Novels by Nyimesifon Ben

I closed the door behind me, then stood there for a second, just listening to the quiet. I hadn't even picked a bag I'd use yet. I didn't want the bag too big so he wouldn't think I was moving in—that would be embarrassing. I picked up my tote bag. Placed it on the bed half-open and empty, like it was waiting for me to figure out what I was doing.Honestly, I didn’t even know what to pack. It wasn’t like I was going on a trip. I mean, technically I was, but not really. I wasn’t visiting family or going for a weekend away with friends. I was going to Jayden’s. Just me. Just him.Finally.I sat on the edge of the bed and dragged the bag closer. I’d already tossed in a pair of lounge wear shorts earlier. Soft ones, black, nothing too fancy. Just enough to feel comfortable without looking like I tried too hard. I added a tank top to go with it. Then, after way too much hesitation, one pair of underwear. Just one. I don’t know why. Maybe I thought packing more would feel too… suggestive?

As usual I woke up late and ended up spending the morning with Ava. We literally lived in each others house. We were running round the kitchen fixing a meal. Chatting away while the food almost burned.The kitchen smelled like garlic—and not in a good way.“I think it’s burning,” I leaned over the stove, trying not to choke on the bitter scent.Ava waved the wooden spoon like a weapon. “It’s not burning. It’s toasting.”“That’s literally the same thing.”“Nope. Toasted garlic sounds intentional.” Ava fanned the pan dramatically. “Burnt just makes me sound careless.”I laughed and stepping back, clutching my water bottle. “Okay, Chef. But if we both end up with food poisoning, I’m blaming you.”“You already do,” Ava muttered, tossing the onions in with the sizzling garlic. “Anyway. Let’s talk about what really matters.”“Which is?” I ask raising a brow“Jayden.”“Nope.....you're gonna burn down the kitchen because of juicy gossips."“Yup.”“Nope.”Ava turned with a sly grin. “Why are y

Sunlight spilled into the room, and the chatter of a few people outside reached my ears. My phone felt like a weight in my hand as I squinted at the screen. 11:15 AM. I couldn't believe I had slept that long. Stumbling out of bed, I dragged myself to the bathroom. My eyes were barely open, but I mechanically grabbed my toothbrush and squeezed out more toothpaste than necessary. I went through the motions, scrubbing absentmindedly. Once I finished, I groggily stumbled back out, my stomach growling in protest. I was starving.I made my way to the tiny kitchen, opening the cupboard and glancing at the sparse supplies. I hadn't cooked anything yet. Thank god Ava had fed me yesterday. I scratched my head, wondering what I should make. Honestly, I could barely think straight. Pasta, I decided. Simple enough. I threw on the loose tee and shorts I’d worn yesterday, tossing my nightwear into the laundry basket.As I enter the kitchen, I realized I didn’t even have tomato paste. I groaned. I re

After the rounds of pictures were done, I made sure I’d packed up everything. I wasn’t planning on stepping foot back into that school until the entire three-week break was over. Well… technically, it was two weeks now. The whole presentation thing already stole one week from our break, which was honestly just heartbreaking.I plugged in my earpiece, letting the music take over as I walked home. Every beat, every lyric—it felt like a soundtrack to my relief. Bianca stayed back at the dormitory. Too bad—we couldn’t walk home together. Natalie and I used to go home together but things had changed. I missed that already.The moment I got home, I stripped out of my clothes and slipped into a loose t-shirt and shorts. My feet barely hit the floor before I was already heading straight to Ava’s apartment. I was starving.Knock, knock.I paused at her door, waiting.“Come in,” she called from inside.I didn’t hesitate. I pushed the door open and made a run for the kitchenette.“What did you c

I left Jayden’s apartment early that morning, careful not to make a sound as we closed the door behind me. Felix was still knocked out on the couch, a blanket half-slipping off him. For a second, I almost turned back, almost crawled back into Jayden’s bed and pretended none of this real-world stuff existed. Jayden walked me to where I got a bus and we kissed good bye. He was going to his apartment where he stays with his cousin—his real apartmentThe seminar was coming up. And no amount of pretending was going to stop it. The days between then and Tuesday felt like a blur — half stress, half fatigued.I’d sit hunched over my phone for hours. Obsessing over every single PowerPoint slide. Changing fonts. Rewording bullet points. Adding animations, then deleting them because they felt “too much.”Ava, my neighbor and lowkey study buddy came over every evening, throwing questions at me until I wanted to scream. She was brutal in the best way — every awkward pause I made during practice, s

After the final exams on Friday, I spent the whole of Saturday sleeping—trying to revive my energy so I could function like a real human being again. By Sunday afternoon, around 1 p.m., I was sitting in the garage at the front of our building. It wasn’t really used for cars since none of us had one—we were all college students, so we’d converted the open garage space into a study and hangout area. The shed above gave just enough shade to make it bearable.I stared at the empty document on my phone, fingers hovering. Blank. I had no idea how to begin. As always, once I started, the words would pour in, but that beginning? Torture. I sighed and decided to work on Dom’s paper first. Mine could wait. "You can do this Sharon" I whispered to myselfThree hours later, I’d done the research, pulled in some articles, and outlined everything. Using the speech typing tool helped speed things up. I wrapped up the entire work—from introduction to literature review and references. Clean. Precise. M