PART 8: “TANGENTS OF A SECRET ROMANCE”

Kwabena and Manda had become a quiet variable in each other's equation hidden in the brackets

of university life, where glances held more weight than words and secrets felt sweeter than shout- outs.

They weren't official.

They weren't public.

But they were theirs.

Study Sessions That Became More

On paper, they were just TA and student.

Kwabena would show up to campus with printed trigonometric revision sheets and a serious face.

But whenever Manda entered the seminar room late, headphones around her neck and that calm,

unreadable expression…

His explanations suddenly got very clear

"So you see, if sine of θ equals opposite over hypotenuse, then technically " Manda

(deadpan): "Are you explaining triangles or just showing off your voice?"

He'd smirk.

She'd blink slowly and go back to solving.

But one Thursday afternoon, under the guise of "revision before quizzes," they met again at his place.

The Kiss

This time, she didn't ask for Sobolo.

This time, it wasn't awkward.

They sat on the carpet with textbooks open, but nobody turned a page.

He was trying to explain the Chain Rule… but his words trailed off.

"You know, sometimes variables are just... meant to come together."

Manda: "That line was worse than your statistics joke." They

both laughed.

Then he looked at her truly, fully the way you do when silence speaks louder than a shout.

"Manda," he said quietly, "Can I?"

She didn't nod.

She just leaned forward.

It was a soft kiss.

Not rushed. Not heavy. Just two souls learning how to fold into each other like neat solutions.

The Pact

They agreed to keep it quiet.

"Not because I'm ashamed," Manda said, "but because campus gossip is loud, and what we have is… calm."

Kwabena: "So no holding hands in front of Lecture Block B?"

Manda: "No chance."

Kwabena (grinning): "But you'll still smile at me during quizzes?"

Manda: "Only if the paper isn't wicked."