PART 6: “LOVE GALA VARIABLES”

In every university semester, there comes a moment where theories meet feelings, and formulas

take the backseat to fashion. For UEW, that moment was:

THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION LOVE GALA NIGHT

Kwabena, the Teaching Assistant with the finest penmanship and a trail of romantic disasters, had

one thought in his mind:

"Should I ask Manda… or will she report me to the Dean?"

The Build-Up

A week before the event, UEW's North Campus was buzzing.

Posters everywhere:

"Come With Your Equation. Let's Make It Balanced "

His inbox?

Full of messages from girls hoping to attend with him:

➢ "TA I need clarification on integration… and maybe a ticket "

➢ "Are you going? I already bought matching Ankara "

He ignored them all.

Because the only name he wanted on his arm was Manda the girl who could solve circle theorems

and ignore WhatsApp emojis like a monk.

The Invitation

He decided to go old-school.

He printed a "math-style proposal" with her name embedded inside equations:

Let x = the girl who makes math look elegant

Let y = UEW Love Gala Night

If f(x, y) = Joy +Beauty + Proof of Love,

Then would you be my constant at the gala?

He slipped the note into her lecture notebook.

That evening, his heart raced faster than a timed quiz. Then… she replied.

A voice note.

He braced himself. Manda:

"You're dramatic. But yes, Kwabena.

Only if you promise not to wear a suit that looks like a graph paper again." He

burst out laughing.

Date: Secured.

The Gala Night

When Manda walked into the North Campus Auditorium that Saturday night… Heads

turned like compasses attracted to true north.

She wore a deep blue dress with gold patterns shaped like fractals.

Kwabena nearly forgot how to breathe.

"You… you look like a solution to all my unsolved problems," he whispered.

She rolled her eyes. "Just don't spill punch on me."

They danced awkwardly at first she counted steps like equations, and he overestimated his rhythm.

But soon, laughter replaced nerves.

Then… slow music came on.

And Kwabena did what he'd been avoiding for weeks:

He held her hand and asked,

"Manda… are we a thing now?" She

stared up at him and said:

"Only if you know how to maintain balance."

He smiled. "Don't worry. I passed Statistics."

The Kiss (Well, Almost) They

leaned in.

Music swelling.

The mood perfect.

Then someone spilled fruit punch on their shoes.

"Aaaah! Ei! TA! My leg! Sorry oo!"

It was Ama, fromhe old group.

Kwabena sighed.

Manda laughed so hard, she actually leaned in and whispered:

"You're cursed."

But for the first time, she held his hand... and didn't let go