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Chapter 1 - Chapter one: Unscripted Encounter

The sun cast its golden glow over the bustling streets of Abuja as the students of Greenfield High School embarked on their much anticipated school trip. Excitement buzzed through the air like the hum of a thousand bees preparing to feast on the sweetest nectar. Among them were Thelma, Isabella, Jason, Leah, Collins, Blue, Joy, Jude, Elizabeth, Ella, Samuel, Ginny, Esther, Verastina and many more, a tapestry of personalities woven into the vibrant fabric of adolescence.

Thelma with her striking smile and eyes that sparkled like the night sky over Lagos was lost in thoughts of possibility as the coach navigated through the city's arteries. She sat by the window, her gaze wandering outside where palm trees swayed in gentle defiance of the breeze. Isabella her closest friend since freshman year chatted beside her about the trip's itinerary, visits to the National Assembly, a stop at the famous Millennium Park, and a cultural night promising food, dance and laughter.

As the group disembarked at their first destination, Thelma's eyes did an unchoreographed dance, scanning the mingling students until they anchored on a figure, Jason. He stood talking with Collins and Blue near a jacaranda tree shedding purple blossoms like confetti. Thelma felt an inexplicable jolt, like stepping unexpectedly into a warm Harmattan breeze when you'd thought the air was cool. He's beautiful, she thought, an unguarded whisper in her mind.

Jason with his chiseled features and effortless charm carrying echoes of quiet confidence hadn't noticed her yet. Thelma felt a flutter she hadn't known her heart was capable of, a sudden bloom where before there was orderly anticipation. Isabella nudged her playfully, Thelma, biko check the view, Abuja's got nothing on our crew's energy.

Thelma smiled distractedly, her focus lingering on Jason. Who is he, she wondered, curiosity mingling with the nascent pull of attraction. Leah walking ahead with Collins discussing photography angles for their trip album glanced back and caught Thelma's gaze trajectory. A knowing look flickered in Leah's expressive eyes, girl, you've got sights on someone.

The group began to spread out, exploring the grounds with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Blue ever the comedian pretended to be a tour guide giving outlandish facts about Abuja's flora. Collins laughed loudly, camera poised to capture the silliness. Jason turned occasionally toward their little knot, smiling interactions that seemed to leave an imprint on Thelma's noticing mind.

Meanwhile other classmates mingled, Joy discussing her passion for Afrobeat dance with Ella, Jude debating tech innovations with Samuel, Ginny and Esther comparing notes on favorite Nigerian authors like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Verastina with her artistic streak sketched quick impressions of the landscape, capturing the interplay of light and Abuja's modern contours. Elizabeth chatted with Nneoma about possible fashion inspirations drawing from local ankara prints.

The backdrop of Abuja's modern landscape contrasted with Greenfield students' infectious youthful chaos. The air carried murmurs of Nigerian Pidgin mingling with English, Wetin dey happen, Blue asked rhetorically, grinning like he'd conjured the question for comedy.

Thelma found herself absorbing it all with a new internal calibration, Thelma now a point of semi-conscious reference like a song playing low in her mental periphery. As they moved toward Millennium Park's central plaza for group activities, Thelma felt Isabella's hand on her arm, You okay, you seem... spaced out.

Thelma grinned sheepishly, Just... taking it all in. Abuja's cool.

Isabella's eyes sparkled knowingly like she'd decoded a secret only friends can glimpse. Sure, sure... taking it all in, Thelma, if I didn't know better.

Thelma laughed deflectively, gaze drifting back toward Jason now laughing robustly at something Collins said, sound carrying like warm akara scent wafting appetite-arousing. Leah caught her looking again and smiled slyly, friend-language conveying we see what's happening.

Their crew coalesced near a water feature where Ginny began silly impressions of mermaid Naija doing acrobatics, got everyone chuckling including Jason. Proximity felt... possible like shared jollof rice delight needing no strict rules. Thelma ended up nearer Jason as group dynamics shuffled playfully, he turned, caught her eye briefly, connection like low-voltage ekele drum hinting beat patterns.

Hey, Jason said with a smile curving naturally like the bend of a familiar river, welcome to Abuja chaos with us.

Thelma felt her smile return like an offering unwittingly calibrated. Chaos sounds fitting... Greenfield crew's got it.

Conversation flowed light, talk veered campus life parallels, favorite spots in Lagos, he mentioned Lekki, she countered Victoria Island memories, mutual appreciation of Wizkid tracks emerged like discovering aligned kolanut breaks signaling accord.

Other students swirled activity, Jude showed Samuel drone footage he'd shot pre-trip of Lagos skies, Ella practiced shaku shaku moves impressing Leah photographic capture instincts. Verastina sketched quick digital cartoons on her tablet capturing trip vibes, Elizabeth admired patterns invoking Nigerian textile art interplays.

As unplanned minutes slipped agreeably like kunu sips refreshing on a warm day, Thelma felt an interior shift, this encounter unscheduled like harmattan winds felt consequential. Jason remained proximate like possibility embodied casually potent.

Isabella leaned in later walking toward hostel check-in allocations, Thelma... about that guy... Jason, right.

Thelma's expression felt involuntarily tender like moimoi leaf wrapping hinting contained softness. Yeah... don't know... felt something.

Isabella nodded warmly, friend comprehension like shared chin chin crunch bearing mutual texture. Looks like something felt mutual... subtle like Abuja's evening skies.

Thelma smiled quiet internal music like nascent highlife guitar picking first notes, unscripted encounter perhaps scripting threads ahead.

Hostel rooms allocation happened, crew dispersed tired-excited like they'd banked collective coins of experience. Thelma settled room-sharing with Isabella, Leah, giggling recounts day impressions like pepper soup spice lingering shared relish.

Night fell Abuja-dark with city sounds filtered hostel walls, Thelma's mind revisited Jason, contours unscheduled like millennium park's wandering paths remained impressed unconsciously... Love in full bloom... would it unfurl?

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