(070 - Air of Confidence.)

Chapter 70 after all these years 😂🔥. Let's clap for Jesus 👏🏾.

We are getting closer and closer to the climax. Actually, how close we are depends on how frequent updates are going to be from now on. So pray that I give you guys at least two updates in a month. I even want to give you guys two updates in a month. Let's just hope life doesn't happen.

We are entering a brand new dynamic of the AU universe. It's going to be a rollercoaster; good, bad and ugly. I hope you are ready for it all.

I know I am 🌚.

Let's Dive. Don't Drown.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

𝐉𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐀
(Jidenna Leo Okojie)

I drove through the gates of Crestview International Academy and found an empty parking spot in the lot.

I have never driven myself to school before. Wasn't allowed to. But today was different. Tola was on a special errand and there was no one else to drive me to school so I was allowed to take the car out.

Achievement. I know right?

Cue the sarcasm.

I didn't get down as soon as I turned off the ignition. I wasn't in a hurry to. I had to gather my thoughts and prepare myself mentally and emotionally for what I was about to do. This was a new year, a new term, and it came with a whole lot of things.

It came with change. Lots of it.

I had mixed feelings about returning to school. That was a first because I have never had mixed feelings about resuming, especially since I practically run this place.

Or rather, used to run this place.

With the way last term ended, I needed no one to tell me that I had lost my position in this school. I was no longer Jidenna Leo Okojie, the set's acclaimed king of Crestview, almighty head boy, and highest in rank on the social food chain of my class and the entire school.

I was now Jidenna Leo Okojie, resident cheat and asshole, who is, unfortunately, the head boy.

Trust me, if it were up to my classmates to yank the head boy title from me, they'd have done so without thinking twice. But they couldn't. It wasn't within their power or their right to do so.

Low key, the turn of events was a blessing in disguise. It was a relief not being saddled with the burden of trying to keep up with the toxic social hierarchy and popularity contest, not to mention the facade and lies, and always pretending to be that perfect boy that every girl wanted and every guy wanted to be.

I was no longer that guy. Not sure I ever wanted to be that guy, actually.

But I'd be lying if I said that the mere thought of being in the bad books of my classmates for the first time didn't terrify me to bits

Hence, the mixed feelings.

But I had to resume.

Else, I'd die a painful death.

Kingsley Okojie was back and apparently, here to stay.

He finally arrived from all the sojourning a few days before New Year. I wasn't expecting him to stay long, as usual, but he has been around ever since. And by around, I mean he hasn't really left the house, leaving me trapped in my room most of the time, just so that I can avoid seeing his face.

Not like he acted as if I existed anyway, only communicating with his bodyguards and Jideofor.

I wasn't sure whether to be happy about that or creeped out. It was so out of character for Kingsley not to be all up in my business. He always made it his point of duty to be all up in my business.

Now, he wasn't, and I decided to take it as a good thing.

But that didn't stop my heart from picking up a fast beat, or my palms from getting sweaty, or the scars on my back from tingling painfully whenever I heard his voice or the heels of his shoes hitting the titles floor or at the very least, smell his cologne.

If this is what it felt like to be traumatized, then I am neck-deep in trauma.

The only thing... or rather, the only person who has been able to keep my fragile mind from shattering into pieces was Adela.

Because of Kingsley's sudden arrival, we haven't been able to get together since the last time. I couldn't leave the house, and we couldn't risk phone or video calls with Kingsley lurking around, so we just resolved to chatting only.

Adela was very understanding, more concerned about me actually. She couldn't quite wrap her head around why I would prefer to stay in that house, with that man.

She tried talking me again into taking her up on her offer to put Kingsley down for good. But of course, I declined. There was no putting Kingsley down. It would be a witch-hunt. And there was no way in hell I was going to risk Adela getting hurt.

I guess I just have to wait till graduation when I can get out of that house, then I'd stay clear from him, just like my older brothers did.

But in all this, with all the mixed feelings and with Kingsley back... the only thought that actually stands out right this moment is how I can't wait to see Her.

Adela was like the light at the end of a pitch-dark tunnel, a beacon of hope, drawing me closer and closer to safety and sanity.

The Dynamics have shifted. We have evolved. Things were so different between us now. I just wasn't sure what name to put to our relationship but it was certainly a lot more than friendship now.

But if there was one thing I was certain of, it's that she's the only good constant in my life right now.

The only one that mattered.

I want her.

No... I NEED her.

Taking a deep breath, I retrieved my bag from the passenger's seat and got down from the car. At that moment, it was like everything came to a complete standstill, and the spotlight was on me.

Given the time I arrived, Juniors would probably be in the hall for the mandatory assembly, so the only people around the parking lot were SS3 students, my classmates who obviously didn't deem the assembly important. And as soon as I shut the door of the car, all eyes were on me.

Of course, it's not like everyone just stopped what they were doing automatically, having some sort of telekinetic radar to sense my presence.

It started with one person sighting me. Then that person told the person standing next to them, who turned and also noticed me, who called the attention of another bystander, and on and on like that till the entire parking lot had their eyes burning holes into my skin.

Way to go unnoticed. I exhaled, making my way through the lot, in between them.

As expected, the hushed conversations started, like venomous serpents coiled in secrecy. Their words, like sharp thorns, pricked my ears as I tried to remain unmoved, undeterred. The air was clogged with the weight of their disdain, pressing down on me like an oppressive fog.

I could hear everything. Feel everything.

"He really has a lot of nerve showing up to school,"

"Jidenna get liver oh. After everything he did to Hilary, he dey show face for school like say nothing happened,"

I exhaled shakily. I kept walking.

"I know right? It's like he thinks we'll just forget about it. Forget what? We can never forget how wicked he is!"

Well, I've heard worse.

"Nawa for some people o. After all the Kasala wey e cause, e come dey waka, dey form normal. God forbid abeg,"

The further I got into school, the more the snide comments were.

It was as if someone from the parking lot had alerted the entire class that Jidenna was in school and everyone on  the stairs, all the way to the class block stopped whatever they must have been doing just to make sure I took the infamous hallway "walk of shame".

Their eyes, like shards of ice, shot daggers of contempt at me, every glance filled with withering judgment and utter disdain, their expressions etched in disgust. The whispers didn't stop, flowing like a river of poison, each word a drop of venom.

But I took a deep breath, letting their words roll off my back, knowing that giving them a reaction was exactly what they wanted and there was no way in hell I would give them the satisfaction of seeing me react.

I have spent enough years around these walls and around these people to know indifference has a way of shutting them down eventually.

And that's exactly what I'm going to give them.

Indifference.

So with each step, I brushed off their judgment and walked to class, acting like I wasn't hearing a thing.

Acted like they were all invincible.

It kind of felt good.

Class was no different though.

As soon as I walked in, everything became dead silent and everyone turned around to look in my direction. But even with the heat of their gazes on me, the only seat I could focus on was Hilary's.

She wasn't there, but Dawn and Semeeha were.

Of course, Dawn was the only one who acknowledged my presence, raising her hand to give me a curt wave while a small, good-natured smile played on her lips. I responded with a smile of my own, and a nod. When I looked at Semeeha, she was on her phone, pretending I didn't exist.

Typical. I shook my head, making my way to my seat.

My phone made a sound in my pocket and I retrieved it to see that Dawn had texted me. My brows furrowed, I looked up at her. She gave me a look back, indicating that I should check my message. So, I opened it and checked.

Dawn✨
Ignore Semeeha🙄😏.
9:25 am

My lips twitched till a small small church escaped. I texted back.

Me.
Ignoring Semeeha has never been an issue 🌚.
9:26 am.

And sent the message.

Glancing at her briefly, I saw her lips twitch as she tried to fight back a smile, not wanting to give anything away to the melanin girl who most definitely hated my guts.

A question came to mind. I had to think about it first and weigh the effect of it for a moment before deciding to ask Dawn. She was literally the only person I could ask.

So, I texted.

Me.
How is she?
9:27 am.

I decided to keep the message very simple. I wasn't trying to be intentionally cryptic, but I knew for a fact that those three words were enough for Dawn to understand exactly what I meant.

I looked up as soon as I sent the message so that I'd see her reaction. She didn't text back as I expected. Instead, she looked up to meet my eyes, and a genuinely relaxed smile stretched at the corners of her lips as she nodded her head slowly.

That was all the answer I needed.

A breath I didn't even know I was holding left my lips, a sign of relief.

Hilary is okay. Good.

My phone started ringing, alerting me. The caller ID indicated that it was Gigi.  It wasn't very far-fetched that she was calling me this early Monday morning, and I had an inclining why she was calling me. So, I picked up the call.

"Hello," I said to the receiver.

"Are you already in school? Don't tell me you are skipping the first day," her poised accent rang in my ears, her tone almost chiding.

"Good morning to you too, Gigi," I greeted her and got a scoff back. It made my lips twitch a little. "And no, I'm not skipping the first day. I just go in, actually," I said.

"Good," the relief in her tone at that was very evident. "Come to the admin block immediately. We have work to do,"

And with that, the line went dead.

I guess not everything has changed. Gigi is still the boss.

I exhaled, shoving my phone back into my pocket and standing up from my seat to leave the class.

Duty calls.

Gigi was in the conference room when I got to the admin block.

"Hey," I called out to her when I got in, alerting her of my presence.

"You sure took your sweet time," She didn't look up at me, typing away on her phone. I glanced at my wristwatch to check the time, my brows furrowing when I saw that I wasn't actually that late.

In fact, I wasn't late at all.

"It's been barely five minutes since you asked me to come," I told her, laughter in my voice.

"Well, five minutes is too long to walk from..." she finally turned to look at me, and her voice trailed off as soon as her eyes settled on me, her words disappearing into the wind.

At first, I thought she was looking past me at something or someone behind me, so I looked back to check if there was anyone at the door I didn't notice come in, but found no one. I looked back at her, left brow tugged up in question, but all she did was bob her head to the side with something akin to curiosity and mild fascination in her eyes.

She was looking at me like she was just seeing me for the first time.

Do I have something on my face?

I asked myself, instinctively touching my hand to my face to check.

Abi I wore my uniform inside out.

It didn't help matters that she wasn't saying anything, and her face gave absolutely nothing away.

"What?" I finally asked when she wouldn't stop looking at me weirdly.

"You look different," she responded without mincing words, punctuating her words with a shrug. I looked down, glancing at myself.

I do?

"Really?" I had to ask because, to the best of my knowledge, I looked exactly the same as I used to. It wasn't as if there was something spectacularly different about me at this moment.

What was new? Maybe my haircut?

My hair wasn't as full as it used to be, big deal. Every guy gets a new haircut every new term. It wasn't such a big phenomenon.

What else? Maybe the facial hair?

I got a little facial hair over the holiday. I'm sure more than half of the senior school boys grew facial hair over the holiday.

As I said, nothing spectacularly different about me.

But before I could brush off her statement as whines or a tease, and tell her that I looked exactly the same, Gigi spoke again.

"And no, I don't mean physically," she clarified, unknowingly shutting down my thoughts. "I'm talking about your demeanor," she said, and my brows furrowed even more, my forehead creasing.

It was even more confusing.

"My demeanor," I repeated dumbly, not sure I understood what she meant.

"Yeah," she nodded. "You have this new, remarkable air of confidence about you. It's almost hard to miss, actually." She deadpan, her words knocking the breath right out of me.

What?

I had to stop my eyes from widening like saucers, but of course, my surprise didn't go unnoticed by Gigi. Her lips twitched, tugging up in a small smirk as her eyes raked through my body swiftly.

"It's authentic, real. So, it's a good look," she added casually. But it was far from a casual statement.

It meant something huge, especially because it came from Gigi Esho.

I knew it wasn't a lie or whining, or that she was doing it to stroke my ego. Gigi Esho does not stroke egos, she says the truth. And for someone who has barely regarded my existence in the past, she had no reason to lie to me now.

So yes, this meant so much coming from her.

I fought hard to hide my smile.

"Thanks," I said, trying to give off nonchalance by shrugging.

"It wasn't a compliment," she responded, and I chuckled.

What did I say?

"You said we have work to do," I reminded her of the reason she called me, knowing we had to get down to business.

"Right," she said, hitting her hand on the stack of files I didn't notice before now sitting on the table.

"What are those?" I asked, moving closer to have a better look.

"Plans," she responded. "Final year plans for the set," she expatiated, and I hummed in response.

"You already have them documented?" I asked.

"I only documented the ones that are inevitable, the ones that are ingrained in the school calendar already," she started to list them. "The league, Variety Night, Prom, Valedictory Service. You know the works.–

But we need to have our own events as well, not just school events," she stated shrewdly, and I nodded in agreement and understanding.

"We need to have a meeting with the class, maybe first with the prefects," I offered and she nodded, agreeing with me. "Do you want me to call one in right now?" I asked.

"That... wouldn't be necessary," she looked past me as she said that. I followed her gaze in time to see someone walk in through the doors, someone I certainly wasn't expecting.

My breath caught in my throat.

She's here.

"I'm late, I know," she said with her hands raised in mock surrender, a small smile aimed at Gigi playing on her lips. I don't think she even noticed I was standing right there.

"I get it. It was for a good cause," Gigi responded, a suggestive tone to her voice and an even more suggestive smile playing on her lips. It was as if they had a hidden communication between them because Hilary made a familiar giggle.

That was her shy giggle.

It was impossible not to notice how good she looked. She radiated a glow I thought I'd never see on her in a very long time, refreshed and renewed. Just like Gigi had told me there was an air of confidence about me, it was the same thing for her, even magnified tenfold.

She looked at peace.

"Hilary,"

Her name left my lips before I could stop myself, or rethink what I was about to do. Of course, it was sudden, causing her attention to break away from Gigi to me. And as soon as her eyes settled on me, my mouth became dry.

Like Sahara dessert dry.

I didn't know what to say again, my mind couldn't comprehend simple thoughts even.

For the first time since that dreadful afternoon, I was standing in the same space as her, having her look me right in the eye again. Her eyes didn't hold pain or sadness, or the familiar bitterness and malice I had grown accustomed to.

This time, her emotions were some sort of puzzle, something I couldn't quite decipher. It wasn't anything negative. That should have been a relief but it wasn't because it wasn't anything positive either.

In a way, it made me feel uneasy.

I couldn't discern whether the change in her demeanor meant forgiveness, indifference, or something entirely different. I was already so used to the hostility that the lack of it right now left an unsettling void, making me wonder what the hell was going on in her mind.

But, I guess there was only one way to find out.

"H-Hi?" I found myself saying, the word slipping from my lips in an unsure, almost timid manner. I even stuttered a bit.

Hilary's silence stretched on, and it seemed like she was debating whether I deserved even the tiniest bit of courtesy. And in all this, I could feel Gigi's scrutinizing gaze shifting between us.

I couldn't fault Hilary for not responding immediately. In fact, I had no expectations. She didn't owe me anything after everything I have done to her. So, I braced myself for the possibility of her turning away from me or ignoring me.

But that wasn't the case.

Just when I thought the moment might stretch into eternity...

"Hi," she whispered back. There was no warmth in her voice, just a mere acknowledgment.

But yet, it was something, a far cry from what I had been expecting.

I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding, the tension in my shoulders easing.

Progress.

This was Progress.

"Now that we have gotten that out of the way," Gigi started to speak after being quiet for a while, giving me a look before turning to Hilary. "Hilary, we want to have a meeting right now, which is why I called you," she informed her, and Hilary nodded.

"You want me to call it in?" She asked, retrieving her phone from the pocket of her skirt, an indication that she wanted to send a message to the prefects' group chat.

"Yes, but not on the group chat," Gigi said, stopping her from sending any message to the group chat. Hilary looked back up, brows tugged in question.

"These people will lie that they didn't see the messages. You know how they can be so difficult," Gigi started to explain, and I saw reasons. "So what you will help me do is go to the classes to personally tell them. Anyone you don't find in class, we will place a call. Can you do that?"

"Of course," Hilary agreed easily. "I'll get right to it," she added, and Gigi nodded, giving a small smile of appreciation.

"Let me help," I blurted out before I could do myself, turning both their attentions to me. "To cover more ground, that is," I quickly added so that I wouldn't give off the wrong idea.

It wasn't completely a lie. I wanted to help.

But of course, that wasn't the only reason why I was offering.

Gigi looked at Hilary as if to tell her that it was her call whether or not I should go with her. And knowing Hilary, I highly doubt she'd jump at this.

"You don't have to," she didn't disappoint, her voice monotonous, "I think I can manage on my own," she added, not willing to accept my help.

"I insist," I wasn't backing down either, but I also hoped I wasn't being too pushy. "It's just to help cover more ground so that we can get started on time. The earlier they get here, the better," I explained, subtly using my eyes to plead with Gigi to give me some sort of backup.

"He does have a point," Gigi chipped, catching on to my silent plea and helping me out. "But it's still up to you," she added, understandably so.

Hilary exhaled, and I knew she already caved.

"Fine," she merely spared me a glance. "Let's get to it," and with that, she made her way out of the room, not waiting for me. I breathed out and followed after her.

"Hey," Gigi called to me and I paused, turning to answer her. "Don't force it," she advised. I nodded, giving her a small smile of gratitude before leaving the room to catch up to Hilary:

She was already ahead, walking rather fast like she was trying to avoid having to speak with me.

But that would make this so awkward.

Plus, she already gave me something to work with when she responded to my greeting earlier. I needed to know how far I could go with her.

Think of something to say, Jidenna. Think.

But instead of actually thinking, I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind.

"Happy New Year,"

Happy New Year? Really?

I fought the urge to face-palm myself, knowing that I probably sounded idiotic and that would push Hilary even further away than she already was.

But surprisingly, it got a reaction from her. She stopped short in her steps and turned to look at me, her expression a weird mix of incredulity and annoyance. She was practically looking at me like I just sprouted an extra limb.

"Happy New Year," she repeated, not like she was greeting me back but like she was trying to make sense of that statement and where the hell it came from.

Hearing it out loud coming from her made me realize even further how stupid I must have sounded.

"Is that your idea of a conversation starter?" She asked me, head bobbed to the side and arms folded across her chest. An awkward chuckle left my lips, followed by a shrug.

It was working. Right?

But Hilary scoffed and shook her head.

"We don't have to talk to each other, you know," she started shrewdly and resumed walking away from me.

Shit.

"I know. Hey," I jumped in front of her to stop her from walking any further. She gave me a look, and I remembered how a scene like this played out last year and the catastrophe it led to.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, but she didn't say anything, only staring at me. I exhaled. "I just... I need to know if we are good, if we are okay." I added, picking my words carefully.

The last thing I wanted was to trigger her the way I did last year. This was a new year. I really wanted to start on a clean slate, especially with her.

But she didn't respond still, and just continued to stare at me. The expression on her face was hard to decipher. I couldn't pinpoint the emotions swirling in her eyes and it made it harder to know how she felt, or what was going on in her head.

Maybe I was forcing it.

"I'm sorry if I'm pushing–" I started to apologize.

"I don't know, Jidenna," she finally spoke, cutting the rest of my words off.

I blinked back in confusion, trying to understand her.

"I don't know if we are good," she tried to clarify. "Or if we are ever going to be good," she added, answering my question as point-blank as she could.

I could feel the invisible lump forming in my throat. It was as if an unseen hand had gently clenched my vocal cords, leaving me momentarily speechless. I struggled to swallow those words that came from Hilary and hung heavily in the air, my shoulders slumping in utter dejection.

I wasn't sure how to feel.

"Oh," was all I could mutter, not knowing what else to say but that.

I mean, I was prepared for the worst. I shouldn't even have expected anything else but the worst. But I was hopeful, and nothing hurts more than the tiny silver of hope you were holding on to being yanked away and the worse being spelled out to you.

Hilary was well within her rights to feel the way she felt. She was beyond justified if she decided we would never be okay.

But that didn't make things hurt any less.

Though, I guess I jumped to conclusions pretty fast.

"But," she started to speak again, alerting me. "That doesn't mean I haven't forgiven you," she whispered, her words knocking the breath right out of me and causing the feeling from earlier to dissipate into thin air.

What...

Relief automatically flooded my entire being, and a breath left my lips in that effect. It was as if a heavy weight that had burdened my heart for so long was suddenly lifted off my shoulder. I had wronged her, and her forgiveness was a gift I was certainly not expecting to receive so soon.

Maybe there was redemption after all.

"T-Thank you," my voice came out with a little quiver, gratitude washing over me. She shook her head back.

"Don't thank me yet," she debunked. "I haven't completely forgotten everything you did," she reminded me.

I wasn't expecting anything less.

"Understandable," I raised my hands in surrender. "I get that. But thank you still. This means a lot," I couldn't hold back my gratitude.

She sighed in response, rolling her eyes at me.

"Whatever," she muttered. "Let's just get this over with," she added and started walking away again. This time, I didn't stop her, a sigh of relief leaving me and a small smile curving at the corners of my lips.

Hilary's forgiveness was the only forgiveness that mattered, and I was on my way to getting it fully. This was a start, and it was something. It meant something. I knew I still had a long way to go to curb the reservations she had, but I was already on the right part and that was all that mattered.

I was fixing things... the right way.

Screw what my classmates think.

I earned this, and I wasn't going to take it for granted.

Hilary decided to call the girl prefects, and I took care of the boys. Getting everyone together for the meeting was a breeze, especially with Ola's help after I filled him in on the plan. In no time, everyone was heading to the admin block for the meeting.

Well, everyone except Tekena Tamuno.

I initially thought he might have skipped school because he wasn't in his class when I checked for him, but he was. I saw his Snapchat story. He had posted a video of himself and Kasali Saheed dem on his story, smoking a joint in the Love Garden.

I had to contemplate severally, fight demons and angels just to decide if going to call him was worth it.

Trust me, if I didn't have to call him, I wouldn't. But he hasn't attended any meetings this session and I have indulged him too much. Knowing how crucial this meeting was, and how Tekena might decide to disrupt the smooth flow of our final year activities if he didn't have a say in the decision-making, it would been better for all of us if he was at the meeting.

So, I made my way to Love Garden to find him, against my better judgment.

Since the stunt he pulled last year, we haven't spoken to each other. Shockingly, he paid me back the 500k he lent from me to pay off his drug debt, but he wasn't speaking to me, and I wasn't speaking to him. Although, I have gotten past what he said to me, he seemed to still be beefing with me.

Who is supposed to be beefing with who?

I have resolved that he'd get over it, eventually.

True to his Snapchat story, Tekena was indeed at the Love Garden, openly smoking with those guys out in the open field.

A sense of unease settled in my chest. The closer I got, the more I caught a whiff that the atmosphere was now permeated with the foul smell of burning weed, an odor that was almost impossible to ignore.

I wasn't new to the sight of Tekena smoking, but I wouldn't lie and say that I was used to it. In the past, I would normally indulge in his habit, because talking him out of it was always a futile effort. But something about how frequently he did it now was undeniably concerning.

It wasn't just a casual indulgence like it used to be; it felt like a change, a shift in his having that raised red flags.

No, red banners.

This wasn't the first time he'd be smoking on school grounds, but he usually kept it very low-key. Now he wasn't even trying to be discreet, doing it out in the open and even with buddies, taking videos and posting.

It was troubling.

He was backing me, so he didn't see me coming behind him. But Kasali did and alerted him to my presence. Tekena turned around and met my eyes for a brief moment, wasting no time in turning back like he didn't see me.

I can foresee that this will be heavily unproductive.

"You know you can get into trouble for doing that on school grounds," I started when I eventually got to them.

A mocking laughter came from Kasali and the other guys, their taunts echoing through the air like I had said something incredibly funny. I paid them no heed, my attention on Tekena.

Low-key, I expected him to ignore me, but I hit a reaction instead. He took a drag of the joint and puffed out smoke into the air, eyeing me cynically.

"And who is going to report us? You?" His brows tugged up in a daring quirk as if challenging me to do just that.

I shrugged.

"I don't have to report you," I simply said. "You are airing your dirty laundry in the open. It would be very easy for security to sight you from a mile away," I told him, and he scoffed in response, taking another drag.

If that unsettled him, he didn't show it. Unlike Kasali Saheed dem who started looking around, unmistakened fear marred across their faces as they tried to get read of their roll-ups. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the theatrics.

At least if you want to be a bad boy, be a bad boy with your full chest. Allow them to catch you.

"I know you are not here to tell me to stop smoking, Jidenna. You and I know how that ends," Tekena spoke, casting me a dismissive look. "If you are here to apologize for what happened the other day–"

Apologize? I chuckled.

"I'm not here to apologize," I debunked, cutting the rest of his words off. He froze with the joint halfway to his lips, a puzzled frown on his face.

That was his shocked face.

Wait, had he been expecting me to apologize for calling him out on his disrespect toward Adela?

The fuck? I suppressed my chuckles even if there was nothing funny about the situation.

"If you are not here to apologize, then get the fuck out of my face," he growled. "I don't want you around me,"

Again, I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"We have prefects meeting, Tekena," I informed him, ignoring his previous statement. I didn't think he could frown any deeper than he was already drowning.

But he frowned deeper, his face sinking like a ship in dark waters.

"And so?"

Oh good Lord. I massaged my aching temple.

"Okay, I know you haven't been doing your duty lately, but I didn't think you'd need to be reminded that you are the disciplinary prefect," Then I sighted the gold brooch pinned to his shirt. "You are literally wearing your badge," I pointed at it.

"And what the hell has that got to do with anything?" He jumped down from the ceramic table and stood toe to toe with me.

He reeked, so I had to shift back a little bit. But he must have thought that his attempt at intimidation and dominance worked because a smirk made its way to the corners of his lips. 

"You are not slow, Tekena," I told him, causing his smirk to turn upside down. Heaven knows, I didn't mean it as an insult. "I know you are just trying to prove difficult, but it is absolutely unnecessary. I don't have to tell you what the meeting is about, but you have to be there," I said.

"And who is going to make me go to the meeting? You?" He taunted, jabbing his index finger into my chest painfully. I veered back slightly in impact, and Tekena menacingly closed the gap again.

Okay, I see what is going on. I chuckled, shaking my head.

"I'm not doing this with you, TK," I told him. I didn't have the energy to go back and forth, knowing it would just feed his ego.

"Come for the meeting or don't, it's totally up to you. I'm just doing my part by informing you of the meeting," I said to him. "But you are just trying to pick a fight and I am not down with that. I am not going to fight you, TK," I stated matter-of-factly, turning on my heels to leave the place as fast as I could.

"Of course, you are not going to fight me," Tekena's voice rang out behind me, in a bid to stop me or get a reaction from me.

But I kept walking.

"You are just too much of a little bitch to have the balls to take me on," He added, his words dripping with contempt and malice.

That was when I felt it.

A flash of rage, like a sudden spark. It stung like a slap on the face, and for a moment, I hesitated in my steps momentarily, my fist tightening.

Then I turned around to face him.

Tekena wore a sardonic smirk, thinking he had succeeded in getting under my skin. But instead of the reaction he wanted... the reaction he so desperately craved, I met his gaze with cold determination and jagged my index finger into his chest.

Just like he did to me.

"I am not doing this with you,"

I stated firmly, and with that, turned back around to resume walking away from him.

Deep down, I knew confronting him at that moment would only mean playing into his game, so I swallowed my fury and walked away. Tekena was just another person I wasn't going to give the satisfaction of seeing my reaction.

He isn't worth it.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Most prefects were already in the conference room by the time I got back to the admin block, chin-chatting and catching up on the holidays.

A few people were still missing though.

"Not everyone is here yet," I noted when I got to Gigi, taking my space beside her.

"Just a few girls and Hilary. They should be here any moment– oh, there they are," she announced, nodding toward the entrance. I looked in time to see Hilary walk in with Dawn and Lase...

And Adela.

My breath caught in my throat and my heart automatically picked up the beat.

The four of them strolled in together as a group, talking and giggling about only God knows what. And the irony of it all was that Hilary and Adela were the ones at the center of the conversation, both of them actively speaking to each other and giggling.

It was supposed to feel weird. I was supposed to feel weird. You know, that completely natural and normal awkward feeling that would come with seeing my ex-girlfriend and my current girl–

So you admit she's your current girl. My subconscious chimed and I fought the smile that wanted to appear at the corners of my lips.

As I was saying, it felt so surreal seeing the both of them together. But of course, the one person that had the entirety of my focus was Adela.

Fuck. Was all my mind could comprehend when my eyes settled solely on her and took her in.

Adela was one girl I knew that exuded effortless sexiness, even in the least sexiest clothing. Uniforms were not meant to be sexy, they were the least of the least sexiest clothing. Heck, they were created for students to look like prisoners, with a little high maintenance.

But fuck it, Adela looked drop-dead gorgeous, fiery like a phoenix in her uniform.

And as she and Hilary parted, my eyes followed her, taking all of her in.

She had an effortless charm, wearing just her white uniform shirt with her sleeves casually rolled up to her elbow and her tie hanging loose around the collar, tucked into her pleated skirt. Her choice but to wear her blazer, despite the freezing weather only added to her allure.

The black suede visits she had on accentuated her long, shapely legs, drawing my gaze to the flawless and smooth they were. Her hair, black curly faux twists was artfully styled in a high bun, with few tendrils playfully framing her face.

And of course, her silver nose ring, a subtle yet fascinating accessory that I've always found incredibly appealing.

I think she even knew that I found it appealing.

Just like I did her waist chains... and her anklets.

Heck, I think she has them on right now. I smirked at the mere thought of it, my mind picturing it.

For the life of me, I couldn't tear my gaze away from her, and I caught myself unconsciously running my tongue over my bottom lip as I watched her.

When Adela looked up and our eyes met, my heart skipped several beats. It was just a fleeting glance but it was enough for me to pick sky, but appreciative smirk that donned her lips, and the swift once-over she gave me as she sashayed to her seat.

Damn!

Her confidence and allure was fucking irresistible, an effortless combination of casual and chic with a hint of disheveled elegance. That was what made her so undeniably sexy.

And it was what drew me in the most.

Mehn, I'm a gone dude. I have gone.

"At this point, you are not even trying to be discreet,"

Ola's voice pierced through my thoughts rudely, making me jump slightly. I looked back and met him right behind me, a knowing smirk playing on his lips as he looked in Adela's direction, then back at me, his head bobbed to the side and his brows wiggling playfully, elbows nudging me teasingly.

How long has he been behind me?

"Fuck off this guy " I jerked him away from my side and he cackled, leaving me alone. I couldn't fight the smile forming on my lips anymore.

Ola na bastard.

"Alright, let's settle down," Gigi called out to everyone, and in no time the chit-chat died down and everyone settled in their seats; Gigi, Hilary, and I taking our designated spots at the head of the table.

"Good morning everyone, and welcome back to school," Gigi started, taking the reins since she was the most outspoken of both of us. "As you must have guessed, we are here for business. Things are about to get really busy for us and you guys know why. Hilary?" She gave Hilary a look, who nodded and started passing down the files.

She gave me mine.

"Thanks," I said to her and she nodded back.

"The files in front of you contain the activities ingrained in the school calendar concerning our final year," Gigi continued. "We have The League, Principal, and Parents Luncheon with the graduating class, Variety Night, Prom, Valedictory Service... you know the works,"

"Are those the only activities we will be having?" Isimeme asked.

"Of course not," I was the one that answered him. "And that's why we are having a meeting. To plan," I added. Humes rang out through the room.

"You've heard Jidenna. We are here to plan our final year events, or at least, start planning," Gigi took over the reins again, corroborating what I said. "We need to have activities for ourselves outside what the school has planned for us, activities that will make the final year special to us as a set. But we need a plan that works with our academic time,"

"JAMB, WAEC, IGCSE, and SAT," I chipped in, listing all the academic programs we had. "We have our externals and internationals spreading over this term and next, let's not forget," I added.

"So we need ideas, STAT," Gigi threw back to the room.

"Well, I think anything can work," Hilary spoke. "As long as we don't interfere with the academic calendar," she added.

Everyone agreed with that. Hilary continued.

"Now, we know we might not hold any activity for his term–"

"Except for my birthday party," Ola interjected, causing a fit of chuckles to ring out through the room.

"Ola," Gigi chided teasingly.

"Sorry. Sorry," he raised his hands in mock surrender and looked at Hilary. "Please, do continue," he threw the floor back to her and she laughed lightly.

"Thank you, Ola," she gave him a mock bow. "As I was saying, we are obviously not going to have any activity this term because we have JAMB coming up between February ending and the beginning of March.–

Most of our activities are going to be in third term, like a count down to VS. All we need to know is how to fix it in between the academic calendar," she stated.

"To the best of my knowledge," the health prefect boy, Tochukwu started to speak and we all turned to him. "WAEC will definitely come with April, so I don't think we should have anything around that time. I don't know about IGCSE and SAT though. I'm not writing either," He said.

"Anyone has an idea of IGCSE and SAT?" Gigi asked, looking around the room.

"I'm not sure about this year, but it was between May and June last year," Dawn chipped. "I'm not writing either as well, so I'm just speculating," she added.

"April 27th to 30th of IGCSE and May 15th for SAT," Lase spoke and we all looked at her. "I googled," she waved her phone.

"Great, so now we know the academic calendar is ending mid-May–" I started.

"–Meaning we have between then and mid-July to plan our own events," Gigi completed for me, smiles of excitement playing on her lips. "Perfect," she muttered.

Everyone seemed really excited about that. We have enough time to really enjoy our final year, roughly two months. Most sets didn't have that luxury.

"Sorry," Lase raised her hand. "I think I might be the only one confused about The League. Can we get a rundown on that?" she asked.

"Kizito?" Gigi called out to her boyfriend, who from the way he slightly jerked in response had probably not been paying attention prior.

He looked utterly confused.

"What?" he blinked, looking around the room completely lost. "Sorry," he shook his head as if mentally chiding himself. "I wasn't paying attention. Can you come again?" He asked.

I looked at Gigi, to see if there would be even the tiniest hint of annoyance creased over her face. But there was nothing like that. If anything, she smiled and rolled her eyes at him playfully.

I guess they understand each other like that.

"A rundown of what The League is about, please," she repeated for Lase.

"Oh," he chuckled. "Understandably, non-athletes won't know what The League entails, so let me break it down for y'all," he cleared his throat, and like a light switch, his game face was on.

"The League is literally the biggest sporting competition in the country, in the continent, in fact, in the world," Kizito started and everyone listened to him with rapt attention. "It's an annual international sports competition that sources for young athletes around commonwealth countries and drafts them in the big leagues; NBA, NFL, World Aquatics, to name a few.–

It's what most of us athletes are aiming for because a lot of us are not going to Uni. Schools around the country would come together, get placed in random teams and those teams would play against each other. I can be in one team and Jidenna or Ola can be in another and we can play against each other," he explained.

"So how do you guys get drafted?" Martha, the disciplinary prefect girl asked. "Is it the winning teams that will get picked or what?"

"Scouts," Ola chipped in to help Kizito with the explanation. "There will be scouts from every junior league around the world looking for their prodigy. So even if we are in different teams, or our teams don't win eventually, we can all get drafted if we put in our best and show them we are special," he finished, and murmurs broke out in the room.

Now that they mentioned it, and broke it down the way they did, I started thinking about my future in American Football... that's if I had a future in American Football.

I have never sat down to actually think about it, and thinking about it now, I wasn't sure if I was going to participate in The League. If I wanted to, it's just going to be for the fun of it.

I enjoyed American Football a lot. It was an interesting spot and very engaging too, but the only reason I played the sport in the first place was because Kingsley wanted me to play the sport.

It would look good on a college application to Harvard. He said.

It will make me look good. He said.

You are too scrawny for a teenage boy. The sport will make you look more like a man. He said.

And back then, it made perfect sense. In fact, being in the AF team meant more rep in this school. You can't get rep in this school without being a sports pro. Basketball was too common. I can't swim to save my life. AF was the only sport that could make me stand out.

I got into the sports for all the wrong reasons.

No matter how much I enjoyed playing AF, it has never been because I had a real interest in it. It was all because of Him. And that cancels everything out. The fun, the engagement... the rep.

I didn't want it anymore.

My mood suddenly dampened at the thought.

"Thank you guys so much for enlightening us on the League," Gigi was speaking again. "Now that we have the calendar sorted, we need to start fixing our own events between. Who has ideas?" she asked.

"You said something about us not deciding for the entire class last term," Dawn noted. "I think this is something we should come up with as a class, maybe have a netting with the rest of the set and ask for opinions," she suggested.

"I want to agree with you," Isimeme started, looking at Dawn. "But I feel that's a disaster waiting to happen. Everyone will definitely have something to say, ideas springing out from nowhere, and if their ideas are not included in the planning process, hell will break loose,"

True that. I mused.

"So what do you suggest we do?" I asked Isimeme.

"Create a planning committee specifically for the set. A planning committee that will also include non-prefects." He imputed.

Murmurs of agreement ensued.

"That makes sense," Gigi shrugged, clearly onboard with the idea and so was I.

"But who and who should we put on the committee? People with sense, abeg." Martha chipped in, and everyone chuckled.

"I think Dawn and Ola should take up the reins in that one," I suggested. "They are the social prefects and it makes perfect sense for them to head it. They can include whoever they want to include from the rest of the class,"

"I second that suggestion," Hilary chipped in agreement.

"Dawn and Ola?" Gigi called out, indirectly asking them if they were ready to take up that responsibility. But before either of them could speak...

"Why does it have to be the both of them?" Beauty Idoma spoke up for the first time since the meeting started. And of course, she deemed it fit that the first contribution she'd be bringing to the discussion was countering someone.

Typical Beauty Idoma move. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

Beside me, I heard Hilary scoff.

"What?" Gigi folded her hands across her chest, deciding to indulge in whatever Beauty had up her sleeves. It was a bad idea. Shit will escalate in no time.

Well, that's if I have nothing to say about it.

"You want to include the rest of the class but you still want the committee to be headed by the social prefects. That doesn't seem fair to me," she shrugged, swirling in her seat.

"And who else do you think is capable of heading the committee aside from the social prefects? You?" Gigi asked, a mocking undertone to her voice. I'm not sure Beauty picked up on it, or if she was even intuitive enough to pick up on it.

"I'm not saying that–" Beauty denied.

Yup, that's exactly what you are saying.

"–But if it has to be me, then I'm totally up to the task," she boasted. "It seems you guys have forgotten that I also contested for the post of social prefect girl–"

"And lost," Dawn reminded her. Beauty couldn't hide the hurt that marred across her face at that.

"But that makes me just as qualified as you are to lead the committee. I'm sure I can even do a better job," she retorted at Dawn, trying to clap back at her but it was so ducking weak.

I bit back my chuckle.

"Beauty," Gigi began again, trying to diffuse the situation that was fast escalating. "I have my reasons for putting them in charge–"

"And who the hell made you the boss of us," Beaut bit back.

"Hey," Kizito called out. "Watch your mouth," he warned, but Beauty ignored him. If Gigi was getting annoyed by this unnecessary banter, she was doing a good job hiding it.

She took a deep breath and smiled.

"I am the head girl," she reminded Beauty. "I don't do things for my own selfish reasons. Whatever decision I make is because I have put the interest of the council first. Don't ever insinuate that I'm bossing you around.–

Dawn and Ola are the social prefects. They know the workaround and can do the job as planning committee heads effectively. If they now feel the need to use your services in the committee, they can ask you to join as a member–"

"God forbid abeg. We don't need her," Dawn immediately rejected it.

And that was when Beauty blew up.

"THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!" she screamed at Dawn, attempting to leap over the table at the girl who sat unflinchingly at the other side. "THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN!" she kept screaming.

"Can someone tell her to stop shouting? She's spraying us with saliva." Dawn simply said, finding more interest in her nails.

Oh wow!

Beauty practically lost it at that, Dawn's words triggering her the more. She charged towards her, raving, and that was when Ola and Kizito stood up to hold her back.

"Hey!" Hilary was on her feet in no time, going over to shield her friend.

"DO YOU THINK YOU ARE BETTER THAN ME!" She was still screaming at Dawn, trying to fight through the guys to get to Dawn. "YOU DEY MAD! DAWN YOU ARE VERY FOOLISH! I'M FUCKING BETTER THAN YOU, STUPID ASS BITCH!"

The entire room was in chaos in a matter of seconds. Everyone was on their feet, trying to diffuse the situation. Gigi was especially worried because we were at the admin block and Sir. Isaac might hear our noise. That might land us in a heap of trouble.

But Beauty wasn't backing down, insulting everyone and anyone who tried to pacify her to calm down.

Okay, I've had enough of this nonsense.

"HEY!"

I yelled, standing up to my feet and hitting the table to get all their attention. My voice echoed, and everywhere became dead silent in a couple of seconds, all their attention on me.

But my eyes were on Beauty.

"Do you ever have anything productive to bring to the table during our meetings?" I asked her, genuinely wanting to know.

"Excuse me?" Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I don't think I stuttered," I responded, plunging the room into even deadlier silence. "Because I honestly want to know why you always try to pick a fight with someone at every meeting. Just so you, it's not attractive," I told her matter-of-factly.

"Ewo..." Isimeme whistled, but I paid him no heed.

Beauty, on the other hand, looked like someone about to catch a fly, mouth a-gap and eyes widened like saucers.

"Jidenna,"

She sounded like she couldn't believe I was talking to her the way I was. But that didn't deter me because I went on nonetheless, holding her gaze intently with mine so that she'd see that I wasn't joking.

"You never contribute to anything we talk about during these meetings. If at all you speak, you don't say anything that remotely makes sense. You are the perfect example of if you cannot dazzle them with facts, baffle them with rubbish–"

"Blood of God," another person exclaimed. Beauty looked utterly dumbfounded and discombobulated.

Again, I was undeterred.

"But once someone brings up a suggestion, or a plan, you counter it like you have something better to say. Don't you know that's legit evil spirit behavior?" My brows tugged up in question, challenging her.

Of course, she didn't say anything... couldn't say anything. No one could.

The room was graveyard silent.

I wasn't one to do this on a normal day, but Beauty has had it coming. And no, this wasn't some petty revenge as to what went down during TK's party last year, because I was over that. It's the fact that she's so insufferable and annoying, especially in situations like this.

Everyone will try giving their opinions on something, and instead of contributing to the development of our plan, you try to draw us back by petty things.

That's witchcraft. Nka bu amoosu.

I honestly don't know how I was able to stand her before, not to talk of sleeping with her, because heaven knows I can't stand her now.

"You have two options," I held up my index and middle finger. "It's either you sit down and contribute, or better still, shut up–"

"Wow," Hilary muttered beside me.

"–Or you get the hell out. It's totally up to you," I gave her the ultimatum, waiting for her to make her choice. In fact, the entire room was waiting.

It's my way or the highway. I don't give two fucks at this point.

Low key, I expected her to walk out, as the entire situation was downright embarrassing for her. But much to my surprise and the surprise of everyone else in the room, she walked back to her seat wordlessly and sat down.

Now that wasn't so hard, was it? I smirked.

"Okay..." Gigi drawled, blinking away the shock from her face, then cleared her throat to dissipate the air of any awkwardness. "Let's continue,"

Yes, let's.

I flashed a smile at everyone before sitting back down. As soon as I sat down, I realized that in all this, Adela didn't say a word.

And when I looked at her, I didn't miss the proud lingering smile that sat on her lips as her eyes met mine.

The meeting went on for about two hours, no itch thankfully. In fact, Beauty contributed, even though it was just a little. But she contributed, meaning my words were very effective on her.

I offered to stay back after the meeting to pack up the files and return them to the office, so it was just me in the room.

Or so I thought.

"That was hot," came the sultry voice from behind me, causing a shiver to run down my spine.

I recognized that voice instantly.

My entire body recognized and reacted to that voice, like a siren's call from the depths of the ocean.

I turned around to see Adela standing at the entrance of the room, leaning against the doorframe with her lips curved into a smile. Her effortless aura had a way of drawing me in, like a moth drawn to the irresistible glow of a flame.

Our gazes locked, and a subtle smile played on my lips as I found myself being pulled into the depths of those dark, alluring eyes of hers. It was like being pulled by waves of desire. My eyes, having a mind of their own, couldn't resist tracing the curves of her body before settling back on her intoxicating gaze.

My tongue automatically swept over my bottom lip.

Yup. I'm gone. I'm so gone.

"What was hot?" I asked, tilting my head to the side to look at her, smiles tugged at the corners of my lips.

"How you went off on Beauty like that," she answered, and I let out a chuckle, shaking my head. "I didn't know you had it in you," she added, and I laughed.

"She had it coming," I stated, stacking the files. "And no," I glanced back at her over my shoulder. "It had nothing to do with our history. She was being very insufferable," I quickly clarified.

"I'm not judging," Adela shrugged, that smile still playing on her lips. "Like you said, she's insufferable." She agreed with me and I smiled.

"You didn't say anything throughout the meeting," I noted.

"Nah," she dismissed. "I preferred watching you take charge," she added with simplicity, a simplicity that found a way to fuel my ego.

The mere thought that she found me, or my presence, at the very least, commanding and in control was enthralling. It sent a surge of power and confidence running through my veins, emboldening me.

I turned fully to look at her, to watch her watch me, running my tongue again across my suddenly dry lips.

Damn it, she's enchanting.

The tension between Adela and me was as clear as crystal, like live wire crackling with anticipation, drawing us both in like magnets.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

My voice came out in a murmur, a low, almost desperate whisper, my gaze locked on hers as she remained leaned against the doorframe, exuding effortless allure. Her first response was a teasing smile, her dark eyes smoldering with subtle, seductive fire that sent jolts through me.

"Do you want me to come over?" She purred, like legit purred, her words a sultry invitation.

Chineke Nna.

I held her gaze for a moment, my bottom lip pulled between my teeth as my pulse raced in the charged atmosphere. We were in the admin block, literally the most dangerous place to have any form of intimacy in the entire school.

Did I still want to go through with this? Hell yeah.

It was daring. I liked dares.

So I gave Adela all the go-ahead she needed.

"Come Here,"

I rasped, nodding my head to the side as a beckoning, my voice coming out hushed and husky... like a groan.

For a heartbeat, Adela remained still with her eyes locked on mine, the air of tension between us intensifying every passing second. Then, with a deliberate sway in her step, she pushed herself off the doorframe and began to make her way toward me, the door swinging close behind her.

Damn.

With every step she got closer, my heart pounded louder in my chest, threatening to burst out of my rib cage. I could actually feel the intensity of her presence like a magnetic field, pulling me in. Her every step exuded sensuality and my heart quickened... all the way till she was in my personal space.

Till I could feel the warmth radiating from her body.

"Hi," she whispered, and my lips stretched in a small smile.

"Hi," my voice didn't sound like mine. It was too breathless, croaked... deeper. This was the point where I could have pulled her in, just to feel her against me.

But my hand remained buried in my pocket, an act of restraint, while hers hung at her sides. We were standing just inches away from each other, yet we didn't touch, and that was what made this a whole lot more intimate.

I fought every instinct within me not to reach out and touch her, to let my fingers trace and feel her skin. My fist kept clenching and unclenching in my pocket as I struggled to maintain control.

For the record, it was fucking hard.

"You got a haircut," she notes, looking at my hair briefly before meeting my eyes again. I chuckled

"I did," I answered. "I'm sure more than half of our class boys got a haircut," I added, to point out that it was not that big of a deal.

"I don't care about them," she dismissed with an eye roll, and I laughed.

Then she reached out and ran her fingers through my hair. At that moment, her scent enveloped me, and I had to will my eyes to stay open. I don't know what exactly had me like that, her intoxicating scent or the feel of her fingers running through my hair.

Or maybe it was even both.

And when she tugged on the strands a little hard, I groaned, my right hand flying right out of my pocket and catching hers in a swift move, eliciting a soft gasp from her. A gasp that sounded anything but innocent.

Fuck.

"Adela," I chided.

"What?" She shrugged. "I like tugging on it," she smirked.

What? My eyes widened.

"Why does that sound like it has a double meaning?" My brows tugged up, and her smirk stretched.

"It does?" She was feigning ignorance. "I have no idea,"

I laughed, shaking my head at her.

"You are playing with me," I muttered, and she grinned, but didn't for once attempt to release her hand still restrained in my grasp.

I was towering over her, our height different evident in our proximity, a silent display of dominance that went straight to my head, especially with how her hand remained trapped in mine. Every fiber of my being yearned to close the remaining gap between us and indulge in this, to take it as far as she wanted me to.

As far as I wanted to.

But not here. She deserved better than here.

So I dropped her hand, not missing the small pout of disappointment that formed on her lips.

But it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"I noticed you and Hilary earlier," Adela started, changing the topic.

"Oh. That," I laughed lightly. "We talked this morning," I informed her. Her eyes lit up at that.

"Really? How did it go?" She asked, seeming genuinely curious and interested in whatever Hilary and I must have discussed. I know it was supposed to be weird, talking about Hilary and me, but it didn't seem like it.

"Better than I expected, actually," I answered. "I mean, she can stand my presence now and she doesn't seem to hate my guts too much," I joked, and Adela laughed.

I relayed more about what Hilary and I discussed, told Adela that Hilary already forgave me but said she wasn't sure we could be okay.

"It's still something, right?" Adela asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. "It's way better than nothing," I agreed. Adela nodded, muttering how proud she was of me, making me smile.

I was proud of myself too.

"So, what was going through your mind when you watched me walk in?"

And we are back. My heart started pounding that instant.

"What?" I tried to feign ignorance.

"Earlier. Before the meeting," she clarified nonetheless, head tilted to the side as she peered at me with intricate eyes and a smirk. "What was going on in that head of yours when you watched me walk in?" she asked– no, dared.

"What makes you think I had something going on in my head?" I questioned back.

"You definitely did, else you wouldn't have had that tortured look in your eyes as you stared at me," she stated without mincing words or being shy. I laughed

I know what I was thinking, the unholy thoughts that ran through my head as I watched her walk in earlier, especially one. But I wasn't sure if I could tell her that.

"Do you really want to know?" I asked her.

"Wouldn't be asking you if I didn't," she answered, her smirk urging me.

"It's stupid," I wanted to dissuade her.

"I'd be the judge of that," she wasn't backing down either. I sighed. "Come on. Humor me," she cajoled, and a breath of resignation left my lips.

"Fine," I gave in finally, and her smile widened in triumph.

Here goes nothing.

"I..." I started, then trailed off to gather my thoughts. She looked on, waiting for me to speak.

"I just wanted to know if you had your waist chain on," I admitted, my eyes locked on hers to see her reaction. She looked back at me with a slightly agape mouth, unable to hide her shocked expression.

"Wow," she breathed out, a soft laugh escaping her lips. My confession had clearly taken her by surprise. I felt a tad bit awkward about saying something like that out loud, especially since it was a thought that was safely inside my head.

But then again, this is Adela. We were way past shy.

"I told you it was stupid," I chuckled, attempting to downplay my words, though the desire in my eyes betrayed me.

"Not even close," Adela debunked, her expression shifting from surprise to something deeper and darker, something untamed that I couldn't quite decipher. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in her mind, but before I could ask, she spoke, her voice low and seductive.

"Do you still want to know?"

The question took me by surprise, and I couldn't hide the shock that flashed across my face.

"What?" I blinked, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Do you still want to know if I have it on?" she repeated the question, her voice carrying a teasing, sensual tone as her steps brought her closer to me, her body now barely inches away.

My breath caught in my throat as I met her gaze, now pressed against the table behind me.

What the fuck is going on in this girl's head?

"Yes," I answered without hesitation, my voice coming out breathless.

I watched as she glanced towards the door, her gaze checking for privacy. The closed blinds on the room's windows ensured no one could see through from outside. When Adela looked back at me, there was a teasing, yet sensual glint in her eyes. She was playing with me like guitar strings, and I was willingly at her mercy.

With one swift motion, she untucked her shirt from her skirt, and my eyes widened.

"What are you doing?" I whispered-yelled, glancing at the door again, knowing that it wasn't locked when she came in. If anyone walked in right now, this would look so wrong.

"Don't worry, I'm not stripping for you," she joked, flashing me a mischievous smile. I couldn't help but chuckle at her ability to lighten a very... very tense atmosphere.

"Do you trust me?" she whispered, looking at me with pseudo-innocent eyes that were anything but.

"Of course," I replied without a second thought.

"Good."

Then she took my hands and gently placed them on her hips, sending a jolt of electricity through me. My heart leaped in my chest, and a sharp breath escaped my lips. I held her gaze with unwavering intensity as I tried to subdue my building arousal.

I was definitely not expecting that.

"Feel your way up," she instructed, and my brows furrowed as I tried to understand what she meant. "Into my shirt," she added for clarification. 

I nearly groaned.

"Adela," I growled softly, warning her, my arousal spiking, but she didn't back down.

"Do it," she insisted, her siren eyes locking me in place. "It's okay," she whispered the indirect invitation.

Fuck me...

Slowly... sensually, I began to feel my way up her hips, all the while locking my gaze to hers with unwavering intent as my hands disappeared into her shirt. The material of her skirt was still beneath my fingers as I moved upward, feeling the curves of her hips beneath my finger.

My breath hitched when I finally got to the waistband of her skirt and felt her bare skin.

Soft.

Delicate.

It was at that Adela decided to pull her bottom lip between her teeth, sending my arousal spiking to the height of a skyscraper.

Okay. I'm Fucked. I'm completely and totally Fucked.

But I couldn't for the life of me stop.

My hands continued to explore her waist, her bare skin was impossibly soft beneath my fingers. She arched her back against me, pressing her hands to my chest, and I fought the urge to groan. Our chests rose and fell in sync, our hearts pounding with the same desire.

I was legit fighting principalities and powers not to take this any further.

Feeling her body beneath my hands was like sipping sweet intoxication.

Addictive.

Spellbinding.

I knew this had just as much effect on her as it did on me, but she was a seductress. She knew exactly how to hide her arousal while playing me around her fingers like a puppeteer.

Not for long.

Soon, Adela. Soon.

My hands continued to glide over her soft skin until they finally found the tiny waist chain. Adela's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous allure.

"Can you feel it?" she asked, and I returned her smile.

"I can," I answered with a nod, sounding completely breathless. "Gold?"

"Silver," she corrected with a playful glint in her eye. "I'm not showing you," she added quickly, causing me to laugh at her playful antics.

"Don't worry. I'm very content feeling it." I reassured her and she giggled, pressing herself further into me.

At that moment, my senses were on high alert, and the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of us. There was an undeniable electricity in the air, a heady mix of desire and curiosity that surged through my veins.

Every inch of her body beneath my hands was like a drug; addictive and intoxicating. I could feel the heat between us, a fire that threatened to consume all reason and restraint. Time had slowed, and my heart was pounding, almost echoing the rhythm of her own racing pulse.

I was teetering on the edge of something profound and passionate, and the anticipation was both thrilling and torturous. The way she looked at me with those siren eyes only fueled the fire within me. The moment was intense, intimate, and it left me wanting more.

But I couldn't have more.

Not now. Not here.

"Jidenna!"

Ola's voice cut through the charged atmosphere, pulling us back to reality. I groaned, my head falling into the hollow of Adela's neck as she giggled.

In no time, Ola barged into the room, seeing Adela and I still in that position. His lips pulled up in a smirk and his brows wiggled.

"I definitely interrupted something, didn't I?" he teased with a grin, and Adela laughed in response.

I, on the other hand, was far less amused.

"What the hell do you want?" I snapped, my frustration evident. Ola's playful demeanor shifted to a more serious one.

"Right, you're needed," he told me with a sense of urgency. My brows furrowed in confusion as I wondered what could be so important.

"I'm needed? For what?" I asked.

"Your best friend is on a rampage. Basketball court, right now," Ola replied, and that was all it took for me to pull away from Adela. There was only one person he could be talking about.

Tekena Tamuno.

𝐀/𝐍

For the record, I didn't write any of that👀.

After Adela entered the room like this, that's how they hijacked my phone and wrote all that steamy nonsense. I had to fight to get my phone back so that I would make Ola interrupt them, before they start offing cloth🌚.

But omo🥵😪🔥. Jidenna and Adela dey carry me go where I no know. Na prettyaffy  cause this thing with that video she sent me yesterday 😪. I go love o.

Jidenna and Hilary are getting there. That's progress right? Even with TK sef, it's progress. Seems like Jidenna is growing balls day after day (this sounds very wrong, but you know what I mean🌚). I'm proud of my baby's growth 🥹✨.

What had TK done now though? Le sigh 😪. I don taya for that boy. Give your speculations in the comments.

Till the next update, you know the drill😌. Kisses 😘