Imani Adeyemi noticed Chidi Bello on a hot Monday afternoon. The kind of afternoon that made every student on campus look tired and annoyed.
He was seated at the back of the class, his eyes fixed on his notebook, writing as if the whole room had disappeared.
He did not laugh with the other boys. He did not turn to look at girls.
He did not try to impress anyone. Even when the lecturer made a joke and half the class laughed, Chidi only lifted his head for a second and then looked down again.
There was nothing flashy about him. His shirts were always clean but old. His shoes looked worn.
He carried one dark backpack every day and he walked like someone whose mind was too full for small talk.
Even from a distance, he looked serious. Not proud in the loud way some men were, just closed, careful, burdened.
Imani on the other hand was not someone people ignored. She was beautiful, confident and from a wealthy home.
People knew her surname before they even knew her face. She had the kind of presence that made others look twice.
In school, many boys wanted her attention and most girls wanted to be close to her but Imani did not care much for people who tried too hard.
So when she noticed that Chidi Bello never even looked in her direction, >> [music] >> she became curious.
At first she told herself it was nothing but the next day she noticed him again.
Then the next. She began to see the pattern in him. He always came early.
He always [music] sat quietly. He left almost immediately after class. He never stayed around long enough for useless conversations.
It was as if he was always rushing to another life outside school. That mystery pulled her in.
One afternoon as students began to leave the lecture hall, Imani closed her notebook and stood up at once.
Her friend beside her, Adeyemi Norsu, gave her a look. Adeyemi was her roommate and closest friend in school.
She was calm, sensible and usually the one who noticed trouble before it started. “Do not tell me you are about to follow that boy again.”
Adeyemi said. Imani smiled without shame. “Why are you saying it like I am chasing a thief?”
Adeyemi shook her head. “Because that is exactly how you behave each time you see him.”
Imani laughed and picked up her bag. “His name is Chidi Bello.” “Yes, I know his name.”
Adeyemi said. “Half this school knows him. Quiet boy, good student, no drama, no money.”
Imani turned to her. “You say that like it is a crime.” “It is not a crime.”
Adeyemi said. “I’m only reminding you that boys like him do not play this kind of game.”
Imani’s smile faded a little. “Who said I am playing?” Adeyemi studied her face for a moment and sighed.
“That is what worries me.” But Imani had already started walking. She caught up with [music] Chidi near the corridor outside.
>> Chidi, wait up. He stopped, turned and looked at her with mild surprise. Up close his face was even more striking than she had first thought.
He was not the soft kind of handsome that begged for attention. There was something firm in his face, something tired in his eyes.
“Yes?” He asked. Imani smiled. “You always leave like somebody is chasing you.” He looked at her for a second then said, “I have somewhere to be.”
“So you cannot even spare 5 minutes?” “I did not say that.” “Then spare it.”
He glanced down the corridor as if calculating how much time this would cost him.
Imani noticed that and almost laughed. Most men were eager when she spoke to them.
Chidi looked like he was being delayed from something important. “I just wanted to say hello.”
She said. Hi, I’m Imani. I know. That answer pleased her more than it should have.
You know who I am yet you act like I don’t exist. I did not say that either.
Imani folded her arms. “You are very careful with your words.” “I have to go.”
He said. And just like that he left. Imani stood there and watched him walk away.
Instead of annoying her, it made her want to know him more. From that day she stopped pretending.
She greeted him after class. She waited near places she knew he would pass. She asked him questions.
Sometimes he answered. Sometimes he only nodded. Sometimes he looked at her as though he could not understand why a girl like her would keep trying.
Very quickly people began to notice. Look, the rich Adeyemi girl is chasing that quiet Bello boy.
>> [laughter] >> She must be bored going after a poor boy like him. Some found it amusing.
To them it sounded like a joke that would soon end. Some boys laughed behind Chidi’s back.
Some girls whispered when Imani walked past. A few said she was only doing it because she was bored.
But Imani did not stop. One afternoon she found him standing near a small shop outside the school gate buying a cheap bottle of water.
“You avoided me all morning.” She said as she walked up to him. Chidi looked at her, tired as always.
“I was in class.” “You know what I mean.” He paid for the water and stepped aside.
“Imani, what do you want from me?” It was the first time he had said her name in a way that felt personal.
She held his gaze. Chidi, I need you to stop acting like I’m disturbing you.
Maybe you are. She should have been offended. Instead she found herself smiling too. “Why are you like this?”
She asked. His smile faded. For a moment he looked away. Then he said quietly, “Because I know the kind of life I am living.”
That was the first real thing he had ever said to her. Imani’s expression softened.
“What does that mean?” “It means you should leave me alone.” “Why?” He looked at her fully now and this time there was no distance in his face, only honesty.
“Because I do not have time for games.” He said. “I go to school. I work when I can and I go home to my grandfather.
He He raised me. He has been unwell for some time so no, I do not have the energy for this.”
Imani was quiet. Chidi continued before she could speak. “You are used to a different life.
People like you can joke with feelings and move on. People like me cannot afford that.”
His words hit harder than she expected. For a second she almost felt hurt. Not because he was rude but because he clearly believed she could never be serious.
I’m not joking. He shook his head. “That is what they all say at the beginning.”
“They?” “The people who think this is funny.” Imani’s chest tightened. So he had heard the whispers too.
“You think I care what people say?” She asked. “You may not.” He replied. “But I do.”
She saw it then. What she had been calling coldness was not coldness at all.
It was pride. It was caution. It was the fear of becoming a story in other people’s mouths.
Chidi tightened his grip on the bottle in his hand. “I do not want anyone saying I am following you because of your money.”
He said. “I do not want anyone saying I want to escape poverty through you.
I do not need that kind of shame.” Imani looked at him for a long moment.
Then she took one small step closer. “Chidi.” She said, her voice calm now. “You really think too much.”
His brows drew together. She smiled, not in mockery but in confidence. I know you’re cautious.
I understand. Your life has been hard. I see that. People will talk but that’s okay.
We’ll be fine, Chidi. But I am not going anywhere. He stared at her. She lifted her chin, bold and certain.
One day you’ll stop running from me. Then she turned and walked away leaving [music] Chidi Bello standing there with her words still hanging in the air.
And for the first time since she met him, Chidi did not move immediately. He only stood there watching her go.
He stood there for a few seconds after Imani walked away. Then he shook his head, tightened his hold on his bag and continued down the road.
But her words stayed with him long after that day. “One day you will stop running from me.”
