Beneath His Touch

Chapter Twelve

SARAH

The class dragged on for what felt like an eternity. For the first hour or so, I managed to stay alert, scribbling down notes and half-listening to the lecture. But after that, my mind wandered. It wasn't long before Syndra's voice filled the silence between my thoughts, her complaints about how much she missed life in the UK. She was complaining about the traffic here, the roads, the inconveniences. As if a few months abroad had made her forget what life was like before. I couldn't help but find it a little absurd. A short stint in another country and suddenly, she acted like she belonged to another world. But then again, who wouldn't if they had the means?

I wasn't like that, though. My family was modest. Dad worked hard, made sure we had everything we needed, and I grew up content, even if I didn't have all the luxuries. I never wanted for anything, at least not the things that mattered. No, we weren't rich, but we were comfortable. Still, I couldn't help but dream sometimes. I had ambitions, desires I kept tucked away, waiting for the right moment. If all else failed, I could always marry some wealthy guy and live a cushy life. The thought crossed my mind every now and then. But there was a part of me that cringed at the idea. The last thing I wanted was to become some woman who needed permission to live her life. No. I wanted to be my own person. That was non-negotiable.

My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"OMG, bestie! Are you serious?" Vicky had sent a message, her excitement palpable even through the screen.

"Yeah," I typed quickly. "I swear I saw him. Or something. He was definitely watching me."

Her response was almost immediate. "That is so creepy! Do you think you have a stalker?"

I hesitated for a second, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. "I don't know... Maybe it's nothing. Maybe I just imagined it."

"You have to be careful!" Diana chimed in. "Honestly, you're gorgeous, Sarah. I wouldn't be surprised if you had secret admirers. Or stalkers!" She followed her message with a string of fire emojis. "And I still remember when you turned me down in high school. I was heartbroken!"

"...I'm right here," Florence interrupted, adding some glaring emojis for good measure.

Diana didn't skip a beat. "Come on, Flo. We all know Sarah was one of the hottest girls in school. Half the guys—and girls—were into her."

I chuckled to myself, a little embarrassed but still amused by the way they all hyped me up. "You guys should come visit and see if I'm still anywhere near the top of that list," I typed back with a laughing emoji.

The conversation drifted from one topic to the next, but the thought of someone watching me gnawed at my mind. Soon enough, the class ended.

"Next session will be a group presentation," Miss Njeru announced, her tone casual yet final. She was in charge of *Principles of Computer System Management* and rarely lingered beyond the essentials.

"Ugh, seriously?" Grace groaned as she started packing her books. She was the first person on campus I'd had an effortless connection with. Unlike most, she wasn't interested in the hotline I'd set up on the campus portal. A hotline that, by the way, was still keeping me somewhat famous, especially among the ladies. Jerry had, in his own way, marked me as his.

As we descended the stairs, Jessicah caught up with us. "Where are you guys headed?" she asked, a little bounce in her step.

"Cafeteria," Grace replied, her tone flat from exhaustion.

"Perfect! I'm starving," Jessicah said, practically skipping between us, her eyes fluttering with enthusiasm.

Jessicah Kamau. She was one of those IT majors who, like me, shared a few overlapping units. I couldn't help but feel like her sudden interest in being my friend had more to do with my newfound "fame" than anything genuine. But I needed friends, even if some were surface-level. Fake friends were still better than no friends, right?