Once upon a time, there was love.
Two teenagers found themselves in same class at same time. Both being new to the school and class, compared to other students who weren't new in the school but class, found out that they had only each other left during breaks as others had a friend or friends to share snacks and play with. •••••••that was the beginning of their love story •••
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As it was the norm in their school, that each student must have at least a project partner.
Edidiong and Mfon found it beautiful that they were partners...
Everyday was a story for them and other students including teachers, began to observe the romance that was growing between them, although when confronted they often denied it.
They never realized that slowly, they had doors widely opened for each other in their hearts.
Days that Mfon couldn't make it to school, Edidiong would cover up for her in assignments and everything possible...They just kept standing in for each other in projects and all that that mattered.
It wasn't, until their final year in school that it dawned on them that they've grown so fond of each other that they could not help, but admit that they'll really miss themselves when they graduate. So, Mfon came up with an idea that will forever make them foes or sworn friends for life.
Edidiong was not in support of the idea that Mfon brought up, she didn't feel it was right but at the same time she saw reasons with him.
This caused her great pains, even more pain that she couldn't share it with anyone nor any girl in her class who knew both of them very well.
She decided to get back to him with a new idea. One that whether they would remain as friends or enemies, their lives had already been changed forever...
She communicated the idea with Mfon, who at first found it funny and totally absurd all at the same time. Not wanting to get her upset, he finally agreed to it.
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She woke up feeling different and totally disconnected from this world. At first, it was like a dream but looking at the note by her bedside she felt uneasy, stupid, accomplished, joy, sad and feverish all at the same time, as the memories of the previous day came back flooding her mind.
She picked up her phone to check what time it was, seeing that the sun had already risen so high and could penetrate through her window blinds as though it were not there. On waving her palm on the screen to unlock it, the lights came on and she found that she missed 23 calls from Mfon and was about returning the call when a text came in. She decided to read the text first on seeing whose name it was the *pop-up notification displayed* **Mfon **.
The message read *before yesterday, I had considered as my sister since we became friends, I had denied, lied to myself a lot of times that I can't possibly be more than a friend to you, I had told myself that I'll never toast a girl until I am ready to get married...but watching you ignore me yesterday at our graduation party while you danced with our other classmates, I realized that I not only want to have you as a friend, but I wanna own you. I wanna be there for you, I wanna be your man. Please, let me love you Edidiong. Forget our damned ideas. Just say something to me before I go crazy...*
After reading the text, she smiled to herself and replied him thus: "... *Mfon what are you saying? I wanted us to be friends with benefits but now, you're saying **no more friends with benefits? ** when I told you I wanted us to just be friends with benefits, I meant it. But now it seems like we're gonna be much more. This is big for me, I love you too... Dinner tonight, at my place*
**Disclaimer:** *This work is a product of my own imagination, resemblance to people or places is just a coincidence...*