It was a calm Saturday afternoon. The kind where the sun paints golden lines across the grass, and everyone just moves slower.
I was sitting under the mango tree near the hostel, flipping through my notes, when I heard my name.
"Phone call for you," one of the juniors said, handing me a borrowed phone from the matron's office.
I didn't recognize the number.
"Hello?" I answered, a bit cautious.
"Good afternoon. Is this [Your Name]?" a gentle female voice replied.
"Yes, who's this?"
There was a pause.
"I'm Tope's older sister."
My heart skipped.
She continued, her tone steady but serious. "Tope hasn't been herself lately. She talks about you sometimes. Says you've changed. That maybe… you're someone she can trust."
I stayed quiet, unsure where this was going.
"She hasn't told you, has she?" she asked.
"Told me what?"
Another pause. Then came the truth:
"Tope might be pulled out of school. Things have gotten worse at home. The fees… we just can't manage them anymore."
My throat tightened. I didn't know what to say.
"I'm only calling because she won't. She's too proud. Too strong. But I thought you should know… in case she disappears one day and you don't get the chance to say goodbye."
The line went silent. Then she ended with:
"Take care of her, if you can. She won't ask, but she needs people like you now."
The call ended.
I just sat there, staring at the phone, the hum of the world growing distant. So many thoughts raced through my mind.
Tope… leaving?
Just when everything was finally falling into place?
I looked toward the school buildings, where I knew she was probably reading or tutoring someone. The same Tope who stood by me when I was lost.
And now… it was my turn to do something.
But what?