Crossing Boundaries: A Nigerian-Italian Romance"

Chapter fifteen

Nkem's heart raced with excitement as she made her way through the crowded hallways of the university on the first day of classes after the summer break. She had missed her friends and was eager to catch up with them, but she was even more excited to see Marco again.

She had kept in touch with him over the summer, but it wasn't the same as being able to see him in person. As she walked into her first lecture of the day, she scanned the room for him, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Nkem couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, but she tried not to let it get to her. After all, Marco had his own responsibilities to attend to. She took out her notebook and began taking notes, determined to start the new semester off strong.

As she walked out of her lecture, Nkem felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Marco standing behind her, a huge smile on his face. "Surprise!" he said, wrapping his arms around her.

Nkem's heart skipped a beat as she hugged him back. "What are you doing here?" she asked, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"I couldn't stay away," he replied, grinning. "Plus, I missed you."

Nkem's face lit up at his words. She had missed him too, more than she cared to admit. "I'm so glad you're here," she said, leaning in for a kiss.

They spent the day catching up and exploring the campus together. Marco had even enrolled in a few classes so that he could spend more time with Nkem.

As the weeks went by, their relationship continued to flourish. Nkem and Marco spent most of their free time together, exploring the city and trying new restaurants. They were happy and in love, and nothing could get in their way.

But as the semester went on, Nkem began to feel the weight of her studies bearing down on her. She had always been a diligent student, but she felt like she had to work twice as hard to keep up with her coursework and maintain her grades.

One night, as she was studying in the library, Marco came to find her. He could tell that she was stressed out, and he wanted to help in any way he could.

"Why don't you take a break?" he suggested, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I can't," she replied, shaking her head. "I have a test tomorrow, and I'm not prepared."

Marco could see the exhaustion in her eyes, and he knew that she needed to take a break. "You're going to burn yourself out," he said. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

Nkem hesitated for a moment, but she eventually agreed. They walked through the campus, hand in hand, as Marco talked to her about his day and made her laugh. For a little while, she forgot about her studies and the pressures of college life.

As they walked back to her dorm, Marco stopped and turned to her. "You're going to do great on your test tomorrow," he said, giving her a reassuring smile.

Nkem felt her worries begin to melt away. With Marco by her side, she knew that she could conquer anything that came her way.