Her scholarship, His heart

the misunderstanding

# CHAPTER 16: THE MISUNDERSTANDING

12:00 AM. The rooftop was empty.

Niyi waited for 30 minutes. Amara didn't come.

The next morning, Royal Crest was on fire.

"Did you hear what Niyi said in the principal's office?"

"He said he feels guilty because she's poor."

"He said he pities her."

None of it was true. But Tolu was good at twisting things.

By second period, Amara had heard 5 different versions.

All of them said: Niyi didn't choose her. He chose to save his family's name.

Amara sat in class, staring at her notebook. Her chest felt hollow.

Of course. Why would a billionaire's son actually like her?

Her phone buzzed.

Niyi: "Why didn't you come last night?"

She didn't reply.

At lunch, she ate alone under the mango tree.

"There she is," someone whispered. "The charity case."

"Amara."

Niyi. He looked tired. Angry.

"Can we talk?"

"I have class," she said and stood.

"Amara, wait." He grabbed her wrist. "Let go," she whispered.

"Not until you tell me why you're ignoring me."

"Because I heard what you really meant," she said. "You only defended me because you felt guilty."

Niyi stared. "And you believed them? Over me?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore," she said. And walked away.

That night she got a voice note from an unknown number.

It was Niyi. Voice rough.

"I waited for you. In the rain. In the principal's office. In front of the whole school. I chose you. Not pity. Not guilt. You."

Amara cried on the floor of her office job.

The next day, Niyi wasn't at school.

Tolu announced: "Niyi and I are working things out. He made a mistake."

Amara felt like she was drowning.

The principal called her: "Mr. Adeleke has withdrawn his son. And he’s asked that you stay away from the Adeleke family."

On her way out, Mrs. Adeleke stopped her.

"My son is an i***t," she said. "He thinks if he pushes you away, he'll protect you."

"He didn't defend you out of guilt, Amara. He did it because for the first time, he saw something real."

She handed Amara a note. Niyi's handwriting:

"Rooftop. Tonight. 12 AM. Last chance. If you don't come, I'll know."

That night it started raining again.

At 11:55 PM, Amara was on the rooftop.

He was there. Hoodie. Hands in pockets.

"You came," he said.

"I almost didn't."

"Then why did you?"

"Because I was scared," she admitted. "Scared that you only said those things because you had to."

Niyi walked to her. "Amara. Look at me. I don't care about my dad. I don't care about the school. I don't care about Tolu. The only thing I care about is you not thinking you're second choice. Because you're not. You're the first choice I ever made for myself."

Amara stepped forward and hugged him.

"I believe you," she said into his chest.

Niyi exhaled. "Don't ever disappear on me again."

"Don't ever let me hear rumors before you," she shot back.

He laughed. "Deal."

They stood in the rain, holding on.

Down below, headlights.

A car pulled up.

Mr. Adeleke.

And he was furious.

**END OF CHAPTER 16**