SHE

Chapter Five : Unforeseen Tensions

A Fateful Meeting Under the Campus Tree

Shortly after, Jabir left with them. However, before his departure, Asiye caught his attention and said, "Please, wait a minute. I'd like to have a word with you, maybe later today or tomorrow." Jabir agreed and went home with a joyful heart. Once home, his thoughts turned to his encounter with Emmanuel and Asiye, and he began to realize that Emmanuel might be his rival for Asiye's affection. Jabir couldn't help but blame himself for being so friendly with his competition.

At one point, he paused in his thoughts and mumbled to himself, "It seems this Emmanuel guy knows how to charm people with words and knows how to make people around him love him." Jabir was concerned that there was no way Asiye wouldn't be attracted to Emmanuel and that he had to do something about it.

Then he remembered that Asiye had mentioned she wanted to talk to him. Before he could dwell on it further, his phone rang, and he answered. A melodious female voice greeted him, "Assalam alaykum."

"Wa alaykum Salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu," Jabir replied, his curiosity piqued, hoping to know the identity of the caller. The voice identified itself, "This is Asiye," and Jabir asked, "Oh, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Asiye replied. "I mentioned earlier that I wanted to talk to you, remember?"

"Of course," Jabir replied. "So, is it something we can discuss over the phone, or would you prefer to meet in person?"

Asiye hesitated, her voice laced with shyness. "Uhmmm... I'm around the campus... I don't know if we can meet, or..."

"Of course, my hostel is not far from the campus. I'll be coming now," Jabir assured her.

Jabir couldn't help but see this as their first date. He quickly dressed up and headed to the campus. Upon his arrival, he spotted Asiye sitting under a tree but pretended not to notice her. Instead, he called her phone and asked, "Salam, I'm already at the campus. Where are you?" while watching her from a short distance.

Asiye stood up and responded, "I'm actually under a tree, but I'm on my way to the main gate so that we can meet each other." She started walking towards the gate, with Jabir following closely.

Jabir decided to engage her in conversation and playfully teased her. "When was the last time you had some exercise?"

Asiye asked, puzzled, "Uhmmm... It's been... wait, why do you ask?"

Jabir continued, "I think I can hear you breathing."

Asiye confidently denied it. "That's not true."

Jabir teased further, "Okay, okay! The way you walk, I can see it's been a while since you've had exercise." He said as he hid behind a nearby tree, concealing himself from Asiye. As he anticipated, she cautiously scanned her surroundings, peering over her shoulder and to the side, suspecting Jabir's stealthy presence. "You're making it sound as if you can see me. Quit teasing," she chided with a playful tone. "So, where are you now?" Asiye inquired.

With a mischievous plan in mind, Jabir decided to test her reaction. He stealthily emerged from his hiding place, closing the distance behind Asiye. He whispered with a sly grin, "I'm right here," fully anticipating her surprise.

However, Asiye's reaction was completely unexpected. She was genuinely shocked, turned to see him, and lost her balance. In a swift move, Jabir grabbed her waist to prevent her from falling. This close encounter created a romantic tension between them that neither had experienced before. It was a moment that left them both speechless, as no one had ever gotten so close.