Love Found Me When I Wasn’t Looking (Episode 1)

Love was the last thing on my mind that Monday morning.

I was more worried about getting to work early, beating Lagos traffic, and making sure my class didn’t turn into a market before assembly. I am a teacher—young, passionate, and determined to build something meaningful with my life. Teaching is not just my job; it is my pride. But that day, fate had a different lesson prepared for me.

It was during morning devotion that I noticed him.

He stood at the back of the school hall, tall, calm, and dressed in a simple native outfit that somehow made him stand out. He wasn’t like the other visitors who usually looked restless or important. This man looked… grounded. Our eyes met briefly, and I quickly looked away, feeling a strange heat rush to my face. I told myself it was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

After devotion, the headmistress called me aside.

“Victoria,” she said, smiling in that knowing way adults smile when they already know something you don’t. “We have a new staff. He’ll be assisting with mathematics. Please help him settle in.”

My heart skipped, though I didn’t understand why.

When I walked into the staffroom, he was there sitting quietly, arranging his books. He stood up immediately when he saw me.

“Good morning, ma,” he said respectfully.

That “ma” alone did something to me. Nigerian men who still say *ma* sincerely are rare gems.

“I’m Victoria,” I replied, stretching out my hand. “Welcome.”

He smiled as he shook my hand, and for a second, the world paused. “I’m Daniel,” he said. “I’m happy to be here.”

Daniel.

The name stayed with me all day.

We talked about school, about teaching, about how children can be both angels and stubborn spirits. I laughed more than I had in weeks. He listened—really listened—when I spoke. No rushing, no pretending. Just attention. That alone felt intimate.

But I reminded myself of one thing: *I came to work, not to fall in love.*

As days passed, Daniel became part of my routine. We shared chalk, lesson plans, and jokes during break time. He never crossed boundaries, never made me uncomfortable. Yet, somehow, he made my heart restless. Sometimes I would catch him looking at me, and when our eyes met, we would both look away like guilty children.

One afternoon, rain trapped us in the staffroom. The sound of rainfall on the zinc roof filled the silence between us.

“Do you believe in love?” he suddenly asked.

The question caught me off guard.

“I believe in God,” I answered carefully. “Love… I’m not sure it’s always kind.”

He nodded slowly. “I’ve been hurt before too.”

There was pain in his voice, the kind you don’t fake. Something shifted inside me at that moment. I realized that behind his calmness was a story, just like mine.

When the rain stopped, he walked me to the gate.

“Victoria,” he said softly, “I hope we can be more than colleagues someday.”

I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t. Because deep down, I already knew the truth.

Love had found me when I wasn’t looking and I was terrified of what the next chapter might bring. Continue reading Episode 2