LOVE SCANDAL : My Professor's Secret

LOVE SCANDAL : My Professor's Secret

Chapter 2: The Agreement

I did not sleep that night.

How can I sleep. My picture was everywhere.

I was in my hostel, Room B12, and nobody was talking to me directly. They were just whispering behind me, loud enough for me to hear.

Na she be that girl for picture.

Nine points for MLS. E no possible na runs.

I hear say na that professor dey help JUPEB girls.

I wanted to cry but I was too tired to cry. I just lay on my bunk and stared at the ceiling. My roommates were pretending to press the phone but I knew they were discussing me in another w******p group.

By 6 am, Professor Damola sent me a message.

My office. 7 am. Do not be late. And dress decent. Not like yesterday.

Not like yesterday. What was wrong with yesterday. I wore white shirt and black skirt. Is that not decent for JUPEB clearance. Does he want me to wear a suit and tie.

I still went. I wore another white shirt and an even longer skirt that almost reached my ankle. I even tied my hair low and removed my small earrings.

He was already in his office. This time the door was wide open. And there was a woman inside. Older, fair, with big glasses sitting on her nose.

Amara, this is Dr Bisi, HOD of MLS, he said.

Ah, I am finished. HOD herself.

Dr Bisi looked at me from head to toe like she was scanning me for a virus.

So you are the girl in the picture. You scored nine points. Her voice was not friendly at all.

Yes ma, I whispered. My voice disappeared.

You know nine points is very low for MLS. Some people with thirteen points did not even get it. So explain how you got it.

My eyes were already full of tears. Ma, I did not do anything. We were just checking my file. The angle was bad. I swear.

Professor Damola cut in quickly. Dr Bisi, I already told you. Someone is trying to blackmail us. The picture was taken from a bad angle on purpose. I have reported it to the security unit this morning. They will check the CCTV by the corridor.

CCTV. There was a CCTV there. So why did I not think of that.

Dr Bisi sighed and adjusted her glasses. Damola, you know how these students are. This is how scandals start. If this gets to the Dean office, it will become a big problem. And I do not want problems in my department.

It will not get to the Dean, Damola said calmly. Amara, show Dr Bisi your JUPEB original result.

I opened my file with shaking hands. Original result, photocopy, birth certificate, everything inside. I passed it to her.

She checked it and kept quiet for some time, flipping pages.

Your practical score is actually two points, but it was not recorded in the system. That is why your total showed seven points instead of nine. The error is from our side, not yours, she finally said.

So it was their fault. It was their system error. And I almost died of high BP for nothing. I almost did not sleep because of their mistake.

So my admission is safe ma, I asked quickly.

For now, yes. But you need to stay away from controversy. You are still on clearance. One more issue and we will have to review your file again and you may lose it, she said and stood up. Damola, handle this thing well. I do not want to see that picture in my department again. Clear it.

She left. Her perfume remained in the office.

Only me and Professor Damola remained.

He closed the door but left it half open this time. Smart man. He learned from yesterday.

You heard her. Your admission is safe if you stay away from drama. But that picture is still circulating in three departments. We need to kill the gist with a bigger gist, he said. He sat down and pushed a white paper at me.

I looked at it. It was typed and printed. Very formal.

FAKE RELATIONSHIP AGREEMENT

One. Amara will act as girlfriend to Prof A Damola for seven days. May 2nd to May 9th.

Two. She will follow him to his mother's sixtieth birthday and award night in Lagos.

Three. No kissing on lips except if absolutely necessary for acting.

Four. No touching private parts at any time.

Five. No real feelings allowed from both sides.

Six. After seven days, both will delete all the couple pictures and never talk about it again in school.

Seven. In return, Prof Damola will secure her admission, find who posted the picture, and ensure she is not victimized or bullied in the department.

I was reading it and I wanted to laugh inside. Is this a movie. Is this Nollywood. Agreement for fake dating. Who does that.

Sir, is this necessary, I asked.

Yes, he said very serious. His face was straight. I do not do informal things. If we are doing this, we do it well. My mother is very smart. Very smart. She will know in two minutes if we are faking it. So we need to look very real. We need to act real.

And if we do not look real.

Then my mother will arrange a girl from London for me. Her friend's daughter just came from Canada. And I will be forced to marry someone I do not love. And you will still be called runs girl in this department for the next five years. So we both lose. You lose, I lose.

He had a point. A painful point.

He brought out a black pen. Sign here.

I wanted to ask about my boyfriend Tunde. What will Tunde say if he sees me in Lagos with another man acting as girlfriend. What will I tell him. But then I remembered Tunde already called me cheating yesterday and blocked me on w******p and on call. He did not even let me explain. So what do I have to lose again.

I signed. A AMARA. My hand was shaking.

He signed too. A DAMOLA. His signature was fine and mature.

Good, he said and kept the paper inside his drawer and locked it. Pack a small bag. We leave for Lagos tomorrow morning at five am. My driver will pick you up in front of your hostel. Do not be late. And Amara.

Sir.

Wear a nice dress. Not JUPEB clearance uniform. My mother likes classy girls. Something simple but classy.

Classy girls. I have only one nice dress in my life. The one I bought for my cousin's wedding last December. Pink gown with small flowers. I hope it will be okay.

Okay sir.

He nodded. You can call me Damola when we are outside school. Not sir. Girlfriends do not call their boyfriends sir. It will look fake.

Damola.

I tried saying it inside my mind as I walked out of his office. Damola. Damola. Damola.

God, what did I just enter ? What did I just sign ?