Let them come

The following days drifted by in a haze. The buzz about the party hadn't faded, not completely. Ayo noticed the curious stares. People whispered, pointed, looked twice. Still, nothing escalated. Not yet.

Femi mostly stayed in, still concerned, but Ayo couldn't sit still. Power hummed under his skin. Even when nothing was happening, he felt like something could.

He hadn't told Femi about the pencil—or the pen. It didn't feel like something you could just explain over Indomie.

His nights were the same: lying in bed with eyes wide open, body still, mind racing. He kept testing little things. Let trying to see where the limits of this Ability lay.

The first seeds of power had been sown. The plant it would grow into was a mystery.

Wednesday came and went. His lectures felt longer. The campus bustle was just background noise at this point.

Simi texted. Just small talk. Ayo liked that for some reason. Maybe he was getting attracted.

They met again near the faculty building, shared a bottle of Soda, talked about lecturers and grades.

She was sharp, but easygoing. No pressure. Ayo felt relaxed. Or as close to it as he could be.

He caught himself smiling.

"You're different," she said suddenly.

Ayo blinked. "How do you mean?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. You're just different most other guys I know."

He wanted to say she was wrong, but he couldn't.

"Yeah," he said finally. "Maybe."

That night, Ayo didn't test anything.

He just sat on the bed, staring at his phone, but his mind was elsewhere.

It was strange, having such a power without any 'great cause' to use it on. The silence of the room was ironically deafening. Femi was on his phone at the other end of the room, not knowing about the rampaging thoughts in Ayo's head.

Ayo got up, walked to the window, looked out. The campus was quiet, painted in streetlight gold.

He remembered the fight again—but not the violence. Just the moment before it. When he knew what would happen.

He clenched his fists.

'Am I the only one?'

That question had been at the back of his mind ever since the initial excitement receded just a little bit.

It seemed to early to be questioning if there were others like him, but Ayo was a curious person by nature.

He needed to know.

Not just what he could do—but why he could do it.

And why now.

...

Thursday passed slowly, like it was deliberately dragging itself forward. No fights, no whispers—just heat, lectures, and the same old campus chatter.

But the world didn't feel the same.

Every time Ayo blinked, he could sense possibilities about everything around him. If he focused hard enough, he could tug at them.

During a boring history lecture, he stared at the lecturer's marker, and for a moment, it jittered—just slightly—like it wanted to fall.

He stopped himself.

This power shouldn't be a toy.

After class, he ran into Simi again outside the Faculty of Arts.

"I seem to run into you everytime," she teased.

'That's definitely my fault.'

"The heavens will it." Ayo countered.

She joined him.

Wondering why she didn't have somewhere to be? Well Ayo did that too.

As they were walking, she looked up at him again.

"You didn't reply yesterday."

He was speechless. "You texted me at 11 pm. I'm human too. I gotta sleep."

"But you did see it. Hmmph." She turned away from him in mock anger.

Ayo sighed.

"Okay sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

Simi paused and looked up to him with watery eyes.

"Lunch."

He facepalmed.

"I knew this was a set-up."

She laughed and hugged his arm, still looking up at him.

"Pretty please?"

The soft feeling destroyed whatever defences he had left, and he nodded 'reluctantly'.

"Sure thing."

...

That night, Ayo couldn't sleep. Again

This time it was cause of something else.

He pulled out his phone.

You: Hey

Barely a few seconds passed before he got a reply. She was like that, always replying quickly.

Simisola: Aren't you supposed to be sleeping? ~°0°~

You: Oh, almost forgot about that. Lemme get back to it then.

Simisola: You might as well stay. /-_-\.

You: Your wish is my command 😂.

Simisola: That's good, my loyal knight.

A few seconds passed. Ayo stared.

He wasn't usually this clueless in a conversation. But his heart was beating a bit faster than usual and that was affecting his ability to think.

Simisola: I miss you.

*BOOM*

A mental firecracker went off, and the phone slipped from Ayo's hand, and thankfully fell on the soft mattress below.

'I definitely did NOT do that!'

He wasn't a monster. He wouldn't manipulate someone's actions like this.

That meant this was entirely of Simi's free will.

Ayo took a deep breath and calmed down. He couldn't waste this opportunity.

He picked up his phone and typed cautiously.

You: Me too.

Another few seconds passed, and just as Ayo was wondering whether he fucked up, another text came in.

Simisola: I really enjoyed Lunch today... And no. It's not just the food.

I liked your company.🤭

You: That's... good to know. I did too.

Simisola: Something wrong?

You: Nothing much. I'm just afraid your boyfriend will come for me after today.

Simisola: Don't worry. He's not the jealous type...

Ayo felt as if a cold bucket of water was poured over him, all his enthusiasm vanishing without a trace. But thankfully, it wasn't time for his Canon event.

Simisola: ... Though I don't really know since he doesn't exist yet.

Ayo sighed in relief.

You: You got them jokes huh?!

They chatted for a bit, though still beating about the bush on relationship, but they enjoyed each others company, even if online.

Before long, Ayo fell asleep, still dreaming about Simi's soft boso- *Cough *Cough.

Demeanour. Simi's soft demeanor

...

By Friday, the buzz on campus had shifted.

The video had died down, replaced by newer gossip—someone's car got keyed, a lecturer had a public breakdown, and general Campus gist.

But Ayo noticed things.

The way a guy bumped him too deliberately near the caf.

The way two students lingered at a corner, pretending to scroll but clearly watching him.

Someone was still asking questions.

He could feel that there was a sort of surveillance around him.

'The retaliation is coming soon, huh?'

Ayo's eyes narrowed.

Let them come.