This was also a memory from secondary school.

There was this guy, one of the popular ones. I had a feeling he liked me, but I didn't know how much or why he would, since I was just the shy corner girl.

We definitely used to exchange looks, and he would speak up for me or try to get my attention at times. Lol. High school crushes were really the cutest.

Now, we were coming back from one particular break (I can't even remember which one), but this guy had a habit of returning later than everyone else. Apparently, that was a cool thing to do.

I always begged my mum to let me try it, but she never agreed. Parents and their rules, abeg!

Anyway, around that period, the famous Valentine's Day was approaching. You know how it was back then. People would try to shower their crushes or girlfriends with gifts in whatever way they could, even in a school that didn't permit provisions or nice things in general.

Unknown to me, this guy had given his friend a couple of gifts and a letter professing his feelings for me. The plan was for his friend to hide them in my locker so I could find them when I got to the hostel.

Awww. Cute, right?

Well, hold that thought.

Tell me why, just before I could even open my locker, our house matrons decided to conduct a random search for contraband.

And guess who was caught with the evidence? ME!

I was summoned and questioned about the items they had found. And when I was threatened with the possibility of my parents being called (the same parents who had warned me not to talk to boys, as how na?), I entered full damage-control mode.

I denied the existence of this guy o!

In fact, I went as far as saying that maybe he was someone who was obsessed with me because I had absolutely no idea why he would think he should buy me gifts or write me a letter.

Hmmm. I thought that would be the end of it.

But I forgot that these matrons were also human beings with their own gist networks.

Tell me why my matron went to tell his matron what had happened, and somehow, the gist got back to him.

This guy came to the class to confront me about the nasty things I had supposedly said about him.

And just like that, whatever love story was supposed to happen between us came to an abrupt end.

In fact, we became serious enemies!

Looking back, I guess we were both hurt and projecting that hurt in different ways. I was trying to save myself from trouble at home, while he probably felt embarrassed and rejected.

Hmmm. Secondary school love was not for the weak.

Anyway, my advice? Never underestimate the power of school gossip, and never assume your house matron doesn't have a direct line to everybody else's matron.

And that's just my two cents.