Operation: Apology and Jollof 🍚💔
Daniel was pacing back and forth in his room when he heard the knock.
Before he could reach the door, it swung open and in walked Timi, Caleb, and Jordan, grinning like victorious warriors returning from battle.
He narrowed his eyes immediately. "So…?"
Timi flopped onto the bed dramatically. "Mission accomplished, General."
"We saw her. Spoke to her. Laughed. Got scolded. And," Caleb added, patting his stomach with pride, "we ate."
Daniel blinked. "You what?"
"Yep," Jordan said cheerfully.
"Nuella and Saraph fed us. Jollof rice, chicken, plantain. I even had seconds."
"You ate?" Daniel looked like he might combust. "I sent you guys to apologize, not host a buffet!"
"Relax," Timi grinned. "The food was part of the forgiveness process.
A peace meal, if you will."
"You guys are incredible," Daniel muttered, exasperated.
"I know, right?" Caleb smirked. "Keep messing up, Daniel.
We'll be cashing in on your emotional damage."
"I swear" Daniel ran his hand over his face, trying not to laugh despite himself.
"I sent you guys to talk to Nuella on my behalf, and you turn it into a food fest?"
"But we did what we were supposed to do," Jordan said, raising both hands.
We apologized. Properly. Told her we knew what was going on, and yeah, she was mad."
"Mad is even an understatement," Timi added.
"She gave us that death stare. You know the one? Where do you feel your ancestors apologize for you, too?"
"Then how did you calm her down?" Daniel asked warily.
Caleb scratched his head. "Well… we may have told her you're not feeling well."
Daniel's eyes widened. "What?"
"Like... not eating, feeling weak, you know," Timi chimed in.
"She grew worried. Started asking, 'What's wrong with him? Is he sick? What happened?"
"So now," Jordan said, pointing at Daniel like a doctor with a prescription, "you have to act sick.
No posting gym selfies. No loud laughter in the cafeteria. Just moody-boy hours."
"You guys are going to get me killed," Daniel groaned.
"Nope. We're getting you loved," Timi winked.
Daniel flopped onto his bed with a sigh. "I don't believe this."
"Well, she seemed calm," Caleb reassured him. "We told her you're sorry.
That you haven't been yourself. That it wasn't just about the breakup with Mira."
"And she said she's forgiven us," Jordan added. "Which is a good start. Saraph helped smooth things, too."
Daniel turned his face to the wall, muffling a groan.
"Next time I need an apology delivered, I'm hiring actual professionals."
"Or just… don't mess up again," Timi shrugged.
"Yeah," Caleb grinned, "Because your heartbreak is our meal ticket now."
They all burst out laughing, and despite himself, Daniel joined in.
For the first time in days, he felt a sliver of hope.
Birthday Mission (With Backup Planners)"
It was a quiet Saturday afternoon when Daniel gathered the boys again, Caleb, Timi, and Jordan, a spot that had silently hosted many of their questionable ideas, failed plans, and emergency meetings.
But this one? This one had a bit of sparkle.
"Guys," Daniel began, dramatically slumping into the plastic chair, "Nuella's birthday is in a week."
The boys nodded slowly like doctors hearing the first signs of a complicated diagnosis.
"And I want to do something special."
"Special like?" Caleb raised an eyebrow, already half-smirking.
"I want to propose again," Daniel said.
The others blinked.
Josh choked on his drink. "Propose? As in... marriage?"
"No!" Daniel groaned. "As in officially. Like, ask her properly to be my girlfriend again.
You know... after all that drama with Mira, the flowers, the letters, and you people going to eat at her house in the name of an apology."
Timi raised both hands. "You're welcome, by the way."
Daniel ignored him. "So, I need to make this right. I want her to feel seen.
I want to show her that I've changed. You guys have to help me."
There was a pause.
Then all three boys suddenly stood up and saluted him like bodyguards on a mission.
"Captain Daniel, lover boy in distress, at your service!" Caleb declared.
"We are now your official event planners," Timi said, pulling out his phone like it was a tablet from Mission: Impossible.
"Where do we start?" Jordan grinned.
Daniel grinned back, feeling lighter already. "Okay, here's the idea.
I want to surprise her on her birthday. Not just cake and balloons. Something sentimental.
Thoughtful. Something that tells her you know. I see you. And I love you."
Jordan nodded slowly. "So not your usual 'text her at midnight and say I'm outside' thing?"
"Exactly," Daniel said.
"That was immature, Daniel. This is reformed Daniel. Grown-up, responsible, emotionally available Daniel."
"Rebrand alert," Caleb whispered, pretending to scribble on an invisible notepad.
"I want it to be part birthday surprise, part apology, part romantic proposal," Daniel continued.
"You guys help me plan. I'll handle the personal touch, write her a new letter, maybe a poem."
"You? A poem?" Timi blinked.
Daniel squinted at him. "Yes, me. I've been practicing. It even rhymes."
"Roses are red," Jordan started.
"Daniel is stressed," Caleb added.
"Nuella is tired," Timi continued.
"And we are under duress!" they all said together, then burst into laughter.
Daniel shook his head, laughing. "You guys are unserious."
"No, no, we got you," Caleb said, standing up and pacing like a director.
"First of all venue. Where are we doing this? Your house? Saraph's house? Somewhere neutral?"
Daniel thought. "Somewhere she wouldn't expect.
Maybe the reading garden is behind the faculty. She loves that place. Peaceful, pretty, and memories too."
"Perfect," Jordan nodded. "Decorations?"
"I was thinking fairy lights, pictures of us, maybe printed moments from our old days together.
Flowers. Balloons... not too childish, though."
"And cake?" Timi asked.
Daniel pointed at Caleb. "He'll handle that. You still owe me for that red velvet you ruined last semester."
"One time I mixed sugar and salt by accident, and suddenly I'm the cake mistake guy forever," Caleb muttered.
"We'll help you shop," Jordan assured.
"Saraph might even help coordinate things behind the scenes.
She's good at stuff like this. We'll just say it's a 'birthday gathering' and pull the surprise mid-way."
Daniel smiled. "Thank you, guys. I want to do this right."
Timi smirked. "If you mess up again, though, we are eating her apology food without you this time."
Daniel threw a napkin at him.
"Alright," Caleb clapped his hands.
"This is what we need: fairy lights, candles, a customized cake, maybe one with both your names on it.
Daniel and Nuella: The Sequel."
Jordan added, "A fresh playlist. Not your boring old-school heartbreak songs.
Something soft, meaningful, Ed Sheeran, Jon Bellion, a little of something different maybe."
Daniel nodded furiously, already typing. "Yes. This is good. I'm going to write her a poem too."
"You said that already," Timi teased.
"Yeah, but now I'm serious. I'll sit under the moon tonight and let inspiration slap me in the face."
Caleb laughed. "Please let it slap you well, because if she doesn't cry happy tears, I'm returning your deposit for emotional services."
"Okay, okay," Daniel grinned. "Let's work.
Operation Win Nuella Back: Birthday Edition is in motion."
"And we are the team that makes dreams come true," Timi said, throwing pretend confetti.
"Or crashes them in style," Josh added.
They all laughed again, already picturing the lights, the soft music, the surprise on Nuella's face when everything unfolded.
And somewhere in all the teasing, Daniel felt hope blooming again, this time steady and real.