Beneath the Baobab Tree

ter

ed with

e - hungry, possessive, careless. No. This one was different. It came like an a

ednesday

g assembly had just ended, and students began to scatter into their classes. But Kemi remained still,

er T

not in a hurry, not seeking attention, but drawing it anyway. When he passed by the JSS3

fr

d her. It wasn't invasive or flirtatious. It was more like curiosi

he sm

ke a pebble in her chest, sending ripples thro

sat down, hoping no one noticed the

urse, som

e desk beside her, grinn

t," Kemi said

iled a

her open notebook, the

I were you, I'd smile back. Maybe he'l

ht didn't cross her mind. But because the

hool library - a single dusty room with wobbly wooden shelves and

r lap. She turned the pages slowly, savoring the softness of word

door crea

as only Musa, the assistant teacher, searching

exha

s. To the smile. To the way he had written "Liter

ant her there? W

in rooms without being asked to. To be present, but unnoticed. But something

oranges and bruised purples. School was over, and students had begun the wa

ngered

carried her, slowly, toward the courtyard. She told herself she wasn't looking

here

in one hand, a bottle of water in the other. He

to pause - but

her presence

eyes met. Aga

led back - small,

nodded once, as if to say I see y

r pulse quickened,

emi sat with her back pressed to the

e: "The way he looked at me was like

know what i

t fel

the baobab leave