Foreign

When I released Dili from the hug, the next thing I did was to hit him.

"Ouche. What was that for? I thought you were thankful" He frowned rubbing his hand.

"Ehn I'm very thankful and grateful and all. But, you shouldn't have done that, why did you go and announce that we are engaged" I said.

"Uhm, because we are" he replied in a smartass tone, I also spotted a smile on his face.

I gave him a look.

"Okay fine" He sighed "I just wanted to state a

claim on you" He mumbled.

I won't lie, I found what he said unbelievably funny yet charming. "A claim you say?" I asked in a teasing tone "You don't have to worry about that Dili, nobody wants me" I chuckled. Although it was sad, it was still the sad cruel truth. No one really did.

"You'd be surprised to know it's the complete opposite" His words were all muffled that I couldn't hear a single thing he said.

"Sorry I didn't quite catch that, what did you say?" I said.

"Nothing" he said.

"But just so you know" Once more he spoke. "It's not true that nobody wants you"

"Why do you say so?" I was desperately curious of what his answer would be.

Letting out a genuine smile he said to me "Because 'I' do" And just like before my heart skipped yet another beat. I knew what that meant, I knew it all too well. But I didn't want to come to terms with it just yet.

...

"Wait, aren't we all supposed to be in classes or something?" I asked everyone.

We were all presently sitting down on the floor of my secret place in the library. And when I say 'we' I meant, I, Dili and his friends, Yes Tobi and Chimdi were also here.

We all sat in-between two book shelves, Me, Victoria and Favour sat down with our backs leaning on one shelf, while the boys did the same on the other shelf. We sat opposite each other.

"We are" Answered a grinning Favour. "But don't worry, we don't necessarily have to be"

I scrunched my face "What does that mean?"

The school bell rang few minutes back indicating that the break had ended and that classes were about to begin. But for some reason the five people that were in my presence didn't really care much about that.

When Dili and I came back into the schools building, we both went to the library as our lunch break wasn't over by then. I was surprised to see that apart from Victoria and Favour, Tobi and Chimdi were also in the library.

"It means we don't have to go to class. Well courtesy of our dear boy Dili" Tobi hooped in and answered my question. Tobi was tall brown skin boy. He was lean but still had fats in the right places.

I changed my gaze to Dili, raising a brow. Sure I knew Dili had some kind of privilege of not attending classes when he deemed it fit, but I didn't know he could also secure that privilege for us to. What kind of influence could he have in this school.

"What can I say" Dili playfully shrugged and then smirked "I'm just that amazing"

"Egocentric much?" I teased.

He winked "You know me too well" A smile automatically adorned my face.

"Eww, cringe. I think I'm going to throw up. Stop flirting you two" Favour said faking a gag.

I blushed beet red "No we are not"

"Yh sure" Said a smirking Chimdi. Chimdi was tall and fair and he those rare adorable dimples, although his couldn't match Dili's own. 'Just saying, don't read too much into it'

While I felt embarrassed, Dili was just smiling happily all through. Even when I glared at him, he only increased the intensity of his smile.

The six of us talked for a long time in the library. One person would bring one stupid story or a funny situation they had experience, and we would all in turn laugh to it. It was a miracle that the Librarian didn't come to send us out, but at the back of my mind, my thoughts went to the direction that maybe Dili had something to do with that too.

We talked about anything and everything like we were all old friend. Well they all went way back, but I wasn't in anyway their long time friend. But the way they carried me like I was one of them, like I was part of their small group, really made me happy. It made me feel....accepted.

"It's true sef" started Victoria "Who else has seen their physics mid-term script?"

"Oh that, I got my own today. I got an 87, what about you?" Favour asked.

"Nice. Me I got an 88" Victoria answered.

"Damn you beat me with 1 mark" Favour grinned, she honestly didn't look like she harboured any form of hard feeling against Victoria. I guess this was what true friendship looked like. It was a shame that I've never experienced such.

Victoria smiled a little then asked "So what about you guys, what did you get?" She directed to the rest of us.

"I got a 91" said a grinning Chimdi.

"Mine was a 93" response Tobi.

I won't lie, I was highly impressed, from the scores they all mentioned, it meant that everyone was academically sound in their group. The physics teachers for us senior's told us that the exam was going to be extremely difficult, and that we had to read our asses out. And true to their words, our physics mid-term exam was indeed very difficult. All the senior classes complained about it to great lengths. So hearing their scores was- like I said- highly impressive.

"Guy Dili what about you? I'm probably sure you be got the highest" Chimdi turned to Dili and asked.

"oh me? I got a 96" Dili answered, but from his actions and all, you could tell was wasn't bragging or even trying to brag. My eyes widened a fraction at his answer.

But then he chuckled "But I wasn't the highest. No, not this time" The surprise in everyone's face was very visible. I'm sure the thought running In their minds were 'If he didn't get the highest score, then who did'.

immediately Favour asked with a raised brow "If you didn't get it then who did?" called it.

Dili shrugged in ignorance.

"It's true sef, Rica what about you?" Tobi asked.

I diverted my eyes from their curious gazes, not really sure how they would all react to my answer.

"98" I mumbled out. Sure I said the exam was hard, but like the teacher advised, I read my ass out, well figuratively. I always read on my spare time..and trust me I hade a lot of spare time on my hands. Though the people in my class weren't too adamant when they found out I was the highest in the whole set.

"Wait what?" Chimdi asked, as he was too far away to hear my muffled words.

I sighed "I got a 98" All their eyes automatically went large as saucers. All but one, I'm sure you've already guessed successful, Dili. I spotted him with a proud smirk. Did he know?

"Who would have thought that the one to beat Dili would be he's own finacee" Victoria laughed out in mirth.

"Remember how I said I liked you before? Well let's just say I like you even more now" Favour told me with a smirk. Well I was worried about nothing then. I thought they would all react much differently than this. I thought wrong.

"Omo brains and beauty" Chimdi hollered at me with a grin.

"Yup. And she's all mine" Dili said out loud confidently not giving an ounce of care that the others heard him. I couldn't hold it, I laughed out loud surprising everyone. Dili was just something else really. The way he proudly stated a claim on me was foreign to me, yet endearing.

"Now I'm definitely going to throw up. I get that you guys are engaged and all, but Dili can you deal it down a little. Please" Favour said, once again faking a gag. I laughed once more.

A playful smirk came upon his face at Favours words "Well since you asked so nicely, I guess I can take it down a notch" Everyone's laughter filled the quiet Library when Dili finished speaking.

It was official, I couldn't even try to deny it anymore even if I wanted to. I liked Dili Uzora.