As the flight took off…
"So, what are you going to do in London?" Adri asked, turning slightly toward the girl beside him.
"For college," Fenny replied without looking up, her eyes glued to her phone as she scrolled through a financial newsletter.
"Oh wow, I'm going for college too," Adri said, trying to sound casual, though his smile betrayed his excitement.
Fenny gave him a quick side-eye before returning to her screen.
"Which university?" Adri asked again, curiosity pushing his words forward.
"Oxford. Oxford University," Fenny answered, eyes still on her phone.
Adri's eyebrows shot up. "No way,that's too much of a coincidence. I'm going to Oxford too."
Finally, Fenny looked at him properly, her lips twitching with the faintest smile. "Well, that's rare."
"Are you a freshman too?" Adri asked, the excitement slipping into his tone.
"Yeah. Just going to resume," Fenny said.
Adri frowned slightly. "But… lectures already started weeks ago. We're about to begin the first semester exams." His voice carried a trace of concern.
Fenny sighed, locking her phone at last. "I know. I got the information late. Honestly, I didn't expect much when I sat for the scholarship exam, so I wasn't keeping tabs. About two weeks ago, my supposed roommate got my number from the school authorities and called me, asking why I hadn't resumed. That was how I found out I'd been admitted."
Adri's eyes widened. "Wait, you're on a full scholarship?"
"Yeah," Fenny said with a little shrug, though her eyes glimmered with pride.
Adri leaned closer, genuinely impressed. "That's incredible. But what about the exams?"
"Don't worry," Fenny said, her tone brightening. "I haven't exactly been idle at home. I've been doing an A-Level program at a Nigerian university. I know it'll be tough, but I won't miss the chance to study medicine in Oxford for free."
Adri blinked, admiration filling his gaze. "Medicine? You're going for medicine?"
Fenny nodded, a small, confident smile tugging at her lips.
Adri chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Wow. That's… amazing."
He leaned back slightly, studying her face as though every new detail mattered. He didn't want the conversation to end, not yet. So he kept asking, gently, carefully, as if afraid of scaring away the openness she had just begun to show.
"So, you're sixteen?" Adri guessed, tilting his head at her youthful face.
Fenny raised a brow. "Yeah. Why?"
Adri grinned, the kind of grin that made his dimples show. "Because I'm seventeen and turning eighteen soon. That means I'm officially older than you."
She gave him a flat look, though the corners of her mouth twitched. "Congratulations. Do you want a medal?"
Adri chuckled, pretending to think. "Hmm, maybe a trophy. Or at least a badge. Something that says, 'World's Youngest Big Brother.'"
Fenny rolled her eyes, but this time she didn't bother hiding the small laugh that escaped.
"What about you?" she asked suddenly, surprising him by turning the question back. "What course are you taking?"
"Software engineering," Adri said with a bit of pride. "I've been coding since I was fourteen. This is kind of a dream for me."
Fenny tilted her head, considering him properly now. "So you're the type who sits in front of a laptop all day?"
"Not all day," Adri said quickly, feigning offense. "Sometimes I sleep. And eat. Occasionally."
She smiled, really smiled this time and the sight lit up Adri's chest in ways he didn't know how to describe.
Adri seized the moment, reaching into his backpack and pulling out a pack of gum. He tapped her arm lightly.
"Want one?"
Fenny blinked at it, then at him. "Are you seriously offering me gum on an international flight?"
Adri shrugged, grinning. "It helps with the air pressure. Plus, it's my secret way of making friends."
Fenny smirked. "You ask too many questions and now you bribe with gum. You must be exhausting in real life."
"Exhausting?" Adri pressed a hand to his chest in mock hurt. "I'd call it charming."
"Annoyingly charming," she corrected, but still plucked a piece from the pack.
Adri's grin widened as she unwrapped it. "See? Works every time."
Fenny shook her head, chewing, but there was laughter in her eyes now. For the first time since they sat down, she leaned back more comfortably beside him as though the ice had finally cracked.
After a beat, Adri leaned in slightly. "So, can I… get your number? Just in case, you know, we bump into each other in school."
Fenny hesitated, fingers fidgeting with her phone. "I don't have a UK number yet," she admitted. "I'll probably get one tomorrow."
Adri's heart dipped for a moment, but before disappointment could set in, Fenny typed quickly on her phone thinking there is no harm in having a familiar face in an unknown place and turned it toward him. "Here. My email."
Adri's grin returned instantly, wider than before. He typed it in carefully, as though it were the most important detail in the world.
"Perfect," he said softly.
Fenny nodded, slipping her phone back into her lap. "My aunt and her family will be picking me up at Heathrow. I'll spend the night with them. Then probably shopping for school things before they drop me off at my hostel."
Adri listened intently, even though it wasn't anything extraordinary. He imagined her walking through the shops, tilting her head while choosing notebooks, maybe holding up a sweater and asking someone's opinion. For a fleeting second, he wished it were him beside her, carrying her bags, watching her face light up when she found something she liked.
"That sounds… nice," Adri said finally, hiding the wish behind a polite smile. "At least you won't be alone."
"Yeah," Fenny said simply, leaning back in her seat.
But Adri couldn't help it, his gaze lingered on her a little too long. Her profile against the dim cabin light, the way her lashes curved as she blinked, the quiet confidence in her posture even when she wasn't trying and it all held him still.
To her, he was just a friendly stranger. A boy who talked too much on her first ever flight.
But Adri knew better.
His heart had already chosen her.