HELLO JORDAN

STEPHANIE

"Who is Stephanie?"

"A girl"

"Jordan, I'm assuming we've talked up to the point where you can tell me anything without me begging you to."

"now that's the bad thing about assumptions. They're never right" Jordan says twisting his mouth

"Jordan, please" Brad squeezes his eyes shut.

"It was a week to the semester exams" Jordan exhales. "My Course mate, Emmanuel, formed a study group and invited us to join in. I did. I mean, I really needed it. Whenever I tried studying alone, I'd always think of Boston and Lawrence and Rachel and Wendy..."

"We're talking about Stephanie, Jordan" Brad interrupts

"Right... we had our first meeting. Our first study session"

[ FEBRUARY 5th, 2017 - 5:30PM ]

The leaves of the trees fell and got crushed under students feet as the harmattan breeze had made them dry and fragile. It was a chilly evening and everyone had cardigans on.

Jordan and the rest of the study group sat under one of the trees as they prepped for the commencement of their study session when a light skinned girl on long black braids, whom Jordan considered the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, walked in.

"Sorry I'm late" she said as she made her way to the empty space on the bench right beside Jordan.

"Hey" Jordan said, waving shyly.

"Hi"

"I'm Jordan"

"Stephanie"

Just before Jordan could utter another word, Emmanuel cleared his throat. "I guess that's all of us."

[ 7:00PM ]

They all walked towards the campus gate together, talking and laughing, as they had concluded the study session for that evening.

"Where do you stay?" Jordan asked Stephanie who was trying to fit a book into her small bag.

"Royal house" she replied

"Are you walking? Or"

"I'm walking. It's just here na"

"Yeah. I know. But it's a quiet road and it's already dark."

"Well, I was going to call a friend to meet me at the junction" she said, pulling out her phone from her rear pocket.

"Oh. Boyfriend?" His eyes darted.

"Just friend"

"Well, here's what, how about I be that 'just friend' and walk you home?"

"Umm, I guess that could work" the corners of her mouth lifted.

[ 7:25PM ]

"How come I never saw you in class?" Jordan asked as they plunged down the dark, lonely lane.

"I'm always at the back, I guess. But I'm not really a class person"

"Haha. I guess we have that in common then." They both laughed followed by an awkward silence. Jordan searched his brain for a topic he could bring up when Stephanie broke the silence.

"You look familiar"

"I do?!" Jordan's forehead creased

"Yes. Any relation to the dead girl? Wendy."

"Oh, she was my girlfriend. Terrible thing Bami did."

"I'm so sorry. I hope you're okay?"

"Well, I'm doing just fine. I guess..."