Romance in university

Chapter One: The First Hello
The University of Lagos bustled with life—lecturers’ footsteps echoing down corridors, debates spilling from classrooms, and friendships blooming in sunlit courtyards. Among the noise, Seyi thrived in his quiet bubble. A second-year philosophy student, Seyi was known more for his thoughtful essays than for conversation. He often sat alone in class, headphones in but rarely playing music, just buffering the world.

Amara was different—animated, inquisitive, always volunteering in class discussions. Her laughter seemed to come from somewhere honest. In her second year of mass communication, she moved between buildings like a familiar breeze, waving at everyone, remembered by all.

They had shared the same elective, “Critical Thinking and Logic,” for three weeks before they spoke.

It started with a mistake.

Amara arrived late one Thursday, only to find the class A Campus Romance Born from Silence and Serendipitynearly full. She slipped into the seat beside Seyi, whispering a quick “sorry” as she sat.

“You don’t talk much, do you?” she asked during the break, tilting her head curiously. Seyi looked up, slightly startled. His lips curved into a polite half-smile.

“Not unless I have something to say.”

“That’s rare nowadays,” she grinned. “Maybe I should try it.”

Seyi chuckled softly. Something about her energy didn’t clash with his quiet. Instead, it filled the gaps like sunlight through a partly closed curtain.

Chapter Two: Library Hours and Unspoken Words
Weeks passed, and their accidental seat-sharing became a habit. They started studying together, usually in the library. Amara brought colored pens, highlighters, and her endless questions. Seyi brought silence, precision, and coffee in a flask.

Their study sessions would start academically but drift into personal stories. Amara spoke of her dream to become a journalist, maybe even host a show one day. Seyi, in his soft-spoken way, shared that he wrote poetry but never showed anyone.

One evening, the power flickered in the library. They sat in a dim corner as emergency lights buzzed overhead. Amara leaned closer, whispering, “Tell me a secret.”

Seyi hesitated. “I wrote a poem about you.”

Her eyes widened. “Me?”

He nodded. “The first day you sat next to me.”

“Can I read it?”

“Someday.”

She didn’t push. Instead, she offered him a secret of her own—that she was afraid of being forgotten. Always surrounded by people, yet terrified of fading into the background.

“You?” he asked, genuinely surprised. “You’re unforgettable.”

Chapter Three: Rain and Realizations
The rainy season arrived suddenly, turning the campus paths into rivers. One afternoon, as class ended, the sky opened up. Students scattered, running for shelter. Amara and Seyi found cover beneath the narrow awning outside the philosophy department.

“I love the rain,” she said, pulling her scarf tighter. “It makes everything slow down.”

Seyi watched her as she extended her hand into the downpour. “It’s loud,” he said, “but peaceful.”

She turned to him, eyes soft. “Like us?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he looked at her as though he wanted to remember the exact curve of her smile in the stormlight.

Then she said something that would echo in his mind for days:

“If we weren’t in the same class, do you think we would’ve met?”

Seyi shrugged. “Maybe fate registered us for the same elective.”

Amara laughed, not realizing he meant every word.

Chapter Four: Distance and Doubt
Mid-semester pressures set in. Assignments piled up. Amara got involved in the press club’s election coverage and barely had time to eat, let alone meet. Seyi, unsure how to reach out without intruding, waited.

When they finally met again, she looked tired.

“You’ve been ghosting me,” he said with a teasing tone, but his eyes searched hers.

“I’ve been everywhere,” she sighed. “Trying not to mess anything up.”

He nodded. “You haven’t.”

There was a silence—different from their usual one. This one was edged with uncertainty.

“I miss our quiet,” she admitted, almost guiltily.

“So do I.”

“Maybe we should make space for it again.”

That night, Seyi went home and finally typed out the poem he had written the day they met. He titled it A Seat Taken.

Chapter Five: The Confession
Valentine’s Day came, painted in red shirts and rose petals around campus. Amara walked into the library to find a handwritten note on her usual seat.

If silence had a shape, it would be how you look when you're reading.
If time had a favorite moment, it would be when you first said hello.
— Seyi

She turned to find him standing behind a nearby bookshelf, nervously holding a worn copy of “Leaves of Grass.”

“I think I like you,” he said, awkward and brave.

Amara stepped closer, heart hammering. “You think?”

“I’m sure now.”

She smiled, eyes shining. “Good. Because I’ve known for a while.”

Chapter Six: A Different Kind of Partnership
After that day, something subtle changed. They still sat side by side in class, still studied in the library, but now there were stolen glances, shared earphones, fingers brushing, and goodbyes that lasted longer.

They became each other’s calm and spark. Amara’s voice pulled Seyi out of his shell in public, while his grounding presence gave her the courage to speak more meaningfully.

They weren’t the typical campus couple. No loud declarations. No social media posts. Just a quiet certainty.

When final exams approached, Seyi slipped her another note during a study session.

No matter where life takes us after graduation, know this—
My favorite subject was you.

Epilogue: Years Later
They returned to campus five years after graduation for a university alumni event. The philosophy building was repainted, and the library had a new wing. But their favorite corner remained unchanged.

Seyi, now a published poet, read a piece during the closing ceremony. Amara sat in the front row, now a reporter with her own podcast, tears in her eyes.

The final lines of his poem echoed in the room:

Some stories don’t start with grand gestures or declarations.
Some begin when someone takes a seat beside you and changes everything.

He looked at her, and the whole room disappeared.