Love Across Boarders

Chapter nine

I walked away from Darren, my steps quicker than usual, the cold evening air biting at my skin. My heart was still racing, but I wasn't about to let him see that. Not after what just happened.
What was his problem? One minute he was all smug and distant, and the next he was standing there, looking at me like I held some answer he desperately needed. Like I was supposed to make sense of whatever he was feeling.
I shook my head, gripping my books tighter against my chest. I didn't have time for Darren or his confusing moods. I had come to this school with one goal in mind-succeed, prove myself, and get out. People like Darren weren't part of the plan. People who got under your skin, who made you second-guess yourself.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on me. The way he looked at me tonight, like there was more going on in his head than I'd ever given him credit for.
I hated that look. Because for a split second, I almost believed it.
I reached my dorm and pushed open the door, letting out a long breath. Inside, the quiet comfort of my room was a welcome relief. I tossed my books onto the bed and sat down at my desk, staring at the notes I had scribbled earlier. My laptop was open, the cursor blinking on the essay I was supposed to be working on, but my mind was a million miles away.
Why did I let him get to me? Darren was just another privileged guy, coasting through life with everything handed to him. He didn't understand what it was like to fight for your place, to constantly have to prove you belonged.
But then there was that moment when he said he didn't have everything figured out. The vulnerability in his voice, the frustration on his face. It was the first time I saw a crack in his perfect, put-together facade. And that scared me. Because I knew what it felt like to not have it all figured out.
Maybe that's why he irritated me so much. Because in some twisted way, he reminded me of myself. Trying to act like I had everything under control when, really, I was just trying to survive. Maybe that's why he was always watching me, like he was looking for answers he didn't even know how to ask.
I sighed, leaning back in my chair. I didn't want to understand Darren. I didn't want to feel this strange, confusing pull toward him. It would be so much easier if I could just keep hating him, if I could just keep him at arm's length.
But every time we spoke, it got harder.
I glanced at the clock. It was late, but I didn't feel like sleeping. My mind was too restless, too tangled up in thoughts I didn't want to deal with. I grabbed my notebook and started jotting down ideas for my next project, hoping that focusing on something else would help clear my head.
But even as I wrote, I couldn't stop thinking about Darren.
Why did he care so much? Why did he keep trying to figure me out when I had made it clear that we were on opposite sides? He had everything handed to him, while I had to work twice as hard to prove I belonged here. We were nothing alike.
And yet...
There was something in the way he looked at I sighed, leaning back in my chair. I didn't want to understand Darren. I didn't want to feel this strange, confusing pull toward him. It would be so much easier if I could just keep hating him, if I could just keep him at arm's length.
But every time we spoke, it got harder.
I glanced at the clock. It was late, but I didn't feel like sleeping. My mind was too restless, too tangled up in thoughts I didn't want to deal with. I grabbed my notebook and started jotting down ideas for my next project, hoping that focusing on something else would help clear my head.
But even as I wrote, I couldn't stop thinking about Darren.
Why did he care so much? Why did he keep trying to figure me out when I had made it clear that we were on opposite sides? He had everything handed to him, while I had to work twice as hard to prove I belonged here. We were nothing alike.
And yet...
There was something in the way he looked at me tonight that made me question all of that. Like maybe he wasn't as sure of himself as he pretended to be. Like maybe, beneath all that confidence and arrogance, he was just as lost as I was.
But that didn't change anything. I wasn't here to figure Darren out. I had my own path, my own goals. He wasn't part of that.
I slammed my notebook shut and stood up, pacing the room. I needed to focus, to remember why I was here in the first place. Darren Okoya was a distraction, one I couldn't afford. But no matter how much I tried to convince myself of that, the truth was, I couldn't stop thinking about him.
And that terrified me.
I tossed and turned that night, my thoughts refusing to settle. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Darren's face, the way his expression had softened when he said I made him feel like he didn't have everything figured out. That moment had replayed in my mind more times than I cared to admit.
It was annoying. I didn't want to think about him, let alone empathize with him. But that look on his face...it wasn't something I could easily forget.
By morning, I was exhausted, but I pushed myself out of bed and got ready for the day. I couldn't afford to let one sleepless night slow me down. Today was packed, starting with Econ and then back-to-back classes until the afternoon. I needed to stay focused.
But of course, the universe had other plans.
The first thing I saw when I walked into Econ was Darren. He was already in his seat, his eyes scanning the room like he was looking for something-or someone. I quickly looked away before he could catch me staring. I wasn't in the mood for whatever strange conversation he might want to have today.
I slipped into my usual seat near the front, trying to block out everything but the lecture ahead. Professor Walsh was already at the board, scribbling down formulas that I knew I'd need to commit to memory if I wanted to ace the next exam.
Focus, Busayo. Numbers. Logic. Things that make sense.
But halfway through the lecture, I felt it again-that prickling sensation that told me someone was watching. I didn't have to look to know it was Darren. I could feel his eyes on me, and no matter how hard I tried to concentrate, it was like there was this invisible thread pulling my attention toward him.
Why did he have to keep doing this? Why couldn't he just leave me alone?
By the time class ended, I was tense and frustrated. I packed up my things quickly, hoping to slip out unnoticed.