5

She attended classes the following day and could barely concentrate.

The thought of meeting Donovan again was paramount in her mind.

At some point during one of her lectures, she heard laughter and snapped out of her lost mind.

Then she realized that the lecturer was staring at her. She had asked her a question and because she was in a blank state, her colleagues began to laugh at her situation.

"Where is your mind?" The woman asked.

"Sorry, Ma'am. I was just..."

"Daydreaming? Get out of my class. I don't encourage laxity."

"Ma'am-" she began imploringly.

"I said leave."

She gathered her books, threw them in her bag, and walked out to more giggles that ended after the lecturer asked who would be the next to leave.

After leaving the class she stood outside the window and took notes.

That was the way at Wilberforce Island University. It was like a jungle. Only the strong survived. You don't just go home because you were sent out of the class. You hang around and hope for mercy. If you're lucky, the lecturer would consider your diligence and let you back in.

 If you left, you are marked as proud. Then you have to pray that you have the brains to pass the course without needing grade boosters. Because then, the lecturer who has marked you will have something to be nasty to you about.

As she took notes outside, she suddenly got the feeling that she was forgetting something.

Since the lecture demanded her

 attention, the sudden feeling left her mind.

After about five minutes outside, the lecturer looked her way and gestured for her to get back in.

She re-entered the class, thanked the lecturer, and sat down.

Someone passed her a note. It was from the Queen of the class and her gang seated behind her. She was a bully revered by her two devoted friends.

She opened the note which read- You suck.

At first, she was taken aback. Then she recollected herself. They were the least of her problem.

She simply responded with - Same to you, Queen, Tracy, and Bella. This isn't high school. It is a university. Grow up.

Then she returned the note to the Queen. 

She heard their well-controlled huffs behind her but paid no heed to them.

Again she got the feeling that she had forgotten something. Everything within her told her that whatever she was forgetting was of importance. Again, her thoughts on the matter were interrupted as another note was passed to her by the bully squad. Upon checking the content, she saw the words- You will pay for this.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she tried not to show her fear as she tore the note and pocketed the pieces to properly dispose of later, so she won't have to dirty the floor.

After the class was over, the lecturer left the class after giving them an assignment.

They were to study and analyze some literary work.

After her class, she saw that she had about thirty minutes break before it was time to meet up with the dreadful Donovan.

A guy in her classroom excused her and asked for her to be his study buddy. He told her he had been thinking about it for a while as she was cool.

He formerly introduced himself as Fidelis.

 She needed that kind of bond too and accepted. He was someone she admired from a distance. It felt so cool that he had come to her. She introduced herself too and they got on a first-name basis.

Boma considered his friendship as the only good thing that seemed to be happening to her for now and she had no intention of denying herself that pleasure.

After they exchanged numbers, he asked her if she had registered at the school library and she responded with a no. He suggested they go and register as he was about to register as well.

Remembering Donovan and his warning about late coming, she complained that time was not on her side as she had something to do but he assured her the process was fast.

She followed him to the library and indeed there was no queue. The process was also fast and soon, they were waiting for their pass cards.

The librarian informed them of a lagging network, so they had to wait till it got back up. Luckily, the system came up five minutes after.

They completed their registrations and left with their pass.

Boma was glad. She felt like a student with a purpose for the first time since starting her freshman year.

She thanked Fidelis and they stood there, chitchatting about their plans to draw up a timetable the following day.

They eventually parted ways as he headed for the boys' hostel while she headed to the cafe to meet Donovan.

She had to take a campus shuttle because the cafe was at the end of the campus gardens.

Inside the shuttle, she noticed her phone ringing. When she checked, she saw that it was Donovan calling.

She panicked, but not too much. She had seven minutes to get to him and from her end, she knew it was possible to make it even with several stops that other passengers could make as they navigated the campus.

She didn't take the call because she figured it would be noisy.

Several stops were made before the shuttle dropped her and a set of other students outside the cafe.

She had two minutes to spare. Her phone buzzed again with his call and she received it as she walked inside.

"Hello." She said.

"Where are you?"

"Here at the cafe already."

"Good girl." He praised. "But why didn't you pick up your call?"

"I was in the shuttle. It could have been noisy."

"Okay. I'm waiting for you." He said and ended the call.

She strode into the cafe. It was not crowded as the food there was expensive since the owners prided themselves in making homemade food so that students who could afford it would not miss their homemade food too much.

She saw him the moment she entered. He was occupying a table at the end of the room.

She noticed his guys hanging around another table. She was aware of his gaze sweeping over her as she paused after sighting him. A light smirk softened his lips.

Handsome devil, she thought as she approached his table.

He rose up and to her surprise, enveloped her in a hug. She thought it would be brief but it lingered. She stood there, stiff as he sniffed her hair.

"Mm. You do feel good and smell pleasant. And like the first day I saw you, you look beautiful."

"Thank you." She mumbled politely. After the slap she had gotten during their first meet, she was being careful.

"You should hug me back. Put your arms around me. Do it now." He wasn't speaking roughly, but his voice was firm.

Boma reluctantly obeyed and brought her arms around his sturdy frame.

"That's. good." He encouraged.

After a few seconds of that, she began to fight a panic attack as a thought made its way into her memory. Now, she could remember what she had forgotten. She was not wearing his ring.

She had taken it off, fearing the humiliation of being branded as his like that. She had told herself that she would only wear it whenever they were to meet.

 She remembered leaving it on her bunk bed that morning. She was supposed to slip it into her pocket but forgot to carry it in her rush to leave for class.

She planned to get it after class before meeting with him but because of Fidelis, she had forgotten her mission.

She fervently hoped that he would not notice the missing ring on her finger as he broke the hug and fixed his green eyes on hers.

Her breath threatened to catch in her throat as the ring issue troubled her.

 "You're here right on time." He praised. "Well done. I must commend you."

"Thanks." She mumbled.

"You're welcome." He replied, playing with a strand of her hair. "Number one, I will always commend you for good behavior, okay?"

"Okay."

"And can you guess what I will do if you happen to misbehave?"

 He spoke slowly and assuredly as he said the words and toyed with her hair.

She shook her head.

"I will punish you."

Her eyes expanded with shock, but she didn't say anything.

"Is that clear?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yes. But-" she paused, hesitant to say the words on the verge of her lips. She didn't want to irk him.

"But what?" He pressed.

 "I'm a grown girl." she managed to say, hoping she sounded protesting but it sounded like she was whining.

His eyes never left hers.

"Every girl is the baby of her guy. Every girlfriend is the baby of her boyfriend just like every woman is the baby of her man." He declared, leaving her speechless.

"Sit down, so we can order food, now will you?"

She sat down on the chair.

"Um, pardon me for a second. Rise, will you?"

She rose and he rearranged her chair so it was beside his. Then he took his seat and patted hers, urging her to sit down.

Boma was a bit confused at the rearrangement, but she obeyed.

"My father said that sitting across from a lady you're on a date with is more romantic when you're seated side by side." He explained. "That way, you're closer so you can easily, touch her instead of sitting apart like business partners."

He took her hand in his and she hoped he wouldn't notice the slight tremor in them as she feared his finding out about the ring. She didn't want to be slapped.

"I agree with my father." He stated, caressing her wrist gently.

"So relax, okay? And if you're good, I promise you won't regret being mine."