The sun was slowly sinking behind the hills, bathing the village in a warm, golden light. The smell of earth after the midday heat mixed with the faint scent of drying maize. Frank adjusted the strap of his worn school bag, which had seen better days, and walked along the narrow dirt path toward the community well. His stomach still growled from the meager lunch he had hastily eaten, but today, he hardly noticed.
Because today… today he would see her.
Victoria.
Everyone in the nearby villages had heard of Victoria. She was known for her beauty, her bright mind, and a quiet confidence that seemed to set her apart. But Frank had never truly paid attention—until now. Today, watching her bend gracefully to draw water, her dark hair catching the fading sunlight, something in her made his chest tighten. His heart thumped nervously, a feeling he didn't recognize but couldn't ignore.
He tried to calm himself. "Just say hello," he whispered under his breath. "Nothing more. You can do this."
As he approached the well, Victoria looked up. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and he felt a spark he couldn't explain. She tilted her head slightly, curious but cautious. Frank swallowed hard, his hands gripping the straps of his bag.
"Hello," he managed, his voice sounding steadier than he felt.
Victoria's lips curved into a polite smile. "Hello," she said. "Do I know you?"
"I… I don't think so," Frank stammered. "I'm Frank. I live in the village next door. I… I've seen you near the well before. I just… wanted to say hi properly."
Victoria studied him quietly for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Victoria," she said softly. "From this village. I've seen you too, I think. You're the boy who walks past the market every morning, right?"
Frank's face warmed. "Yes. That's me." He wanted to say more, but the words stuck in his throat. After a pause, he finally asked, "Would… would you like to walk with me a little? Just for a few minutes?"
Victoria hesitated. Her eyes flicked to the path ahead, the golden horizon, then back at him. Finally, she nodded. "Sure," she said.
As they walked side by side, Frank felt the nervous energy in his chest slowly settle. The conversation started awkwardly. He asked about school, her family, and even the crops they grew. Victoria responded with honesty, sometimes laughing softly at his clumsy words. Frank noticed the intelligence in her answers, the determination in her voice. She wasn't just beautiful—she had fire, and it drew him in.
"You like school, don't you?" he asked, finally daring a more personal question.
Victoria's eyes lit up. "I do. I want to learn as much as I can. My family works hard, and I want to make their sacrifices count. If I study well, maybe I can help them live better, one day."
Frank nodded, impressed by her maturity. She carried herself with a dignity far beyond her age, and he felt both admiration and something else—something he didn't want to admit yet.
They walked in silence for a few moments, the only sounds the rustle of leaves and the occasional call of a herder bringing cows home. Frank's thoughts wandered. He wanted to ask more, but he didn't want to scare her away. Finally, he asked quietly, "Victoria… I'd like to get to know you better. Maybe we could meet here again, sometime?"
Victoria stopped and looked at him. Her dark eyes searched his face for a long moment. Then, slowly, she smiled—a real, warm smile, the kind that made Frank's heart feel like it could burst.
"I'd like that," she said softly.
Frank felt relief wash over him. "Tomorrow, then?"
"Tomorrow," Victoria agreed, and they parted at the fork where their paths diverged. Frank walked home with a strange lightness in his chest. For once, hunger and chores didn't seem so heavy. There was now something to look forward to.
That evening, Frank helped his younger sister carry firewood back to their small hut. She chattered about school, but Frank hardly heard her. His mind kept wandering back to Victoria—the way she smiled, the sound of her laugh, the curious tilt of her head. For the first time in months, he felt a stirring in his heart that made life feel a little less ordinary.
Victoria returned home too, helping her mother with water and chores. She tried to concentrate, but she couldn't stop thinking about Frank. He was awkward and nervous, yet there was something genuine about him. His eyes had held hers with honesty, and the thought lingered in her mind like a song she didn't want to forget.
As the sky darkened, they both retreated to their small homes, unaware that their lives were about to change in ways they couldn't imagine.
Frank didn't know yet that the city of Lagos would call Victoria with a scholarship opportunity, pulling her far from the simple village paths and into a world of possibilities—and complications. Nor did Victoria suspect that a man already waiting in Lagos would cross paths with her in ways that would challenge everything she thought she knew about love.
Douglas.
Frank's elder brother, already working and studying in Lagos, was ambitious, charming, and capable of stirring feelings Victoria didn't yet understand. The first sparks of conflict had not yet touched their lives, but soon, everything would shift.
For now, though, it was just Frank and Victoria. Two young hearts, meeting for the first time, innocent and full of hope, standing at the edge of a story that promised both joy and heartbreak.
As Frank lay down that night, staring at the small cracks in the hut roof, he whispered to himself, "Tomorrow… tomorrow I'll see her again." And somewhere miles away, Victoria's own thoughts echoed his, though she didn't know it yet. The beginning had only just started.