(020 - Screw All Doubts.)

First of all I want to really appreciate you guys for making this book such a big deal. The engagements I've been getting so far, the new readers I've been seeing, everything just keeps blowing my mind. You guys are the best and I really don't take this support and love for granted. I love you guys so much.

For the new guys, Welcome to the Iyanuoluwa-Temi family, I am your Olori Ebi (head of the family)😌.

Everyone that guessed this updates would be in Dawn's POV, you are correct. Twenty kisses for you❤️. Let's see our baby's progress with Mr Ansel 😌❤️.

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𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍
(Dawn Damipe Dayo)

The room erupted into cheers and hypes as soon as every one of us entered. I laughed heartily, watching as the guys hugged each other or slapped hands together in high-five or continuously hyped each other's dance moves on stage. I watched every single one of them with a huge smile stretched across the corners of my lips, a euphoric feeling washing over me.

We just performed our first dance of the session and we KILLED IT. We KILLED IT good.

I could still feel all the electricity from the dance floor and the screaming of the crowd coursing through my veins. It made me feel so alive. That's what dancing does to me.

"But no jokes," Temisan started talking, catching everyone's attention including mine. "That dance was fucking awesome!" He hollered, and everyone agreed, the energy from the team not wavering one bit.

"I didn't think we'd kill it that much o," Amarachi confessed. Some of the guys murmured in disapproval and spoke about her lack of faith. "I'm not lying, really. But on God, we delivered." She appraised, and the guy hollered another sound of agreement again.

I understood what she meant by saying she didn't know we'd kill it that much. I had my doubts too because of the time constraint we had. We barely had two days to rehearse.

It was hard for Lase and George to catch up. George decided to stand down but told us he'd help with everything else. Tomilola backed out just to spite me and told me to my face that she can't wait to laugh in our faces when we flop. Most of the dancers got discouraged after that and it was hard to hold the team together.

But we did it. We actually DID IT!

"And it's all thanks to our Captain," Collins's voice jerked me out of my reverie. I looked up to see that everyone had their attention on me, grinning just as wide as I was.

"What?" I asked, a bit of laughter in my voice as my eyebrows quirked in utter confusion.

"Why do you look so confused?" Lase queried teasingly, her lips tugged in a smirk as she walked to me and threw her hand across my shoulder. "The success of this dance was possible because of you and you know it." She stated and everyone agreed. I sighed, shaking my head.

"No, guys..." I started to say but Collins hushed me immediately.

"Don't get modest on us now, Dawn." He started, flashing me a grin, "You are the backbone of this dance team. You carried the entire team during the rehearsals and you even slayed on the dance floor. Your solo was the highlight of the whole Dance," then he faced the guys and asked, "Abi, am I lying?"

"No lies o, Egbon!"

"Senior Dawn is the best dancer here, for reals!"

"It was honestly her swag for me, Guy!"

"Dawn is the Boss!"

Those were the responses and more that kept coming from the rest of the team. All genuine, all pure and positive that I couldn't help my insides melting in immense love and adoration for this team. This wouldn't be the time hypes as this would happen, but it got better and better every single time. It gave me purpose, made me put in even more effort in what I was doing to make the team even better.

These guys were gold.

"Guys," I started, calling all their attention to me. "It's all you, honestly. You guys are the ones doing all the work for me.-

"If you didn't make it easy, I wouldn't have been able to carry the team on my back as you said. You guys have made my 'job' as the captain of this team the easiest, most fun thing to do. And I love you guys so much for being the best teammates ever." I told them, looking at all of them one by one to let it all sink in. To show that I meant every word.

"We love you too!" One of the guys screamed and everyone started chorusing it back, bringing tears to my eyes.

"Group Hug!" Collins called and we all huddled together, giving ourselves a group hug.

"Now, as we are going out to enjoy the rest of the party," Lase started as soon as we started coming apart from the group hug. "Let's all flash Tomilola Akin-Fasae a middle finger!" She hollered and everyone erupted in laughter, including me.

"Lase!" I called to her chidingly and she shrugged, the smirk still playing on her lips.

"What? She deserves it." She winked at me and I laughed, watching the team as they made their way out of the room, following them behind.

As I walked out, making my way amid familiar faces and back to the party, the high praise started. Not just for my teammates, but most especially for me. Again, this wasn't the first time things like this would be happening, but it seemed like the attention on me has multiplied because this dance would be the first dance I'd actually be in the lead.

"Dawn, I didn't know you could dance like that! Med o!"

"You slayed it on the stage, Dawn. That was dope!"

"I wish I could dance like you sha. I can't move my two left legs to save my life."

There were a lot of positive comments going on and on like that. Even with the little bit of awkwardness, I was feeling from all the attention, I still tried my best to smile and throw back a "Thank you".

I hated it when all attention was on me, even if it was for a good cause. Because I knew, even while people were praising me and hyping me, there would also be a group of people who would hate on me for that same cause.

And I wasn't wrong.

"What is she even feeling like?"

I recognized Affiong's voice anywhere. I don't think she was willing for me to hear because her voice was in a whisper but I heard anyway. Still, I kept working because I decided I wasn't going to give her a time of the day.

"Don't mind her," That was Beauty Idoma, her voice loud and clear. As I said before, she's one of the very few people who had to balls to speak ill about me to my face.

"For her stupid mind now, she's a dancer. I don't know why people are hyping herself. What she did up there isn't dancing. I can dance better." I stopped the chuckle that wanted to escape my lips when I heard that.

Of course, you can dance better. I mused sarcastically to myself in sarcasm, my lips tugged in a small smirk.

I ignored the girls like they didn't exist, walked away from where they were standing, and made a turn to where the top floor's guest restroom was, suddenly feeling the urge to pee. I haven't been here in a while but I could still remember some specific places in the house.

Like Tekena's room.

My subconscious reminded me and I grimaced, trying to shake off some memories that began to slip in that point. Memories that made me cringe so bad.

Tekena's room was upstairs as well, at the end of the hallway, very close to the balcony beside the stairway that led downstairs. All the while I was in the restroom, I tried not to think about his room or the memories that accompanied those thoughts.

I just had a good time dancing with my guys and I honestly didn't want to ruin my mood.

But this entire house, the building, and all its corners were just too familiar for me to easily forget. And coming back here just brought back tons of unwanted memories.

Washing my hand in the basin, while staring at myself in the mirror, I freely allowed my mind to wander back to how much I risked just to be with Tekena Tamuno.

Throughout my two and a half months relationship with him, I've been here so more times than I could count, more times than I wanted to be here. But I had to keep coming because I wanted him to be happy with me. I had to be the best girlfriend, at his beck and call. I felt he was doing me a favor by being my boyfriend. I mean, he was a big guy in school, very popular and wanted by a lot of girls. Yet, he picked me.

Shy and Quiet Dawn Dayo.

So, anytime he asked me to come, I wouldn't even think twice before showing up here. I can't count the number of times I had to lie to my parents just because he wanted me to be with him at a particular time. One phone call, or Whatsapp message, and I'd drop everything I was doing at that moment, just to answer to him, and meet him right here within these walls... to do whatever he wanted me to do.

To be whatever he wanted me to be.

I grimaced at the awful memories, scoffing out a burst of short laughter and shook my head in utmost regret.

I was played. Big time.

But I have learned my lesson, and I wasn't going to make such a mistake, ever again. Ever.

After the self-assurance, I took in a deep breath and smiled at my reflection in the mirror, proud of the girl who was staring back at me. I was proud of my growth over just a few months, was proud of how strong I was. And I owed it all to my family, my friends, and God.

You go girl.

As I got out of the restroom, I heard a door open and close, turning my just acquired happy mood to literal dust. It would have been better if it was any other door in that hallway. But no, it's just had to be Tekena's door, with Tekena walking out of it and towards my direction. His face was buried in a phone, so he probably had no idea I was in the hallway with him.

It's just a matter of time before he looks...

My thoughts trailed off when Tekena decided to look up at that point, his eyes meeting mine.

What did I say?

I watched his face lit up as soon as his eyes met mine and a familiar smirk spread across his lips. I wasn't sure what was going on in that empty head of his but I had a pretty good idea. Still, he didn't deter me. All I wanted to do was walk away from him and back to enjoy the party with my girls.

But deep down, I knew he wasn't going to let me just brush past him. Not after all the messages he had dropped in my DM after our last encounter, using different numbers after I kept blocking every single one.

And I was right.

He jumped to my front immediately I got to him, stopping me from going further. Looking around the empty hallway, I began to wonder why we were always running into each other when people were not around the area.

Now, he was towering over me, looking down at me with that sardonic smirk I was fighting the urge to slap off. I rather stood there, hands folded across my chest, and waited for him to say whatever he wanted to say and piss off.

But still, he didn't say anything. Just kept looking at me.

"If you are not going to say anything, get out of my way," I told him, my eyes trained squarely on his. I saw his smirk falter for a bit but it was back in a nanosecond, with his eyes trailing down the length of my body and back up.

I tried not to cringe.

"I just watched your dance video," He started, his tone raspy as he waved the phone he was holding to my face. I glanced at it and back at him. "I had no idea you were such a kick-ass dancer." He commented. This time, I couldn't stop the scoff that escaped my lips.

He had no idea I was such a kick-ass dancer. Wow. Those two months were more of a lie than I thought.

"Is that all you want to say to me?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. When he didn't answer, just staring back at me, I rolled my eyes made to walk away from him.

Only for him to jump right in my front again. A frown contorted on my face as I glared back at him.

"What the hell do you want, Tekena!" I snapped, unable to control myself anymore. Being around him brought out my bad side. Being around him irritated me to the core.

"Damipe..." He started to say.

"It's Dawn to you!" I snapped, cutting him off immediately. The fact that he had used my middle name riled me up even more. "You have no right to call me Damipe! If you cannot call me Dawn, then don't call me at all! That will do me a whole lot of favor."

Tekena seemed speechless for a moment before he sighed, running his hand through his hair like he was frustrated, but I knew better.

"I understand where this hostility is coming from," He started again and I scoffed, but didn't say anything. I wasn't even sure what I was still doing here, standing in front of him and listening to him.

Maybe he wants to apologize. My subconscious told me and I chuckled inwardly.

An apology won't change anything. Besides, TK was too egoistic to apologize.

"But you can't keep ignoring my messages," He continued and I looked at him sternly, the frown on my face deepening. "You and I know you can't hold a grudge for long." He added, proving my exact point.

Exactly what I thought. Too egoistic to apologize.

I burst into laughter, clapping my hands together in mock applause for Tekena who stood right in front of me, surprised at the way I was reacting.

Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish.

"Wow, Tekena." I started when my laughter subsided, shaking my head slowly at him. "Congratulations. You just proved to me how much of an asshole you are."

I made to walk away, only to feel his hand on mine.

"Come on, Dawn..."

"Don't Touch Me!" I snapped immediately, jerking my hands out of his grasp.

He backed off, but still kept his eye on me, a conflicted expression marrying the corners of his face. But I knew better than to be moved by whatever emotion he was expressing. Tekena Tamuno didn't have any emotions. If not, he wouldn't have masterminded that entire plot against Hilary with Jidenna. If not, he wouldn't have done what he did to me!

He had no heart and if he did, it was filled with Pure Evil.

"You know what? I'm not bothered about a grudge." I told him, watching him stare back at me. "I don't hold grudges over people that are DEAD to me." His expression hardened as soon as I said that but it didn't faze me one bit.

It didn't stop me from moving closer to him and spelling it out for him.

"Tekena Tamuno, you are DEAD to me." I picked my words one by one, wanting them to sink into his very subconscious so that he'd remember them. And I wasn't even done yet.

"You are not my ex. You are just someone I was unfortunate to know. You are nobody to me. NOBODY."

I saw his jaw lock, emotions that looked like something between anger and mad rage flash in his eyes as he stared down at me. Undeterred, I began to walk away from him, wanting to get as fast away from him as possible.

But then, I remembered something.

"Oh, and by the way," I began, backtracking so I could face him, "The next time I hear that you bullied my brother, or as much as touch a strand of hair on his body... I'll make you suffer. And no, it's not a threat..."

"...IT'S A FUCKING PROMISE."

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I skipped excitedly back into the party, feeling so lightheaded and free. I caught a glimpse of the girls and made my way to where they were.

"Dawn!" It was Semeeha that screamed, throwing her hands up as she welcomed me with a hug. I laughed, running into her embrace as she threw her hands around me.

"God, You Nailed it!" She added, tightening her arms around me in a bear hug. I didn't know what to say, I just laughed, before pulling away from her to look at Hilary who was just staring at me like I came down from the moon.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked her, the grin still stretched across my lips. Hilary sighed, hands akimbo, still staring at me like I was from another planet.

"I can never forget how much of a badass dancer you are," She started, shaking her head and smiling, waiting for her to continue. "But then, you always find a way to keep imprinting it in my memory that we are not even in your level. Like, you are way up there!" She stretched her hand up to demonstrate what she was talking about and I laughed, shaking my head.

"You guys should stop whining me!" I squealed, causing the both of them to look at me like I had gone bananas.

"Whining ke?" Semeeha started, looking at me in disbelief. "This is no whines! Dawn, you are Incredible! You are a PRODIGY and I am so psyched that I am your friend. Like, I am so happy to be associated with someone like you."

I couldn't stop the big smile of gratitude that stretched across my lips. If those words came from someone else, I'd probably just smile and say thank you. But those words coming from Semeeha, of all people... Wow.

Semeeha Malik, the famous intercontinental and international model, telling me that she was so psyched to be my friend, so happy to be associated with someone like me...

"Semeeha..." I whispered, feeling tears well up in my eyes. My words trailed off and I had no idea what else to say.

It meant so much to me. So, so much.

Semeeha has never actually complimented my dancing this way. She'd sometimes invalidate it as one of those things like it wasn't that big of a deal. Hilary, on the other hand, wouldn't go a day without reminding me how good I was, how amazing I am. If those words had come from Hilary, I wouldn't have been surprised.

But for them to come from Semeeha, in a way that told me that she was very genuine, my heart swelled with so much love. We might disagree a lot, but those words served as a reminder that she was still my best friend and she loved me. Just as much as I loved her.

"I agree one thousand percent with Semeeha." Hilary chipped in, making me turn my attention to her. "You should stop selling yourself short! You are Talented, Dawn. If I have to remind you every day so it would stick to your head, I will gladly do so." She stated matter-of-factly and I smiled, trying to push down the stray tear that was about to make it out of my eyes.

These girls...

"I don't even know what to say to you guys right now," I muttered, my lips quivering as a lot of emotions washed over me.

Love. Gratitude.

"We know you love us," Semeeha wiggled her well-carved brows teasingly and I chuckled, nodding my head vigorously.

"You know I do. I love you guys so much," I drew them in for a big hug, throwing my hands around them.

I was feeling incredibly blessed, so blessed to have girls like this in my life. Girls that would stop at nothing to see that I succeed. Girls that would support me in every way. Girls that would have my back. I won't trade this for anything in the world.

Within me, I decided I wasn't going to tell them about my encounter with Tekena in the hallway. After all, I've handled it. We came here to enjoy the party, not talk about our foolish exes.

"Seems like we are not the only ones that think you were amazing tonight." Hilary drawled as we pulled away, a teasing smirk playing at the corners of her lips. I looked at her, brows quirked in confusion at what she meant. Even Semeeha was mirroring her look, wiggling her eyebrows again.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Six o'clock," Semeeha simply said, nudging her head towards a direction behind me. I frowned slightly, glancing over my shoulder to see what she was talking about. What I wasn't expecting was for my eyes to meet his.

He was standing just by the bar, red cup in hand and he was staring right at me.

Sochima.

My head jerked right back to its position, my eyes widened and my mouth agape. All of a sudden, my heart picked up the beat, thumping against my chest. Just one look from him sent my entire body in overdrive. Hilary and Semeeha were giggling - no - laughing at my expense, clearly noticing how I had reacted.

"Oh my God," I muttered, placing a hand over my chest to calm my accelerated heartbeat. "He's looking at me. How long has he been looking at me?" I asked them, visibly fidgeting.

"Don't be surprised," Hilary started and I looked at her. "But his eyes were on you throughout your dance. The entire time." She stated matter-of-factly and my eyes widened even more.

"The entire time?!" I whisper-yelled, feeling goosebumps sprout on my skin.

I felt my cheeks heat up to my ear, as my mind on its own conjured an image of Sochima Johnson staring at me while I was dancing. I was familiar with the way he looked at me... just me. It always made me feel hot all over but I knew my mind wasn't doing as much justice to the way he looked at me... like the way he'd look at me in real life.

Like he was doing right now.

I could legit feel his eyes on me.

Oh, God.

"Yup," Semeeha affirmed with a knowing smirk playing on her lips. "And I'm not going to lie, that guy looks at you like you are a gem. If any guy looks at me like that, I'd gladly give him a BJ." I looked at Semeeha with my mouth ajar in shock. Hilary's eyes widened in mortification. Semeeha looked like she wasn't joking with what she said.

"What the F, Semeeha!" Hilary shrieked and the girl in question shrugged nonchalantly.

"That's so weird on so many levels," I told her and she chuckled, shrugging again.

"Don't mind Semeeha, please," Hilary said, calling my attention back to her. "This is not about her. This is about you and the cute Sports Pro over there." She added, nudging her head towards Chima's direction again.

That cute Sports Pro over there. I mused to myself.

I willed myself to glance at him again. This time, someone was in front of him, someone I recognized as one of the guys on the basketball team. He seemed to have just walked over there to greet Chima, almost blocking my view of him. Like Chima knew someone was looking at him, he glanced over the guy's shoulder and his eyes met mine again.

And he smiled. A small, yet irresistible smile.

I felt my lips stretch, smiling back at him, not trying to stop it from flowing this time. Watching him watch made me feel so lightheaded.

"You should go talk to him." I heard Semeeha say and I turned back, looking at her with uncertainty.

Do I want to go and talk to him?

Well, dhurr! My subconscious answered and I chuckled slightly to myself.

"Semeeha is right." Hilary agreed, taking off my cap and fluffing my curled to look fuller."You should go take your chance before another girl does." She smirked when my eyes slightly widened at that realization.

Sochima Johnson was a Sports Pro and an A-Class student, which meant he was automatically a very popular person at Crestview. Even if he didn't want it, being able to create his own legacy already attracted enough attention on its own. That also meant he'd be on a lot of girls' radar. Not that I've seen him any girl in particular, but I wasn't going to wait to find out.

I exhaled.

"Okay. I'm going to talk to him." I said in one breath, earning squeals of excitement from my friends. It was so contagious, I couldn't stop the giggling that escaped my lips.

They quickly shooed me away, towards his direction and I made my way to the bar. The guy from the basketball team was still talking to Chima when I got there, so I took a stool by the bar counter, ordering a cup of coke with ice. All this while, his attention seemed to be more on me than on his friend before I could feel his eyes flickering steadily to me.

I just sat still, sipping from my coke like I was unaffected, waiting for him.

Waiting for him? Really? What if he doesn't come to you?! I chided myself, suddenly having second thoughts about the whole thing.

Calm yourself, Dawn.

"Guy, I'll talk to you later, yeah?" That was Chima's voice, coming out deep and resonating very close to me.

He and the other guy traded high-five before he left, leaving Chima alone. I found myself letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding when I felt him come beside me, leaning against the counter with his cup on it, his eyes fixated on me. I swallowed, keeping my eyes ahead.

"Give me a refill," He was talking to the bartender, drawing his cup forward. "The same thing she's having, thanks."

That made me turn to look at him, finding out that his eyes were still on me. In fact, I could bet a thousand bucks that all the while he was speaking to the bartender, his eyes didn't leave me. I wasn't lying when I said this guy loved to stare.

Or was it that he just loved to stare at me?

His head cocked to the side immediately my eyes met his, that contagious... very irresistible smile still playing on his lips.

My eyes swept over his frame, taking in his look just for a few seconds. He was dressed in a black zip-down hoodie and cream inner with black jeans. He had black, white, and red vans on, almost similar to mine but a male version. He also had some bling around his neck.

And God, his hair. His signature kinky fro. Neatly sharpened around the edges. I felt the urge to run my hands through the dark mass of hair. The urge was always coming, but now it seemed to have tripled in fold.

(Mr Ansel looking Fly 🥵🔥)

He looked simple... and good. So good.

Damn.

"Hi, Dawn."

Jesus Christ, His Voice!

In my mind, I was swooning, dropping to the floor, and worshipping at his feet.

In my mind o.

There was a way he called my name. It was different... Unique. And no, it wasn't just because of his incredibly deep voice. It was because of something else. There was an emotion that came with his voice anytime he says my name. It wasn't flirting, I knew what flirting was. This was completely different...

Unearthly.

Heavenly? I didn't want to get ahead of myself.

I tried not to show that he was affecting me, just by saying my name. I cleared my throat lowly, sipping on my coke, my eyes glancing away from him and glancing right back. His eyes didn't stray away from me for one second.

"You should stop staring at everyone." I started after putting my cup down, flashing him a small smile of my own. He chuckled at my words, shaking his head.

"Not everyone. Just You." Came his simple reply, his eyes staring right into mine.

I couldn't stop the smile that stretched across my lips. I looked away, trying to hide the smile from him but I knew he had seen me, if not he wouldn't be smiling back like he was doing right now.

God, what is this guy.

He had his way with words. He knew just the exact things to say to have me swooning.

Isn't that supposed to make me even wearier about him? I guess.

"You have your way with words, Chima," I told him, looking at him through the rim of my cup as I sipped my coke. I watched as his expression shifted to something akin to surprise, definitely at my statement.

"That's shocking." He mused, cocking his head to the side again, that lazy smile still tugged at the corner of his lips.

"What's shocking?" I asked, leaning against the counter. He moved closer, also leaning against the counter.

"That I have my way with words. I don't, honest to God." He answered, keeping his eyes on me. "If anything, I'm a very shy person." He added.

I burst into fits of laughter, throwing my head back.

Shy? Chima is shy? Definitely not!

"I find that quite hard to believe," I said, turning my gaze back on him to see his were steadily on me. I began to wonder if his eyes hurt from looking at me so much.

"And you are going to tell me why?"

"Well," I drawled, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear as he urged me to go on.

"Coming from someone who openly challenges teachers every time in class, is pretty popular and talks to practically everyone in school - not to mention, is also bold enough to stare at girls at every given opportunity, not caring if he gets caught... I'd say you are pretty bold." I rapped out in one breath.

Chima's mouth was slightly ajar as he looked back at me in... amusement, not saying anything back for what felt like hours. Then, he chuckled. A low, rumbling chuckle that seemed to be coming from the deepest parts of his chest. It sounded like sweet bass.

Sweet bass? Really?

"Okay," He droned when his laughter subsided and I looked on. "Looks like you have me all figured out, Dawn." He stated, running his tongue swiftly over his bottom lip. I felt my eyes follow the movement.

"Well, do I?" I asked and he shook his head slowly, slowly using his thumb to wipe beneath his lips. Again, my eyes followed the movement.

Your eyes will soon fall off o. My subconscious jabbed.

"Not exactly." He chipped, rolling up the sleeves of his hoodie with his eyes still on me.

"Number one, I wouldn't call what I do in class a challenge. Maybe that's what everyone calls it, but it really isn't. It has actually helped me a great deal academically because it's a method of quizzing myself to see how much I still remember things I have read in the past or recently. It's also a way to help everyone around me to assimilate." He explained while I looked on in awe.

I've never really thought of it that way.

"That makes sense," I muttered and he chuckled. "Okay, what about..."

"Being popular?" He asked, cutting me off and I nodded. "You know that's an unavoidable by-product of being..." He trailed off, looking a bit thoughtful as if to find the best word to use to describe himself.

I knew the right word.

"A genius." I chipped in for him and he laughed lightly, a contagious sound that had my lips turning in a smile too.

"Yes, a genius." He rolled his eyes comically and I chuckled. "In as much as I don't exactly fancy all the attention that comes with being the kind of person I am, I can't avoid it. Crestview has a very elaborate system that makes sure when you are good at something, everyone knows you are good at it." He paused, looking at me to see if I understood what he meant and I nodded.

I knew exactly what he meant.

"Same thing happens when you are bad at something," I muttered and he hummed, clearly agreeing with me.

"I also can't shun everyone." He continued and I listened to him with rapt attention. "Talking to people is a part of socializing and I can't avoid it. Again, it's a by-product that comes with being the kind of person I am. You should understand, you are the social prefect." He teased, nudging me gently with his elbow. I chuckled again.

"Trust me, I understand."

"And the last one, " He started, eyebrows quirked knowingly. I laughed in slight embarrassment, remembering what I said to him last, suddenly wishing I had not said that part.

...bold enough to stare at girls at every given opportunity, not caring if he gets caught...

So embarrassing.

"Just forget I said that." I pleaded, but he shook his head, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

"I'm not going to forget that part." He said and I groaned in embarrassment, causing him to laugh. "You think I stare at girls?" He asked, his tone giving away that he was clearly amused by that accusation.

"You stare at me a lot." I defended.

"Exactly. It's Just You."

I looked at him when he said that, meeting his eyes that wouldn't leave me for one second. This was the second time he'd be making that statement, that it was Just Me. It was Just Me he looked at that way. Just Me he was this way with.

"I did tell you I wasn't going to give up trying to get to know you." He whispered, keeping his eyes trained on mine, a lazy smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Except you want me to." He added.

I found myself slowly shaking my head, indirectly telling him that I didn't want him to.

It surprised me how much I wanted him to keep looking at me that way. Like Semeeha said, he looked at me like I was a Gem. It also surprised me how much I wanted him to keep talking to me in a way that made me feel so much better about myself. But it shocked me even more that deep down, I wanted to see where this would lead to.

Whatever this was.

It was both exciting and scary.

I looked away from him, looked down at my fingers as they nervously tugged against the sleeves of my top.

I should stay away from him... or any guy that wants to show even the tiniest bits of interest in me. But most especially, Him. I didn't want to make the same mistake again. Even when everything about Sochima Ansel Johnson screamed genuinity, I didn't want to risk it.

He was too perfect. Way too perfect.

Is this how much Tekena has scarred me?

"Dawn," Chima called me, softly. I rose my head to look at him, meeting his steady eyes still on me, meeting his lips turned in a small, yet sublime smile.

"Yeah?"

"You look really beautiful tonight."

God, this just got harder.

I wasn't sure how to reply him... or what to say even. I just stared back at him, eyes searching his for any hint, no matter how small, of ingenuity. But I found nothing. Chima's eyes were pure and true. His perfection scared me. He was unarguably the most perfect person in the room.

Maybe time would tell... and I'd be able to see a flaw. One small flaw. Because there was absolutely no way a human being can be this perfect.

Too perfect.

"We are playing a game of Spin the Bottle at the back!" Someone screamed at a corner, calling I and Chima's attention to him. "Everyone is invited." The dude added, turned on his heels, and disappeared into the corner he came from.

Spin the bottle. The Devil's game. At least that was what I called it.

People rushed after the guy, clearly going to the back to participate in the game. Sochima looked back at me, his eyes beaming with interest. It was obvious he also wanted to go there. And though I was pretty skeptical about playing a game of spin the bottle, knowing that any little slip-up will lead to the ultimate humiliation, I didn't want to miss out on some juicy stuff that will happen there.

Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, now are we? My subconscious mocked me.

"Do you want to go?" He asked me, brows quirked in question. I stayed silent, still trying to decide within me if going would be worth it. Chima noticed my silence and uneasiness and gave a small smile.

"It's fine if you don't want to," He said, and I looked at him. "I don't mind us staying back here." He added and I frowned slightly. I knew he wanted to go and I didn't want to stop him.

"But you want to go," I stated and he shrugged, chuckling slightly, sweet bass ringing in my ears.

Again with the sweet bass! I chided myself.

"Well, yeah. I know it would be fun to go," He paused, cocking his head to the side, an involuntary action I realized he was fond of doing. "But I don't want you to be uncomfortable and at the same time, I don't want to leave you here all by yourself." He said.

I was about to tell him that he should go and enjoy the game, that I'd just go back to my friends. But then, I saw Hilary and Semeeha packing our things together, which meant they were also going to the back. Besides, I knew it was just my fear that was at work. It was my doubts that didn't want me going with him, even though deep down, I wanted to.

My doubts shouldn't keep getting to me. I shouldn't allow my doubts to keep getting to me.

"We can stay back." Chima's voice alerted me back to reality, and I looked at him. He was peering at me, his gaze filled with an emotion akin to concern. "It's really not a problem, Dawn." He added.

"No, it's okay," I replied, shaking my head. "Let's go," I said and he frowned slightly, clearly unsure.

"Are you sure?" He asked again.

"Positive," I answered, giving him a small smile of reassurance that I was okay with it. He smiled and got down from the stool, before stretching his hand out to me, his eyes keenly on me.

Oh wow. Grand gesture.

When I didn't take his hand immediately, he chuckled, his hand still stretched.

"Don't worry. You are safe with me." He whispered, but loud enough for me to hear.

Those words sounded so simple and innocent, but my mind read a double meaning to them. It sounded like he wasn't just talking about me taking his hand in mine. It sounded like he was talking about something else entirely, something deeper. And automatically, I visibly relaxed, my mind completely void of any worry from earlier.

So, I rested my hand in his, watching as a contented smile stretched across his lips. He didn't just hold unto my hand, he wove his fingers between mine. A simple, yet very intimate gesture. I couldn't stop the small sigh of repletion that escaped my lips. I could legit feel the flow of serenity that courses through me.

This was the first body-to-body contact I'd be having with Sochima Johnson and I was feeling like this. So much peace. So much emotion flowed through me.

"You good?"

He asked me, his voice in a low and deep whisper that had my heart beating at an accelerated speed, coupled with the fact that his thumb kept brushing the back of my palm ever so softly. It seemed like he was doing it absentmindedly, but that didn't dissipate the effect it had on my entire being.

At that point, it seemed like all my doubts evaporated into thin air. Every single one of them.

A contented smile of my own tugged at the corners of my lips as I let out another sigh of satisfaction.

"Yeah, I'm good,"

Screw all doubts. I'm going for this!

𝐀/𝐍

It's TK's audacity for me😑. But I'm so glad Dawn knows how to handle him very well. She knows what to say to him to burst that stupid ego of his, and she knows how well to wash and drag him in a way that will make him think about his life.

I'm so proud of her😌.

Sochima is such a sweet talker, Damn 🥵🔥. And the way he looks at Dawn tho (someone should come and look at me that way too na 😪. I'm a single pringle.) Seems like the #Dachima ship is going to sail smoothly, I hope.

The last update for this month would be on Saturday, some big things are about to happen yoo! In the meantime, lemme recommend two books for y'all to go and read.

1. "IN 365 DAYS" by AddictiveRose. She's a new writer on Wattpad but she's such an amazing writer. You guys should go add this book to your Library and Reading lists, I promise that you'll enjoy it. 

2. "SIGNED KARMA" by my baby girl Stardust_Wendy. This one, I can beat my chest with assurance that if you are not reading this book you are really missing! Go and add the book to your library and Reading list if you want to enjoy a good Nigerian Teen Fic.

I'll see you guys when I see you❤️.