as Lolade chuckled.

"Well, it not like you guys would believe me even if I told you guys. And sorry, I don't think I owe anyone an explanation or anyone a list of my friends. Do mind your business" Lolade shot back at him while facing the wind.

"You know that girl?" Harmony asked as soon as Jesse stepped into the bus. Jesse turned to her and sat down without a word.

"Where did you know her from?" Tofi asked as Jesse shrugged.

"Don't do that. Can't you see I'm curious?" Tofi asked as Christopher burst into laughter.

"Tofi is really itchy for gossip this time around" Christopher said as Tofi glared at him.

"You are talking as if you aren't curious too. I know you are twice as curious as I am" Tofi retorted as Christopher coughed as he stopped laughing.

"Okay. She's pretty good, has quite a bundle of luck and she's very pretty. How did you know her? You even never mentioned her to us" Christopher said as Jesse shrugged.

"Just a coincidence. Its nothing serious" Jesse replied as Christopher leaned back in his seat while chuckling.

"Its nothing serious yet that goofy smile is still on your lips" Christopher said as Jesse raised an eyebrow as she he wore a straight face.