Rita had walked away from Kwabena that day with a brave face, but deep down, she was
burning. Not just with rejection, but with regret. She had waited too long. She had believed her feelings would one day matter, but now, they were nothing more than an afterthought to him.
And that girl Manda the quiet one? Rita couldn't understand how someone so... invisible could have captured the heart of the TA every girl whispered about.
Jealousy had a way of poisoning the heart. And for Rita, it began slowly with whispers.
THE RUMOURS BEGIN
It started with subtle comments in class groups and hallway conversations.
"You know Manda only got those marks because she's close to Kwabena, right?"
"It's always the quiet ones… you'll be shocked what they're really like behind closed doors."
"She's not even that smart. Ask yourself how she suddenly became a top student."
Rita never said anything directly. She didn't have to. The seed had been planted.
Soon, students were side-eyeing Manda during lectures, and even some tutors began to raise eyebrows. A few even hinted about "favouritism" when they handed marked scripts back.
Kwabena noticed it first the stares, the cold shoulder from some colleagues, the way students began to gossip more loudly when he entered the department.
And Manda? She noticed, too. But unlike Kwabena, she kept it inside. That was her way.
CONFRONTATION
One evening after class, Manda sat under the baobab tree near the faculty block. Her eyes were downcast. When Kwabena walked up to her, she didn't even look up.
"You've heard it too," she said quietly. "What they're saying about me… about us."
Kwabena sat beside her, frustrated.
"It's all lies, Manda. None of them know us. None of them know what we've been through."
Manda hesitated, then looked at him.
"But it still hurts. I worked for those grades. I've kept my head down all semester. Why should I be punished for being with someone I care about?"
Kwabena took her hand.
"You shouldn't. And you won't be. I won't let anyone discredit your hard work or what we
have." But deep down, Kwabena knew who was behind this. The timing was too perfect. And the venom in the gossip was too familiar.
SHOWDOWN WITH RITA
That weekend, Kwabena caught Rita alone outside the library. She was with a few friends,
laughing, but her smile faltered when she saw him walking toward her.
He didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to.
"I know what you're doing," he said. "It's petty, it's cruel, and it's beneath you."
Rita's expression didn't change. But her eyes narrowed.
"I just said the truth. If people are talking, maybe it's because they see what's happening."
Kwabena stepped closer.
"They're talking because you made them talk. Whatever we had or could've had is over. But what Manda and I have? That's real. And no amount of lies will break it."
Rita scoffed, trying to mask the sting in his words.
"You think she's special? Wait until she feels the pressure. Let's see how strong your 'real' love is when the whole school turns on her."
Kwabena stared her down, a quiet storm behind his eyes.
"You can fight dirty, Rita. But love doesn't lose in the end. Hate does."
MOVING FORWARD
Kwabena knew things wouldn't calm down overnight. The rumours might spread. Manda might struggle with the attention. But now they were prepared and they would face it together.
They doubled down on discretion, focused on studies, and stayed away from drama. Kwabena also reported the incident to a trusted senior lecturer who promised to look into the toxic climate building in the department.
It wasn't easy, but slowly, the gossip lost momentum. People moved on to the next scandal, as students often do.
And through it all, Manda and Kwabena stood stronger their bond tested, but unshaken.