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This fight is far from over, but what I see right now are two love birds at the end of the tunnel 😂 😂 😂 (let me get my popcorn 🍿 and wait for it sir

tonystark007:
Final Update:

This might be the last update here.

Just as always I will mention my people.

yungbanks, Jupitre, Ybbjune, panpan, repogirl, aurion1, Iseddy, DeltaBachelor, iamL, anjay1212, brightspecimen, Stephen0mozzy, pocohantas, OT2024, Divepen1, immanuelson, ifecodblissedboy, Echetex, nastynic, sal1974, Okeowonla, YoungBruzzy, truffle, alshalz, Maymac, ErnestD, Mrchux10, Frankcallys




CHAPTER 21
Thursday — 8:34AM
******

Alex arrived late to campus. As he hurried to the lecture hall, he noticed that the class for CSC 312 was already in session. He walked in and greeted the lecturer.

"Hey, you!" The lecturer called out.

Alex, already halfway up the aisle, stopped, turned, and glanced at the man. "Me?"

"Yes, you. Why did you greet me?" the lecturer asked.

Alex, taken aback, blinked. "Because... it's the right thing to do?" His reply came out more like a question than an answer.

The lecturer frowned. "No, it’s not. You don’t greet a lecturer when you’re late for class. What you did just now was a distraction to me. Next time, just quietly walk to your seat."

"Okay, sir," Alex replied politely, his face neutral as he continued to his seat. Every lecturer had their own style, he thought.

He glanced at Sarah as he walked past her seat. She was fully engrossed in the lecture, not even noticing him.

"What happened? Why weren’t you in school yesterday?" Jimi whispered as soon as Alex sat down beside him.

"I had to take care of something important," Alex replied, keeping his voice low.

"What about Tuesday? You first said you were going to the canteen, then you texted that you had something important to do, but I saw your bicycle chained to the pillar when I was leaving the hall," Jimi pressed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I forgot about it, but I came back for it later," Alex replied, shrugging.

Jimi gave him a look of disbelief, not fully buying the story.

****** 11:27 PM ******
The lecture hall buzzed with low chatter as Professor Adeyemi paced slowly across the front of the room, gesturing animatedly as he spoke. The course was CSC 314, and the topic, Software Architecture: Separation of Concerns. Today’s class was unusually interactive—students volleyed questions, and the professor responded with patient enthusiasm.

Then he paused, turned toward the lectern, and tapped his marker against it thoughtfully.
"Alright, great questions so far,” he said slowly, voice rising above the murmurs. His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he face the students. "Now, let me throw one at you.”

The room immediately fell into silent.

The Professor grinned before speaking again. "What are the core or fundamental principles of 'Separation of Concerns’ – And why is it fundamental in software architecture?"

Heads turned. Pens froze mid-scribble. A few students glanced at each other, unsure whether to risk it. Most of the students avoided eye contact with the lecturer completely. But no hands went up.

Then, from the third row, Sarah raised her hand.

Professor Adeyemi nodded. “Go ahead, please.”

She stood with quite confidence, her posture poised, voice crisp. “Separation of concerns refers to the process of segmenting a software system into distinct sections, each addressing a separate functionality. It enhances modularity and allows for parallel development. For example, the data access layer should not interfere with the presentation layer. This principle is often enforced through design patterns like MVC and dependency injection frameworks…”

She continued, weaving in terms like cross-cutting concerns, encapsulation, and aspect-oriented programming. Her tone was confident, and a few students nodded in understanding, but some others exchanged confused glances as they were visibly lost.

Professor Adeyemi gave a brief smile. “You’re on point. Very technical and detailed. But... not quite what I was hoping to hear.”

Sarah blinked, her expression tightening slightly.

Then a hand rose from the far back of the hall.

“Yes, you want to help us out?” the professor asked.

All heads slowly turned towards the back as Alex stood, eyes calm and clear.

“Please, go on,” the professor encouraged, waving him on.

Alex spoke, his voice casual. “Basically, Separation of concerns is like organizing your life. You don’t mix your laundry with your groceries, right? In software, it means keeping different parts of the system focused on one job. The UI handles how things look, the logic handles decisions, and the database handles storage. When you mix them up, it’s harder to fix bugs or make changes. With Separation of Concerns, developers, designers, marketers and product teams can focus on one significant part without breaking the whole system...”

He paused, then added, “Also, my course mate just mentioned aspect-oriented programming, but that’s more about handling cross-cutting concerns like logging or security—not the core idea of separating responsibilities.”

A ripple of understanding passed through the room. A few students nodded. One even whispered, “That makes sense now.”

“Excellent,” Professor Adeyemi beamed, clearly pleased. A spontaneous round of applause followed.

Sarah’s expression turned icy, clearly not pleased to be overshadowed or corrected, especially by someone she openly disliked. She remained standing.

“Sir," she said, her voice composed, chin lifted slightly, as she addressed the professor. "What he just said was a simplified analogy or example of the subject. And while I may have expanded beyond the core of the question, my reference to aspect-oriented programming still aligns with the broader principle of separation of concerns. It’s a valid architectural strategy used to isolate cross-cutting functionalities, which supports modularity and maintainability. So I believe I was still on point.”

The professor, and a few students, including Jimi nodded in agreement.

But Alex wasn't done yet.

He spoke again from behind, his voice calm but firm. He was addressing Sarah directly this time.

“You are right, but that’s true only in theory. Aspect-oriented programming deals with the techniques used to implement SoC—not the foundational separation of responsibilities between layers. It’s a refinement, not the core. The question was about the fundamentals, not the exceptions. My explanation was meant to make the concept clearer—and to correct a few things you said that weren’t... quite accurate.”

The room stirred again. A few students murmured. The Professor grinned.

Sarah’s eyes narrowed, her lips pressed into a firm, unimpressed line. Slowly, she turned backwards to face Alex, her voice cool and deliberate.

“I don’t recall inviting your commentary,” she said. “Or asking for your corrections.”

Alex gave a nonchalant shrug. “Didn’t realize I needed your invitation to speak.”

“You don’t,” Sarah replied, her tone clipped. “But basic courtesy is usually a sign of being civilized and raised well. Should we discuss that instead?”

A few chuckles rippled through the room—low, knowing. No one was surprised. This was typical Sarah.

Alex didn’t flinch. He glanced around, then back at her. “It’s an interactive class. Everyone’s allowed to speak. And frankly?” He paused. “Most of us had no idea what you were talking about.”

Sarah's eyes narrowed. “So now you think you speak for everyone?”

“No,” he replied, “but I’m pretty sure most people here would agree my explanation was easier to grasp.”

“Maybe. I wouldn't argue that," She retorted sarcastically. "But if you wanted to prove you’re so egg-headed, why didn’t you answer first?”

Alex matched her gaze, his voice laced with sarcasm. “You didn't give me the chance, since you're always too quick to speak..." He paused. "...before thinking.”

Sarah scoffed, slightly taken-aback by the audacity. “Are you trying to start something?”

A low howl of amusement rippled through the hall again. A few students exchanged wide-eyed glances, soft chuckles, murmuring, and even nods of agreement. The tension was electric.

Professor Adeyemi raised his hand. “Alright, enough,” he said, chuckling. “In an exam, both of you would score the same. But what matters more is understanding and implementation. That’s the heart of software architecture.”

He turned to the class. “Let’s applaud both of them.”

Even though the room erupted in polite applaud, Sarah and Alex still had their eyes locked in a cold stare.

Sarah sat down stiffly, her eyes still locked on Alex.

“That jerk is seriously asking for trouble,” she muttered under her breath.

Thank you for the update.
That lecture was charged.
The lady talks about courtesy.
The gentleman, while not trying to start a fight, refers to someone who speaks without thinking.
Hmm!

tonystark007:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hello,

My dear esteemed readers,

The digital copy of the Transfer Student is now available in PDF to be purchased.

You can contact me via:
Email: flaskblogexams@gmail.com

Whatsapp: 2347071062975

To get a copy for just #2000

Don't forget to like and share to invite more readers👍

As always, drop your comments, and opinions.

Bro....no offense, but the way you wan run dis mata no go sharp for you, getting purchasers from nairaland.
You don already post say the previous na the last update.
And d update end where person never migrate from the book is 'mighty interesting' to 'i must see the end of the story'.
Na your market o, na you know how you wan take run am......na just my impression I day expose

YbbJune:
Bro....no offense, but the way you wan run dis mata no go sharp for you, getting purchasers from nairaland.
You don already post say the previous na the last update.
And d update end where person never migrate from the book is 'mighty interesting' to 'i must see the end of the story'.
Na your market o, na you know how you wan take run am......na just my impression I day expose

😀 Do you have a suggestion?

U won’t upload here anymore
Too bad, I was waiting for update all day

jullyrosy:
U won’t upload here anymore
Too bad, I was waiting for update all day

Same here! I've been waiting and checking every now and then.

I don wait so tey I forget say they tell us make we go back to our country. Anyway, that one no dey worry me sef. Na this update wey I never see dey worry me pass

jullyrosy:
U won’t upload here anymore
Too bad, I was waiting for update all day

😀 Okay, based on the comments so far, from Panpan, Jullyrose, and Frankcallys, I have decided to post a few more "I must see the end of this story" updates.

So, how about this, I will drop a few more updates up to chapter 25. After that, there wouldn't be much I can do except you want to purchase the book and read the rest 50+ chapters. Which I believe is a fair price.

My main focus now is on another book I'm working on (A sequel to this)

I hope this is okay with my readers. I don try na, Abi?

Shout out to those, who have bought the book, thanks very much for the support. It's a good thing to know that a work of my mind actually has value. Also a big thanks to those who commented, and the ghost readers, who surprisingly are the largest percentage of people who have purchased the book.

For those who want a copy, contact me via:
flaskblogexams@gmail.com or +2347071062975

So 4 more chapters coming up.

Stay tuned.

When should I drop 22? Tomorrow or Thursday?

tonystark007:
😀 Okay, based on the comments so far, from Panpan, Jullyrose, and Frankcallys, I have decided to post a few more "I must see the end of this story" updates.

So, how about this, I will drop a few more updates up to chapter 25. After that, there wouldn't be much I can do except you want to purchase the book and read the rest 50+ chapters. Which I believe is a fair price.

My main focus now is on another book I'm working on (A sequel to this)

I hope this is okay with my readers. I don try na, Abi?

Shout out to those, who have bought the book, thanks very much for the support. It's a good thing to know that a work of my mind actually has value. Also a big thanks to those who commented, and the ghost readers, who surprisingly are the largest percentage of people who have purchased the book.

For those who want a copy, contact me via:
flaskblogexams@gmail.com or +2347071062975

So 4 more chapters coming up.

Stay tuned.

When should I drop 22? Tomorrow or Thursday?

This is my first comment but I've been following for sometime now and even created a different tab so I can easily access the page. I enjoy ur stories. You've done well!

When should I drop 22? Tomorrow or Thursday?

For me, I would've said tonight 😀

You know, with this xenophobic thing going on here in South Africa, we already secured our businesses and will be indoors till they are done with their protest. I love reading and you are doing a great job holding me down to it

Please drop it on Tuesday

Thanks for considering our need

Bonus update 1:

yungbanks, Jupitre, Ybbjune, panpan, repogirl, aurion1, Iseddy, DeltaBachelor, iamL, anjay1212, brightspecimen, Stephen0mozzy, pocohantas, OT2024, Divepen1, immanuelson, ifecodblissedboy, Echetex, nastynic, sal1974, Okeowonla, YoungBruzzy, truffle, alshalz, Maymac, ErnestD, Mrchux10, Frankcallys, jullyrose




CHAPTER 22
Week 4: Friday — AUST Community Cup: Semi Finals
FIRST YEAR MATRICULATION DAY
9:43 AM
********



"Please, before leaving, shut down all the computer systems and switch off the wall sockets," Dr. Deji, the lecturer, instructed after the CSC 315 class ended in the Software Lab. Most of the lecturers had canceled their classes for the day due to the Matriculation ceremony, but Dr. Deji had insisted on holding an impromptu 7:30 AM class. He took a seat behind a desk, his eyes fixed on his computer screen. "Course Rep, I want to see the attendance for this class before the end of today," he added.

As the students began filing out, Big John quickly stepped forward to address them. "All male students, please wait behind. I have a short announcement. The females can leave."

Dr. Deji looked up from his screen, his expression stern. "Wait behind where? Please, all of you should go out."

The students rushed out of the lab, but Big John shouted, "All male students, gather at the front of the lecture hall." He added with a grin." If I don’t see you there, your attendance for this week will be marked absent!"

"You no go try am," one of the male students shouted as he exited the lab.

"Guy, shut up," Big John shouted after him. "You wen never pay attendance money still get mouth to talk."

Most of the male students gathered at the front of the 'CSC hall, waiting for Big John. He finally arrived about fifteen minutes later.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting," Big John said to the group, who were clearly agitated. "I had to attend to some pressing matters."

"Liar! No be woman you dey follow talk just now?" Kobiruo shot back.

A smile tugged at Big John’s lips. "Today is her matric, I was just congratulat—"

"Oga, just say what you want to say so we can leave!" an impatient student barked.

"Alright, alright," Big John said, assuming a more serious tone. "The reason you're all here is because our football team is short of four players. Which means we have lesser players to make--"

"Fewer," Alex suddenly interrupted him.

"What?" Big John asked, looking puzzled.

"Fewer players," Alex clarified. "That's the correct wording."

The other students snickered, while Big John frowned. He thought the correction was unnecessary.

He continued, undeterred. "As I was saying. We can't have over 100 male students in this department and still have an incomplete squad. Three of our players were injured in the last match, and two others have called in to inform me they can't make it. So, I need four volunteers: one to complete the squad and three for substitutions.

As soon as he finished speaking, about 75% of the students began to walk away.

"You guys are joking with your attendance, oh!" he threatened playfully, but most of them ignored him. He excused himself from the remaining students --who were mostly members of the playing squad-- and ran after one of the students who was leaving.

"Alex, let's go," Jimi called out to Alex.

"Wouldn't you like to watch the match?" Alex asked.

"We can come back to see it. The match starts at 3:00 PM," Jimi replied.

Alex nodded. As they were about to leave, Sam grabbed Alex's arm. Alex turned to look at him, his face puzzled. "What?" he asked with a frown.

"Please, join the team," Sam pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I’m not really good at soccer," Alex said, shrugging.

"You don’t have to be great," Sam insisted. "Besides, you wouldn’t play the full match, just as a substitute."

Alex glanced at Jimi for approval, and Jimi shrugged. "You can play if you want to. We might as well take a break from our studies."

Alex agreed to join the team, but only if he would be substituted in at the 75th minute.

He then turned to Jimi. "What about you? Are you joining too?"

The rest of the students burst out laughing. They all knew Jimi wasn't much of a sports person. In fact, he had once fainted during a training match in their first year. He had tried to head a feint shot, but ended up getting knocked out cold when the ball collided with his head.



******
"Hey, Charming, wait!" Big John called out.

Charming turned around, giving him an irritated look. "What is it?"

"I need you to join the team," Big John said, his tone urgent.

"Well, I'm not interested," Charming replied, turning to walk away.

Big John grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Bro, wait na. Hear me out first," he pleaded. "Most of the female students in our class probably won’t come to the match to support us. But if they know you’re on the team, they’ll definitely show up to see you play."

Charming paused, considering Big John’s words. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Fine," he said with a shrug. "But only on one condition. I get to choose the position I’ll be playing."

Big John raised an eyebrow, a suspicious look crossing his face. "Which position?"

*******
Charming made his way toward the parking lot but suddenly stopped, his attention diverted to the college garden where he spotted Sarah sitting in one of the pavilions. He had seen her and Chinonye leaving the lab earlier, and now here she was, sitting alone. She was dressed in a black uniform jacket and grey-styled plaid skirt, with a white shirt, black stockings, and a pair of cover shoes. Her hair was styled into a neat pigtail. The entire outfit made her appear no older than sixteen.

As he approached, Sarah smiled at him.

"Why are you dressed like this?" Charming asked with a teasing smile after they exchanged pleasantries. "Your outfit looks like that of a high school student."

Sarah laughed, clearly amused by his comment.

Then Charming asked, "I thought you had gone home?"

"I should have gone home, but I’m waiting for Fiona."

"Why not stick around and watch our departmental match?" Charming suggested.

"What departmental match?" Sarah asked completely puzzled.

Charming mock-frowned. "Department soccer competition. It was announced yesterday, even today. You should come."

Sarah scoffed, not remembering any of that. "Nah," she said, shaking her head. "It’s pretty obvious our class is going to lose."

Charming chuckled. "Well, that’s not going to happen as long as I’m on the field."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You are what?" She burst into laughter. "Who was the misfit that put you in the game? That person needs to be flogged."

Charming mock-frowned, playfully offended. "What do you mean by that? I’m a great soccer player. I think you should come and watch me perform some wonders today."

Sarah smirked, shaking her head. "I wouldn’t waste my time sitting to watch a game you’re in."

Charming leaned in slightly, his smile widening. "Come on, you should come. It’s going to be fun. I might even dedicate one of my goals to you."

Sarah chuckled softly and considered it for a moment, then shrugged. "Maybe I’ll stay and watch. It’s been a while since I had a good laugh."



*******
"What kind of nonsense talk is that?" Sam blurted out angrily. "Why him of all people?"

"Big J, if that guy is joining this match, then I’m out," Bayo said, his voice tense. "I can’t play in the same team with him."

The others players murmured and grumbled in disapproval, clearly not in favor of Charming's inclusion.

"Why?" Big John asked, surprised by the reaction. None of the players were giving him a solid reason for not wanting Charming on the team.

"I just don’t like the guy," Bayo replied, crossing his arms.

"I have no problem with Charming playing," Sam spoke up, trying to keep the peace. "But why should you agree for him to start the match as a striker. That means he would be playing the opposite wing with me The guy hasn’t even shown up to any of the training sessions. How do we know if he’s good enough to play such a critical position?"

"I know he’s good," Big John said confidently. "Trust me on this one."



********
Alex entered the canteen hall and walked to the counter, while Jimi waited for him at the entrance. The hall was packed, mostly with first-year students and their parents or friends, likely because of the ongoing Matriculation ceremony. As usual, there was a long queue. Lisa, her sister, and two other women were attending to the students in line. Alex noticed that she wasn’t her usual cheerful self. She politely took and served the students' orders, but her usual bright, Megawatt smile—the one that had first drawn him to her—was absent.

When she spotted him standing in the line, she beckoned for him to come forward. Alex walked past the queue, ignoring the grumbles and snide remarks from the students waiting.

"I thought you had been avoiding me," Lisa said, her eyes meeting his.

"Why would I do that?" Alex asked, genuinely puzzled.

"I haven’t seen you since Tuesday evening, after that encounter with Obinna," she replied, her voice soft.

Alex sighed and gave a small shrug. "I wasn’t in school on Wednesday, and I left early on Thursday. How could I be avoiding my most nicest and sweetest friend?" he added with a grin.

Lisa blushed slightly, her smile returning. "Well, I guess I’ve missed hearing that," she said.

They both laughed, the earlier tension easing. As Lisa started to prepare his order, Alex couldn’t help but thought about how much he’d missed hearing her voice. It was obvious she had slowly become a person of importance in his life. He was always happy anytime he was around her. That jerk, Obinna didn't deserve someone like.

"I’m really sorry about that day," Lisa said, her voice quiet and sincere. "I felt so embarrassed because of what happened, and I didn’t want you to get involved."

"It’s okay," Alex replied, offering a reassuring smile. "I just couldn’t stand to see him holding you like that."

"Obinna is a nuisance," Lisa continued, frustration clear in her voice. "I don’t even know how I ended up with him."

Alex chuckled lightly. "He is quite cute though, I guess you have eyes for good things," he teased.

Lisa gave him a mock frown, but then they both laughed.

"Is that why you’ve been so moody? Because of him?"

"No," Lisa said, shaking her head. "I can’t waste my time worrying about Obinna." She paused, her expression turning flat. "It’s something else."

Alex nodded, sensing there was more to it. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked gently.

Lisa didn't reply. After she finished preparing his order, she hesitated for a moment before speaking again in a lowered tune. "Let's talk in private." She took off her apron and hanged it, gesturing to the other woman at the counter that she was stepping out.

Alex followed her outside the hall, where they found Jimi still waiting by the entrance. Alex introduced Lisa to Jimi, then they excused themselves from him, walking to a quieter spot by the side of the hall.

"So, what’s going on?" Alex asked, his curiosity piqued.

Lisa looked around cautiously before leaning in slightly, speaking in a hushed tone. "There’s this course we took in our 200 level, first semester. It’s a core course. I know I did well on the exam, but still, most of us in our department failed. The lecturer has been collecting money from students to pass those who failed." She glanced around again, as if making sure no one was listening. "The problem is, he’s refused to take money from me. Instead, he’s asking for something else."

Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Don’t tell me it’s what I’m thinking?" he asked, his voice low.

"He wants me to meet him at a hotel..." Lisa's voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes downcast.

Alex's gaze hardened, and his voice rose with anger. "Is he crazy?!"

"Sshh! Please, don't raise your voice," Lisa quickly cautioned, glancing around nervously. "I haven't told anyone yet. I don’t want to get into trouble."

"Only one person is going to get into trouble, and it’s definitely not you," Alex said firmly, his tone intense. "Let’s exchange contacts. Tonight, you’ll send me everything you know about this lecturer."

Lisa's eyes widened in fear. "What do you plan to do?"

"You don’t need to worry about that," Alex reassured her. "I’ll handle it my way."

"Alex, I’m scared! I don’t want anything to link back to me."

"Nothing will link back to you. If anything goes wrong, it will be on me," Alex said, his voice steady and confident.

"But I don’t want you—"

"Stop worrying about me," Alex interrupted, his expression softening. "If any lecturer thinks they can mess with my friend, they’ve got another thing coming. I’ll deal with it."

Lisa gave him a faint smile, though her worry was still visible in her eyes. She wasn’t sure what Alex was planning to do, but somehow, his confidence made her more uneasy. "Just... be careful," she said quietly.

They exchanged contact details, and as Alex reached for his wallet to pay for the food, she quickly refused.

"I insist," Alex said, holding out the money.

Lisa turned to walk away, trying to escape the situation. But Alex grabbed her wrist, preventing her from running off.

Lisa laughed, teasing him. "You’re doing exactly what Obinna did the other day."

Alex smirked. "First, this situation is different. You’re smiling now, unlike that day when you were angry." He chuckled. "Second, if you don’t take the money, I will kneel right here in front of you and embarrass both of us."

Lisa burst into laughter. "You, that is always so shy, you are just bluffing."

"You have no idea what I’m capable of," Alex said with a grin. "I’ve been in worse embarrassing situations before. I’m going to shock you now." He bent slightly as if to kneel, and Lisa quickly grabbed the money from him.

"This is the last time I’m accepting money from you," she said, smiling as she backed away into the canteen.

"We’ll see about that," Alex replied, waving her off with a playful grin.

As they walked towards the sports complex, Jimi was already making funny faces, clearly amused.

"What was that about?" he teased, giving Alex a knowing look.

"What was what?" Alex asked, feigning innocence.

"I saw the way you two were smiling at each other," Jimi said.

"I thought I remember introducing her to you as my friend," Alex said, his tone a bit sarcastic.

"Well... I sensed something-something going on between you two," Jimi sang, his tone playful. "Do you like her?"

A smile tugged at Alex’s lips as he grabbed Jimi in a playful headlock. "Why do you want to know? You sensed nothing-nothing."

Jimi laughed, clearly enjoying teasing Alex. "We’ll see, man, we’ll see. But I’m just saying... if you do like her, I’ll be here to support you. She seem like a nice person."

Alex shook his head, grinning as they continued their walk. "Let's just focus on the match, Jimi."


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The second chapter might drop this weekend or next week

The digital copy of the Transfer Student is now available in PDF to be purchased.

You can contact me via:
Email: flaskblogexams@gmail.com

Whatsapp: 2347071062975

To get a copy for just #2000

Don't forget to like and share to invite more readers👍

As always, drop your comments, and opinions.

Next.... Am enjoying the story.
keep up the good work.
nice story.

Thanks for the update, looking forward to the next episode

Thanks for the update so far I started this piece not long ago and I’m loving every aspect of this masterpiece kudos
#firstcomment

Helloooo…… anybody home ? Please I’m starving @TonyStark

CHAPTER 23

The Sports Complex was packed to its maximum capacity, filled with students eager to either support their class or enjoy the match. Even the female students were in attendance, with many from the Computer Science department having come specifically because they had heard that Charming was playing. There were also first-year students who, despite celebrating their matriculation, had found time to join the crowd.

The students in the stands cheered loudly as the players jogged onto the field. The players were dressed in their jerseys and soccer boots, ready for the match. The playing field was separated from the stands by a mesh fence, giving the spectators a clear view of the action.

Charming smiled and waved at the crowd as some of the students started chanting his name. His eyes scanned the stadium, searching for Sarah. She shouldn’t be too hard to spot, he thought. And he was right. She was sitting alone in the first row, with the two seats beside her and the ones directly behind her all empty. No one sat near her. Charming waved at her, and she waved back.

Across the field, the physical build of the 400-level Geophysics students was more than enough to intimidate their opponents. Even the ones who weren’t particularly muscular were still tall, making them look more like a basketball team than a football team. Their presence alone was enough to make the Computer Science team second-guess their chances.

The Computer Science 300-level team set up in a 3-2-3-2 formation: Sam and Charming played as forwards, while Bayo and four other players formed the midfield. Effiong, Kobiruo, and one other student made up the defense. Alex and three other students were seated on the substitute bench.

The referee, a final year student, blew the whistle to kick off the match at exactly 3:07 PM. The players surged onto the field, eager to outplay each other. The Geophysics team came out strong, aggressively attacking and maintaining possession for the first fifteen minutes.

As expected by the rest of the Computer Science players, Charming proved to be ineffective on the field. He repeatedly missed passes, kicked the ball out of bounds, and made it difficult for Sam, who was playing up front with him. The worst part was that he seemed to find it amusing. Every time he fumbled, whether he missed a pass, was dribbled past, or lost the ball to an opponent, he would laugh it off. Meanwhile, the female students from the Computer Science department continued cheering and chanting his name, which only fueled the frustration of his teammates.

The first goal came from the Geophysics side in the 25th minute.

Having had enough, Sam called for a substitution. He asked for Charming to be switched out for Bayo. Charming reluctantly took Bayo's place on the left wing of midfield, but still couldn’t find any rhythm with the rest of the players. In the 43rd minute, after a corner kick, Charming made a weak pass that led to a counterattack, allowing the Geophysics team to score their second goal.

The first half ended with the Geophysics team leading 2-0.

"Big J, let's switch this guy out for someone else, please," Sam said to Big John, referring to Charming. The other substitutes, including Alex, were no longer interested in joining the game. The team's morale had taken a massive hit after the first half loss.

Sam pleaded with them, "Guys, we need one of you in this game, I’m sure we can still win." He then turned to Alex, "Bro, let’s switch you with Charming."

Alex shook his head. "Our deal was that I’ll come in at the 75th minute. I’m not ready to play yet."

The second half began thirteen minutes later. Big John, hoping to shake things up, decided to switch Charming with one of the defenders—but that turned out to be a costly mistake.

At the 51st minute, Charming found himself in a one-on-one encounter with an opposition striker. The Geophysics player feinted a move to the left, then quickly turned to the right. Charming, who had already committed to the left, tried to recover but lost his balance, stumbling and falling to the ground. He burst into a fit of laughter just as the third goal slammed into the net.

As the Geophysics team—players and supporters alike—celebrated their goal, the Computer Science players on the field could hardly contain their anger. They hurled insults at Charming, but the female supporters in the stands cheered him on. Charming, however, didn’t care about the criticism from his teammates. To him, their words were just signs of jealousy—they hated him because the ladies loved and adored him.

Sam jogged over to Big John, who was standing outside the field. "Big J, I’ve had enough. If you don’t substitute this guy now, I’m walking off the field."

"But nobody wants to sub in," Big John complained, visibly frustrated. "The other guys aren’t interested anymore." He was already regretting his decision to put Charming in the game.

Sam turned to the players sitting under the substitute stand. "Guys, come on, stop acting like kids!"

"Sam, forget it, we’ve already lost the game," one of the players said, frustration lacing his voice.

"Alex?" Sam called, his tone more desperate.

"I told you, until the 75th minute..." Alex replied, but Sam wasn’t having it.

"Oh, please forget about that!" Sam snapped, clearly on edge. "Come on, I need you out there, I need a runner."

Reluctantly, Alex stood up and walked toward the sideline. Big John made a hand gesture to the referee, who nodded and gestured for him to hurry up.

"Charming, Big John is calling you, they’re substituting you," Effiong said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Charming squinted at Big John from a distance of the midfield. "ME?" he shouted, his voice incredulous. Big John nodded firmly.

"Guy, it's you na, abeg dey go," one of the midfielders said.

"But I’m not ready to be substituted! I’m not tired!" Charming protested.

"Oga, keep quiet and get off the field, you’re wasting time!" Kobiruo shouted at him, irritation clear in his voice.

Charming scowled at Kobiruo, but jogged toward the sideline, his steps slow but deliberate, as female supporters cheered and clapped from the stands. He approached the sideline, where Alex and Big John awaited him. He extended his hand for the customary exchange handshake, but Alex shot him a disdainful glare, hissed and brushed past him, jogging onto the field.

Charming's hand lingered in mid-air for a few awkward seconds before he lowered it, his face tinged with embarrassment. Shrugging off the snub, he made his way to the substitute bench.

The other players on the bench cast him cold glances, but he ignored them, his expression neutral. He was used to the attention, both the praise and the scorn.

"What do you mean by 'you need a runner'?" Alex asked Sam, adjusting his position as they prepared for the next kickoff. He had switched wings with Bayo, now ready to make an impact.

"Well, you said you escaped the Ice Queen's bodyguards, so I was counting on that," Sam replied with a grin, and they both chuckled, the tension easing a little.

After Alex’s substitution, the team’s playing style shifted dramatically. It became a game of "catch me if you can," with Alex using his speed and agility to his advantage.

The crowd roared as an opportunity emerged. Effiong played a perfect through pass to Alex, who wasted no time. With a burst of speed, he sprinted toward the opposition's goal post. The defenders scrambled to chase him, but Alex was too quick and too calculated. They tried to tackle him roughly, but his stamina and precision kept him one step ahead. Finally, two defenders collided with him inside the box, bringing him down with a forceful tackle.

The referee immediately blew the whistle, pointing to the penalty spot.

Alex’s teammates gathered around, rubbing his head in admiration. They clapped hands and cheered for his effort. The stadium was buzzing with excitement.

Sam, who had been waiting for a moment like this, stepped up to take the penalty. Without hesitation, he blasted the ball to the upper right corner of the net. The goalkeeper dove left, completely out of reach. The crowd erupted into jubilant cheers as the ball hit the back of the net.

Sam’s expression remained serious as he jogged back to retrieve the ball. He didn’t waste any time—he quickly returned to the center of the field, urging his teammates to get back into position. The score was now 3-1, and the momentum had shifted.

The second goal came just minutes later, at the 69th minute. Alex, now fully in rhythm, made a clean diagonal pass to Sam, who had positioned himself perfectly on the wing. Sam found himself in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He fired the ball toward the goal, but in a surprising twist, he aimed directly at the goalkeeper. The tall goalkeeper flinched, covering his face with his arms as the ball zipped past his left ear and into the back of the net.

The crowd screamed with excitement, the stands shaking with the collective roar of Computer Science supporters. Sam didn’t celebrate as usual. His focus was laser-sharp as he sprinted toward the goal net. He grabbed the ball and quickly return. In his haste, he accidentally brushed shoulders with the goalkeeper, who stumbled slightly, nearly losing his balance. Sam ignored the brief exchange and immediately signaled to his team to reset and focus on the next play.

The Geophysics defenders were visibly upset about the incident between their goalkeeper and Sam. Two of them immediately stepped forward, blocking Sam’s path as he tried to jog back to his position.

“What’s the problem?” Sam asked, his face hardening with irritation.

"Why did you push our goalkeeper like that?" one of the defenders demanded, his voice laced with anger.

Sam hissed, not in the mood for confrontation, and attempted to walk past them. But the defender stepped into his way and shoved him backward. Instinctively, Sam dropped the ball and shoved back, his frustration boiling over.

The tension escalated quickly, with both players exchanging harsh words and shoves. It didn’t take long before other players from both teams rushed in to separate them, but the animosity lingered in the air. The crowd, sensing the brewing conflict, began murmuring, some even shouting in support of their respective teams.

The referee, seeing the situation getting out of hand, jogged over to the scene. He flashed a yellow card at the faces of the three offending players—Sam and the two defenders. With a sharp blow of his whistle, he signaled for the game to resume.

*****
Charming leaped in the air, his joy evident as the second goal found the back of the net. But his celebration was met with glares and murmurs from his teammates on the bench.

“Now we’ve got a real player,” one of them muttered sarcastically. “Not the one who was playing solo before.”

“Exactly,” another player grumbled. “The way he moves... like a lizard.”

“If it were a woman, he’d be all over it,” the first guy added, rolling his eyes. “But when it’s about playing ball, he’s useless.”

Charming was well aware that they were talking about him, but he chose not to engage with them. The words stung, but he had no intention of causing more drama. He frowned, stood up, and walked away from the bench, heading toward the exit of the mesh fence that separated the field from the stands.

As he approached the gate, he glanced back at the field. The referee was running toward some of the players who were shoving each other, and teammates were quickly stepping in to break them apart. Charming’s eyes lingered for a moment on the unfolding chaos, but then his attention was drawn to someone else.

Sarah.

He spotted her, making her way toward the stadium exit. She was only a few meters from the gate, her fingers lightly grazing the wire fence as she walked away. Without thinking, Charming rushed after her, calling her name.

“Sarah!” he shouted, his voice carrying through the air.

Sarah froze when she heard her name. She turned around slowly, her gaze locking onto Charming. She waited, standing just a few feet away from the right-hand side of the Geophysics goalpost fence. Her fingers were interlocked between the metal wires of the fence as she watched him approach.

"You're leaving already?" Charming asked breathlessly, catching up to her. He notice immediately that she seemed upset.

"Yeah, I only came here to watch you play," Sarah replied flatly, not bothering to look at him.

"Well, how was it?" Charming flashed a grin, clearly full of himself. "I'm sure I blew your mind with my skills. You're probably dying to applaud me now."

Sarah gave a faint smile, shaking her head. "Yes, absolutely. I was so dazzled at how you were literally useless to the team. You cost our class three goals."

Charming’s laughter faded, and he shrugged nonchalantly. "It wasn't my fault. Football is a team sport, right? Those guys just didn't want to pass the ball to me..." He trailed off as he notice her attention was somewhere else. He studied her face again. Despite her effort to maintain a cheerful facade, her body language betrayed her true mood. It was clear she was deeply enraged about something. Something she clearly didn’t want to share.

"Did anyone upset you?" He asked. "I don't know if it's just me, but your body language is giving this negative vibes."

Sarah chuckled softly, and was about to speak when her gaze flicked to the corner of her eye— glimpse of a white object converging towards her vision. Her eyes darted to the field, and she saw it; a white and red striped ball hurtling towards her head. Before she could react, the ball slammed violently against the fence with a loud clang, just inches from her face.

"JESUS!" Sarah shrieked, stumbling backward as she missed a step, but Charming caught her on time, swiftly wrapping his arms around her, steadying her.

As Sarah regained her balance, Charming's concerned voice cut through her shock.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes scanning her face. The rage she had been carefully suppressing finally erupted, raw and uncontrollable. Charming knew—too late—what was about to happen.

"Sarah, please calm down," he said.

Sarah, still shaken, ignored him. Her furious gaze swept across the players inside the field, her eyes locking onto the ones responsible for the wild shot. She flicked the dust off her jacket, adjusted her skirt, and began heading back toward the stadium entrance.

"Sarah, please don’t do this," Charming called after her, hurrying to catch up.

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CHAPTER 24


The opposition team was awarded a corner kick and nearly added another goal if not for Effiong's quick reflexes. The ball was expertly headed by one of the midfielders, but Effiong, standing by the goalpost, managed to block it just in time. He quickly passed the ball to Sam, who was immediately swarmed by the opposition midfielders. Sam shot the ball directly at one of them, and it deflected toward Alex. However, Alex found himself facing two defenders, both closing in on him.

With a quick feint to the left, Alex tricked one of the defenders, causing him to shift his weight. Alex then expertly threaded the ball through the gap of the defender's open legs with a long shot, dashing past them in pursuit of the ball. The defenders, now behind, quickly gave chase.

The linesman raised his flag, and for a moment, Alex thought he was going to call an offside. But instead, the linesman did something unexpected—he poked his nose with a finger of his flag hand, completely oblivious to the play. Alex, now confused and frustrated, slow down for a brief moment, but when he saw the defenders closing in on him, he shook his head and kept running.

As he reached the edge of the opposition box, Alex prepared to take a shot at goal. But just as he was about to strike, one of the defenders slid in front of him, blocking the shot. The ball ricocheted off the defender's foot and veered wide of the goalpost, heading straight for the fence.

On the other side of the fence, two students—one male and one female—stood near the boundary. The ball slammed into the mesh, just inches from the female student's head. She yelped in surprise, nearly losing her balance, but the male student caught her just before she could fall.

The female student straightened up, but still shaken from the close call. She shot a glare at the field, then began marching toward the edge of the mesh fence.

At first, Alex thought the female student looked like a secondary schooler because of her outfit. But as the opposition goalkeeper muttered out, "Guy, you’re dead," and Alex noticed her very light complexion and the angry strides she was taking, his eyes widened in sudden realization.

It was Sarah, the Witch herself.

"Oh great, not again!" he muttered to himself in frustration.

The other players from the computer science team moved toward the opposition box where Alex stood.

Sam, seeing Sarah’s approach, jogged up to Alex and spoke in a low, urgent tone.

"Just apologize."

"It wasn’t my fault! The ball deflected off the defender!" Alex protested.

"I know, but just apologize," Sam urged, his voice calm but insistent.

"She shouldn’t have been standing there!" Alex shot back, still defensive.

"Alex, I know you’re worked up, every football player is right now, and I also know how much you hate her. But please, just apologize. Don’t make this worse than it already is," Sam said firmly.

"Fine!" Alex groaned in frustration.

The referee jogged over to where the players were standing, his whistle still in his mouth. He raised a hand and muttered lowly, "No pointing fingers or shouting. Just stay quiet and let her say whatever she needs to. Then go back to your positions."

The players nodded in agreement, the tension thick in the air.

The entire stadium fell into a heavy silence as Sarah marched towards the entrance of the mesh fence. Everyone had seen what happened, and the look on her face made it clear: someone was in deep trouble. The crowd, sensing drama, grew quiet, and some students in the stands quickly took out their phones, eager to capture what was sure to be a spectacle. The Ice Queen, for the first, was about to unleash her fury.

Sarah stormed across the field with an air of fury. Her bodyguards appeared from nowhere, walking behind her like shadows. They had shaved their beards, making them look younger and more agile than usual. Charming was with them, trying to pacify Sarah, speaking to her quietly, but she was too far gone in her rage to listen.

Sarah stopped about ten feet from the players. Her facial expression was the very definition of wrath—eyes narrowed, lips pressed tightly together, and her posture rigid with anger.

The referee quickly spoke up, his voice urgent. "Ms. Sarah, we are deeply sorry for that; it was clearly a mistake."

Sarah shot him a cold, piercing glare, but she said nothing. The other players began to offer their apologies in a chorus, each one more hesitant than the last. But Sarah remained unmoved, her eyes scanning the group with an almost predatory intensity. She waited, her silence hanging in the air, until the voices of the players began to fade away. Only then did she finally speak, her voice unnervingly calm.

"Who did that?" Her gaze swept across the players' faces, searching for any sign of guilt. Her eyes locked on Alex, who was staring off into space, a frown etched on his face.

"Have you idiots all gone deaf? I said, who did that!?" Sarah roared, her voice echoing off the stadium walls. The sound was like a crack of thunder, sending a ripple of tension through the crowd.

Alex was caught off guard when one of the opposition defenders, the one who had previously grappled with Sam, suddenly pointed directly at him.

"Oh, c'mon," Alex muttered under his breath. What happened to not pointing fingers? Now, the blame was squarely on him.

"So, it was you again!" Sarah snapped, her anger now boiling over.

"I’m sorry about that," Alex said, his voice laced with frustration, but still trying to remain polite. He clasped his palms together in an attempt at a sincere apology.

"Are you really blind?!" Sarah shot back, her voice seething with contempt.

"The ball just slipped off," Alex tried to explain, avoiding eye contact.

"The ball just slipped off," Sarah mimicked sarcastically. "Just like your brain did, right?"

"Sarah, calm down," Charming said, stepping closer with a hand raised as if to calm the storm.

"Stay out of this!" She sneered, her eyes flashing dangerously.

She then turned back to Alex, her eyes narrowing into sharp daggers.

"You know, I initially thought maybe you had eye problems, but now I believe you're cursed with bad luck, because I can’t think of any other reason why you’re constantly trying to be unfortunate by pissing me off..."

Alex felt the words land like slaps. His jaw clenched, and his tongue pressed hard against the inner wall of his mouth as he fought to keep his cool. She was pushing him, testing his patience, but he could feel himself losing grip. He didn’t want to lose his temper—not now, not when the game was still on the line—but she was making it harder and harder.

"Please, It wasn’t intentional, and I’m really sorry," he said, his voice now louder, the frustration clear.

"Sorry?" She sneered. "Do you think your sorry would amount to anything if that ball actually hit me?"

Alex sighed heavily. "Thankfully, the mesh fence was there to stop—."

"Shut that foul excuse for a mouth!" Sarah snapped. "I don’t want to hear another word of the ridiculous garbage your scrambled circuits are trying to spit out. I know you’re not sorry—you meant to do it. And I don’t care what point you think you’re making, but let this be your final warning. If you want to survive the rest of your miserable existence on this campus, stay out of my way. Or else—"

"Or else what," Alex cut her off, his eyes locking onto hers with a hardened, unflinching gaze.

Thank you! God bless you.
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