5

Boma attended classes the following day, but her mind was elsewhere, overshadowed by the looming thought of facing Donovan again.

During one of her lectures, laughter from some of her coursemates jolted her back to reality. She looked up to find the lecturer staring at her, arms crossed.

"Where is your mind?" the woman asked sharply.

"Sorry, Ma'am. I was just..." Boma stammered, trying to gather her thoughts.

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

"Ma'am—" she began imploringly, but the lecturer cut her off.

"I said leave."

Boma gathered her books, shoved them into her bag, and walked out amid more giggles from her classmates. The laughter ceased only when the lecturer asked who would be next to leave.

Outside the classroom, Boma stood by the window and continued taking notes. That was the way at Wilberforce Island University. It was like a jungle. Only the strong survived. Getting sent out of class didn't mean you went home; you stayed close, took notes, and hoped for a chance to get back in. If you were lucky, the lecturer might appreciate your diligence and let you return.

Leaving meant being marked as proud, and that could lead to more trouble. You had to hope your academic performance was strong enough to pass without needing any leniency from the lecturer who now had a reason to be harsh with you.

As she scribbled notes outside, she suddenly had the nagging feeling that she was forgetting something. The lecture demanded her attention, and the thought quickly slipped from her mind.

After about five minutes, the lecturer glanced her way and, with a reluctant nod, gestured for her to return. Boma re-entered the class, thanked the lecturer quietly, and took her seat, grateful for the mercy.

Someone passed her a note. It was from Queen and her gang, seated behind her. Queen was a notorious bully, always flanked by her two devoted friends.

Boma opened the note, which read: "You suck."

At first, she was taken aback, but then she collected herself. These girls were the least of her problems. She scribbled a response: "Same to you, Queen, Tracy, and Bella. This isn't high school. It is a university. Grow up." She returned the note to 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 important. Her thoughts were interrupted as another note was passed to her by the bully squad. This one read: "You will pay for this."

Her heart skipped a beat, but she tried not to show her fear. She tore the note into pieces and pocketed them, intending to dispose of them properly later.

After class, the lecturer assigned them a project to analyze a literary work and then left. Boma saw that she had about thirty minutes before meeting Donovan.

A guy in her classroom excused himself and asked her to be his study buddy. "I've been thinking about it for a while," he said. "You seem cool."

He introduced himself as Fidelis.

She needed that kind of bond and accepted eagerly. Fidelis was someone she had admired from a distance because of his calm demeanor. He was also handsome in a friendly next-door-neighbor manner. It felt so reassuring that he had approached her. They exchanged names and numbers, establishing a friendly rapport.

Boma considered his friendship the only good thing happening to her at the moment and had no intention of denying herself that pleasure.

Fidelis asked if she had registered at the school library. When she said no, he suggested they go register together, as he was about to do the same.

Remembering Donovan and his warning about being late, she hesitated. "I have something to do soon," she explained.

"The process is fast," Fidelis assured her.

Her hesitation was momentary, but the consequences could be dire. Believing she had a bit of time to spare, she decided to take the risk.

She followed Fidelis to the library, and indeed there was no queue. The registration process was swift, but as they waited for their pass cards, the librarian informed them of a lagging network. This worried Boma, who was afraid of being late for her meeting with Donovan. Fortunately, before she could complain about the wasting time to Fidelis, the system came back up after about five minutes which seemed like an eternity.

With their passes in hand, Boma felt like a real student with a purpose for the first time since starting her freshman year.

"Thank you," she said to Fidelis. They stood outside, chatting about their plans to create a study timetable the following day.

Eventually, they parted ways—Fidelis headed for the boys' hostel, while Boma made her way to the café to meet Donovan, her stomach churning with dread.

She had to take a campus shuttle because the café was at the end of the campus gardens. Inside the shuttle, her phone rang. When she checked, she saw Donovan’s name on the screen.

She panicked but tried to stay calm. She had seven minutes to get to him, and she knew it was possible to make it, even with the several stops the shuttle would make. She decided not to take the call, figuring it would be noisy.

Several stops later, the shuttle dropped her and a few other students outside the café. She had two minutes to spare. Her phone buzzed again with his call, and she answered it as she walked inside.

"Hello," she said.

"Where are you?" Donovan's voice was sharp.

"Here at the café 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.

Boma strode into the café, her nerves jangling. It wasn't crowded, as the food was expensive, catering to students who could afford a taste of home. She spotted Donovan immediately. He was sitting at a table at the far end of the room, his guys lounging nearby at another table.

She felt his gaze sweep over her as she paused after spotting him. A light smirk softened his lips. Handsome devil, she thought as she approached his table.

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

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

"Thank you," she mumbled politely, remembering the slap she had received during their first meeting. She was being careful.

"You should hug me back. Put your arms around me. Do it now." His voice was firm but not rough.

Boma reluctantly obeyed, wrapping her arms around his sturdy frame.

"That's good," he encouraged.

After a few seconds, she began to fight a panic attack as a thought pierced her memory. She realized what she had forgotten. She wasn’t wearing his ring.

She had taken it off, fearing the humiliation of being branded as his. She had promised herself she would only wear it when they were to meet. She remembered leaving it on her bunk bed that morning. She had intended to slip it into her pocket but had forgotten in her rush to leave for class.

She planned to get it after class before meeting him, but because of Fidelis, she had forgotten. She fervently hoped Donovan wouldn't 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?" His tone was slow and assured as he toyed with her hair.

She shook her head.

"I will punish you."

Her eyes widened with shock, but she remained silent.

"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, though it came out more like a whine.

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, will you?"

She sat down on the chair.

"Um, pardon me for a second. Rise."

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 by the rearrangement, but she obeyed.

"My grandfather said that sitting across from a lady you're on a date with is less romantic than sitting 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. She feared him finding out about the ring. She didn't want to be slapped.

"I agree with my grandfather," he stated, caressing her wrist gently. "So relax, okay? And if you're good, I promise you won't regret being mine."

Boma forced a nod, the weight of his words pressing down on her. The memory of the ring burned in her mind, but she kept her focus on staying composed, hoping to get through this meal unscathed.