The image is mine.

Oyindamola twiddled her pen as she gazed at Fred whose attention was on the biology teacher who was teaching the topic, respiratory system.

She paid less attention In the class, but fantasized about being in Fred's arms and receiving his warm kisses. She had always admired him since Junior secondary school.

She loved being around him and having all his attention to herself. Rage quickened her blood whenever other girls flocked around him. It made her also down in the mouth as he played with them.

Most times, she wondered if he felt the same way she did or had noticed how she behaved when she was around him. She had planned on several occasions to tell him how she felt, but couldn't brace herself to do it.

The class went on without her jotting down the note dictated by the teacher. Her seatmate, Sarah observed she hadn't been writing and hit her hand with her pen.

"What?" she turned sharply. "Why did you hit me?"

"You have not been paying attention to what the teacher has been saying; neither have you been writing."

She squeaked her lips. "Is that why you hit me? I thought you wanted to say something else," she said, fixing her gaze on Fred again.

Sarah shook her head and told her, "You are wasting your time on Fred while he is listening to the teacher. I think you are prepared to fail already."

Oyindamola ignored her and a smile tugged at her lips when Fred rose on his feet and answered a question correctly.

---

Fred packed his books on the table, arranged them neatly into his bag and slung it acrossed his shoulders. He greeted his pals, Femi and Silas who walked up to his table.

"What's up guys?" he shook hands with them.

"We are good," they said, in one voice.

"Did you enjoy today's class?"

"Yes, I did," Femi said.

"What about you, Silas?" he drifted his eyes to him.

"I didn't really understand everything he explained," he answered.

"Not to worry, I will do that later on."

"Thanks bro." Silas hugged him.

Femi cleared his throat and asked Fred. "Did you see how Oyindamola was staring at you in the class?

His brows raised in surprise. "Really! I didn't know."

"That girl loves you," Silas said, leaning on his desk.

His cheeks dimpled. "I know and she is so obsessed with it."

"Do you love her?" Femi arched his brows in question.

"Not really. I like her, that's it. Love is out of the equation."

"But she is madly in love with you," Silas told him.

"It is a natural thing to love someone. I am not in for all of that at the moment."

"Okay. That aside, where should we meet for the today's reading?" Silas enquired.

"At my place," he said.

"We will be there," Femi said, shaking his hand.

Fred sauntered out of the classroom, leaving his pals in the class. He pivoted to the right, racing down the stairs and bumped into Oyindamola when he got down.

---

Oyindamola sat by the stairs, waiting for Fred. She had seen him talking with his friends in the classroom and decided to wait for him at the stairs.

"Why was he taking long?" she wondered as she twisted her wrist to check the time.

All of sudden, she heard footsteps approaching. She sprang to her feet to see who it was and a small smile crept to her face when her eyes settled on Fred.

"I have been waiting for you," she said, straightening her skirt.

"Me?" he pointed a finger at himself.

She nodded. "Yes, you."

"Why?" he asked, puzzled.

"There's something I want to tell you." She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

"Okay. I am listening." He shot her a curious look.

"Em.. I don't how to say it."

He glanced at his wristwatch."I have no time, please."

"I l-l-love you." She stuttered.

Fred blinked several times, lost in words. She didn't wait for his response,but held his shirt and drew him closer for a kiss.

He pushed her back, shaking his head.

"I am sorry, we can't be together," he said, "I should be the one saying I love you to you, not the other way round."

She gaped at him in surprise.

"I like you, but love is out of the equation."

"I thought you felt the same way for me."

"No, I don't," he said."Everything between us is just friendship."

"No. I see it in your eyes, you love me."

He shot a small smile and buried his hand in his pocket. "I don't love you. See you tomorrow in class."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched him leave, she didn't believe what had happened. Fred didn't love her. It hurt badly because she had been madly in love with him and had spent time dreaming about him.