I didn’t expect George to share details of our relationship with other people in school. It wasn’t something I ever imagined he would do, and honestly, it bothered me more than I let on. But I kept quiet. The last time I tried to confront him about something serious, it almost cost me the relationship, and I wasn’t ready to go through that again. Not now. Not when things had just started to feel normal again.

So instead, I tried to redirect my energy into my books.

Exams were fast approaching, and after my poor performance last term, I knew I had to do better. I told myself I would focus, that nothing would distract me this time. But no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept drifting back to one thing.

George’s birthday.

It was on Monday and I had been planning his gift for weeks.

I had saved up money little by little, cutting down on unnecessary spending just so I could get him something meaningful that he would never forget. The only problem was getting a good picture of him. I couldn’t just ask him directly; that would ruin the surprise.

Then it hit me.

His WhatsApp status.

George loved posting pictures of himself, especially the ones where he knew he looked good. I quickly unlocked my phone and scrolled through his recent updates. Just as I expected, there it was, a clear, handsome picture of him, smiling like he didn’t have a single worry in the world.

Perfect.

I screenshotted it immediately and sent it to the designer my sister had introduced me to, carefully explaining how I wanted the frame to look. It had to be beautiful. It had to stand out. It had to be something he would look at and remember me.

By Monday morning, exams had officially begun, but I got to school earlier than usual, clutching the wrapped frame like it was something fragile. I couldn’t even hide my excitement, so I showed it to my classmates before assembly.

“Wow,” Bashir said, his eyes widening as he stared at it. “George is a very lucky boyfriend.”

Others gathered around immediately, asking questions one after the other, like how I got the picture, how much it cost, where I made it. Their voices blended into one loud, excited noise, and for a moment, I felt proud.

Then suddenly… silence.

I looked up as George entered the class. Right on cue, the bell rang for assembly.

“Happy birthday!” we all chorused before filing out of the class.

After assembly, we rushed back like excited children, and without wasting any time, I handed him the gift.

The moment he unwrapped it, his expression changed completely.

Shock, happiness, disbelief, all at once.

“See better girlfriend o!” Jerry exclaimed, laughing loudly.

I couldn’t help but smile. Jerry had been the one encouraging me from the beginning, and seeing him there, fully recovered from his illness and back to his usual lively self, made the moment even better.

But there wasn’t much time to celebrate because our exams was starting too.

We all had to return to our seats, our excitement temporarily replaced by seriousness. Still, even during the paper, I couldn’t stop thinking about the look on George’s face.

After the exam, we gathered briefly before rehearsal for the end-of-session party. That was when we properly celebrated him. He bought snacks and drinks for the class and even gave some to the teachers. Everyone was happy.

The next day, the exams continued, and George couldn’t stop talking about the gift.

He told me he had already placed the frame in his room. He sent long messages, sweet ones. It felt like we were back to how we used to be.

The spark was back and this time, it felt stronger.

As the days passed, everything else faded into the background. Our relationship became the highlight of everything. I even overheard some girls talking about how they wished they had something like ours, while some people were already planning to “test” our bond.

It only made me more determined. If they were watching, then I had to shine.

Finally, it was the day of our party, I made sure I looked my absolute best.

“Today na today,” Jerry said excitedly as we arrived, his energy already at full level.

The entire school was alive with excitement. Decorations filled the hall, music blasted from the speakers, and students moved around in groups, dressed in their finest outfits. Teachers were busy organizing food and drinks, while some students were still rehearsing last-minute performances.

I took it all in, smiling. This was our moment, then I overheard something.

“They have broken up,” Anthonia whispered to Desire.

I turned immediately, assuming it was about Hameedat and Saheed, but I was wrong.

“Felix and Amira,” Desire clarified.

I let out a small laugh. “Took them long enough.”

They both laughed too, but Anthonia quickly added, “Don’t say I told you. You didn’t hear it from me.”

We nodded. Honestly, no one was surprised. That relationship had been a ticking time bomb from the beginning.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Gideon and Bashir talking, occasionally glancing in our direction. It didn’t take long for me to connect the dots. Desire.

So Bashir was still trying to win Desire’s heart, and now Gideon was involved. I shook my head, not interested in their plans, and decided to look for George.

Instead, I found Nafisa and Khalid in a quiet corner, completely lost in each other. I paused for a second, then quietly walked away. 

That wasn’t something I needed to see. It felt like a goodbye.

As I moved through the crowd, I couldn’t help but think about how strangely calm things had been between Hameedat and Saheed. No drama, no fights, at least not like before. And somehow, they were still together.

Maybe they were meant for each other, just like George and I.

Smiling to myself, I walked toward the staff room, thinking I would finally find him there but the moment I stepped inside…

I froze.

In a corner that was partially hidden but not hidden enough, George and Amira were making out.

Comment questions 

Do you think Zara should finally walk away from George after what she saw, or give him another chance?