LOGINMILASaturday morning came faster than I expected.All week, I told myself I wasn’t nervous. That it was just volunteering. Just a friendly, harmless thing.But as I stood in front of the mirror again… same chaos, same pile of discarded outfits… I knew I was lying to myself.“This isn’t a big deal,” I whisperedAfter twenty minutes of debate, I settled on something simple- a soft yellow blouse tucked into a pair of fitted jeans. Friendly, approachable, innocent. I tied my hair up in a ponytail, dusted on a little powder, and stared at my reflection.“Be kind,” I told myself. “Smile. Don’t trip over your own feet. And for God’s sake, don’t stare at his lips again.”************By the time I got to Saint Mary’s, the courtyard was already buzzing with activity. Tables were being set up under white tents, people carrying boxes of food and supplies, laughter and chatter filling the morning air.It was the church’s annual charity drive… a food and clothing outreach for nearby families.I
MILABy Sunday morning, I’d officially lost it.I stood in front of my mirror, hands on my hips, staring at the disaster of clothes spread across my bed. My room looked like a boutique had exploded. Dresses, skirts, tops… all casualties of my indecisiveness.“This is stupid,” I muttered for the tenth time. “You’re just going to church. Not a date.”But still, I couldn’t decide what to wear.After twenty minutes of pacing and overthinking, I finally settled on a simple white sundress. I slipped on my sandals, brushed my hair into loose waves, and dabbed on a bit of lip gloss. Not too much. Just enough to look… effortlessly pure.I laughed at myself in the mirror. “Kindness, not body, remember?”Still, as I grabbed my small handbag, I checked my reflection one last time. My stomach fluttered.I told myself it was just nerves.It wasn’t.Sandra wasn’t coming with me this time… she’d sent a voice note the night before saying, “You got this, babe. He’s basically yours already.”I’d rolled
MILASandra was standing by the door, pretending to scroll on her phone but very obviously watching me like a hawk. She mouthed, Smile! and did this exaggerated heart gesture that nearly made me burst out laughing.Father Adrian noticed my almost-laugh and tilted his head slightly. “Something funny?”I bit my lip. “Just my friend being… my friend.”“Ah,” he said, eyes flicking briefly in Sandra’s direction before returning to mine. “Good friends are a blessing.”“Sometimes,” I muttered under my breath.He smiled again. “Will I be seeing you around here again, Mila?” he asked casually.My mouth went dry.Was he serious? Was this man of God actually inviting me back?“I… uh… maybe?” I stammered.He nodded lightly. “I hope so.”And just like that, he turned back to greet the next person, leaving me standing there with my brain short-circuiting.Sandra swooped in instantly, looping her arm through mine as we walked out. “Oh. My. God.”“Don’t,” I said quickly.“Oh, I will.” She grinned wic
MILAThe morning sunlight was brutal.Like, really brutal.I groaned, rolling over on my bed, immediately regretting every single shot I’d taken last night. My head pounded, my throat felt dry, and my stomach was threatening to start a protest.The faint smell of jollof and spilled alcohol still lingered in the room. I cracked one eye open and nearly screamed when I saw Sandra sitting cross-legged at the edge of my bed, bright-eyed, fully dressed, and scrolling through her phone like she’d slept eight peaceful hours in heaven.“How are you even alive right now?” I croaked.She looked up, grinning. “Because unlike you, I know how to hold my liquor.”I threw a pillow at her. “Go away.”She caught it easily. “Uh-uh. Get up, sinner. Time to go to church.”I blinked. “What?”Sandra smirked. “Saint Mary’s. Remember the bet?”I buried my face in the pillow. “I hate you so much.”She laughed, standing up and yanking the blanket off me. “Up! Come on. The service starts at ten. You can’t make t
MILA“Naaahhhhh,” I said immediately, waving my hands in the air. “No way. I’m not doing that. You’ve completely lost your mind, Sandra.”Sandra just leaned back on the couch with that smug, infuriating grin of hers, the one that meant she was about to make a deal I couldn’t refuse. “Come on, birthday girl. Where’s your sense of adventure?”“My sense of adventure doesn’t include seducing a priest!” I shot back.Joyce choked on her drink, laughing. “Technically, she said make him fall for you. Not seduce him.”“Same thing!” I argued, pointing at her.Sandra took a slow sip of her drink, eyes glinting. “What if,” she started, dragging out the words like she was baiting me, “I made it worth your while?”I crossed my arms. “Nothing you say can make me…”“If you do it,” she cut in smoothly, “I’ll talk to my dad. He’ll get you a car.”The room went silent.I blinked. “Wait. What?”She smirked. “You heard me. You’ve been taking those long walks from the hostel to campus for way too long. I’l
THE BET — MAKE THE PRIEST FALL FOR YOU.MILAIt was my birthday, and for the first time in a long while, I was really happy.Twenty-five. God, that number felt good.And with just two more months left before I finally finished college, I couldn’t have asked for a better reason to celebrate. Everything I’d worked for- the sleepless nights, the coffee-fueled mornings, the mental breakdowns over assignments- it was all coming together.I smiled to myself as I arranged drinks on the table, humming along to the song playing from my speaker. The room smelled like grilled chicken and spicy jollof, and I couldn’t wait to dig in once my friends got here.“Okay, Mila,” I said under my breath, stepping back to admire my work. “Drinks, food, lights… perfect.”My phone buzzed on the counter. I grabbed it and smiled at the message flashing on the screen.SANDRA: We’re almost there, birthday girl! Get ready to dance till you drop!ME: Hurry up before I eat all the food myself!I laughed quietly afte







