New and lovely cover by Mr_Me-sterious 🤭❤️
Thank you Immanuel!

♤

~Not edited!~

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Recap;

"I'm glad you came to seek me again, Aramide." He says with a smooth voice. I gasp and hit the glass wall behind me. He knows my name and what does he mean by again?? I stare at him with wide eyes and a racing heart. As if he understands my dilemma, he steps closer as his manly cologne hits my nose.

"Wondering who I am? Well, I am the male hairdresser."

Just like that, I woke up and died ten thousand times in my head.

I'm certainly dreaming.

End of recap.
**********

I'm certainly dreaming. That's it.

And I do the weirdest thing ever. I laugh. Not a mock laugh, or a half one, but my laugh is full blown which makes my forehead to ache because of my newly made hair. I had to stop my weird laugh because of my developing headache, and because of the strange Tobias standing in front of me.

Impossible!

I can't be standing in front of another celebrity again when I've not recovered from the Triple-J yet. How did the male hairdresser turn to him? I'm really confused.

His sharp and bright honey eyes are staring back at me with so much intensity and amusement, that I have to quickly avert my eyes to his other features. Oh God!

His jawline is sharp like a tigers razorblade that gives his face a mature pre-adult look. His hair, brown mop of mess that is being geled in perfect waves. Perfection.
Don't get me started on his skin. This guy is freaking biracial! Which In a way reminds me of Kiki who is half Nigerian, and half Indo-European.

He is wearing a plain white body hugging T-shirt and a black pair of Nike shorts with a sling Balenciaga bag worn across his chest and a Balenciaga pair of trainers. He is obviously taller than me. Not that I'm that short or tall though I'm just there with an average height. Wait, I'm I checking him out? As if to answer my question, he smirks and clicks his tounge on his teeth.

Great! Now he knows I'm checking him out!

Stupid move Aramide.

I use my hands to slightly push him away from me. "My personal space. And don't call me little one." I manage to rush out the words using my hands to signify the distance.

"But you were obviously enjoying the view. Weren't you?" He asks with a twinkle in his eyes.

Gosh who is this handsome devil? and what does he want from me??

I manage to hiss at his statement. I don't even know where the damn restroom is! I ignore him as I continue moving with nervousness. I am already embarrassed enough today and I don't need more. He whistles as he trails behind me, thereby making me to be self-conscious. "Why are you following me?" I ask with a hint of frustration.

Not that I don't like it o, but I need to ask. I feel weird about this so called celebrity.

"I'm liking the view of your ass." He replies with a shrug. I gape at him.

Did he just say that?

What insolence! I walk up to him as I raise my head to his, and point my index finger at his chest.

"Do me a favour and leave me!" I whisper-yell as I try to act brave. But inside, I am shaking. I'm not good at confrontations. He smiles mischievously as he grabs my pointing finger, and pins it behind me.

"You really don't know me do you?"

I scoff at that. "I really don't care if you are a VIP or Bill gate's son. Its rude to stare at a lady's ass like that." I breath in and out again as his hands that pinned my wrist to the back, starts going lower.

What a pervert! "Get your hands off me or I'll scream rape." I say breathlessly as I struggle to get his hands off me. No doubt he his handsome and all, his hands are like magic touch on my body, but I won't hesitate to kick his balls.

"Weren't you taught never to tell your enemy about your getaway plan?" He asks smugly. Is he being serious right now? Right now, his hand is pinning my two hands on my lower back, while I wiggle about from his tight hold.

If anyone was to see our position, they'd think we are making out.

Ewww!

I hiss and decide to stop my wiggling, until he gets the hint that he should let me GO!

"Pictures did not really do justice on your beauty. The day has finally arrived, where I can drown in your inequity and prowess. Aramide, I swear your existence is my extinction." His expression shifts to a calm one as he says those words.

Wait...hold on. Is this guy bipolar or he is a subtle psychopath? What concerns me and prowess again na? How does he know me? Who is this guy for crying out loud! I'm going to loose my mind if someone does not come to my rescue.

And then...My saviour came.

"Toby leave her alone!" I hear a stern voice say. I gasp and turn to confirm the person as the voice clicks in my head.

"Kiki?!" I exclaim in disbelief as I stared on.

Without wasting time, I jerk my hands away from the handsome psychopath hold, as I stare back at Kiki. "Kiki, I know you don't hug but please let me just hug you this once." I say with a pout while bouncing my feet happily like a child. She roll her eyes playfully at me as she smiles.

"Come'ere." She says as she open her hands wide for an embrace. I gleefully jump and hug her back.

I miss my female bestie!

Releasing from the embrace, I catch Tobias and Kiki having a silent message with thier eyes.

I'm I missing something?

It seems like, I said the word aloud as they both gaze at me. I shiver and dunk myself lower. I feel out of place definitely. Something is up.

"Aramide, meet one out of my many stupid brothers. The one I told you that goes for modelling shoot in New York." She reveals after seconds of odd silence. My eyes widen at the piece of information making my memory to recollect. So this is the Toby she was telling me about? I remember her saying Tobias is a year older than her and is in SS3 but wasn't around for weeks cause he had a modeling shoot in New York.

He is also the brand model for the Glitz and Glamourz magazine because her mum was the owner of this place. So this place is really owned by her mum! How could I have forgotten that piece of information? No wonder the place and everything felt so familiar from onset. And something he said about my pictures doing justice....I swear I've never taken a picture since I came to Lagos. So what is he talking about? Why do I feel there is more to it?

"So, Aramide huh?" Tobias returns his attention back to me as his eyes rakes over my body swiftly with a wink.

This guy.

My cheeks warm on its own accord while Kiki grabs my hands.

"I'm sick of seeing you eye my friend as if she's an eye-candy." He chuckles and re-grabs my hand from his sister while she glares at him saying something like, she isn't your type mumu. Still holding my hands, his lips lightly brush the skin at the back of my hand causing me to blush and shiver.

"It is quite an honour, to meet the famous Aramide. I'm sorry for creating a wrong impression initially though." He says with a genuine smile for the first time. We hold each other gaze for some seconds before Kiki cuts in.

"Let her go Toby." He readily complies as he winks at me again and does a mock bow as he walks off to another direction.

"See you later princess."

I laugh hard at that. Princess ke? He's quite the charming one though.

"You can stop staring now." Kiki's voice shuts my thoughts down.

"Wh-at?" I ask with confusion. She rolls her eyes as we get in the elevator.

"You were staring at my brother. I know he's cute and all but he's gone now. So stop staring like he's an expensive IPhone or Samsung." My eyes literally bulge out as my cheeks flushes terribly. I didn't even know my staring is that obvious.

"So how have you been?" She asks with genuine concern this time around. I want to tell her we've been video chatting and texting all week so she shouldn't ask me but she talks again knowing I am going to give that kind of answer. "Not those useless texts that you always say 'I'm fine' I want to know how you're doing for real." She adds with a sharp but soft tone. It still scares me to my bone marrow, on how someone can know me like this in just three weeks of friendship.

I chew on my bottom lip and sigh. I don't plan on talking about anything concerning school or my problems. This weekend is meant to forget everything and just to relax and enjoy. How am I really feeling? I don't have the answer to that.

"I'll be fine. Trust me." I reply curtly. She takes the hint and let's the topic down, as she hums to the music streaming through the speakers. We get to a showroom floor which I presume is her mum's office. The place is really spacious, breathtaking and beautifully decorated. The glass wall overlooks the city making it a perfect time for sunkiss photos as the midnoon sun streams, and hits the glass in a perfect angle.

"Hey, where's my mother?" Kiki questions the lady who stands at the corner dressed impeccably in an office wear.

"Oh, she went to see a friend downstairs. But you two can wait for her she's on her way." The woman replies without looking up as she types on the tablet in her hands and walks off to the other direction.

We take our seat on a animal leather cushion, while I on the other hand, continue to gaze at the wonderful sight before me.

"So does that mean we can be friends at school again?" Kiki voice resonates with thick worry. And for the first time since I ever knew Kiki, I see vulnerability in her pretty doe eyes. I did not know this decision of mine can honestly break her because from what I've heard, I'm the only female friend she has ever had. I don't get why no female wanted to be Kiki's friend but then again, I know nothing about the history of this people I call friends.

I sigh and hold her hands before replying. "We've always been friends babe. I just needed some time to clean up my shit and discover who was behind my mishap. Since I've gotten to the root of the matter of what really happened to me and the evidence of the pool event, yes we can be friends together in school again." I say with a small smile. Kiki however, does not return my smile as she slowly retracs her hand.

"Aramide, you didn't just drown accidentally?"

Huh? I thought she knew? But....oh God. No one knows the truth except Jamal and Derek.

"I can't believe I'm just knowing about this fucking shit! Who did it?" Her voice. Damn, her voice sounds so murderous right now that I have to shift from her subtly. She notices the fear in my eyes as she softens and hold my hands again. Honestly I don't think I'll ever understand Kiki. Her personality is so weatherly.
"I'm sorry I had to snap at you. But please tell me, who is the motherfucker that drowned you?" She says her words with calculation. Like she's planning on how to kill the people behind it. The fire in her doe eyes says it all.

"Oh yeah she's my niece." I hear aunty Onome's voice causing me to mentally appreciate her for the distraction. Kiki and I raise our heads simultaneously at the duo walking towards us. I won't lie, my aunty looks like a sexy teenager when she's just thirty four years. The lady beside her which I presume to be Kiki's mum just looks much older than Aunty Onome.

"I can see you've met Kiki." My aunty says with a matter-of-fact voice. Kiki's mum has a gentle smile on her face while Kiki's own holds confusion again.

"She's your aunty?" She whispers into my ears in shock. I nod positively at that and totally forget, that she has figured out I'm now a Bolanle.

The four of us gist for about half an hour while strolling down the garage where Zion is already waiting. I am really enjoying the aspect of Kiki's childhood days from her mother.

"....I remember when kiki was four years old. I packed her hair into two ponytails to school and I never knew she was very much annoyed with it. When she came black home, she has already put a scissors through the hair length, and completely chopped everything off." We all break into fits of amusement while Kiki glares at her mother.

"Chai! Kiki you were a bad child oo." I mock her whilst containing my laughter. She smirks and looks at the distracted adults, as she pinches me on the arm causing me to yelp in pain while the two adults look over at me in concern.

"What is it?" The two ladies ask the same time. I'm about to speak when Kiki steps on my left foot and smiles wickedly.

"Don't mind her, its nothing...."

What? Oh come on!

"....We were actually going to have our own few minutes of gisting before we leave." She says with a quirk eye raise as she grips my left arm hard. "Right Ara?" Her eyes begging me to comply.

If not she wasn't my friend, I swear i'd have chopped her body into pieces.

I nod at the duo with a forced smile as they wave their hands for us to go. We round past the car as we stand under a rainbow canopy not too far from the garage so that they can still see us, but not hear us.

"Ouuu kiki! What was that for?" I hiss out as I sooth the place she pinched and I stumble on my hurt foot. I'm telling you this girl can injure somebody for Africa. She smiles weirdly as she narrows her eyes at me.

Ok for real this girl is creeping me out.

"So you're a Bolanle." She says as a matter-of-fact. Like she has been trying to fit the puzzle since. Shit! How could I have forgotten? Its not that I don't trust Kiki at all. I do. But I don't just like ratting out about my background and story of my life to others. Especially since Cheryl made me promise that no one in school should know who I am. I sigh as I rest my back on the canopy stand.

"Yeah. My mum's brother is Uncle Tee. And I'm a grandchild to the great Chief Bolanle." I smile sadly momentarily wondering how my life came to this point. Her facial expression didn't change at all and I don't know if I should be scared or not.

"So how does it feel like to live with the bitch?" Which bitch? Cheryl? Oh my dear Kiki, you wouldn't want to know.

"Honestly it is like hell on earth. That's a major reason why I'm keeping my being a 'Bolanle' a secret. I don't want that girl to kill me in my sleep one day." I say jokingly. Kiki snickers as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"I can't stand that girl. She irks me to my bone marrow." She replies with a deep frown. The way she says it honestly made me laugh.

"Hey little ladies, be fast there with your discussion. Ara your uncle needs you at home." My aunty yells from the car side as she checks her phone. I furrow my eyebrows at her statement.

my uncle needs me?

Ok look what happened. My uncle mistakenly heard me when I begged Derek not to tell anybody what we discovered on Thursday in school. But uncle Tee became furious when he found out and made us explain everything to him. I had to tell him the real story of my drowning and all the threats I've ever faced in that school. He made a call to the school so right now I don't know what's going to happen. Because currently, he's been giving me the silent treatment at home. Even if I've known my uncle for some months now, I see him as a father figure just like my elder brother. As if on cue, my phone buzzed with a text message.

Dear Uncle: I need you home asap, what's keeping you guys in that place sef? Does hair and body treatment take 24 hrs? You know what? Be home soon. Reply me immediately you see this.

I sigh and quickly reply his text with shaky hands. I don't knew what is on his mind, but hell I'm not prepared for it.

"Who's that?" Kiki, whom I have forgotten is standing beside me, asks as she tries to take a peep at my phone screen.

"Oh, its my uncle. He needs us home asap." Then something crosses my mind again from our discussion. "Why do you hate my cousin so much, what is you guys history?" I notice her body goes rigid as the question catches her off guard. She tries to avoid eye contact with me as she swiftly opens her phone and types on something.

Is the question that sensitive?

It was just a harmless question.

"Hey, is something....wrong?"
She doesn't answer me as I notice she is trying very hard not to look at me in the face which surprises me. Something is definitely up. Her fair skin literally turns pale and I can feel the resentment and anger radiating off her.

"Kiki...please what's going on?" I think it is the vulnerability in my voice that makes her to look up at me.

Christ!

Kiki eyes are red!

"C...can I tell you..something?" Her voice is so light. This is so un-Kiki like. I've never seen her like this before.

"Sure." I reply with eagerness.

"No one knows about it. Even Jerry, Jide and Jamal are not aware so please keep it a secret?" She ask with hopeful eyes. If the Triple-J which are her best friends aren't aware, that means it must be a big secret. I frown as I nod again mentally preparing myself for the worst. "Your cousin Derek...." She trails off. My heart beats rapidly wondering what she is about to spill.

"Yes, Derek what happened to him?" I ask pushing on. She groans and looks heavenward clenching her fists so tight by her side. She is about to speak, when we are being interrupted.

"Aramide! Are you coming or what?" Onome yells with impatience as she enters the car already.

Noooo!

Not when I'm about to hear something na!

"I'll call you later?" I ask Kiki who looks slightly relieved as her shoulders slump down.

"Umm, yeah." Her shirt reply comes back. As I enter the car, leaving Kiki, I could not help the thoughts running through my head.

Tobias. My head has been trying to wrap around his words and actions today. I can't shake the feeling of me...and now,

What happened between Kiki and Derek?

God my life is officially a rollercoaster ride.

~A/N~

So I decide to write the chapter real quick cause of Those going back to school. For real I'll miss y'all😭😭😭
Take this as my humble bonanza. And I bet when you came black from school, you all can binge read this book.

Any thoughts on this chapter?

Kindly drop your comments and vote!!!

-Jasmine ©️