I Did Not Want To Fall For You

Chapter 50: I like you

She was glad no one else apart from Nonso noticed what was going in. She didn't want rumours flying around or to be the topic on everyone's lips for the week. There were already enough relationship dramas going on.
One of them, to her surprise, was Nonso and Toyosi.
"You like her," She blurted out, genuinely shocked.
They were sitting on the same admin block staircase. It was now a common hangout spot for just the two of them. How they became so close, she had no idea.
Nonso rolled his eyes. "It's just a crush."
"Friends don't crush on each other," She refuted, "You crush on someone you don't really know but friends, they like each other because you have known them to a good extent. Crush is just on the surface but liking someone runs a bit deeper."
"Whatever."
"So she knows?" She was really curious.
"She knows... And she thinks she can play me, use it to her advantage. Toyosi will never change," He said and shook his head.
"I don't understand, what did she do?"
"She told her entire class. They laugh about it, she teases me about it, and never fails to try to use it to embarrass me. Just because the 'almighty' Nonso has a crush on her," He replied.
She was surprised. "How did I not notice this all this while?"
He chuckled. "Because you are too busy with your Tochukwu's drama."
She rolled her eyes. "Feelings can go to hell but seriously, she doesn't like you back?"
He shrugged carelessly. "I don't think so."
She eyed him, suspicious, "You don't seem bothered."
He smiled. "It hurts a little... You know, unrequited crush plus the fact that she's using it to downplay me. I thought she was better than that but apart from that," he shrugged again, "I am not bothered. The crush will fade soon and I don't plan on doing anything about it. Relationship stress is not for me presently. The crush was just a slip. As per, we have been flowing together as a group, reading together and all. I'm cool anyway."
She chuckled. "We think alike."
He looked at her with raised brows and laughed. "If you break Tochukwu's heart," He said, laughing, "I will be there to comfort him."
She shrugged.
"But seriously, don't break his heart." He said seriously, "You guys should work things out. He really likes you."
She glanced at him and he smiled knowingly.
"I'm serious," He continued, "You both are the type that don't fall in love easily or like someone easily but when you do, it runs deep. I know you care about him though you are really good at hiding your emotions but I know you like him. He does too, Kamsi, badly. He is crazy about you."
She stared into the distance, saying nothing.
He kept speaking, "You have to believe me. Tochukwu really likes... he's falling in love with you."
"He shouldn't," She cut in immediately.
"But he is," Nonso persisted, "He is falling in love with you and nobody can stop it. He cannot control his heart and neither can you. I am not saying you two must date but you guys should work things out... for your own good. It doesn't have to end like this."
She sighed, pressing a hand to her cheek.
"Love," She muttered, "How do people fall in love? How do you know you are falling in love?"
"It's deep." He answered, "It runs deep."
She stared at him. "Isn't it quite early in life for him to... fall in love? How do you even know?" She asked, ignoring her elated heart.
"He knows and I know and you know and there's no particular time to fall in love, it just comes," He answered and tugged at her cheek.
She didn't respond, couldn't respond. Her eyes were glued to the boy that was supposedly falling in love with her. He was walking towards them, his eyes on her.
"Sha tell Toyo not to like, crush or fall in love with me," Nonso was saying, not noticing Kaito's arrival, "Because it is sure that I will break her heart into a million pieces."
"Why?" She asked, still keeping eye contact with Kaito.
"I can't imagine myself being with someone like her, she does not take things seriously," He replied, "Just tell her 'cause I will break her bad... and fast."
"Noted," She murmured, rubbing her sweaty palms on her house wear.
Kaito finally reached them.
"Bestie," Nonso hailed with a wide grin, glancing at her.
"When did the both of you become this... close?" Kaito asked, a light smile breaking out on his face.
Nonso smirked, "Since we discovered we have so many things in common. We should be best friends. Right, Ka Ka?"
She chuckled nervously, avoiding Kaito's piercing look.
"Don't get jealous," Nonso said to Kaito, "I already told her that you are falling in love with her..."
Kaito's eyes widened.
"... thereby cementing your place in her heart." He finished with a smirk.
"You did what!?" Kaito barked, a nervous and angry look on his face. He ran a hand through his hair, now avoiding her eyes.
Nonso rose, still smirking and he walked past Kaito, clapping him on the back.
"Be a man," He teased and went away whistling.
She shifted nervously on her seat, seeing they were now alone.
"Don't mind him," He said quickly, "he... I... he's just..."
"What? He's just what?" She queried.
He blew out a breath and took Nonso's seat.
"He's not lying," He spoke, "I think so, I don't know, I don't understand myself."
"Understand?"
"I don't know, I just..." He paused, shutting his eyes for a moment then he opened them and faced her fully.
"I like you," He said with nervous eyes, "a lot and not as friends... a lot more and it's not something I'm used to. I can't say I am... I am in love with you but I do like you... and... and I don't know what to do..."
She interrupted curtly, "You can just stay away like a coward as you did before."