Shimmer Between Us (Rebirth)

Chapter 4 : Lunch with a Stranger (Almost)

The next day started like any other.

I dragged myself through back-to-back lectures, the kind where your pen hovers uselessly because your brain has stopped listening ten minutes in. By the time afternoon rolled around, I was exhausted. The sun outside was a little too hot, the lecture hall a little too stuffy, and my head a little too full of words I wasn’t sure I’d remember by next week.

Everything felt normal.

Until it didn’t.

We were leaving the lecture hall,Clara, Becky, Tina, and me..when I saw him.

He was standing in the school field, phone in hand, casually dressed in a crisp white tee and jeans that somehow looked like they belonged in a magazine. He stood out, not because he was trying to, but because he didn’t need to. Like he had walked straight out of a different story and accidentally wandered into mine.

He looked up. His eyes found mine.

My stomach flipped. I quickly turned my face, pretending not to notice, pretending that my heart wasn’t suddenly performing gymnastics.

And then I heard it.

“Zora?”

He said my name like he’d been keeping it safe in his mouth, waiting for the right moment to let it out.

I froze. My girls slowed too, their heads swiveling in perfect unison. I gave him a small smile, half shy, half awkward. “Hey.”

He slipped his phone into his pocket and started walking toward us, his entire focus narrowing on me. The way he carried himself,it wasn’t arrogance, not exactly. More like quiet confidence, like the world had already made space for him and he knew it.

“Didn’t expect to run into you here,” he said.

“Yeah, same.” My laugh came out softer than I intended. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see a friend. And I forgot to tell you…” He rubbed the back of his neck, almost sheepish, though there was still a glint of playfulness in his eyes. “I’m actually a final year student here. Just finishing up my last semester.”

I blinked. “Wait seriously?”

“Yeah. This your department?”

I nodded slowly. “Might be. I’m hoping to join here fully.”

His lips curved into a smile. “Good choice.”

There was a beat of silence. Then he tilted his head, studying me in a way that made my skin warm. “You out for the day?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Lectures are done.”

“Cool.” He hesitated only a second before asking, “Do you mind joining me for lunch? There’s this spot at the atrium. You’ll like it.”

I blinked. Lunch? With him?

Before I could gather an excuse, Clara swooped in, her tone too sweet to be trusted. “Oh! Zora, we’ll meet you later, yeah? We’re going to say hi to Kevin and the guys. You’re fine, right?”

Tina and Becky chorused their agreement, their grins wide and dangerous.

“Catch up with us later!” Tina added, already dragging Clara away.

“Traitors,” I muttered under my breath as they disappeared, leaving me stranded with him.

When I looked back, he was smiling amused. “So…?”

I shrugged, heart hammering. “Sure. Why not?”

We started walking side by side. The field was busy, students heading in all directions, but I felt their eyes. Or maybe I just imagined it. He carried himself like someone who didn’t mind being seen. I, on the other hand, preferred shadows. Next to him, I felt both invisible and completely exposed.

🍃🍃🍃🍃

The atrium was cooler inside. Dim lights, soft background music, the faint smell of pastries. I’d passed by here countless times, always too intimidated to step in. It was the kind of place you admired from a distance, calculating whether your pocket money could stretch enough to afford a drink.

And now here I was...sitting across from him.

The condensation from my glass of orange juice slid down to my fingers. He leaned back casually, scanning the menu like he belonged in this world.

“Order whatever you like,” he said. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you starve.”

I smirked, trying to mask my nerves. “I wasn’t planning to. But thanks for the reassurance.”

He chuckled, the sound warm. “Feisty. I like that.”

Did he just!..?

Before I could recover, he leaned in slightly. “Zora, right?”

I nodded, suddenly conscious of how tightly I was gripping my fork.

“I think that name fits you. Rare. Different.”

I swallowed, unsure what to do with the knot twisting in my stomach.

Then his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, sighed, and answered.

“Yeah… Mm-hmm. No, move that pitch to Monday. I’m not back in Lagos yet. And make sure Rita sends in the proposal before noon.” He paused, his tone firm now. “I don’t care what the client said, we’re not delivering halfway work. Tell him that.”

When he hung up, he gave me an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Work chaos.”

“You run a company?” I asked, curiosity slipping past my shyness.

“Co-run,” he corrected. “Media and tech. Started as a side hustle in 200 level. Now it’s… bigger.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.

“That’s impressive,” I said quietly.

He tilted his head, studying me again. “You think so? I just think I got lucky.”

Our food arrived—creamy pasta and grilled chicken for me, something fancier I couldn’t pronounce for him. Conversation flowed easier than I expected. He told me about coding in class, how he failed his first three designs, and how his best friend once created a logo that looked exactly like a fried egg.

I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. And he laughed too, watching me like my smile was its own reward.

By the end of lunch, I felt… lighter. Like I’d stepped out of my ordinary skin and into something brighter.

When we got up to leave, he paused.

“I’m going to need your number,” he said. His tone was casual, but his eyes weren’t. “For… professional reasons.”

I arched a brow. “Professional?”

“Well,” he stepped closer, a teasing smile tugging his lips, “if you fall sick from the food, I’ll need to send a get-well package.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide my smile. “Smooth.”

He handed me his phone. My fingers trembled slightly as I typed in my number.

“Zora,” he said again, testing my name on his tongue like it belonged only to him.

I turned to leave, pulse still racing.

“Hey,” he called softly.

I glanced back.

“Don’t disappear again.”

I didn’t answer. Just smiled the kind that said maybe I won’t,and walked away.

That night, lying in my bed while Clara, Becky, and Tina tried to pry every detail out of me, I pressed my phone to my chest. His name lingered in my head like a song I couldn’t turn off.

And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t mind.