I stayed late at the gym helping my boss out and by the time I returned home, I saw no one except the security guards in the compound.

It's either they have gone to bed or relaxing in their room after a working day.

I had taken a shower after my workout in the studio, so I don't have to do my routine ice bath tonight.

I would rather hit our calm Emerald pool attracting me from the west side of the car park.

I hop out of the car and fix my eyes in the direction. It is so desirable tonight with the stunning stars twinkling, that I start to take off my active wear.

Flinging my clothes in my car as I am presently in my inner shorts, I reach for the pack of cigarettes I bought on my way home and a lighter in the glove box before I start walking toward the pool.

I get there to sit on the edge, immersing my legs in the water. It is perfectly situated where it gets most of the sunlight. It's warm and it feels so good.

I pull out a cigarette from its pack to light it up. I am already puffing the smoke when I begin to hear some footsteps approaching, behind me. I do not bother to look back, thinking it's one of the security guards, doing their job.

Then I observe Karen in her short playsuit, sitting beside me with her legs also submerge in the water. A silk bonnet wore on her head.

"Having some pool time," She breaks the silence with a soft smile.

"It's beautiful right?" I reply and she nods yes. I inhale some smoke and hold the cigarette in my hand before blowing out the smoke.

"Why are you still up?" I ask.

"I was helping Maria with some chores in the kitchen, she is not feeling too well," She answers and I let out a sigh, recalling what happened today between Scott and me. He keeps rejecting my calls and snubbing the apology messages I sent him.

"Oh!" I react and I continue puffing.

"It seems it should be only you and the pool," She says and I look at her. She must have noticed I am giving the weird vibes for her to say that.

"Good night," She adds and I suddenly hold her arm before she could raise her legs above the water to get up.

Her gaze meets mine in surprise.

Even if I'm done with my game, it's hard for me to let her go. I don't know what she has done to me that I always want to be around her. The same with tonight, part of me was happy that she showed up but I didn't just want to reveal my feelings based on the words Scott said to me about choosing her over my real friends.

"It's can be us and the pool," I say and I release my hand off her while she stays still. "It's just a lot on my head to clear before you came," I add and puff some smoke.

"Can I have some?" Hearing that from her, I stare curiously at her to confirm if she is requesting the cigarette in my hand.

"Yes," She answers to the long look on my face. I chuckle a little and I nod no.

"Even if you lie to me, I won't still give you," I back up teasingly and she also chuckles a little.

"I don't have to lie, I want to try it, come on!" She retorts and I shrug okay.

I tap the ashes of the cigarette before I hand it over to her.

She takes it from me and I watch her put it in her mouth. She then inhales a little smoke and puffs them out.

"I'm sure I'm not a bad influence," I react.

"You have always been to me from the start," She replies and I scoff.

"You must be joking right?"

"You made me do things I have never thought of doing,"

"Except for the lies. I can testify of that," I say and we both burst out laughing.

"I have never seen you smoke since I arrived here," She lets out and hands the cigarette back to me.

"As I said before, a lot I have to clear on my head,"

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asks and I catch her looking into my eyes. I stub the cigarette with a drip of water in my hand, then I let out a deep sigh.

"It's about Scott," I begin in my calm voice. "He felt sick when I was with him last week and now he is been admitted to UCH. I was so selfish that I couldn't even notice."

"That is so bad," She reacts.

"Exactly, what kind of friend I am," I express, looking sad. "He helped me a lot and this one time to be of help, I wasn't there for him,"

"Don't be too hard on yourself, you have realized your mistakes"

"But he doesn't want to see me anymore. He kicked me out of the ward, and keeps ignoring my calls and texts," I complain, showing how worried I am.

She wraps her arm around my shoulder, trying to comfort me, I guess.

"You should give him some time, everything will be fine between you guys," She assured. "And you can make it up to him,"

"How?" I ask in confusion and she released her arm off me.

"I don't know," She shrugs. "Since he will be skipping some classes... I think you should make sure he doesn't miss a lot by you...by you attending those classes and helping him with school work, like assignments and projects," She stutters as she expresses herself.

"Hmm," I react, trying to reason with her. Maybe it's my turn to be enlightening him.

"But he has got Becky, a first-class student like him and you," I reply.

"Doesn't mean," She retorts. She gets to her feet on the edge and I watch her tilt forward into the water, swimming along.

She later raises her head above the water and blows some bubbles, shivering her head. "You have to play your part. I'm sure you are closer to him than she is," She adds.

"Of course," I agree with her.

"Come on, cheer up," She encourages and I smile, watching her treading the water.

"Come on!" She adds, gesturing she wants me to join her in the pool.

There is no way I can disconnect from her, I so much enjoy her company more than any other girl. I just have to do justice between her and Scott.

I wrap my arms around my chest and I fall forward, diving into the pool with my head first. I swim faster underwater, stroking my hands.

Then I encounter Karen's face in the water, both facing each other. I blow some bubbles on her face and she also does the same in return.

We raised our heads above the water and burst out laughing.

"It feels so good," She comments and tilts her head up to stare at the gleaming stars. "With the stars,"

"You can say that again," I say, drawing close to her with my eyes also up in the sky.

"There is this thing I do wish for whenever I stay late at night to gaze at the stars," She says calmly.

"And what is that thing you do wish?" I inquire and she chuckles a little.

"To have a lake view house, sit every night in front of the lake and keep gazing at the stars," She answers and I mouth wow!

"I would love to feel that moment with you because I have always wanted a lake house," I reply and she looks deeply into my eyes which meet my gaze.

I gulp the moment I am lost in her charming firing eyes. My eyeballs then slip to her lips, trying to read it but I can't.

My face gradually draws close, and with my hands reaching and gently holding her waist, I pressed my lips against her and passionately kiss her.

This is our first kiss and it burns some calories as blood is pumping around my body. Her heart-shaped lips are so smooth and soft that I want my lips to be on hers forever.

I can feel it wholly unlocks my heart to her and I want to do it all over again.

She pulls back, clearing her throat and this makes me regain myself, trying hard to control myself.

"This is...way too...far," She stutters, breathing fast.

"I'm so sorry, I have no idea what I was thinking," I plead the moment I recall she doesn't want this between us.

"It's okay," She mutters. "I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow, I should get some sleep," She adds and I nod okay.

I watch her swim over to the stairs and get out of the pool.

"Sweet dreams," I say as I can't keep my eyes off her.

"You too," She replies and starts to make her way to the quarters.

I bite my lips the moment she disappears and I take a deep breath, running my hand through my hair.

I have never felt this before.

All my life, I did experience lust without love but tonight with Karen I think I felt both.

Because if it isn't love why do I feel this way?

I swim into the deep end of the pool, feeling so alive as I can't stop thinking about it.