I was a small boy deep in the trenches of high school life at Koelel High School. Located in the heart of Gilgil, Kenya, Koelel wasn’t your typical school—it was a strict military boarding school, known for its rigid discipline and demanding routines. The school was perched high on a cliff, surrounded by barbed wire, making it feel more like a military camp than a place for students. Everything about it felt tough—just like the army barracks next door.
Life at Koelel was unforgiving. Our day started with a trumpet blaring at the crack of dawn, and from that moment, every second of our lives was scheduled. Morning drills, classes, meals, evening prep, and lights out. There wasn’t much room for fun, for freedom, or for any kind of personal life. But the harshest rule of all? No phones allowed. The school administration had made it clear: if you were caught with a phone, you could expect severe punishment. Beatings, suspension, or even expulsion. It was no joke.
And yet, despite all of that, I had brought mine. I had to. It wasn’t just because I wanted to keep up with the latest gossip or watch YouTube videos like most of my friends. No, my reason was different—it was a girl. And her name was Nadia.
It had all started during the holidays. Facebook was becoming a thing, and I, like every other teenager, was trying to build my online presence. I remember the day clearly, the day her friend request popped up on my phone. I didn’t know her, but her profile picture caught my attention immediately. She was beautiful—long dark hair, soft, mesmerizing eyes, and a smile that made me forget everything else. She looked like someone who belonged in a movie, not on my Facebook. All this was evident from her profile photo now known as DP ( I know many of you just use the word DP but actually don’t know what it stands for – It’s Display Picture. 10 years ago we used to call it PP, Profile Picture).