(076 - One Hundred Percent Part 1)

Song for chapter: "Don't let me down" by The Chainsmokers ft Daya

Who missed me? 😏

You don't have to pretend, I'm sure y'all really missed me. Don't worry, I missed me too.

P. S. If you know you have decided to be a ghost reader (you don't vote or comment when you read), that's fine. But you have no right asking me when next I'm updating, especially on my message board. The next time see messages like that, I'll just delete it like I never saw it and use ibinu to block you, make sure you can never access this book again.

😁

Are you ready for this update? I don't think you are. Maybe you are sef, I don't know🤷🏽‍♀️.

Let's Dive in. Try not to drown🌚.

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𝐉𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐀
(Jidenna Leo Okojie)

The cool morning was biting into my skin, making each breath a little sharper, a little crisper.

I could hear the sole of my sneaker pounding against the tarred road vaguely, a steady rhythm that echoed through the quiet estate. I was jogging right in the middle of the road, knowing fully well that no car would come out of anywhere.

Aside from the fact that it was still very early in the day, this was Kingsley Okojie's estate.

We were the only ones who lived here.

It was almost peaceful here— trees lining the road, leaves rustling on the soft breeze, the occasional chirp of a bird.

I mean, all of that almost made up for having a sadistic maniac own the place, right?

Wrong.

I have jogged more in these last few weeks than I have in my entire life, pushing my body until my muscles burned and my lungs ached.

It was meant to be relaxing, reliving even. And to some extent, it was. The repetitive motion, the feel of the asphalt beneath my feet, the rush of blood in my ear— it all helped drown out the noise of everything else.

But it didn't do the one thing I wanted it to do.

It didn't keep her out of my head.

Who was I kidding? There's nothing or no one on this earth that could keep her out of my mind.

Not jogging down the same route every single morning, not the occasional sparring sessions with Tola where I'd punch and block like I could the memory of her face from that day away. Definitely not school or classes.

Not anything.

Not even my damn willpower.

I quickened my pace, the sound of my breathing growing louder in my ears as I rounded a bend road. But no matter how hard or how fast I ran, she was still there.

Her smile, her voice, her defiance— which I found so fucking sexy, the way she looked at me like I was the only person that mattered in her world... the broken look in her eyes when she realized I never figured it out.

It was all etched in my mind.

I slowed to a stop, my chest heaving as I bent over, hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. Sweat dripped down my face, stinging my eyes, but I barely paid attention to it.

All I could think about was her, and I might have ruined the best thing that has ever happened to me in a long time.

Us.

Adela was good for me in ways I hadn't even realized I needed. She was like a breath of fresh air in a world that was suffocating. She had this way of pulling me out of my head, making me forget all the bullshit that came with being my father's son. With her, I didn't have to be perfect like everyone expected.

I could just be Jidenna. And that was enough for her.

When I was with her, the weight I carried around didn't feel as heavy. The world didn't seem as harsh. My life didn't seem as fucked up. She made things better.

She made me better.

But I might have fucked it all up.

I let out a frustrated breath, straightening up and staring at the horizon. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over the estate, turning the sky into a canvas of pinks and oranges. It was beautiful, breathtaking even, but it did nothing to ease the ache in my chest.

Because no matter how beautiful the morning was, no matter how far I ran, I knew one thing for certain.

I couldn't outrun her.

And I definitely couldn't outrun the events of that day.

Because one way or another, everything that was revealed that evening, everything that was said and done, they had shaped.

"Let's play,"

The tension in the air was almost suffocating, and Tekena's smug demeanor was a stark contrast to Adela's calmness. They were both locked in a heated stare- no, glare down while I stood at the center looking between the both of them, confused out of my mind.

There was something they both knew that I had no idea about, and that was enough for me to not feel good about whatever it was. Adela and Tekena knew something I didn't, something that was clearly about me.

Nah... it was a recipe for disaster.

I weighed my options. One, I could call Tekena's bluff and walk out of here right now with Adela. I knew for a fact that he was probably only trying to stir up trouble between me and her, and the last thing I wanted to do was to indulge him. I could just walk away with her and ask her about all of this in private.

Two, I could confront this head-on, right here right now with both of them present, get it over and done with once and for all.

Deep down, I wanted to go with the first choice to avoid drama, especially from Tekena. But the curiosity that gnawed inside me won.

I chose the second.

"Okay," I said, my voice steady but edged with frustration. "One of you needs to start talking, or I'm going to lose my mind."

"I'm sorry, Jidenna," Adela started, glancing at me for a bit before going back to stare at Tekena. "But it's not going to be me," she said.

Tekena folded his hand across his chest and scoffed, and I wondered how he was still standing despite the pain Sochima Johnson had inflicted on him. He looked like a cat that just caught a canary, ready to pounce on the chaos he was creating.

And that only fueled my irritation.

"Well," he drawled, his eyes flicking between Adela and me in a predatory gleam. "Isn't this quite a situation?" His words dripped with malice, every word designed specifically to provoke.

"Stop beating around the bush, Tekena," Adela rolled her eyes like she was bored. "You brought this up, so if you have something to say, say it. I'm going to do you a favor and let you tell Jidenna the truth yourself because if I have to say it, you won't like the way I'm going to say it."

The seriousness and control in her voice told me she wasn't playing. And it also solidified the gravity of whatever this was.

"Come on, Adela," Tekena chuckled but I could tell that it was his way of concealing the fact that her cool demeanor annoyed him. "The only person with a truth to tell is you. You've been lying to him about the reason you befriended him in the first place, and he deserves to know the truth."

What the hell? I was so lost.

"Finally," Adela threw her hands up in exasperation. "Something we can both agree on." She added.

"Wait."

I held my hands for both of them to stop, the back and forth driving me crazy because it only confused me more.

Then, I looked at Adela.

"What the hell is he talking about?" I asked her. "What truth?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

"Jidenna, don't believe anything he says," she said to me while she held my gaze, her eyes telling me to calm down. But Tekena laughed, a mocking, bitter sound that grated on my nerves.

"Why, Adela?" He bobbed his head to the side, a devious smirk playing on his lips. "Don't you want him to find out that your parents are the lawyers handling all cases about Kingsley Okojie's dubious crimes?"

Wait, what?

An alarm went off in my head at the mention of my father's name.

I was speechless for a moment, trying to wrap my mind around what I had just heard, trying to make sense of it. Adela's parents were lawyers; she had mentioned that a couple of times, so what Tekena said wasn't the least bit farfetched.

But it can't be, right?

There was no way...

Wait...

My mind raced back to when I visited Adela's house last year. I met her mum and introduced myself to her. The shock on her face when she heard my last name, asking if I was related to Kingsley Okojie. The way she looked at me all through that day, was a mix of skepticism and a bit of pity.

Now it made so much sense.

Wait, did Adela know about this? I turned to her, my eyes searching for answers.

"Adela, did you know about this?" My voice was barely above a whisper, the weight of this revelation pressing down on me like baggage

She was still composed, her emotions seemed in check but I could see a flicker of something in her eyes— guilt, maybe?

My heart pounded in my chest.

"Jidenna, don't listen to him—"

"But is it true?" I cut her off, my voice rising. "Are your parents handling cases against my father?"

"Of course, she won't admit it, Jidenna," Tekena spoke, his smirk widening as he watched the exchange, enjoying the chaos he had unleashed. "I mean, why would she? She's been helping them get the information they need by befriending you."

"Shut up!"

Adela snapped at him, her composure wavering a bit. She then turned to look at me, coming to stand right before me, blocking Tekena out of my vision.

"Jidenna, listen to me. You and I know that's not true." Her voice was pleading, begging, attributes I have never associated with Adela.

But my mind was spinning, pieces of the puzzle falling into place with horrifying clarity. Her defiance when I didn't want to tell her about the abuse. She convinced me to lay it all on her lap, and I did.

Was it all a ploy?

No... it can't be.

"Then tell me the truth, Adela," I said, my voice edged with desperation. "Did you know?"

"Jidenna, it's not that simple. I didn't—"

"Make it simple!" I snapped, my frustration boiling over.

Adela backtracked, staring at me in disbelief, the hurt clear on her face. I could see the pain etched across her features, not believing I had just snapped at her.

I couldn't believe it either.

"I'm not fighting with you, Jidenna," she said, her voice quivering a bit. "And I'm definitely not going to fight with you because of him." She pointed to Tekena who scoffed out a laughter in response.

"Then, tell me, Adela," My voice softened, pleading now. "Just tell me the truth."

"Jidenna, I don't have any truth to tell because I never hid anything from you." Adela cried out with equal frustration.

"Liar!" Tekena spat, his voice dripping with venom.

Adela's eyes blazed as she turned to him. I could tell that her patience had finally snapped. She had had enough of Tekena and whatever game they were both playing.

"You have the nerve to call me a liar?" She spat out, her voice shaking with so much fury I have never seen her emit. "You lying, malicious, conniving and manipulative son of bitch!"

Oh wow!

The words hung in the air, heavy and venomous. I was taken aback, my eyes widening in shock at the intensity of her outburst. Adela had always been composed, even back when she used to insult me, she did it without batting an eyelid or breaking a sweat.

But this?

This was a side of her I had never seen before. The sheer rage in her voice sent a shiver down my spine.

Tekena, on the other hand, looked like he had been slapped across the face. His smirk vanished, replaced by a stunned expression. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he seemed at a loss for words.

He had not expected that.

And Adela wasn't even done.

"You want to play dirty? Fine, let's play dirty," she turned away from me and stepped closer to Tekena. "Let's talk about how you've been scheming behind Jidenna's back, pretending to be his friend while preying on his weakness and feasting on his vulnerability just because you wanted to keep controlling him."

What?

"You don't know shit about my friendship with Jidenna, Adela," Tekena spat back, finally finding his voice. 

"Yeah?" Adela chuckled humorlessly. "I know just about enough, and I know for a fact that he never told you about his father's dirty dealings. Heck, he never told me. So, tell us, Tekena. How the fuck did you find out?"

Wait... I backtracked, my mind reeling.

Tekena brought up my dad's dirty dealings, yet I can't remember ever telling him about it. Hell, I didn't even know the full details about my own father's shady dealings. And Adela was right, I didn't tell her. All I told her was about the abuse.

So how in God's name did Tekena find out?

"Tekena," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "How do you know about my dad's business?"

"Why does that matter?" he scoffed, brushing me off.

"It matters!" I snapped, my frustration boiling over. "I never told you, so how the hell did you find out!"

"That's what you get for keeping things from me!" Tekena shot back, trying to turn it on me. "I just wanted to find out on my own because I care about you. Jidenna, you know I do."

Adela scoffed, crossing her arms.

"What a load of bullshit." She mumbled to herself but we all heard her. I looked at Tekena, my mind racing.

"And how long have you known?" I asked him.

"Maybe about the same time, he found out that Kingsley abuses you," Adela interjected, her voice cold and sharp.

The fuck?

Those words hit me like a freight train. All the bolts holding my sanity unknotted and went loose inside my head. My vision blurred with a mix of anger, confusion, and betrayal. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The room seemed to spin as I tried to process everything.

What... is... happening?

I never told Tekena about the abuse. How the hell...

Fuck!

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Tekena said, his voice steady and confident. "You have no fucking proof of what you are saying,"  he turned to me. "Jidenna, Adela is lying, and it's her word against mine. Who are you going to believe? Your best friend of four years or her?"

But his words barely registered. My mind was reeling, the edges of my vision tinged with red. I felt my heart pounding furiously in my chest, each beat echoing in my ears. I clenched my fists so hard I thought my knuckles would split open.

I turned to look at Tekena, my gaze scorching with fury. Tekena's confident smirk faltered as soon as he met my eyes. He took a small step back, the color draining from his face as he saw the sheer rage burning in mine. His eyes widened, a flicker of fear replacing the arrogance.

He has never seen me like this.

Good.

There's a first time for everything.

"Tell me the truth right now, Tekena," I growled, my voice shaking with rage. "Did you know about my father abusing me?"

"Of course not!" Tekena said, trying to regain his composure. "I have no idea what she's talking about. Adela's just trying to mess with your head. She's twisting things, Jidenna. I never knew about any of that."

"Okay," Adela breathed, pulling out her phone, her eyes never leaving Tekena's. "I didn't think I would have to do this, but since you want to keep lying..." she trailed off, holding her phone up to show that she was about to play something.

Tekena's eyes darkened.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

"Nothing." She shrugged, a smirk playing on her lips. "You have nothing to lose, right? Well, I'm just trying to let you know that it's not my word against yours. It's actually your word against yours."

She pressed play, and Tekena's voice filled the room:

"And what do you think he'll do when he finds out that your parents are in charge of all his father's cases?"

"What are you saying?" That was Adela's voice.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Adela Yongo."

"Humor me, Tekena Tamuno."

"Your parents' firm is the one handling every Kingsley Okojie case. From the allegations of him being a killer to embezzling billions from the state and the country.—"

What the actual fuck?

I didn't know any of this.

"—And I've also heard some very interesting rumors about him sleeping with young girls. Girls like you, Adela."

Oh, he didn't just say that about Adela.

My vision tunneled, the words crashing over me like a tidal wave. The anger coursed through my veins, molten and scorching. I had never felt such a burning rage in my life. It was as if a volcano had erupted within me, spewing out all the fury I had suppressed.

"Do you know he hits Jidenna? He beats the poor boy to a pulp, to the brink of death sometimes."

The world seemed to stop. The intricacies of those words confirmed that Tekena had known about my father's abuse for a long time. My own best friend had known.

The disbelief cut through the anger like a jagged blade.

I looked at Tekena and saw horror etching itself into his eyes. His confident facade had completely crumbled, replaced by wide, frightened pupils.

Lying piece of shit!

"Why are you telling me all this?" Adela's voice rang out through the speakers.

"You know I can easily spin the story and tell Jidenna that you're only with him for your parents. I can tell him that you're using him to gather information to give to your parents, information that can bring down his father.—"

The hell? I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"—You know I can turn him against you with a snap of my fingers. I have Jidenna wrapped around my little finger, and I can make him do whatever I want."

Okay, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop," I said, my voice hoarse. "Stop the recording."

Adela stopped it.

A heavy silence followed, pressing down on us like an anvil.

I stood there, trying to control the volcanic rage bubbling inside me. Each breath felt like it was being dragged through my chest with effort. Betrayal cut through me, raw and sharp.

Yes, Tekena and I had already been drifting apart, but this? Knowing about my father's abuse for so long and doing or saying nothing? Trying to manipulate me just to drive a wedge between Adela and me?

This was another level of heartlessness.

"I warned you never to underestimate my feelings for Jidenna," Adela broke the silence, her voice cold and resolute and her eyes trained on a heaving Tekena. "My only regret now is that I had to put him through all that bullshit you said, but that was the only way I could get a leech like you off him for good."

My breath caught in my chest as Adela's words cut through the air like a knife, sharp and unyielding. I have never heard her speak with such cold, unwavering resolve, her voice steely and filled with conviction that it left me breathless.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.

She didn't look at me, didn't need to. Her eyes were locked on Tekena, like a lioness defending her territory, her pride.

Me.

Adela's words echoed in my ears, sinking in deeper with every second. She wasn't just standing up to Tekena—she was declaring, in no uncertain terms, how much I meant to her. This fierce, unwavering woman, ready to drag Tekena through hell and back if it meant keeping me safe...

She was fighting for me.

No one has ever fought for me before.

And she wasn't even done.

""I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure he's okay," Adela said, her voice unshaken and fierce. "And if it means dragging you through the filthiest, most wretched sewers, through the darkest, most vile corners of hell itself to protect him, then so be it. I'll do it without a second thought!"

"You bitch!" Tekena spat, the words laced with venom as he began to match towards her. "You're a fucking—"

My head sparked with fury.

In one swift move, I stepped in front of Adela to shield her and jerked Tekena towards me by his collar, the shock in his eyes satisfying some primal part of me.

He hadn't seen it coming, so he didn't have the opportunity to deflect or fight back, his bravado completely shattering. I glared at him, contemplating whether to just punch him across the face or kick him in the balls.

I have never thrown a punch before, but I would really like to start with his stupid face.

But instead, I stopped myself. Sochima Johnson had done me such a huge favor by giving him the beating of his life.

I could feel my fury cool just enough for me to speak.

"Fuck you." I simply said, shoving him off.

By the time I turned around to speak to Adela, she was gone.

🎶What you know about rollin' down in the deep?
When your brain goes numb, you can call that mental freeze...🎶

My ringtone rang out, jolting me back to the present. I retrieved my phone from the pocket of my joggers and glanced down at the screen. Tola's name flashed across the display. I exhaled, bringing the phone to my ear.

"What!" I snapped, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.

"Attitude," Tola chided teasingly and I hissed. "Are you planning on sleeping out there, or do you think you can avoid sparring this morning? Just so you know, you can't." He deadpanned.

I blinked, realizing I had been standing in the same spot I was when I stopped running earlier, completely lost in my thoughts.

How long did I zone out for?

"Shit," I muttered, massaging my temple. "I'll be back soon. Just... got a little bit distracted," I said as I made a detour.

"Yeah, I bet," Tola chuckled back, though I could hear an undercurrent of concern in his voice. "Just hurry back. You know you are the one that asked for these lessons." He reminded me.

Yeah, so that I can kill that bastard if he ever shows his face in front of me again.

I hung up and pocketed the phone, glancing around the estate. The sun had climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows across the road. I let out a breath and turned on my heels, my feet carrying me back toward the fortress.

It was time to try and beat those thoughts out of my mind again.

Keyword: Try.

Because heaven knows it's all going to be a complete waste of time because it won't work.

"Took you long enough," Tola's voice greeted me as soon as I walked into the gym located at the back of the house.

He was leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring, a smirk playing on his lips with his usual playful demeanor which he always had with me around present. But I wasn't in the mood for any banter today.

I haven't been in the mood for banter in the last month.

Tola knew this but he hasn't asked any questions... yet. It was uncharacteristic of him, but in a way, I was grateful.

"Let's just get this over with," I muttered, not bothering to meet his gaze.

I shrugged off my hoodie, tossing it onto a nearby bench before stepping into the ring. Tola raised an eyebrow but didn't press any further. He slipped on his padded mitts and tossed my boxing gloves. The leather felt cool against my skin as I pulled them on, tightening the straps.

Obviously, Tola was the trained one between the two of us, but have been picking up some skills here and there since we started sparring together. It has become a routine, a way to burn off some steam, though it never quite did what I needed it to.

We squared off, and Tola immediately took the lead, his movements fluid and controlled. I followed, my punches a bit heavier, and less precise, but with each session, I was getting better, more focused. The rhythmic thud of gloves hitting the padded mitts echoed through the gym.

"Focus, Jidenna," Tola said, sidestepping one of my jabs and countering with a light tap to my ribs. I grunted slightly and adjusted my stance.

We continued like that for a while, the silence between us filled only with the sound of our breathing and the dull impacts of my gloves hitting his padded mitts. But even as I moved, throwing punches and dodging his, my mind kept drifting.

"Whatever's troubling you," Tola started speaking again mid-punch, "sparring will only do so much in soothing it." His words were measured, spoken between breaths as he deflected another one of my swings.

"I'm fine," I responded monotonously, throwing a hook that Tola easily deflected.

"Yeah, sure," he rolled his eyes, his tone skeptical as he slipped a jab past my guard.

Of course, he didn't buy that.

"I know you, Jidenna, and I know when you're not fine." He continued, dancing out of the way of my next punch. "These past few weeks, you've been...different. Stoic. Unfeeling. Whatever's going on, it's written all over your face. We both know you are terrible at hiding your feelings." He stated shrewdly.

"And I said I'm fine," I repeated, focusing on the motion of my body, trying to drown out his words.

"No, you are not," he countered gently, stepping in with a quick combo, forcing me to respond.

He dodged.

"Your stance is off," he pointed out, tapping my shoulder lightly with his glove. "Keep your guard up."

I adjusted, trying to focus, but my thoughts were slipping away from the present. Tola circled me, his gaze sharp, assessing.

"Is this about Adela?" he asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the rhythm of our sparring.

I didn't say anything, just kept moving, and kept throwing punches that he blocked with ease. He narrowed his eyes, reading the silence.

"Okay, is it about Tekena?"

And just like that, something inside me snapped at the mention of that name.

Anger surged through me, and without thinking, I threw a mean right hook, the power behind it far more intense than any of the punches before, or any of the punches I've ever thrown. Tola barely caught it, the force sending a shock through his arm. His eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled back slightly, clearly not expecting that from me at all.

I wasn't expecting it either but I didn't care.

"Whoa..." Tola's voice trailed off, his words halting when he caught the full force of the anger blazing in my eyes.

My chest heaved with each breath, the adrenaline pumping through my veins like molten lava. The mere mention of Tekena's name had flipped a switch inside me, dragging up memories and emotions I'd fought to bury over the past month. I could feel the anger curling in my gut, twisting tighter and tighter until it was almost suffocating.

My hands clenched into fists at my sides, the leather of the gloves creaking under the strain. My entire body tensed, every muscle coiled and ready to strike, to unleash this pent-up rage.

Tola could see it as he continued looking at me. He had touched on something too close to the bone, and he knew it.

"Jidenna—"

"Don't," I cut him off, my voice a low, dangerous growl that didn't even sound like my own. "Don't you dare say his name ever again!"

"Okay," Tola held his hands up in a gesture of peace and surrender, but his eyes stayed on mine, concerns etched in his features. "But now, I need to know what's going on," he maintained.

"No, you don't." I refused adamantly.

"Oh yes, I do," he wasn't backing off either. "Just the mention of your best friends—"

"He is not my best friend!" I interjected sharply.

"And this is what I'm talking about," Tola threw his hands up in exasperation. "You threw the meanest right hook you have ever been able to muster just at the mention of his name, and now, you are saying he is not your best friend."

I didn't respond, just stood there, breathing hard, the rage still simmering beneath the surface, needing a trigger for it to burst out. The gym suddenly felt too small, too confined and all I wanted to do was escape, to get out and away from everyone and everything.

"Something happened, Jidenna. He did something that got you this worked up," Tola continued, careful not to mention his name. "I need to know what it is because this," he gestured to my form, "whatever this is, I don't like it. Containing your anger is not good,"

"I'm handling it fine," I said through gritted teeth.

"No, you are not. And we both know that," Tola replied.

I didn't speak. Tola's eyes searched mine and for a moment, neither of us moved, suspended in a tense, electric silence.

"Okay," he whispered, and I breathed, thinking he was finally dropping it.

I was wrong.

"Let's make a deal," he said, taking a step closer, his eyes still locked on mine. "We are going to spar right now, and if you can successfully land a strike on me, I'll dead this whole thing. No more questions, no more prying," he said.

My brows furrowed in thought. I quietly urged him on because I knew that wasn't the end.

"But if I manage to land a strike on you... you'll have to tell me what going on," he stated. I narrowed my eyes at him, weighing the options.

It was hardly a fair deal; Tola was a trained mercenary and bodyguard. This was his life, so he was by far more experienced than I was. I was just beginning to get a hang of things.

Not to mention, he was so much bigger than I was.

I wasn't stupid— I knew the odds were not in my favor.

"That doesn't sound like a fair deal," I said, flexing my fingers inside the glove. "You're more experienced than I am so you are definitely going to win," I stated, plain and simple. Tola chuckled.

"Maybe," he shrugged, a small grin tugged at the corners of his lips. "But you underestimate the kind of strength you have, Jidenna. Trust me, you have more power than you realize." He said to me.

Those words struck a cord deep inside me, though I tried my best not to let it show. Aside from Adela, those weren't words I was used to hearing. And I knew Tola wasn't just saying it to gas me up. There was conviction in his tone; sincerity.

And that meant more than I was willing to admit.

It was a big stroke on my ego, just enough for me to reconsider the deal. Besides, I wasn't about to back down from a challenge.

Not at this point in my life. I'm no coward.

"Fine," I conceded, squaring my shoulders and meeting Tola's gaze head-on. "You've got yourself a deal."

Tola nodded, his lips curved in a smirk as he removed his padded mitts with a pair of boxing gloves, raising his fists into a ready stance. I mirrored him, taking up my stance.

Let's do this.

We circled each other in the ring, our eyes locked, both of us waiting for the other to make the first move. The air between us crackled with tension, every second ticking by in slow motion.

Then, without warning, Tola lunged forward, his movements quick and fluid, a blur of motion.

I dodged, narrowly avoiding his strike, and countered with a jab aimed at his midsection. Tola twisted out of the way, his reflexes sharp.

This is exactly what I was talking about.

I was already moving again, my feet light on the mat as I pushed my attack. My punches came faster, more aggressive, each one aimed to land but just barely missing as Tola danced out of reach.

He was so much faster than I was.

"Not bad," Tola grunted between breaths, a hint of admiration in his voice as he dodged another jab. "You're faster than I expected."

"Not as fast as you," I panted out, and he chuckled. It wasn't mocking.

"Don't sell yourself short," he responded. "Come on." He urged, and we started circling again.

I focused all my energy on the next strike, my eyes trained on his every movement. I could tell I was getting closer, my punches coming within inches of connecting. I could feel the adrenaline surging through me, the thrill of the fight, the desire to win driving me.

But Tola was quick, too quick. No matter how fast I moved, he was always a step ahead, his footwork impeccable as he avoided every blow. He was doing it with so much ease, without breaking a sweat. I could see the concentration in his eyes.

I tried to fake him out with a feint, hoping to catch him off guard, but Tola cannot be fooled. He sidestepped the punch with ease, his movements smooth and calculated. I could feel frustration starting to creep in.

"Come on, Jidenna," Tola taunted, his voice light, almost teasing. "I know you've got more in you than this. Where's that strength I was talking about?"

I gritted my teeth. I wasn't about to let him win this easily. I pushed myself harder, throwing a flurry of punches, my fists a blur as I tried to break through his defenses. But Tola was like a ghost, always just out of reach, his movements too fast for me to keep up.

Then, in the middle of my rave of assaults, I unconsciously left an opening.

Tola saw this and moved with lightning speed, his fist connecting with my side in a solid, controlled strike. The impact was enough to send me stumbling back, the breath knocked out of me as I tried to regain my balance.

"Fuck," I grunted, clutching my sides.

Tola had won the bet.

He lowered his gloves, a grin spreading across his face as he caught his breath.

"Looks like I win," he said, his tone light but firm.

"Like that was ever an argument," I muttered back, a small smile playing on my lips.

"You put up a good fight, I'll give you that," He said and I shrugged. I grabbed the water bottle on the stool and squirted some water into my mouth.

"Now, Jidenna, a deal's a deal," Tola's voice came behind me with absolutely no hint of a joke. "What's really going on with you?" He asked.

I stood there, still catching my breath, my mind racing. I knew he was right—I'd lost the bet fair and square. I swallowed hard, trying to push back the walls I'd built around myself.

There was no way out of this.

I had to face it.

I stepped out of the boxing ring and made my way to one of the benches along the edge of the gym. I sat down, elbow on my knees and hands clasped together as if in prayer.

Tola's eyes followed me cautiously, staying silent, waiting for me to speak.

"He knew about Kingsley's abuse," I started, my voice almost foreign to my own ears— flat and devoid of the emotions raging inside me. Tola's brows furrowed in confusion.

"I don't understand," he said slowly as if trying to piece together what I was saying.

"Tekena," I said then swallowed, feeling my throat together as the words tried to claw their way out. "He knew Kingsley had been abusing me." I clarified.

The shock was immediate and clear on Tola's face, even though he didn't flinch. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out so he closed it back. It was like he was trying to process that little piece of information.

"How did he find out?" He finally spoke, asking.

"Not from me," I shrugged.

The only person I've ever told about Kingsley was Adela but I knew better than to let that little information slip.

"How long has he known?" Tola asked again, his voice neutral.

"I don't know," I admitted, shaking my head. "But I'm guessing long enough," I added.

Tola didn't say anything for a moment, his hands akimbo. I could literally see the gears turning in his head and I almost chuckled because he didn't even know half of it yet.

"You know, that's not even the point of my anger," I started speaking again, my voice developing a hard edge. "Even if he knew, what could he have possibly done right?" I looked up at Tola. "I mean, Kingsley is practically untouchable. There is nothing anyone can do, not without making things worse, or putting themselves in danger,"

Tola nodded in understanding, his nod slow and cautious. He understood the helplessness that came with being under Kingsley's control. He was starting to grasp what I was talking about but he wasn't quite there yet.

"The thing is," I continued, lips tugged in a humorless smile. "Tekena knew I was in a bad place; mentally, emotionally, psychologically— whatever you want to call it, I was fucked up. Kingsley's constant degrading and abuse put me in a really bad place. I felt abandoned at home. Unloved."

I paused to catch my breath. Tola continued to look at me, continued to listen.

"So, I sought validation from wherever I could get it, especially in school," I went on. "At least, if I can't find it anywhere, I'll definitely find it in Crestview. I just needed someone, anyone to give me a shred of attention," my voice shook with the irony of it all. "Tekena saw that, and he capitalized on it. He preyed on it."

"How?"

Tola wasn't asking because he didn't know. He was asking because he wanted to know how I was able to figure it out.

"It's typical psychological warfare, Tola," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, though laced with anger and venom. "Tekena used my vulnerability and my desperation to manipulate me," I shook my head. "He'd feed me with just enough validation to keep me coming back, to keep me dependent on him. And then, he'd twist it. He'd twist me."

I paused again, clenching my fist, my eyes filling up with unshed tears.

"Because of him, I did things— horrible things to the people I cared about. Things that I am still paying for, just so I could keep that sliver of worth he dangled in front of me."

"Hilary... your friends," Tola mentioned and I nodded, a bead of tears escaping the corner of my eye.

"And now, probably Adela," I muttered, but loud enough for him to hear.

Tola exhaled, not saying anything more.

"He was my best friend," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Or at least, I thought he was. I trusted him more than anyone else. I trusted him with my life, and he broke my trust. He broke me."

More tears fell from my eyes, and I used the back of my palm to clean it, sniffing. Tola remained silent and listened on.

"He wanted to control me and I was such a worthy puppet. Spineless and in need of a master. " I smiled sadly. "He knew how fucked up I was and he used that against me. Every time  I thought I was getting better, every time I thought I could break free, he'd find a way to pull me back in, to remind me that I was nothing without him.—

To remind me that I was worthless."

The silence in the gym was deafening, the only sound being the faint hum of the air conditioning. Tola's eyes bore into mine, filled with pity. But I didn't need his pity. I didn't need anyone's pity.

I brought this on myself by being such an idiot.

A fucking idiot.

"I let him ruin things with Hilary, Kizito, Dawn, and Semeeha. They were my real friends," I breathed out.  "I think I let him ruin things with Adela. I was just a pawn to him. A pawn in his sick, twisted game." I chuckled humorlessly, shaking my head, and allowing more tears to fall.

"Fucking idiot," I muttered.

These words hung in the air, heavy and full of regret. Tola didn't say anything at first. I heard the faint creak of the ropes as he stepped out of the boxing ring. I kept my eyes on the ground, my breath labored when I felt him sit down beside me on the bench.

He sighed.

"You are not an idiot, Jidenna," he finally spoke, his voice low but firm. "Personally, I'm just glad you finally realize the kind of person Tekena is." He said.

I glanced up at him.

"I almost forgot you never really liked us hanging out," I forced a smile.

"For good reasons, apparently," he chipped and I chuckled lightly. "I mean, I knew he was a bad influence. I just didn't know he was a parasite." He added and I nodded slowly.

A toxic parasite at that.

"Look," Tola continued, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "Don't dwell on him. The more you think about him, the more power you give him. What you should be concerned about now is fixing things with the people who had your back from the get-go, fixing things with Adela too. Whatever you did, it couldn't be that bad, right?

I scoffed.

It was terrible. A pang of guilt shot through me.

I could still see her face in my mind, the hurt in her eyes when I yelled at her when I almost took Tekena's words over hers.

"Honestly, I nearly ruined everything," I confessed, my voice raw with regret. "That's if I've not completely ruined it already though. I hurt her, Tola. I wasn't in her corner one hundred percent when I should have been. In fact, I'm supposed to be nowhere else but in her corner."

"Jidenna..."

"She's been... everything to me, Tola," I admitted, my voice cracking. A wave of emotion surged through me, leaving my throat dry and my heart heavy. "When Adela came into my life, it was like someone turned the lights back on. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had a reason to be better, to do better. She's made me see things I'd been blind to for so long—things about myself, about the people I kept around me, about what I truly wanted.—

Before her, I was just coasting through life, letting things happen to me instead of taking control. I was so caught up in all the wrong things, so wrapped up in my own bullshit that I didn't even realize how much I was hurting the people who actually cared about me."

I paused, my voice trembling slightly.

"But Adela..." I went on. "She didn't let me hide from any of it. She called me out on my crap, challenged me in ways I didn't even know I needed. She saw the real me," I beat my chest, "even when I was too scared to face it myself. She made me want to be the kind of man who deserves someone like her.—

And then I went and nearly threw it all away because I let someone like Tekena get inside my head. I nearly lost her because I didn't trust her enough, didn't trust myself enough to be the man she believed I could be. And now... now I don't even know if I can fix it. I don't know if I deserve to."

I finished, my voice barely above a whisper. At that moment, I felt utterly unworthy of her—of her love, her faith in me, everything she'd given me without hesitation.

Everything I threw back in her face when I doubted her, even if it was just for a nanosecond.

"You sell yourself way too short, Jidenna," Tola spoke, his voice laced with pity and something that sounded like annoyance.

I kept quiet.

"You know what your problem is?" Tola continued, his tone softening slightly. "You're too busy convincing yourself that you're not good enough for her, that you don't deserve her. But that's not your call to make. Let her decide what she deserves, and I guarantee you, it's you. The real you—not the broken, manipulated version that Tekena created, but the guy who's strong enough to let her in."

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to believe that I could fix things, that I haven't completely destroyed what we had.

"Since Adela came into your life, Jidenna, you have changed, for the better," he went on. "And no, I'm not just talking about the surface. You've owned up to your mistakes like you did just now. You are desperate to make amends. You are not focused on superficial crap anymore. You are focused on things that matter, things that edify. That's not something everyone can do."

His words hit me like a punch.

"Whatever it is you did, it doesn't have to change things between you and Adela," he stated matter-of-factly. "You can't keep wallowing in self-pity and loathing, thinking you have made some unfixable mistake. You haven't. The only way you can really screw this up is if you don't try to make things right.

Tola paused, allowing his words to settle in. And I took them; hook, line, and sinker.

"How do you feel about her?" He asked.

The answer was right there at the tip of my tongue.

"I'm in love with her," I responded in a heartbeat.

Tola grinned.

"Then you have to tell her," he said to me. "Girls like reassurance. In as much as actions speak louder, words also go a long way. She won't know how you feel unless you tell her, Jidenna,"

I let out a short laugh, shaking my head at how simple it made it sound, even though it felt like the hardest thing in the world.

It wasn't hard for her. Why should it be hard for you? That little voice in my head asked.

"Jidenna," Tola called to me and I looked at him. "I'm not going to sit back and watch you make the same mistake you did with Hilary. You lost her because you were so caught up in the wrong things, too afraid to be honest till it was too late. Don't make that same error with Adela."

I held his gaze, knowing he was right. I just needed to figure out how to pick up the pieces of the mess Tekena had left behind.

How to reclaim the parts of myself that he'd taken, twisted, and shattered beyond recognition.

How to be with Adela without reservations

I needed to learn how to love her fully, without holding back, without the fear that I'd somehow taint everything good between us.

I have to become the man she deserves.

"Thank you, Tola," I said, my voice steady but filled with sincerity. He nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You know I'm not just your bodyguard, right? I'm your friend too." He reminded me.

"No, Tola. You're more than that," I shook my head, disagreeing without hesitation. "You're family."

Tola has been the big brother I never had. And that's saying a lot because I have four of them.

For a moment, Tola looked genuinely taken aback, his eyes widening slightly. But he caught himself quickly, a grin spreading across his face.

"Family, huh? I can live with that." He joked and I chuckled.

I stretched my hand out for a bro shake and he took it—a firm grip followed by a solid clap on the back. But it didn't end there.

We pulled each other into a hug.

"Thanks you," I whispered, feeling the weight of everything slowly starting to lift, if only just a little. Tola chuckled softly as we pulled back.

"Anytime, Jidenna. Anytime."

It was almost noon when I returned to my room, the morning conversations with Tola still echoing in my mind as I peeled off my sweat-soaked clothes.

The room was quiet, the kind of quiet that always invites self-reflection and deep thoughts. I walked into the bathroom and put on the shower, letting the cold water run for a bit before I stepped under the stream.

It was the beginning of February and still early in the year. The weather was still cold, and the water was freezing, but I welcomed it— the sharp bite of the cold against my skin brought a strange kind of clarity, a jolt to my senses that I desperately needed.

As the water hit the crown of my head and cascaded down my face and shoulders, I closed my eyes and let the sensation take over. The cold seeped into my muscles, washing away lingering traces of sweat and self-doubt.

But as the water drummed against my skull and physical relief washed over me, my mind was taken back to that evening at the health center.

The moment I had realized Adela was gone.

I bolted out of the male ward, frantically scanning the hallway.

My heart was pounding a wild, erratic beat that drowned out everything else. I looked left and right, and then I saw her— marching off in the opposite direction, her posture rigid and her steps quick.

"Adela!" I called, my voice echoing down the corridor.

She didn't respond. If anything, she quickened her pace, like she wanted nothing more than to our as much space between us as possible. But there's no way in hell I'd let her go like that.

I sprinted after her.

"Adela, please!" My voice cracked with desperation.

When I finally caught up to her, I grabbed her hand, spinning her around to face me. But she jerked her hand out of my grasp as if my touch burned.

"What, Jidenna?" She snapped. "Did you come to yell at me again?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but beneath it, I could hear the hurt in those words.

Her words hit me My face fell as I stood there, helpless, watching the pain in her eyes, the pain I had put there. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach, a sinking, nauseating feeling.

I wanted to reach out, to touch her, to somehow make it all better, but the look in her eyes stopped me cold.

She wouldn't even let me get close.

"I'm sorry," I began, my voice shaky and unsteady, knowing it wasn't enough but not knowing what else to say. "I'm so sorry, Adela. I didn't mean—"

"Sorry?" she snapped, her eyes blazing with unshed tears and my heart broke even more.

The only time I have ever seen Adela close to tears was when I told her about Kingsley and that's very different from this situation.

This time, I hurt her.

"This isn't about you being sorry, Jidenna," she continued, her voice bitter. "This is about you not understanding the gravity of what you did. You took Tekena's word over mine. You doubted me. Do you even know what that means? It shows me that, no matter how small, Tekena still has some control over you."

"No," I said quickly, shaking my head, desperate to make her understand. "Tekena doesn't have any control over me. Not anymore. I swear—"

"Then what was that back there?" she cut me off, pointing to the ward, her voice rising with each word. "Because from where I stood, it sure looked like he still does." She stated point blank.

I took in a shaky breath, not sure how to defend myself because she was right.

Adela's breaths trembled like she was trying to hold herself together.

"I've been there for you, Jidenna—through everything," she said to me, her voice trembling still. "And I'm not saying this to hold it over your head or to use it against you. But when it comes down to me and him, whatever he says still holds more water than anything I say. And there's no way in hell I'm competing with him. Hell, I shouldn't have to!"

Her words were like daggers. She has been there for me, always. And I had failed her when it mattered most.

"I know," I stammered, my voice breaking. "I know, Adela. I know I've messed up. But I swear, that's not how it is. There's no competition— there never was. I'm in your corner. I always have been."

She looked away like she didn't believe me, the tears she had been holding back now slipping down her cheeks.

My heart shattered.

"Adela, please."

I whispered her name like a prayer on my lips. I reached out to cup her face, to wipe away her tears, to touch her, to show her how much she meant to me.

But she gently knocked my hand away, the rejection stinging more than I could bear.

"Stop," she whispered, her voice shaky. "Just... stop."

It broke something inside me... that she wouldn't even let me touch her. I felt my heart breaking, shattering into a million pieces as I stood there, utterly powerless.

"I fucked up, Adela," I admitted, my voice thick with regret. "I fucked up bad."

Adela's chest heaved with a shuddering breath, her tears flowing freely now.

I can't believe I'm the one making her cry.

What the hell is wrong with me?

"I've done everything I can to show you that I'm in this for you," she whispered on, "that everything I do is for your best interest. But what happened back there... it made me realize that maybe I'm not as deep in your corner as you are in mine, Jidenna."

"Adela, that's not true," I pleaded, my voice desperate. "You are. You always have been. I'm so sorry, and I swear—"

"No, Jidenna," she cut me off, her voice firm, though it trembled with emotion. "I'm not saying this to make you feel bad or to get an apology out of you. I'm saying this because I need you to understand how much it hurt. You gave me hell when you thought you weren't as deep in your corner as Ola and the guys, but I'm starting to wonder if I was ever deep in yours."

I wanted to tell her she was wrong, that she was more important to me than anyone or anything, but the look in her eyes—the sheer devastation—left me speechless.

She was pouring out her heart, something she had never done before, and I could see it was costing her, every word a piece of herself she was giving to me.

"Jidenna..." she whispered, her voice so soft it was almost lost in the stillness of the corridor. "What are we even doing? I'm standing here, bothering myself, pouring out my heart when I'm not even sure you feel the same way."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

How could she not know?

How could she not see how much I cared, how much she meant to me?

How much I wanted her?

"That's not fair," I croaked, my voice raw with emotion. "You know how much you mean to me, Adela."

"Do I, Jidenna?" She scoffed out a humorless laugh, eyes brimming with tears. "Because from where I'm standing, it doesn't feel that way."

"That's not true," I insisted, my voice rising with core desperation and plea. "Have I not made it obvious enough that I'm crazy about you, Adela?"

"And have I not made it obvious enough that I'm in love with you, you fucking idiot!"

She cried out, her voice echoing and bouncing off the walls of the hallway.

Her confession knocked the breath out of me. I stood there, utterly speechless, the world around us seeming to freeze in that moment. My heart pounded so violently I thought it might burst from my chest.

I hadn't expected it—not now, not like this. And not from her first. If anything, I always thought I'd be the first to say it.

But there it was, raw and unfiltered, a truth so powerful it left me reeling.

For what felt like an eternity, we just stood there, staring at each other, the air between us thick with everything we hadn't said, with everything that was now out in the open. Our breathing was ragged, our chests rising and falling as if we had both just run a marathon.

I found my voice first, but it was weak and tentative.

"Adela..."

I made to close the space between us but she held up a hand, stopping me before I could say more.

"Don't," she said, her voice steady despite the tears still streaming down her face. "Don't say another word—not until you're ready to be in my corner, one hundred percent. Because right now, Jidenna, you're not there yet. Not completely. And until you are, we can't be together."

She took a step back. I wanted to pull her to me, to promise her that I could be that person, that I was that person.

To let her know how much I love her.

But the truth was, I wasn't sure if I could, and she deserved more than empty promises.

So I stayed rooted to the spot, watching as she turned and walked away from me. This time, I didn't follow. I let her go, the sound of her footsteps growing fainter with each passing second until all that was left was the echo of her words and the hollow ache in my chest.

I felt her absence like a physical ache.

Since that day, Adela had been avoiding me, and it was killing me slowly, piece by piece.

She wasn't replying any of my messages. In school, she wouldn't talk to me—wouldn't even acknowledge my existence. During our combined classes for general subjects like English and Math, she'd deliberately sit as far away from me as possible, as if even the sight of me was too much for her to bear.

Every time our eyes would meet, she'd quickly look away, her expression carefully neutral, but I could still see the hurt lurking beneath the surface. It was unbearable, knowing that I was the one who'd put that pain there.

But what made it worse, what made it torture, was not being able to touch her. To feel her warmth, to draw her close and lose myself in the softness of her skin.

I ached for her—the way her body naturally fit into mine, how her hand would find mine like it was the most natural thing in the world. Adela had this way of touching me that I could never quite put into words. It was so simple, so natural, but it was everything.

When her fingers brushed against mine, it was like a current of electricity shot through me, waking up every nerve in my body. She didn't even have to try—just the lightest touch from her could send my heart racing, make my breath catch in my throat.

It wasn't just affection; it was reassurance, it was trust, it was everything that made me feel whole.

And now, not having that, not feeling her touch, left a void inside me.

Eventually, I couldn't stand it anymore. I stopped trying to catch her eye, stopped trying to be anywhere near her.

It was easier that way, or at least that's what I told myself.

But standing there now, under the ice-cold water, I knew I couldn't keep doing this. I couldn't keep being the coward who let her walk away.

I didn't want to lose her, not like this, not ever.

So, I turned off the shower, quickly wrapping a towel around my waist as I stepped out of the bathroom. Water dripped from my hair onto the floor, almost slipping on the wet tiles as I made my way to the bed, where my phone lay face up.

I picked it up, my hand trembling— I wasn't sure if that was from the cold or anxiety.

My fingers hovered over the phone for a moment, a mix of anxiousness and hope swirling in my chest. Then, with a deep breath, I turned it on and dialed Adela's number. My heart pounded in my ears as the phone rang once, twice—each second feeling like an eternity.

Please pick up...

Please pick up...

Please pick—

The click in a speaker told me she had picked up and my eyes widened.

This is it.

"Adela, please don't hang up!" I blurted out before she could say anything. "Please, just listen to me. Don't say anything, okay? I need to get this out, and I need you to hear it. Please."

There was silence, and I took a deep breath.

That was all the go-ahead I needed. And the words came tumbling out of me in a rush like a dam had finally burst.

"I'm sorry Adela," I began. "I'm so so sorry for everything. I'm sorry for making it seem like I wasn't in your corner when that is where I've always been, right from the moment we met. I'm so sorry for almost taking Tekena's words over yours when his words never should have mattered. I should have never doubted you, and I hate that I made you feel like you aren't important to me because you are, Adela— more than I can even put in words,"

Pausing to catch my breath, I waited, thinking she would say something but all I could hear was soft breathing.

So I took that as my cue to go on.

"I need you to know that I'm in your corner, Adela. One hundred percent. I've always been in your corner, and I will always be. There's no one else that comes closer to what you mean to me, not even by a fraction.—

I'm in love with you. I know I should have told you sooner, and I know I have made mistakes but I am. I'm completely and totally in love with you and I cannot stand the thought of losing you. Please just give me one more chance to prove it to you. I promise I'll never make you doubt that again."

And that was it. All of me laid out there, bare and exposed.

I held my breath, waiting and hoping for some kind of response— anything that would tell me that she heard me and that she was willing to forgive me.

But all I heard was silence.

Absolutely silence.

A silence that stretched on for what felt like an eternity. I had to remove the phone from my ear to check if I had mistakenly hung up, but the call was still running.

"Adela?" I called softly. "Are you—"

A noise from her end cut me off, like someone had barged in through the door.

"Mum! We talked about this," That was Adela's voice. It was distant, not directed at me. "You shouldn't be picking up my calls!"

And that was when it dawned on me

Oh fucking hell!

I froze, every muscle in my body locking up as the realization hit me like a freight train.

Did I... did I just pour my heart out to Adela's mum?

I flung the phone to the bed as if it burned me, staring at the device like it was an alien, my eyes widened in complete horror.

The call was still running, and I could hear the voices at the other end of the call.

"Privacy, mum. It's called privacy!" I heard Adela groan.

"A boy is professing love to you and you still want privacy," Mrs. Yongo fired back.

I couldn't even tell if she was pissed. Her voice was just normal but it didn't stop me from being horrified... and utterly embarrassed.

"Ko, Adela?" she was still talking. "Wannan shine matsalar. These are the issues. This is why I don't want you to have boyfriends, but you never listen to me."

Oh, Chim. I wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

"Because I am a good daughter and having a boyfriend doesn't change that. I'll still do whatever I want, and you know that," Adela responded sassily and I nearly chuckled.

Good to know that her defiance isn't only limited to me.

"Kai!" Mrs. Yongo exclaimed. "You are worse than your brother." She said. I could imagine her shaking her head.

"Yet, you love us with all your heart," Adela retorted. "Now, can I have my phone back please?" She asked. There was a little shuffle, some mutters in Hausa language, and then, a faint slamming of the door.

Then, there was silence.

I was still staring at my phone, unable to will myself to pick it up.

"Jidenna."

Her voice came like a breath from the phone and fanned against my skin, and it felt like the world stopped for a second.

Oh fuck.

My heart fluttered in my chest, and I felt a jolt of something— hope, fear, longing— all tangled together. The sound of her voice saying my name was all I'd ever wanted to hear for the last month. I didn't realize how much I needed to hear her say my name until she did.

My throat tightened, my pulse quickened, and for a moment, I didn't remember how to breathe.

"Do I have to hang up?"

Those words snapped me right back.

I lunged at the bed, scrambling for my phone like a madman looking for scraps.

"No! Don't hang up! I am here!" I rambled out, successfully getting a firm hold of my phone and bringing it to my ear. "I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

She giggled.

Oh, God... she giggled.

The sound was light, airy, and utterly infectious. My heart swelled at the sound, a wave of relief and longing crashing over me all at once. It was so unexpected, sending a shiver running down my spine.

I couldn't help but smile, because that sound— that beautiful, sweet sound— reminded me of everything I loved about her.

It was a good sign.

"Hi."

I breathed out before I could stop myself.

There was silence... then came hers, soft and tranquil.

"Hi." She whispered.

I was finally able to breathe properly.

"I-I think I just poured my heart out to your mum," I stuttered, trying to lighten the mood with a joke. She laughed, and I couldn't help but grin like an idiot.

"Oof, Jidenna. I know my mum is a snack, but she's married... with kids," she teased back, and now it was my turn to laugh.

This is a really good sign. I relaxed.

"Bummer," I said, feigning disappointment. "But if I'm being honest..."

"Yeah?" Adela's voice was warm, inviting.

"Those words were actually meant for her first daughter," I said softly, trying to sound sincere but lighthearted.

"Yeah," Adela drawled. "And what were those words?" She asked.

I took a breath, considering my next words carefully.

"Thinking about it, I'd like to say them in person. To you. Maybe today."

There was a pause, and all I could hear was her soft breathing. It was almost as if she was weighing my words, or maybe just gathering her thoughts. I threaded carefully but didn't back off.

This wasn't the time to back off.

"I really want to see you, Adela," I said, my voice earnest. "Today. Please."

The silence on the other end seemed to stretch on forever.  I held my breath, praying that she would let me.

"Greenland Park. Thirty minutes. If I don't see you in thirty minutes, I'll leave."

And just like that, the line went dead.

I stared at the phone for a minute before bursting into laughter.

Now, that's Adela.

𝐀/𝐍

It's like Jidenna is a new breed entirely, who has noticed?

That's timid boy at the beginning of the book, that is always scared to own up to his fuck ups has now become a handsome man that is sarcastic, sharp-witted, knows what he wants and goes for it and incredibly HOT!

Ahn Ahn! 🥵🔥

If there is any character development I love the most in this book, it's Jidenna's. He makes me feel like a proud mother. I created such a beautiful boy and I'm so happy 🥹❤️.

The next update will come at midnight, or minutes before. You know that Jidela moment we have all been waiting for 🌚, we are going to have it! I can't wait for you guy to read it! Argh!

Till then, you know the drill 😌. Kisses 😘