The campus was alive, buzzing like a live wire. ⚡ From the hostels to the dining hall, from the labs to the football pitch — everyone was talking, laughing, running, planning. The news had spread like wildfire: the Global Youth Connect Festival — Abuja Edition 🇳🇬✨ was coming, and AllStars seniors were at the center of it all.
Banners fluttered in the breeze, posters of Talent Hunt 🎤, Game Night 🎮, Cultural Day 🎭, and the Abuja Tour 🇳🇬✨ covered every noticeboard. Teachers whispered behind their hands, security guards grinned knowingly, and students ran around in organized chaos, like an anthill in fast-forward. 😎
But amidst all the chaos, the real storm was quietly brewing in the library.
At a long mahogany table sat Gift, AraBaddie, Lolade, BigDave, and MideFlex ,all five students who were technically "studying," but anyone passing by would know better.
Their notebooks were full of arrows, doodles, sketches of uniforms, and incomplete equations. Books lay open, pages marked, but none of them were reading.
The ceiling fan hummed lazily above, but tension? It was louder than a drumline at a carnival. 🥁
"If I hear 'Talent Hunt' one more time today, I swear I'll faint," Lolade groaned, throwing her pen onto the table. 😩
BigDave snorted. "Same here. My phone hasn't stopped buzzing: 'Sir BigDave, can SS1 perform Atilogwu? Can SS2 bring jollof rice for Cultural Day?' Bro, I'm not the Nigerian Tourism Board!"
Gift laughed softly, twirling her pen. "At least people are asking. Me? I'm supposed to coordinate media coverage and help MideFlex with Game Night logistics. His brain is already a frying pan full of sparks." 🔥
AraBaddie leaned forward, flipping his notebook dramatically. "You think that's tough? I'm the rep for SS2, and my class wants to perform a TikTok dance mashup for Talent Hunt. How do I tell them it's not a rave party?" 💀
Everyone burst into laughter.
Gift pushed her glasses up, sighing. "Focus, people. We have a quiz tomorrow, and the Abuja tour is next week. No distractions."
"Next week?" Lolade squealed, nearly spilling her water. "The Founder leaves this weekend, right? Paris-bound?"
Gift nodded. "Yeah. He's flying back before the delegation goes to Abuja. We'll meet him there on festival day itself. Big man energy only." 😌✈️
BigDave whistled. "Imagine the Founder in a French suit, standing next to diplomats. I'd pay to see that on Instagram."
AraBaddie smiled faintly. "Meanwhile, we'll be sweating trying to keep up with elite schools. That's pressure level 1000000."
They all fell silent for a beat, just imagining standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Nigeria's and Africa's best.
AraBaddie finally broke the quiet. "Okay, here's my confirmed list from my side for Youth Connect Tour. Royal Academy in Abuja, Glory Heights International School, Port Harcourt, Crownfield Academy, Ogun state, Scholars' Domain High, Ghana, Nairobi Elite Academy, Kenya, Springfield International, Osun state, AlphaGate Academy, Lagos, St. Helena's College, Accra, Queensland Heights, Oyo State and of course,AllStars Foundation College, Lagos."
Gift groaned. "They're all elite? Royal Academy again? Those guys win every single competition!"
BigDave laughed. "Crownfield Academy? Bro, they actually make their students code apps for fun. Can you imagine us trying to match that?"
Lolade clapped her hands. "Then there's Glory Heights — robotics geniuses and spoken word champions. Scholars' Domain High comes with full theatrical productions. And Nairobi Elite? Their choir is so good they made me cry last year." 😭
AraBaddie leaned back. "Wait — this is international?! I thought it was just Nigeria."
"Pfft, no," BigDave said, smirking. "Youth Connect = worldwide. Everyone's bringing their A-game. And we're supposed to shine." ✨
Gift's voice softened. "If we flop… it's not just us. It's AllStars on the line."
"Exactly," AraBaddie said. "We need to shine, look sharp, perform sharp, and leave no doubt."
BigDave snapped his fingers. "Uniforms. We need custom tour attire. Something sleek. Navy and gold. AllStars logo embroidered like we actually own the place."
"Get in jor!"
"Done!" Gift agreed. "We'll pitch it at the prep meeting later."
AraBaddie scrolled on his phone. "Talent & Expression has a debate, a poetry slam, dance, drama, we need to pick carefully."
"Of course, we took will register," AraBaddie said. "You've seen Lolade dance? Gift on stage? If we don't, it'll be national embarrassment."
Laughter erupted again, soft, guilty, and loud enough to make the librarian hiss. 🤫
Later that evening, the Senior Lounge became the hub of chaos. 🎉
Whiteboards were scribbled with duties:
Arabaddie: Parent's Art Fair 🎨
Lolade: Talent Hunt 🎤
BigDave: Cultural Day 🎭
KayPrime: Overall Head — Tour Logistics ✈️
MideFlex: Game Night 🎮
Oscar: All Events Head Usher
ZaraBliss: All Events Head Welfare and Care Coord.
MideFlex paced like a movie director, notepad in hand. "We need two projectors, karaoke machine, snacks for 3000 students, movies for Game Night, and don't get me started on lighting!"
BigDave smirked. "Lighting? What is this? Coachella?"
"It will be, if I have my way!" MideFlex declared. "COD tournaments, Truth or Dare Royale, Karaoke Battle, and a surprise outdoor movie under fairy lights!" 🌌✨
Gift clapped. "Brilliant!"
Lolade jumped on a chair. "Three main events — Abuja Tour, Parent's Art Night, Game Night Deluxe. Each must slap!"
"SLAP!" they all chorused, raising hands in mock salute. 🤣
AraBaddie scribbled furiously. "Rehearsals on Mondays and Wednesdays. Dance, spoken word, travel prep — who sits where, who leads what. Gift, document everything for the media club."
"Yes, lead!" Gift replied, already taking notes.
By Friday, the campus was buzzing.
Tailors worked on tour attire — navy blue, gold trim, embroidered "AllStars Foundation College." Bus got a temporary vinyl wrap with the AllStars logo and Youth Connect 2025 banner 🚍🔥.
Back of the dining hall, the group met again. Gift finalized T-shirt mockups. BigDave gave notes: "First design, not the toothpaste one."
AraBaddie coordinated logistics calls. "Yes, sir, 7 a.m. departure, two buses, water packs, sound system must arrive before us!"
MideFlex interrupted. "Microphones too! I'm not shouting myself hoarse again."
Lolade clapped. "People! Talent Hunt, Game Night, Cultural Day — they must slap!"
"SLAP!!!" they all yelled again, laughing until they cried.
The rival schools were all over the prep material, everyone was preparing one way or the other:
Royal Academy — elite Nigerian students, top of the class, fluent English, perfect posture, and that annoying confidence.
Glory Heights International School — tech prodigies, robotics freaks, poetic, very Instagrammable.
Crownfield Academy — Lagos intellectuals, debate champions, always calm, unnervingly smart.
Scholars' Domain High — Ghana, dramatic, theatrical, full stage presence, unpredictable.
Nairobi Elite Academy — Kenyan, disciplined, choir legends, smile too bright to compete with.
Springfield International — trendy, young, energy like TikTok fame.
AlphaGate Academy — rich,chess pros, strategic thinkers.
St. Helena's College — Accra, polite, disciplined, but can be wild if challenged.
Queensland Heights — very sporty, loud, loud, and louder.
The AllStars team knew this wasn't just a school trip. It was a battle of personalities, style, and excellence. 😎
Outside, the campus was alive with music, laughter, and occasional chaos. Students rehearsed, decorated, and planned. Every corner echoed the excitement that had replaced weeks of tension.
Gift said softly, "Maybe this is what the Founder meant by my shining stars."
BigDave nodded. "Yeah. We're glowing."
Gift grinned. "And this time… stylishly."
They laughed, their voices carried across the courtyard. 🔔
AllStars was back.
And this time, louder, brighter, and ready to shine. ✨🔥
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Hey lovely Webnovel readers! 💜
Just a quick note — if you're curious about what one of the main characters might look like visually, check out my author profile picture! I decided to use the book cover there so you can get a feel of the vibe and aesthetic behind the story. Let me know what you think in the comments!☺️🥹🔥