CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: DANIEL LOVES ME?!
"Your brother drove? Is your brother eighteen? He has a car? What model?" Samuel asked, a mixture of surprise and curiosity evident in his eyes as he turned to look at me.
I noticed him for a moment, and I couldn't help but admire the way his deep brown hair suited him so perfectly. It blended with his skin tone beautifully, highlighting his handsome features. I had a feeling that once school resumed, he'd dye it back to black—but, for now, it looked really good.
"Yeah," I said, leaning back on the sofa, resting my back against the cushions. "My dad taught him how to drive. I know it's technically illegal since he isn't eighteen yet, but he hasn't actually gotten a car of his own. He's using my dad's old Toyota. And… honestly, I don't know much about car models. That stuff isn't my thing."
Samuel's eyes widened slightly, a look of disbelief crossing his handsome face. "Wow. Your brother should be thanking his stars that no police were around. Just imagine if someone stopped him!"
I chuckled softly. "I know, right? That would have been a disaster."
He smiled, shaking his head. "What about your friends? Morayo and Victoria… do they live around here too?"
"No," I replied, "I heard they both live in Alimosho local government."
"That's far from here," he noted, almost in disbelief.
"I know, right?" I said, nodding in agreement.
"There's no way you'll be visiting them often, huh?"
I thought about it for a moment. "I could, if I told my brother to drive me there, but I don't like spending too much time on the road. It feels like a waste of time to me."
He leaned back, letting out a long sigh. "I get that. Traveling around all the time can be tiring."
"What about your friends, then?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"The ones here? Two of them have traveled, and the rest are at home. I actually visited one of them yesterday," he answered, tilting his head to the ceiling as if recalling the visit.
I smiled. "Cool! You have a driver and a friend nearby."
He smirked, glancing at me. "You have someone now."
I raised an eyebrow. "Nah, I can't just go visiting you every time. I don't even know how to get here on my own, and I'm not sure I'd be allowed to come this far without being scolded."
He leaned slightly forward, a playful glint in his eyes. "You can just follow your brother anytime he comes here. Since he's dating my sister, it's simple."
I smiled at that suggestion. "I guess that's another way for me to come here," I admitted.
Samuel nodded, turning to place his laptop on his lap. "So… are you coming on the first week of resumption?" I asked, noticing him power on his laptop.
"Yes, what else would I be doing at home?" he replied nonchalantly, his patience evident as he waited for the laptop to boot. "What about you?"
"I can't say yet," I shrugged, glancing away as I powered on my phone.
He leaned back and suddenly looked at me, tilting his head slightly. "By the way… can I get your number?" he asked, holding out his phone for me to type in my digits.
"Okay," I said, reaching for his phone and carefully tapping in my number. Once done, I handed it back to him.
"Whatsapp number, right?" he asked, checking as he collected the phone from me.
"Yeah, both for calling and WhatsApp," I answered with a gentle smile, glancing at my own phone briefly.
"Do you have any of your friends' numbers?" he asked, saving my contact.
"Yeah, except Victoria. Her phone broke recently, and she's using a button phone now," I said, showing him the numbers for Victoria and Morayo so he could save them too.
"Okay," he said, copying the numbers into his phone and saving them.
"You done?" I asked, curious about how fast he was completing it.
"Yes, thanks," he replied, immediately opening WhatsApp to check his unread messages.
Then, without much warning, he looked at me with an expression that made my heart skip a beat. "I heard about you and Daniel," he said, casually but with an undertone of curiosity.
"What about it?" I asked, narrowing my eyes, trying to hide my sudden unease. I had a feeling this conversation was about to take a weird turn.
"Childhood love… and so on," he said with a shrug, turning his full attention to me.
I froze for a moment. "Before I respond… who told you that?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral, though my heart was beating faster than usual.
"Daniel," he answered, looking relaxed. "I met him on the plane back to Nigeria. We became friends there. Sometime after school started, he just… mentioned you."
Daniel? He had told Samuel? And why now? All of a sudden? About a past connection I barely even remembered clearly?
"What else did he say?" I asked, my curiosity mixed with a hint of irritation.
Samuel leaned back, speaking clearly. "He said he knew you after I mentioned your name because of something we saw in the kitchen when we went to get something. After realizing he knew you, I got interested and asked how he knew you. He told me about your childhood experiences and how you two met at school."
He remembered me? Daniel actually remembered me—and yet he hadn't even tried to contact me when he was in China? Urgh! I felt a sudden pang of annoyance toward him.
"And… he said he likes you, and he's glad you've become prettier than he imagined," Samuel blurted out immediately, as if the words had to escape his lips.
I blinked. Daniel… liked me? What in the world was wrong with him? He lives right next to my house. I could go to him anytime, but that felt childish. Pretending I liked him back just because he confessed? Absolutely not.
"Are you sure Daniel said that?" I asked cautiously, not wanting to believe it.
"Yeah," Samuel confirmed. "He was daydreaming while saying it. I was shocked, so I asked what makes him like you, and he said… everything."
Everything?
I leaned back, holding my phone tightly in my hands. My mind was spinning. Daniel had remembered everything from the past, including all our childhood moments. He had thought about me, liked me… and didn't even try to reach out properly until now. It felt strange, overwhelming, and confusing all at once.
I didn't know what to say. Part of me was flattered—anyone would feel special knowing someone liked them that much—but another part of me was annoyed at how nonchalant he had been, living so close, and yet never making a proper move.
Samuel, sensing my mixed emotions, simply smiled and leaned back. "I thought you should know," he said quietly.
"Yeah… thanks for telling me," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. Inside, though, my thoughts were a whirlwind. Daniel… liking me? Childhood love? Was this supposed to be exciting, or terrifying?
I shifted slightly on the sofa, still processing the information. "I… I just don't know what to say," I admitted softly.
Samuel nodded understandingly. "Take your time. I just thought it was important you knew. Daniel seems serious about his feelings… or at least, that's what he said."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "Alright… I guess I just need to think about all of this. It's… a lot."
He smiled gently, a reassuring presence. "Take all the time you need. Don't feel pressured."
I nodded, appreciating his understanding. As I stared at him, I realized just how much Samuel had become a friend I could trust—someone I could talk to about things like this without judgment.
And yet… the thought of Daniel lingered in my mind. Childhood memories, his sudden confession, his feelings… everything seemed tangled and confusing.
I leaned back on the sofa again, staring at the ceiling, and whispered softly to myself, "Daniel loves me… but what am I supposed to do with that?"