Campus Corridor - Afternoon
Chima was storming down the corridor, her face red with fury. Her fists were clenched. Her jaw was tight. She looked like she was about to punch someone.
Alice saw her coming and wisely stepped aside. "Uh oh. Someone's angry."
Chima didn't stop. She kept walking, muttering under her breath.
"One minute. ONE MINUTE. And he rejected my paper. After I worked on it for WEEKS."
Fatimah caught up to her. "Chima, calm down. Maybe you can appeal?"
"I ALREADY TRIED! But he said rules are rules!"
"That's... frustrating."
"FRUSTRATING?! IT'S INFURIATING!"
Naila was lying on a bench nearby. "You're being loud. I can't sleep."
"GOOD! NO ONE SHOULD SLEEP! EVERYONE SHOULD BE ANGRY!"
"That's exhausting."
"LIFE IS EXHAUSTING!"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBhhMrfUuD
Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of Chima. He was tall, handsome, with perfectly styled hair and a charming smile. He was wearing a designer jacket and holding a single rose.
Alex. The campus playboy. The guy who had dated half the girls in university.
"Chima," he said smoothly. "You look beautiful today."
Chima stopped. Her eye twitched. "What do you want, Alex?"
"Can't a man compliment a beautiful woman?"
"No. Because you're not a man. You're a walking red flag."
Alex laughed. "Always so feisty. That's what I love about you."
"Love? You don't love anyone except yourself."
"Ouch. That hurts."
"Good."
***
Alex wasn't deterred. He followed Chima as she tried to walk away.
"Come on, Chima. Give me a chance. I know you've been stressed about your paper. Let me take you out. Dinner. Somewhere nice."
"I don't want dinner."
"Coffee, then?"
"I don't want coffee."
"Tea?"
"I don't want tea."
"Water?"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtIsmkw9lP
"I'M NOT THIRSTY!"
Alex smiled. "See? You're already getting worked up. You need to relax. And I'm the perfect person to help you relax."
Chima stopped. She turned to face him. "Alex. Listen carefully. I am not interested. I will never be interested. You are the most annoying person I have ever met. And that's saying something, because I know Alice."
Alice, who was watching from a distance, shouted, "HEY!"
Chima ignored her. "So please. Leave me alone."
Alex wasn't fazed. "I love your fire. It's so attractive."
"I'm going to set you on fire."
"Hot."
"LITERALLY!"80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZe8U17AFsY
Alex suddenly dropped to one knee.
Chima's eyes widened. "What are you doing?!"
Alice gasped. "OH MY GOD! HE'S PROPOSING!"
Wony's jaw dropped. "This is insane!"
Fatimah covered her mouth. "Is this really happening?!"
Alex pulled out a small velvet box. He opened it to reveal a sparkling ring.
"Chima," he said dramatically. "I know we've had our differences. I know I've dated other people. But none of them were you. You are the only one who challenges me. The only one who makes me want to be better. So I'm asking you..."
Chima was frozen. "Alex. Don't you dare."
"...Will you marry me?"
Silence.
Alice screamed. "YES! SAY YES!"
"ALICE, SHUT UP!"
Chima stared at the ring. Then at Alex. Then at the ring again.
"Alex," she said slowly. "Are you... serious?"
"Dead serious."
"You've known me for three months."
"Love at first sight!"
"You've dated five other girls in that time."
"They meant nothing!"
"THAT'S NOT REASSURING!"
Alex stayed on one knee, smiling confidently. "So? What do you say?"
Chima took a deep breath. Then she grabbed the ring box. She closed it. And she handed it back to him.
"No."
Alex blinked. "What?"
"No. I said no. I don't want to marry you. I don't even want to date you. I don't even want to be in the same room as you."
"But—"
"Alex. You're a playboy. You're not serious about anything. You're not serious about me. You're just bored, and you want a new challenge."
"That's not true!"
"It is true. And I'm not going to be your next conquest."80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTu8VtLIqaT
Everyone was staring.
Alice was in shock. "She said no."
"She said no," Wony repeated.
"She said NO," Fatimah confirmed.
Chima turned to them. "Of course I said no! He's a playboy!"
"But he had a ring!" Alice said.
"A ring doesn't make him a good person!"
"He was on one knee!"
"Anyone can kneel!"
Alex stood up, looking slightly embarrassed but still trying to smile. "Well, I can't say I didn't try."
"You really shouldn't have tried."
"Maybe I'll try again next week?"
"Don't. Please. For your own safety."
Alex laughed. "You know, that's why I like you. You're different."
"I'm not different. I just have standards."
Alex shrugged. "Fair enough." He started to walk away, then turned back. "But if you change your mind..."
"I won't."
"You never know."
"I do know. I know for sure."
Alex left.
Chima let out a long breath. "I need a nap."
Naila sat up. "Finally. Someone who understands."
***
Campus Cafe - Evening
They were all sitting together, still processing what had happened.
"I can't believe Alex proposed to you," Alice said.
"I can't believe he thought I'd say yes," Chima replied.
"He's the most popular guy on campus!"
"He's also the most annoying."
Wony nodded. "Popularity doesn't equal quality."
"Thank you!"
Fatimah smiled. "You handled that well, Chima."
"I handled it calmly. I could have handled it with violence."
"That's also true."
Naila was eating her food slowly. "You know, that's the most interesting thing that's happened all week."
"More interesting than the elephant sitting on you?"
"Different kind of interesting. The elephant was warm. Alex was cold."
"That's... actually poetic."
"I'm a poet without knowing it."
Chima laughed. "You're something, Naila."
"I know. I'm tired."
"Always."
***
Chima's Apartment - Night
Chima was lying on her couch, staring at the ceiling.
She thought about Alex. The proposal. The ring.
And she laughed.
"A proposal. From a playboy. What a day."
Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Naila.
Naila: "You okay?"
Chima: "Yeah. Just processing."
Naila: "Want me to come over?"
Chima: "You'd leave your house?"
Naila: "No. But I thought I should offer."
Chima: "That's the most Naila thing you've ever said."
Naila: "I know. Goodnight."
Chima: "Goodnight."
Chima smiled. Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep.80Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHR6RDdud8z
and then Add to home screen.