BETWEEN PRIDE AND HEART

Oil and Water

The first official project meeting was held in the university library’s group study room a quiet space with long wooden tables, shelves stacked high with dusty books, and the faint hum of an old air conditioner.

Zahra arrived early this time, determined not to give Aminu any chance to mock her. She set out her notebook, pen, and laptop, ready to work.

At exactly 4:00 PM, the door opened and in strolled Aminu sunglasses in hand, designer perfume following him like a shadow. He didn’t so much as greet her before pulling out a chair.

“You’re early,” he remarked, sitting down casually.

“You’re on time,” she replied without looking up. “Let’s not make this a habit of competing over punctuality.”

He gave a short laugh. “Oh, so now you want to compete in everything?”

“No,” Zahra said, finally meeting his eyes. “I want to finish this project before your ego fills the entire room.”

That earned her a raised eyebrow, but he leaned forward, opening his sleek tablet. “Fine. Let’s talk ideas.”

They began discussing the theme

ethical entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

Zahra suggested focusing on small-scale businesses that use sustainable farming.

Aminu immediately dismissed it. “Too rural. The judges want something modern.”

“Modern doesn’t mean soulless,” she shot back. “Not everyone has millions to start a business in Maitama or Victoria Island.”

He smirked. “And not everyone has time to sell tomatoes in Kofar Wambai market either.”

Zahra’s jaw tightened, but she kept her voice steady. “If you actually visited those markets, you’d see more innovation there than in your father’s boardroom.”

The tension between them was thick enough to cut. Every time Zahra proposed an idea, Aminu found a reason to reject it; every time he suggested something, she found a flaw. They were like oil and water swirling in the same space but never mixing.

After an hour, they had a messy page of notes and zero agreement.

Zahra stood, packing her things. “I’m not wasting my energy arguing all evening. Tomorrow, we’ll each bring one complete proposal. Then we’ll choose the better one.”

Aminu leaned back, folding his arms. “You mean, we’ll choose mine.”

She gave him a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “We’ll see, Mr. Bello. We’ll see.”

As she left the room, Aminu watched her go, a mix of irritation and curiosity stirring in his chest. He told himself it was just the challenge of competition… but something about her refusal to be intimidated lingered in his mind long after she was gone.