(061b - Her... Part 2)

HAPPY NEW YEAR FAM! 😭😭🔥🔥✨✨.

Ọmọ, the way I made sure this update will be ready by new year ehn, you people are supposed to give me food and cold zobo. As per chilled one.

Last year was one hell of a rollercoaster. Let's hope and pray this year is more favourable for us on our families. It is well.

To everyone that has been with me from the beginning of 2022 till right now, on and off Wattpad, Thank you so much for being a blessing to me. You guys are real Family Members. We move again this year!

With no further ado, let's see if Jidenna has successfully murdered Ola🌚(or maybe it's Ola that will murder him🤷🏽‍♀️), and let's see how far our Jidela ship has gone into the sea😌✨.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

𝐉𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐀
(Jidenna Leo Okojie)

I stared at Adela and Ola for good ten minutes... yes, I calculated.

I stared at the duo with my face scrunched up in a deep grimace, eyes glaring daggers at Ola, glaring at his hand that was still wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her closer and closer to himself as they laughed and talked about fück knows what.

I stared at them till I wasn't staring anymore.

Not so sure if I just walked, or maybe I flew. It was even possible I teleported from where I was standing to where they were because there was no other explanation for how fast I got there.

One minute I was approximately twenty feet away from them, another minute I was barely three feet away, legit in their personal space...

My death gaze still locked on Ola.

They were staring back at me, neither of them looking really shocked to see me, not even Ola.

Why did that infuriate me?

"Hey! There you are," Adela spoke first, causing me to turn my gaze away from Ola and to her.

She was moving closer to me, and in the process stepping out of Ola's embrace. I wasn't sure if it was unconscious or if she did it on purpose so that it won't give me the wrong idea.

Too late, 'cos I've already seen enough to have the wrong idea. Heck, I wasn't even stable-minded enough to notice the beautiful smile that graced her lips as soon as she saw me.

If you didn't notice, how did you know she smiled... and how did you know the smile was beautiful? My subconscious mocked me

That's not the point.

"You are finally here," She said again, her lips still quirked in a smile. A smile I couldn't bring myself to return.

"And so is Ola,"

The words left my lips before I could stop them... or maybe I actually wanted to say them, turning my gaze to meet Ola's again. From my peripheral vision, I saw the smile disappear from Adela's lips, a confused expression taking over her features.

Ola didn't seem fazed by the subtle tension in the air or the tone I used to mention his name. He jumped forward, his lips in a grin and his hand stretched out for a bro-shake.

"My guy!" He chirped. "How far na? It's really nice to see your face," He grinned, and I wasn't sure whether to smile back or not because I didn't know the context in which he was talking to me.

Given the events of this week, I couldn't tell if he was mocking me with that statement or if he actually meant it with a clear heart. Also, given that he still couldn't feel the little tension in the air, Ola didn't look like he could read the room.

But then again, for as long as we have had this little... competition going on between us, he has never been able to read the room.

So I just opted for a small smile in response, taking his hand briefly.

"What's up," and kept my greeting as simple as possible before turning back to look at Adela.

She was still staring right at me, looking at me quizzically as if trying to figure out what was up with my sudden uncharacteristic behavior. Me sef, I knew my behavior was off. Way off.

But I had every right to feel this way.

I mean, This is Adela. She was the reason I left TK in the first place. This was supposed to be our time together, just the two of us, alone. And now, here Ola is.

Did she invite him too?

It looks like she did.

The simple thought of that made me feel low-key humiliated for having such an elaborate thought in my head of how much she wanted me here with her. Maybe I misheard her when she called, maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me and making me think too deeply about her asking me to come here.

Maybe I wasn't as important to her as I thought I was. So unimportant that she wouldn't want to spend a one-on-one with me.

Oh, stop being so melodramatic! My subconscious chided me.

Adela and I stared at each other for a moment, her neatly carved brows quirked in question as if to ask what was up with me. I folded my hands across my chest, holding her gaze steadily, something I have never been able to do because of how ever-ly intense her gaze always is, silently hoping Ola will read this particular room and walk away.

Hallelujah, he did.

From my side vision, I could see his gaze shifting between us like he was trying to figure out what was going on before he finally grabbed.

Took him long enough.

"Uhm..." He stated, then cleared his throat. "I'm going to get snow cones," He said, snapping his finger to a direction I didn't have the luxury of time to look at. "Do you guys want?"

"No," Came my monotonous reply.

Adela finally averted her gaze from mine, flashing him a smile.

"I'd have a purple one, thank you," She said to him.

"Copy that,"

And he was gone, leaving just me and Adela to ourselves. Thank Jesus for that.

"What's up with you?"

The ebony skin girl turned back to me, gazing incredulously at me like she was trying to figure out the answer to her own question just by looking at me. Her voice was calm and gentle with a hint of confusion in it. It made me feel even worse that she hasn't figured it out when this wasn't the first time we'd be talking about it.

"Why are you acting so weird right now?" She sounded genuinely concerned.

"I'm acting weird?" I fired back at her, though as gently as I could muster. We were in a public place so I couldn't raise my voice at her. Not like I'll ever raise my voice at her any any scenario.

"You told me to come here and then I meet Ola here too,"

Her eyes widened in slight realization but only for a nanosecond. She mimicked my stance, folding her hands across her chest and shifting her weight to her left leg.

"Purely coincidental, Jidenna," The fact that she was talking to me so gently, so delicately got to me in some way I couldn't explain.

It was something that I have noticed for a bit. The way she spoke to me recently wasn't the same way she has been speaking to me. Lately, she picks her words more carefully, with more sensitivity and delicacy than she has been doing, speaking to me with gentility and subtlety I didn't think was associated with her.

It was as if she wanted to be careful not to hurt me.

"I was here," She continued, gesturing to the position she was standing on. "Waiting for you, and he saw me. He came to say hi like any friend would," She added.

Didn't know if it was my mind playing tricks on me or she added more emphasis to the friend word. Wasn't sure how to interpret that.

"But what was that thing you said to me in October?" I questioned her, and her forehead creased as she tried to remember. "How your closeness with all the guys ends at the school gate. That doesn't seem like the case here, especially with Ola," my hand gestured around in a disorganized frenzy.

Adela said nothing for a bit, only staring back at me like I had lost my marbles. Then her lips stretched in a wide smile like she found something so funny when there was absolutely nothing funny about the situation.

She let out a breathy laughter.

"So, what I'm hearing is," She drawled, taking a step closer to me. "If I coincidentally meet any of my male friends outside school, I should just ignore them, àbí?"

She bobbed her head to the side, her eyes twinkling with mischief, her smile transcending into a teasing smirk.

Shit.

"That's not what I'm saying-"

That's exactly what you implied. My subconscious chirped, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"Then tell me what you are saying," Adela indulged mẹ, quirking her brows as if daring me to prove her wrong.

I exhaled.

"I just thought today was going to be about us," I said. "I thought you wanted to spend time with me, just as much as I wanted to spend time with you. Just the two of us, no distractions. I was really excited about this, but seeing Ola threw me off because I didn't expect him to be here, to be around you."

"And you're bothered because he is around me now?". She asked me, a silent, subtle yet persuasive urge for me to say more.

It was like hypnosis because I found myself saying more.

"I'm bothered because he is always around you... a lot more than any of your other male friends are! I'm bothered because he is so deep in your corner. I want to be that deep in your corner!"

I stabbed my index finger in my chest in emphasis, the frustration I didn't even know I had seeped from my voice and was clear enough for her to hear how much I sounded like a petulant child that got his cookies forcefully taken away from him.

How much I sounded... pathetic.

Adela didn't say anything back for a moment. She only looked at me with her eyes glistening with something akin to fascination, a small amused smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

But again, it might just be my mind playing tricks on me again. I didn't even have it in me to look her in the eye anymore, so I gingerly averted my gaze from hers, suddenly finding the floor interesting.

Except... just like Monday, Adela didn't let me look away from her.

Her hand was under my chin in a matter of seconds, fingers grazing the skin of my jaw in a dainty caress because pushing my chin up with her index and middle finger till my head was upright and I was back to looking directly at her.

She bobbed her head slightly to the side as if she wanted to have a better look at me, a small smile gracing her lips.

Of course, she found my entire blabbering funny. I just made a complete fool of myself.

"I've told you this before, Jidenna" She started, her smile widening slightly. "Jealousy is not a good look on you at all," The teasing undertone in her voice was very obvious. I groaned, looking away from her.

"I'm not jealous," I denied rather too quickly, glancing back at her. Adela smirked.

"Really?" She feigned shock, causing a small laugh to escape my lips unconsciously. Adela was having a field day with this, her eyes glistening with mischief.

"Well, you could have fooled me," She shrugged, teasing me with laughter in her voice.

I couldn't say anything back at that moment because I sighted Ola walking back to us, holding three snow cones in his hand. I didn't know if he just had good timing at this moment or if he has been watching us and decided to come back, seeing that tension had dissipated.

But the fact is, his coming back only made me remember that he was in fact, here and it just brought back the tension.

I don't know why it felt like I had to be standing toe-to-toe with Ola every time Adela was involved. It honestly felt like I was always in a competition with him for Adela's attention, or even as much as a glance from her in my direction.

Whatever it was that Adela and I had, has progressed in ways I didn't even think was possible. But with Ola around, I always have this deep-rooted feeling... this fear that it would never get farther than where it was at the moment, and that's because Ola checked all the boxes for an ideal guy.

Boxes that I don't check.

Because he was so much better than me.

And Adela deserves so much better than me.

Maybe it was jealousy, maybe it was envy... I couldn't tell for a fact. But Ola was more of an ideal guy than I was... than I'll ever be. If I knew this, Adela's so much smarter than I am, so she did too.

And that scared me to bits.

Because if push comes to shove, it's going to be him over me.

It only makes sense.

"Here you go," Ola said when he finally got to us, stretching the sweetened purple-colored ice in thick paper cones that Adela had requested, to her. She thanked him, taking it from him.

I noticed there were still two more with him, one of which wasn't mine because I told him I didn't want one. When I looked at him to confirm if he had gotten from me or not, he was already giving me a funny look.

"Don't worry, it's not for you," He clarified before I could even ask the question. My brows furrowed as confusion marred my features, wondering who the second one was for because it didn't look like he was going to take it.

But before I could voice out my question, a ding sound came from the apple watch around his writs. As soon as he took a glance at it, his face immediately lit up like a light bulb.

No cap, Ola was glowing.

"She's here," He announced, just loud enough for me and Adela to hear.

Now, I was dead confused.

"Who is here?" I found myself asking, giving him a quizzical look. But nigga didn't even spare me a glance before he took off in a direction with a speed that could make anyone assume that his village people were after him.

I turned to Adela who was already looking at me, hands folded across her chest again. From the knowing glint in her eyes and the ghost of a smile playing on her lips, I could tell that she knew whatever Ola was going on about.

So, I asked her.

"Who is here?"

"Hazel," She answered.

My confusion didn't dissipate until she said the next words.

"Ola's girlfriend,"

Ehn?

Those words gave me a loud, painful knock on the head. I swear that was how I felt as soon as Adela said those two words, like someone legit came up behind me and gave him a deep knock, then called me stupid.

Ọmọ, I had an instant headache.

"What?" I blinked.

"His girlfriend, Jidenna," She repeated, enunciating every word for me to hear like she was talking to a child and wanted to make sure I understood perfectly.

Another knock on my head.

I didn't even have the time to process what she said properly. Maybe it was because of the sudden headache I was feeling, or maybe it was because I saw Ola and a girl walking toward us, leaving me completely tongue-tied and stupefied.

Ọmọ.

Ola had his arms around her shoulders, her body pulled into him like he was scared to let her go. His lip was stretched so far up his face that I feared his cheeks would tear. But it didn't seem to bother him in the slightest because he was basking in the presence of his babe.

His Babe.

My gaze shifted to her side and... MY GOD! My breath caught in my throat.

Her beauty slapped me right in the face.

No Jokes. Her beauty legit developed hands and gave me a backhand.

Clad in a baggy grey knitted turtle neck top and nude thigh-length shirt that accentuated her curves, she exuded a grace and elegance that was so subtle but still obvious, her dainty steps towards us like glides with the second snow cone Ola got in her grasp.

Her natural auburn hair was styled in a curly fro that fell over her face but still stood on her head like a crown.

She was gorgeous, so gorgeous that even the blind could tell that she was.

Ola is dating this babe? And barely ten minutes ago, I was obsessing over his closeness with Adela.

Kill me!

"Adela!" The girl screamed with so much excitement when she got close to us, moving away from Ola to jump up and down as soon as she sighted Adela.

"Hazel!" Adela reciprocated the same energy, leaving my side to rush over to Hazel's, the duo enveloping each other in a bear hug. While Ola stared at the two of them like he was so used to this, I looks at them like a complete idiot.

They know each other?

Ọmọ × 3.

"You guys should stop doing as if you didn't see each other two weeks ago," Ola hollered at them because they wouldn't stop hugging.

They were that close? Great. Now I felt like a complete stranger in their midst which was way worse. So out of place.

"Come," Adela pulled away from Hazel's embrace. "Let me introduce you to someone that has been dying to meet you," Was what she said because she started pulling Hazel towards me, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

I just knew there and then that she was going to embarrass me.

"This is Jidenna Okojie," She introduced me to Hazel, whose eyes widened slightly with an expression akin to recognition and realization spreading across her face.

Does she know me?

"Jidenna, this is Hazel Omoyeni Holloway," Adela faced me, looking me square in the eyes as she spelled out her name. "Ola's girlfriend. The only reason he is here right now at Wonder Coast.-" She bobbed her head at me daringly.

Oh, God! I nearly face-palmed myself at my sheer stupidity.

While Hazel seemed really shy at the high praise, oblivious to the things Adela and I discussed earlier, Ola was laughing at my expense like he knew exactly what Adela was doing.

"Oh! I almost forgot to mention," Adela continued, tapping her chin and acting like she remembered something, something I was so certain will make me feel even more stupid.

Hit me. Just hit me.

And hit me, she did.

"Did you know they have been together for two years and today is their second anniversary, which is why they are here right now,"

My eyes bulged out of their sockets in shock

Two Years? They have been together for two years.

I swear to the heavens, I have never felt such secondhand embarrassment like this in my entire life. And that's saying a lot, given that I have made a fool of myself more times than I could count.

But not like this. Never like this.

This was the epitome of secondhand embarrassment.

I can't believe I spent the last ten to twenty minutes rambling about Ola's closeness with Adela. Heck, I can't believe I spent the last month and a half feeling so insecure and threatened, and in a mindless unspoken competition with a guy who already has a girlfriend.

Am I mad?

I'm definitely mad.

"I think he gets it, Adela. Thank you," Ola said with laughter still in his voice, looking at me with that equal mischievous glint in his eyes just like Adela's. It was like he knew what was going on.

All I wanted right now was for the ground to open up and swallow me.

"You guys are going to give the poor guy anxiety," Hazel chided them, slapping Ola across the arm before walking closer to me, a shy smile playing on her lips.

"Hello, Jidenna," She stretched her hand out for a shake. "It's so nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you," She said, shocking me out of my wits again.

She has heard about me? Was it from Ola?

Or Adela?

I suddenly became self-conscious.

"H-Hi," I stuttered, mustering a small smile as I took her hand. "It's nice to meet you too," I added. Her smile widened.

"He's a shy one," The comment was aimed at Adela, who scoffed a mocking laughter in response.

"That's a shocker," She looked at me, feigning surprise. "He wasn't so shy fifteen minutes ago. He was rather expressive," She said.

Kill me now.

Ola laughed at my expense again, solidifying my thought that he knew exactly what was going on.

Right now, all I wanted was to bury my head in the sand of shame and never bring it out.

"Anyway," Adela spoke up again, looking at Ola, "Before you whisk her away to your honeymoon, I want to show Hazel something real quick. I promise it won't take long." She pretzeled her arms with the lighter girl's.

"Y'all should catch up while we are away," She said to us guys, throwing a not-so-subtle wink at Ola's side before successfully pulling Hazel away, leaving just Ola and me.

I could feel Ola's eyes steadily on me, watching me but I didn't have to mind to meet his gaze. After everything that just happened, I couldn't help but feel awkward standing with him. I wasn't even sure how to start talking with him.

Saying nothing wasn't even an option because then, the awkwardness will just stretch out and become unbearable.

So, I gathered my thoughts and finally spoke.

"You have a girlfriend," I voiced, still very much shocked at that revelation, feeling all but somehow that I had no idea.

I mean, Ola and I were not that close outside of American football. He was the guy that was friends with everyone and no one at the same time, had a buzzing social life, and threw the best parties. But then, they have been dating for two years. He must have talked about her at some point.

Heck, I won't be so shocked if the rest of the teammates, including Kizito, knows about her and I don't.

Maybe if you paid more attention to people around you, you'd have known as well. My subconscious chided me.

"Why is it so shocking to you that I have a girlfriend?" He asked. When I looked at him, there was a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "Shey you think this fine boy-ness," He gestured to his face. "Is it for beans and dodo?"

I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips.

"Sorry sir," I joked, feeling a lot more at ease with him. He laughed too.

"But honestly," I continued, a lot more serious than before. "I feel like an idiot for not even knowing, or assuming at the very least. I'm sure all the guys on the team know her or at least know about her,"

He shook his head much to my surprise.

"Not really," He said, surprising me. "Only a few of my closest pals know about her, including Adela. But Adela is the only one that has met her because I don't trust those guys around her. I mean, have you seen Hazel?" He chuckled at this suggestive rhetorical question and I laughed with him, getting the memo.

"Asides from that," He went on and I listened. "Hazel doesn't really do well with multitudes, and I hate making her uncomfortable. She's really shy," He chipped and I nodded.

That much I noticed in my little interaction with her.

"She doesn't go to Crestview," I noted. If Hazel went to Crestview, I would have noticed her. She's really a sight for sore eyes.

Except she wasn't in our class?

"Oh no, she doesn't," Ola shook his head. "She goes to Blue Cove. That school that's on the other side of the island," He described and I nodded in understanding. I've vaguely heard of Blue Cove but I knew what he was talking about.

We settled in comfortable silence, both of us watching the girls in a distance. They were at an accessory shark, looking through the blings and even trying some of them on. I kept my eyes on Adela, watching her face lit up as she found something she liked, holding her hand out to admire everyone she tried on.

Watching her was therapeutic for me. She made me forget all my problems with just one glance in her direction because automatically, my mind will focus on her.

It was like my mind and my body already registered the feel of her and knew that she made everything feel... right. Even if it was just for a certain moment.

"She's pretty," I heard Ola say beside me, his voice sounding somewhat distant because of my train of thought.

My gaze shifted to Hazel, who I thought he was referring to.

"She is," I agreed with him. Hazel was beautiful. "You carry eyes go market, my guy," I teased, flashing him a smile. He chuckled again, shaking his head.

"I know Hazel is pretty. She's my babe," He said. "But I'm not talking about her," He added, causing me to turn to him, my brows furrowed in confusion. He was already looking at me.

"What?"

"I'm talking about Adela," He said, nodding in the direction of the girls while holding my gaze steadily, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

I swallowed, following his gaze to look at Adela again. And as if she knew I turned to look at her, she glanced over her shoulder and met my gaze, causing my breath to hang in my throat and my heart to pick you a faster beat. From that distance, I could still see the gentle smile playing on her lips before she looked away when Hazel called her attention to something.

I exhaled shakily.

"You like her,"

Ola said those words out of nowhere, knocking the breath right out of me and stuffing them back down my throat at the same moment that I started coughing out of nowhere. I legit choked on my own saliva, coughs and soft gasps escaping my lips in fits.

The nigga wasn't even fazed, or offer any comfort to me. He just watched me, a knowing smile playing on his lips like he expected that reaction.

"W-What?" I stuttered and he laughed lightly.

"I swear, I won't even be surprised if you don't know you like her," He stated, and I blinked at him dumbly, not knowing what to say. "You are pretty clueless," He smacked me lightly across the back of my head.

Yehh! I grimaced, rubbing the spot he hit.

"I'm not clueless," I denied.

And I'm not a subconscious. My subconscious mocked me.

Ola looked at me with his eyes glistening with something between mockery and amusement, his left brow tugged up in a questioning gaze and his lips turned in a knowing smirk.

"You are not clueless," He repeated. "Yet, you still haven't figured out that I was only spending more time with Adela and acting clueless about it just to rile you up, hmmn?"

A third, invisible knock.

"You were what?" I couldn't believe my ears. Ola laughed at me.

"That day on the field, I was trying so hard not to burst into laughter," He laughed again, while I kept looking at him in shock. "You should have seen the look on your face that day. I honestly thought you were going to punch me,"

He was talking about the day I questioned him about his relationship with Adela.

You mean to tell me that this guy knew exactly what I was asking him and still played dumb just to rile me up?

He played me?

Ọmọ, I've just been made a fool of today.

"So you played dumb then and now just so you could get a reaction from me?" I asked him, staring at him incredulously. He shrugged, tossing the empty paper cone into the nearest waste bin before shoving his hands into the pocket of his joggers.

"Nah, that was just a bonus," He told me. "I needed to know for sure, and given the way you were staring daggers at me when you met me here, I think I already confirmed what I needed to know," He said.

"Which is?" I quirked my brows in question. He rolled his eyes at me, muttering the word clueless.

"That you like her, Jidenna," He repeated, his eyes trained on mine and his tone more serious. I averted my gaze from him, not knowing what to say, or how to defend myself against that claim.

Because he is not lying, is he?

Deep down, I knew the answer to that question.

"You don't have to admit it," He continued, nudging me playfully. "But deep down you and I know that you do... that you really do," He said. I kept my gaze ahead. "Even if you judge yourself way too harshly and tell yourself that you don't deserve to-"

"But I don't deserve to," I cut him, my voice reduced to a whisper. I finally looked at him, and found him looking at me. "You and I know I don't deserve to, Ola," I held his gaze as I said.

He wasn't a stranger to things that have been going on. If at all he didn't know about the complications between Hilary and me before now, Monday definitely revealed it all. If he was really Adela's friend, he would stop a guy like me from having anything to do with her.

Not encourage it.

Ola studied me for a moment before he nodded, glancing at the girls. I couldn't tell if he nodded in agreement or if it was in something else.

"If we had this conversation months ago, I'd have agreed with you without breaking a sweat," He said, his eyes still on the girls. Then he turned back to look at me. "But after what happened on Monday, I don't agree with you one bit,"

I frowned.

"Why not?"

"Because what happened in that hallway takes guts, and balls," He stated matter-of-factly. "It also takes a guy with a humble mind and a good heart to put himself in that kind of compromising situation just to clear his friend's name.–

–So many dudes are not as ballzy. They lack that kind of audacity and mindset, but you exhibited it all on Monday, Jidenna." He added shrewdly.

I didn't know how to respond so I kept quiet and just listened.

"Adela deserves a guy with a humble mind and a good heart," He said. "Maybe it will be you," He finished, his words hitting me and rendering me even more speechless.

Ola and I weren't close off the field like I already said, but he was the second person, after Adela, to outrightly commend me for what I did on Monday. It wasn't supposed to mean much, but it meant a lot... So much. It gave me even more grounds to believe that I did the right thing.

Coming from a friend of Adela, it made me feel more worthy.

Worthy of her...

"Does she know?" I asked him, didn't have to say more for him to understand my question.

"Maybe, Maybe not," He shrugged. "Either way, you will know," He said.

That was not a direct answer but it was more than enough.

Hazel and Adela came back to us soon, and moments later, Hazel and Ola left us to have their anniversary, leaving Adela and me together.

The petite girl was standing in front of me, hands crossed over her chest and a look I couldn't place marred across her features. I just knew I was going to get an earful from her.

"I feel like a fool," I admitted.

"You should feel like a fool," Was all she said before she turned and made to walk away.

I didn't know if she was upset with me or just playing with me, but either one it was, I knew I needed to apologize for always making such a fuss about her friendship with Ola.

"Hey,"

I leaped forward and held her hand, stopping her from walking further away from me and spinning her around gently so that she'd be looking at me again. I pulled her closer till she was standing right in front of me, just inches away from me.

"Don't leave," I whispered - no, pleaded, not letting her hand go. "Please,"

She rolled her eyes but didn't pull her hands away from mine.

"I wasn't going to," She whispered back, holding my gaze steadily with her.

Her voice was calm and gentle like it has been since we got together, but her expression gave nothing away. I couldn't tell what was going on in her mind, but still, I knew I needed to apologize.

And I did.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"For what exactly?" She asked, indulging me. I exhaled, moving closer to her till I was towering over her.

She didn't move back

"For making such a fuss about your friendship with Ola," I said. Wasn't sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me or if I saw her lips quirk slightly in a smile though she don't say anything back to me.

"I shouldn't have been so bothered about it-"

"But you were," She stated. It was a question but I nodded anyway, seeing no point in being vague about it when it was so obvious that I was bothered.

Thankfully, she didn't ask me why because I wasn't sure if I had an answer to why I was bothered.

You have an answer. You are just scared of her reaction.

That... wasn't a lie.

Adela nodded.

"Okay," She shrugged, pulling her hand away from mine to fold across her chest again. My palms suddenly felt cold and weightless. "I'm not going to forgive you easily though. You have to work for it," She stated.

I nodded.

"Of course. I'll do anything," I said. A smile stretched across her lips.

"Anything?" She asked again.

"Anything," I repeated.

A malicious grin spread across her lips and immediately, I knew I was done for.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

"No!" I vehemently refused, shaking my head with so much vigor that I feared it would fall off my neck.

But at this point, that was the least of my problems because I'd rather my head fall off than do what Adela wants me to do with her.

"No, no, no, no, no. No!" I rambled on, trying to put my foot down on this one. "Anything else, Adela. Please, anything but this!" I begged her desperately, my hands clasped together in front of me.

The girl wasn't even taking me seriously. She just kept looking at me like I was acting one comedic drama, her lips stretched in an amusing smile as I tried so hard to dissuade her from making me do this thing. Heck, I couldn't even look at the thing without shuddering in fear.

"Why are you doing like earthworm like this?" She laughed at me. "It's just a Ferris wheel. It's going to be fun," She tried to assure me.

Like hell!

"Fun? You call that fun?!" I asked her incredulously, jabbing my hand up at the thirty feet long death trap standing a few feet away from us. "If we get on that thing, we are going to heaven straight away. Can you see how high up we are going to go?!" I was literally screaming, attracting a little bit of attention to ourselves.

Adela just laughed again, actually finding this entire thing funny when I was literally on the verge of crying, vomiting every single thing in my stomach, and fainting.

"Thirty feet isn't even that long," She dismissed with a wave of her hand, causing my mouth to fall open in shock at her statement. "The original Ferris wheel that was created in 1893 is two hundred and sixty-four feet. This one," she pointed to the Ferris wheel in front of us. "Is not even up to a quarter of that one and you are shouting,"

Is she really giving me history lessons on the verge of certain death?!

"You are disregarding my fear of heights and that's really hurtful," I pouted, folding my hands across my chest. Her laughter subsided at that.

Adela exhaled, a gentle smile playing on her lips. If she smiled like that because she wanted to calm me down, it sorta worked because I involuntarily took in a deep calming breath. It did only little to calm my heightened nerves, but it did something at least.

"I'm sorry," She apologized, her voice reduced to a whisper. "But hey," She started, moving closer to me till she was standing just inches away. "A Ferris wheel is not that scary and it's honestly not that high... if you don't look down," She said the last part like an afterthought, punctuating with a nonchalant shrug.

"That's not very comforting," I told her. She chuckled.

"Okay," She raised her hands in mock surrender. "You are actually overthinking this," She said, her voice calm and soothing. It was obvious she was actively trying to calm me down and get me on that ride.

"If we go for that ride together, I promise you, it's going to be worth it," She sounded so certain. "From up there, you'll get a great view of the entire Wonder Coast and I swear, you'll love it. Heck, you can even take a few pictures of the scenery–"

"But, I didn't come here to take pictures," I cut her off gently, moving even closer to her till my body was almost touching hers.

She arched her neck to have a better look at me.

"I came here to spend time with you," I whispered.

Adela's smile flattered for a bit when I said that, her lips falling open slightly as she held my gaze intently with hers, eyes searching mine as if to deduce if I actually meant that. I didn't look away, wanting her to see that I really did mean it.

Her smile returned, but this time it was smaller, shier. She averted a gaze from mine for a moment before meeting my eyes again.

"I want to spend time with you too," She admitted, causing my heart to swell in my chest. A small smile made its way to my lips.

"But first," She became serious all of a sudden, pointing back to the Ferris wheel. "We have to get rid of your fear of heights,"

I groaned.

"Adela..." I began to shake my head, still skeptical about it.

"Hey," She whisper, standing on her tippy toes so that she would be about the same eye level as me, with her face so close to mine that I could feel her breath faintly fanning the skin of my face.

I inhaled sharply, holding her gaze transfixed.

"It's just you and me,"

Her tone was so soothing, cajoling... seductive? I found myself nodding at her every word like someone under hypnosis, unable to utter anything else no matter how much I willed my mind to.

Witchcraft! This is Witchcraft!

"And if it makes you feel safe..." She trailed off, then I felt her hands on either side of my forearm, the slight touch burning through the thickness of my jacket and my top till I could feel her touch on my bare skin.

Adela trailed her hand lower and lower till her hands were splayed against mine, the softness of the skin of her palm a perfect contrast to the coarseness of mine. She intertwined our hands together, lacing her fingers through mine in a dainty, yet very intentional touch that was felt to the deepest part of my soul.

My breath caught in my throat.

It seemed small... innocent.

But it was intimacy on a level I have never felt in my life.

I suddenly wanted to go on the Ferris wheel with her.

I said it! Witchcraft!

"I'm going to hold your hand like this throughout the ride," She completed. "Is that okay?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Promise me," My voice came out in a whisper, breathless and husky. I needed one more reassurance because right now... I was all hers.

She smiled.

"I promise,"

And she kept up with her promise, holding my hand in hers as we got the ticket to go on the ride, holding my hand when we settled in our booth, and only releasing my hand because I kept fumbling with my seatbelt and she had to help me. She held my hand and took calming breaths with me.

Adela held my hand as the ride moved and we were way up, till I could see the view she talked about.

For that moment, I forgot my fear and wanted to bask in it.

"Now, I'm sure you are wishing you brought your camera," Adela said, her lips still stretched in a smile. I chuckled, nodding in agreement.

"You are right," I said, looking back at that view. Being up here captured the entirety of Wonder Coast in all its beauty and aestheticism. The fact that it was getting dark made it stand out a lot more, the clash of lightning popping even more.

"It's really beautiful," I whispered in awe.

"So beautiful that you have forgotten your fear," She teased me, laughter in a voice that I mimicked. "You don't even have to hold my hand anymore," She waved the hand I was holding. I didn't even know I had let her hand go.

God Forbid.

"No,"

I muttered more to myself but I'm sure she heard, shaking my head before taking her hand in mine again, only that this time I didn't lock our fingers together. I just held it tight, brushing my thumb against the back of her palm, feeling the softness of her skin, loving how perfect her hand felt in mine.

I could have sworn I heard a faint gasp escape her lips when I did that.

When I looked at her, she was looking down critically at our joined hands, exhaling shakily. She looked back up, meeting my eyes again. The cloud of emotions in her eyes was too deep to decipher, too deep to mean just anything. Emotions deep enough to shake me to the core.

No one has ever looked at me with such intensity before.

No one but her.

There was no way it could mean just anything.

"I want to keep holding you," I whispered. "Fear or not,"

It wasn't until I said it out loud that I realized the double meaning those words held.

For as long as I have been around Adela, she has seen me exhibit more fear and cowardice than anyone else around me has. And she has held me up, both harshly and softly. Suddenly, I didn't want that to be the only basis of what we had.

I wanted her to hold me, and to be held by me just because we want to.

Just because we loved the feeling of being in each other's arms.

A sudden desperation to be hugged by her again overwhelmed me.

"Okay," She whispered back, nodding slowly. I didn't know for sure if she could also deduce the double meaning behind those words I said, but either way, I was okay because she didn't let go.

And we didn't pull away till we got down from the ride.

I almost rolled on the floor in gratitude to God for saving my soul. But I couldn't roll on the floor because of my cloth, so I settled for kneeling in the middle of the road and holding my hands up to the heavens.

It was very comic to people walking by.

"Oh, stop being so melodramatic," Adela laughed, successfully pulling me up so that I'd not embarrass myself any further. I laughed as she dragged me away.

Neither of us wanted to leave just yet, not when we haven't spent ample time with each other as we wanted. So, Adela led me to an African-themed shark just a distance away from the Ferris Wheel.

The shark was all raffia and bamboo, topped up with Kente and Ankara materials used as decorations, and also as the material for the furniture. The workers also had Kente or Ankara in their fit, either as a face cap or a shirt. The scenery was cool and welcoming.

We weren't really hungry, so we just ordered cocktail and found a place to sit.

"So, how have you been holding up?" Adela asked after taking a sip of her drink. I didn't need any further expatiation to know what she was asking about.

I scoffed out a small laugh, shaking my head.

"I archived all my chats and stayed offline, of course," I answered, stirring my drink with my straw. "With what went down on Monday, I'm certain our set mates won't stop talking about it for a very long time. At least, not until something juicier comes up," I shrugged.

She nodded in understanding.

"That's understandable," She said. "Staying offline at this moment is the best thing for you because those guys are looking for any little opportunity to eat you raw," She told me.

Just as I expected. I chuckled humorlessly.

"It's okay," I shrugged again, even though it was sort of a hard pill to swallow.

This was new territory for me and I didn't know how to navigate it... at least not without help. I'm just so thankful that school was going out of term next week and I wouldn't have any reason to go back there till next year. That way, I have enough time to prep myself for whatever was to come...

...whenever it comes.

Hilary was vindicated and that's all that mattered.

"At least they are not focusing on Hilary," It was a statement-like question, and Adela nodded in affirmation, a reassuring smile playing on her lips.

"She's off their lips," She said. A sigh of relief escaped my lips.

"That's what I wanted," I said.

A comfortable silence settled between us for a moment before Adela spoke up.

"Have you..." She trailed off, something I've noticed she did whenever she wanted to pick her words and filter them. "Have you been able to get across to her... or figured out a way to find out if she's okay?" She asked.

I exhaled, shaking my head while wishing I had a way to.

The last person Hilary would want to hear from was me, especially after the drama on Monday. Dawn offered that day to let me know about her progress but so far I haven't gotten an update from her, and that worried me. But I couldn't start demanding it because I wasn't even entitled to know.

Kizito and Semeeha were out of the picture.

Simi was a no go zone. When it's not as if I have a death wish.

I just have to wait, hope, and pray that she's okay. I need to be sure that I didn't cause more harm than good.

"Hey," I heard Adela's soft voice pierce through my thoughts gently before I felt her hand on mine. I met her gaze, eyes glistening with stars like the milky way, drawing me right in.

"You did good, okay?" She assured me, taking my hand and giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Don't let anyone try to make you believe or feel otherwise,"

I found myself nodding.

"This was good for you... and Hilary. The both of you needed it," She told me. "She's going to be okay, and eventually she's going to forgive you,"

"You sound so sure," I said.

"Because I am," She answered, that smile still playing on her lips. That smile that calmed me down and made me feel at ease immediately.

"Then, I believe you,"

Her smile widened when I said that, but then it faltered slightly. It was only for a second, I would have missed it if I wasn't looking at her but then I was, and I saw it before it was gone. It worried me.

"What is it?" I asked her, and she looked at me silently for a moment, not bothering to talk her way out of this.

"Your best friend," She simply stated.

A frown automatically creased over my forehead and a ting of annoyance flooded me. I wasn't sure what made me annoyed. The fact that Adela brought him or the fact that a reference to him made me remember the things he said about her earlier.

Or maybe it was both.

"Tekena," I called his name.

"It was obvious on Monday that he wasn't exactly on board by what you did," She noted. It only made sense that she picked it up, seeing firsthand how livid he had been when he walked in on both of us.

And when he yelled at her unprovoked.

Another wave of annoyance washed over me as I remembered that.

"And he gave me an earful for it," I answered, confirming what she said. "Even claimed that you were the one that talked me into making it public," I scoffed out a humorless laugh at the outrageous statement.

Adela smirked.

"He doesn't seem to like me very much," She stated matter-of-factly. This was the second time she'd been making a statement like that since we started talking. But this time, it carried more weight than the first one. Maybe it was because I wasn't comfortable with that fact.

I didn't like that TK didn't like her.

No, I hated that TK didn't like her.

And deep down, that spoke volumes.

"Don't be bothered by him," I said to her.

"Pfft... I'm not," She dismissed with a wave of her hand, a small chuckle escaping her lips. I didn't say anything to that because I felt that Adela wanted to say more.

And she did.

"I just..." She trailed off again, averting her gaze from mine to take a breath. "I'm not bothered about Tekena," She repeated. "He is someone I can easily put in his place if he tries to come to my corner,"

From what I saw on Monday, I knew that for a fact. But I couldn't help but feel like there was more again.

"But?" I urged Adela. She exhaled.

"But I'm concerned about what he might be saying about me to you," She confessed, looking all but disturbed by what might seem simple, but wasn't. "Because from what you said moments ago, I feel like he's insinuating that I'm controlling you and your decisions,"

She wasn't wrong.

Asides from today, every time Adela came up between TK and me, he has always been insinuating that. He was always finding one reason or the other to make me believe that it was dangerous having Adela around because she was only using me when that wasn't the case at all.

When it's so far from the case in fact.

All Adela has ever done is make me better, make me want to be better, not just for her and everyone around me, but for myself. And it has been working, the evidence glaring at him right in the face.

It's either he didn't see it... or he didn't want to see it.

"And it bothers you?" I asked Adela, genuinely concerned.

"Yes," She answered in a heartbeat, her admission shocking me.

This was the first time Adela would express a worry to me and admit that she was bothered about something. It meant so much more than it was supposed to.

Because now, I felt an overwhelming urge within me to take it all away.

"It shouldn't bother you," I told her, every word spelled out in a whisper. She didn't say anything back, only listening.

I leaned forward against the table, holding her gaze intently with mine.

"What TK thinks about you is not what I think about you, Adela," I saw her visibly relax when I said that.

"My thoughts about you are mine and mine alone. No one can alter them to fit a particular narrative because they are my thoughts, my mind, my heart... my feelings."

Her lips fell open slightly, her eyes blinking as she took it all in.

And I wasn't even done.

"–And I don't think you control me, Adela," I said. "You only push me to make decisions for myself, good decisions that will make me a better person. So far so good, right?" I smiled. She smiled right back immediately.

"Yeah," She whispered, her tone breathless I almost couldn't hear her.

"So, you don't have to be bothered anymore," I assured her again. "His thoughts are not mine,"

"Can I ask you something?" She inquired, her voice clearer but still in a whisper. I nodded, urging her on.

"Be honest with me," She pleaded.

"I will," I promised.

"You thought Ola liked me, didn't you?" She asked. I didn't expect that question but I made sure not to show it. And because I already promised to be honest, I couldn't evade it.

"Yes," I answered.

"And that bothered you so much," It was more of a statement than a question because we both knew the answer to that. Still, I answered.

"Yes."

There was something in her eyes that sparked at that confirmation. I heard a sharp breath escape her, and I could see her chest rising and falling with very breath she took. I knew that she wasn't done asking.

Something told me this is it.

This is the time I get to admit it all.

All I needed was the push.

"Why?"

And there it was. The push.

This time, there was no fear holding me back from saying it.

With my heart pounding rapidly against my ribcage, my palms sweaty and my throat dry, I looked at Adela right in the eye and answered her question in the best way I could, and in the process, indirectly telling her how I feel.

"Because with him... I won't stand a chance."

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

"This is me,"

Adela said when we got in front of her house, and I nodded. I've been here only once, but I still recognized the gates and the building within.

We were a long way away from Lekki Crown, which is where my house was. Adela didn't want me to come with her because to her, it didn't make any sense that I'd follow her home, all the way to Amber Estate, then take a ride back to Lekki Crown.

But of course, there was no way I could leave her on her own. Not because I was worried about her safety – Adela was perfectly capable of handling herself – but because I wanted to spend one more moment with her, no crowd, no noise... Just Quiet.

And this seemed like the perfect place.

I wasn't ready to leave her yet.

The estate was almost deserted, quiet, safe for distant noises like the barking of dogs or the creaking of crickets. Even cars passed at ten minutes intervals. Given the kind of estate that this was, with curfews and all, almost everyone would be at home by now.

We stood still, not saying anything for a moment. It was comfortable... peaceful. Adela was standing on the sidewalk while I was lower, on the main road. The positions she took gave her an edge and made her almost my height. We were facing each other, her right hand in my left.

Yes, I was still holding her.

"I had a really nice time today," I spoke up after what felt like ages long of silence, smiles tugged at the corners of my lips. Her smile mimicked mine as she nodded.

"Yeah, me too," She admitted easily, averting her gaze from mine when she spoke again. "I honestly wish it wasn't so short... that it didn't have to end," She glanced at me from beneath her lashes, her voice reduced to a whisper laced with a shy undertone.

My smile widened on its own accord.

"So you admit that you like spending time with me," My brows tugged up as my lips transcended into a teasing smirk. She giggled, looking away from me again.

"I thought we already established that fact," She said. I hummed, bobbing my head to the left and right playfully.

"Yeah," I drawled, meeting her eyes. "But I want to hear you say it," I whispered, moving closer to her till our bodies were almost touching. Adela rolled her eyes, but the smile on her lips remained.

"Okay," She giggled again, "I Love spending time with you, Jidenna," She didn't look away from me again, holding my gaze steadily with her as she said every word, as she emphasized the word Love.

Ọmọ, hard guy hard guy down the drain. I became a blushing mess.

"I Love spending time with you too..." I whispered, and her smile increased, lighting her face up. The dim street light that stood about fifteen feet away added an extra glow to the side of her face, her skin shining in effect with the diamond stud on her nose.

God, she's beautiful.

Adela looked down at our joined hands, her grasp tightening gently around mine like she wanted to relish in the feeling one more time before leaving me, her thumb brushing daintily against the back of my palm.

Holding her hand felt good... but it wasn't enough for me. And I knew that it wasn't enough for her too. I didn't want to end this night with us just holding hands.

I want to feel her.

"Hey," I whispered, tugging at her hand in mine. She looked away from our joined hands to meet my eyes.

"Yeah?"

I swallowed, mustering courage.

"I want to hug you,"

Adela didn't say anything back for a bit, and her expression gave nothing away. She didn't seem the least bit fazed by how forward I sounded or how the words came out a little demanding. She just kept looking at me, eyes searching mine deeply.

I couldn't tell if she wanted it or not.

Let's try that again.

"I want to hug you," My voice came out in a breathy whisper this time, calmer, softer... but at the same time raspy, almost uncontrolled.

"Can I?"

She didn't speak again, but this time she acted.

Adela moved from the sidewalk and down to my level, the action causing me to move back a little as my body automatically created a space for her to stand, but not far enough to create a space between us. Her body automatically pressed against mine, her neck angled up so that she'd be looking directly at me.

I sucked in a sharp breath, holding her gaze.

If my heartbeat was erratically before, it tripled in pace when I felt both of her hands on me, right beneath my jacket and against my shirt, splayed over my chest area. I knew she could feel my heartbeat beneath her hand, she could feel the effect of what her closeness... her touch was doing to me, and I half expected her to pull away at that point.

She didn't.

Instead, she trailed her hands up my chest, tentatively... with intentionality. My skin burned beneath her touch, my entire body coming up in flames with the feel of her petite body against mine. The breaths that escaped my lips came out in soft pants, I couldn't bring myself to hold back.

And when I saw the smile making its way to the corners of her lips, I knew that that moment that she could feel it too.

She knew exactly what she's doing to me.

Live Wire.

"I don't know..."

She trailed off, her voice as breathless as mine was if not more, her hands still trailing up my chest slowly till she looped them behind my neck, hoisting herself up on her tippy toes, and in the process, arching her back to push herself more against my body.

My hands instinctively went around her waist, wrapping around the curve from beneath her own jacket, feeling her skin beneath my hands.

So small... So soft.

"... Can you?"

That was all the encouragement I needed to pull her against me and bury my head in her neck.

God! I sighed in satisfaction.

I heard her sigh in return, like she has been looking forward to this just as much as I have been, if not more, her hands that were looped around my neck pushing my head even further into her neck. I welcomed it, burying my face in.

This was nothing like Monday. I didn't get to relish the feeling of being held by her on Monday because of how emotional things were. Besides, that was a hug of comfort.

It was nothing like this.

It was not this... personal. This soulful.

Passionate.

I found myself tightening my hold around her, pulling her impossibly closer to me, basking in the feel of her like this with me. Inhaling lightly, I took a whiff of her scent, drowning me in more longing than I have ever felt before, consuming my being.

I had to hold back a groan when I felt her hands trail up the back of my neck, infusing her delicate fingers through my hair and combing through tentatively, brushing my scalp ever so lightly. Then when she slightly fisted on a mass and gently tugged on it, I couldn't fight back the groan anymore.

"That feels nice," I mumbled into her neck, my breath fanning her skin. I felt her shudder against me before a soft chuckle escaped her, also against my skin.

"Yeah?" She whispered.

"Yeah," I whispered back, tightening my hold around her and pulling her further into me, not wanting to let her go.

If I could feel all this and so much more just by holding her... I don't want to stop holding her.

Ever.

But we had to pull away, eventually.

Adela pulled back first, her cheek brushing mine as she moved back, tilting her head in a way that her lips were hovering above mine, just inches away. Her heavy breathing mixed with mine, fanning the skin of our faces. My eyes were closed, and I was certain hers were too.

We just stood there, in each other's arms trying to catch our breaths.

When she pulled away, it was only slightly. She pressed her forehead to mine, her fingers untangling from my hair gently, I almost protested. She brought her hands to either side of my face, cupping them between her hands. My hands didn't leave her waist.

There was a shift. I could feel it.

Something had changed... just from a hug.

Oh my...

"You have no idea," Adela started with bated breath, her fingers trailing the sides of my face. "how BEAUTIFUL you are, Jidenna Okojie,"

A soft gasp escaped my lips involuntarily as she said that.

Her words came out of nowhere, shattering me into bits and piecing me back together immediately, knocking every breath in me out till I forgot how to breathe, or how to even speak.

"Look at me," She breathed, her thumbs stroking the side of my face, the softness of her voice compelling me to heed her word.

I opened my eyes to meet her already looking at me. The fascination in her eyes was clear as day. She was looking at me like I was something precious... something beautiful like she said. I haven't had anyone look at me with so much adoration... and passion in my life.

"You are so much more than who you think you are. So much more than what you give yourself credit for," She spelled out, her hypnotic voice compelling me to take in every word.

"Don't let anyone make you feel any less. Do you hear me?"

I nodded, completely in awe of her.

She smiled, then did something I didn't expect.

Adela moved her face closer to mine before tilting it to the side. Then she pressed her lips against my cheeks, pressing a lingering kiss to my cheek. My eyes fluttered close and a sigh escaped my lips, my hands squeezing her waist.

When she pulled her lips away, she trailed them up to skin to my ear, her breath fanning my earlobe, causing me to shudder against her.

Then she breathed out her last words for the night.

"Good night,"

My spirit, soul, and body were so saturated in the feel of her that I didn't know when she pulled away from me and walked to the gate. Her ethereality caused my mind to transcend so far above this earthy plane that it was only when the gate closed behind her that I was jerked back to reality.

I don't know how to long I stood there in a complete daze before I willed myself to start walking.

But one thing I knew was this...

Scratch Like.

I think I'm in Love.

All the feeling I hoarded from being with Adela, from holding her in my arms, from everything she said to me, dissipated into thin air as soon as I stepped back into the house.

The air that surrounded the Okojie Mansion was naturally toxic and life-draining. It was a feeling I thought I'd have gotten accustomed to, given that I have lived in this said house for the seventeen years of my life. But no, I haven't grown used to it.

I don't even think it's ideal to get used to something that was vehemently sucking the life out of being now and then.

But in as much as I was familiar with the naturally toxic air of the Okojie Mansion, there was something different about tonight's. Something... eerie.

Scary.

The house was silent as I walked in, safe for the tick-and-tock sound that came from the grandfather clock. Everywhere was dark. It was always dark here at night, but not dark enough that I could see where I was going. And with every step I took further into the house... foreboding increased.

My first thought would have been that Kingsley Okojie was perhaps lurking somewhere, waiting for me to return so that he'd jump me and tear me into shreds. But if it was my father that brought about this feeling, I'd have seen- no, smelt him coming.

Kingsley Okojie had a rather strong scent that followed him around.

The strong fragrance of his Tom Ford perfume, mixed with DOOM.

I made my way upstairs, careful not to cause any noise or creak any wood as I moved. But the closer I got to the end of the stairway, the more augury I felt creeping up my back and clawing painfully at my skin.

That was when I heard it.

Faint screams of agony.

And from the direction I was hearing it from, I could tell for a fact that it was coming from the Torture Room.

This was the point I was supposed to turn around, run with the back of my leg touching my head till I am safely in the confines of my room, lock the door and bury myself under layers and layers of blanket like I didn't hear any of this, reminiscing in the moments I just spent with her.

But no, I didn't do that.

Like my legs had minds of their own, I started tiptoeing toward the room, making sure that I was as stealthy as possible, hoping and praying that it wasn't Jideofor being tortured in there.

It wasn't. But he was there.

And so was Kingsley. With a bunch of his men.

All of them were inside that room, towering over a man that was chained to a chair. The man that wouldn't stop screaming in pure agony.

I made sure I was out of sight.

The room was shockingly illuminated compared to the rest of the house so I could see what was going on inside clearly. I could also pick up things that looked like tiny tubed littered all over the floor around the man's chair.

When I squinted and got a clear view, I immediately wished I could unsee it.

Are those... My gut was wrenched in disgust. Are those fingers and toes?

Jesus Christ!

My heart began to pound harshly against my chest in complete terror, threatening to burst out from my chest.

"P-Please..." The man begged, saliva and mucus running down his nostrils and mouth hole, his face bloody and disfigured beyond recognition. "P-Please ha-av-ve mercy,"

"For the last time, Uduak..." That was Kingsley's voice, shockingly calm and collected for someone that was putting another man through heartrending and unbearable torture.

"...Who did you tell about what happened ten years ago?" He asked the man.

Ten years ago? What happened Ten years ago?

And why did the number of years feel so familiar?

"I swear to God! I didn't tell anyone! Chief, I'm begging you! Have mercy!" He cried out in pain and exhaustion.

My heart clenched painfully in my chest.

"Well, since you don't want to cooperate," Kingsley sighed like he was tired. "There is no use for you anymore, hmmn?"

Even though he was backing me, I could hear the maliciousness in his words... and his voice. I just knew he was smiling.

The devil only smiles when he's about to wreck havoc.

"No! No! No! Please!"

"Kill him,"

I threw my hands over my mouth to stop myself from screaming.

A gunshot went off.

𝐀/𝐍

I apologize for ending the chapter the way I did, but honestly, that last scene is long overdue and there was no better place to put it than this chapter.

Note that it is not just a random scene of Kingsley Okojie being the monster that he is. The last scene is what I'd call a... Gateway 🙂. I won't say more than that.

Ọmọ, Our King is simping o😭🔥. Hard Girl Adela is simping bad❤️. But her simping is nothing compared to what Jidenna is doing because at this point... My nigga has gone far! Ahn ahn!

And Ola🤣. That guy just played with Jidenna's emotions anyhow. Baba has a girlfriend. P. S. Hazel is a character from my baby girl's book Dedun_Herself titled "Shards". If you are not reading it, I don't know what you are doing on this app.

We are already at the middle of this book (Finally!😭). I can't wait to explore more of Jidela but the next few chapters is all Silary. I know a lot of people that miss them 🌚.

Till the next update which only God knows when it's going to come, you know the drill.

Kisses 💋.