Dedicated to Maryaden01 You're a babe for your words of encouragement♥️

*Pardon my mistake guys. I couldn't proofread!

♤

We are nothing, but pencils in the hands of the creator.
-𝓦𝓪𝓵𝓮 𝓐𝓭𝓮𝓷𝓾𝓰𝓪

♤

JAMAL NONSO is the perfect epitome of tsunami and tidal waves that comes crashing upon the unsuspecting inhabitants of earth. In this case, I am the latter and I am perfectly sure my life would never remain the same.

A lot of things has happened in my life just within a short span of months. I don't know if this is the consequences of being an antisocial person or if I am dancing to the tunes of reality. If this is how reality always messes up with someone's life, then I prefer to be the locked up kid who never had friends or problem from external forces from the onset.

You see, I am so pissed right now that the only source of my bestfriend-ship that doesn't judge me for who I am, is gone. Yeah I am referring to my freaking phone! How can he just fling my phone outside like that? I know what I saw on my phone screen minutes ago is worth terrifying to raise a man from coma but then..

"So," his voice suddenly resonates in the quietness of the car. I squirm and cross my hands over the exposed skin of my laps without raising my head up. "I heard from a little birdie, that you can dance exotically." His words causes all my bodily functions to freeze momentarily.

I can dance..exotically?

Nobody knows about my talent of dancing. Yes, I can dance and that has been an explicit passion since I was little but it isn't that exotic or special persay. I would always watch Barbie in the dream-house, Cinderella, sleeping beauty, Aladdin, Snow white and the seven dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast and multiples of Disney movie production that involves dancing and singing just to learn how to sing and dance like they do. Unfortunately, singing was dumped from onset because my voice isn't made for that. But dancing...

"I can't dance." I deadpan and twirl the hem of my T-shirt on my finger repeatedly and anxiously. Even my lips are now sore because of the way I am biting the life out of it. Nonetheless, I still don't look up to meet his keen gaze.

"Hmmm, I see." He replies in a duh tone and I roll my eyes subtly. If he doesn't believe me, that is his headache. I am still angry that he threw my phone outside like a common thing! Incase nobody knows this, Samsungs are more expensive than iPhones. Like I would rather choose Samsung ten times higher than a latest iPhone model.

That is by the way side though. Before he interrupted my thoughts, I was and I am still baffled on what he said previously - like he wants to kiss me again? Even the thought sounds so absurd in my head that I start chuckling all of a sudden. He can't be serious right? We have not kissed before and I am hundred percent sure of that.

He is probably nuts in the head.

"Are you usually like this?" He asks with a tinge of amusement, lacing his tone. I suddenly realise I was still chuckling and I immediately clamp my mouth shut to stop myself from being embarrassed further. My cheeks are flaming hot and my mind is swarming with many jeers and mockery, that I have fooled myself again and over again.

What a wonderful way of embarrassment Aramide.

"Umm, sorry." My voice is squeaky and tiny. I roll my eyes painfully, wondering how my voice sounds like a rat receiving punishment from a meat seller. I hear a soft chuckle at the background and I immediately become awed. Jamal hardly chuckles, smiles or laughs. Since I initially knew him, he was and is still the perfect representation of Squirdward from Spongebob Squarepants in Nickelodeon.

"Look at me." He says with a soft tone and I am forced to really confirm if it was Jamal Nonso that truly used that tone on me. Staring at him, I avert my eyes from his facial features to his other features. I quickly take note of his black signature bracelet on the right wrist. Yeah, he never does away with that thing. His T-shirt has gathered to a side of his waist and is exposing the waistband of his camouflage sweatpants. I gulp and immediately look away.

Be calming down Innermind. Be calming down.

"When I say look at me, I mean look me in the eyes." His words are holding that tone that he uses to rap on stage. That one that lures his fans and makes them to go crazy and gaga. I gulp inaudibly as his words repeat like a lullaby in my head. This is not good for my mental health - at all. Like why would Ayo allow me follow my celebrity crush like that? Now my head Is messing with me.

The pad of his long index finger brushes my under skin neckline and runs up to my chin where he curls it and places it there. My breathing becomes irregular while I am hyperventilating. My eyes shut so tight because I can't bear to see how is face is when we are so close like this.

"This is what I meant by kissing you again." Before I can comprehend the double meaning behind those words, I feel his soft lips colliding by the side of my lips and brushing my left cheek in a tentative manner. I gasp and immediately shove him with all my might. My head is spinning with so many horrific idea and chaos. What did he just do? That sheer feeling that someone is watching my every move, coarses through me again and I have a bad feeling it is always happening whenever I am getting close to the Triple-J or snr Tobias as of recent.

"What are you doing?!" My voice sounds like a pathetic wail as I stare at him horridly and panicked. He tilts his head to stare out of his own window and I am left to ogle at the side profile of his body. Too bad I can't see those greyish-silver eyes.

Aramide get a grip over yourself!

I blow my cheeks out and rub my head wistfully. I am so pathetic to the core. His slender fingers are tapping rapidly on his knee cap and I am so anxious on what he is thinking about.

What goes on in this guy's head for real?

"You know," He says with a start and I am glad those keen eyes of his, are not staring at me right now or else, I'll lose my composure. "When I rescued you from the swimming pool that day, I was scared. I thought you were going to die..but seems like God loves you so much if you have not died yet upon all the ups and downs bounding you."

Okay...did he just admit on being scared for me?

"...and that day at the school's sick bay, I could not resist the urge to peck you." My head swells with realisation making my mouth to form an 'O'. My T-shirt's hem is now wrinkled and rough because of the way I am gripping it way too tight.

"W-why...are you tell..ing me?" I stutter with a shaky voice.

"Because, Aramide because." That is his curt answer. Is 'because' supposed to be a reasonable answer? And the way my name sounded from his mouth...sultry, sensual and exotic.

Slowly, he removes his gaze from the outside view and stares at me blankly. I involuntarily dunk my head low and fiddle with my fingers.

"You're interesting you know," he says with a quiet tone. "Now I see why the rest would do anything just to be with you." Slowly and slowly, my brain takes his words like a recital for a big performance. At this point of time, I don't know what he means or what he is trying to insinuate but all I know is that, they should all stay away from me.

For the sake of my sanity.

♤

"Wake up sleepy head."

A soothing voice jerks me out of my not so wonderful dreamland where I was dreaming about meeting the unfortunate person that stole my Justin Bieber away from me. What is her name again? Helen? Heroin? Hennessy? Hannah? Such an audacity. The painful thing is that they have been married for two years now..and no hope of divorcing.

"Sleepy head," I hiss and get ready to lurch at the person disturbing me from sleep but then, I notice my head is hanging off someone's shoulder. My face creases into a frown and I catch onto the whiff of the person's cologne.

Oh no...don't tell me I slept on his shoulders....

"Well, good day to you too." His voice snaps me out of my reverie. I bite my lips so hard - resisting the urge to cry. Not only did I dream about murdering someone, I slept on my celebrity crush shoulder and well, the aftermath of a sleepy Aramide is very terrible.

"Boss, the area is secured out-and-out." A monotonous voice replies through the speakers of the car. I jump instinctively at the brusque manner it sounds. I turn to look at Jamal through my sleep hazy eyes and I notice something ticked him off because his jaw is gnashing in fury as the word, 'boss' was said. Wait..he doesn't like to be called boss?

And for the first time since I woke up this afternoon, I notice we have stopped at a particular location. Though the windows are all wounded by tinted glass, I can still see the outside world in a glance.

The street is very unfamiliar and lone. Like, no sign of human movement around except for the endless street lights that are by the adjacent lines of the tarred road. Big ornamental trees and flowers surround the area like a territory boundary. The buildings in site is only an old three-storey bookstore across us, and a gigantic building that is camouflaged in the pattern of the trees and flowers.

Okay...

"What are we doing here?" At this point, I don't care if my voice sounds groggy because I woke up minutes ago. I have reached the point that, I will just allow whatever happens to happen since I keep on disgracing myself. He does not answer me as he gets down from his own side of the car and slam it shut.

Wait, is he leaving me in th...

Before I can complete my mental statement, my side of the car door is opened without warning. I gasp in utter shock as he grasps my hands so tight and tugs me out of the car without sparing me a glance.

"Jamal! M..my hand!" I whine as he drags me like a little kid. However, he ignores my antics and trots me along. The other securities are following in the front and behind us and I feel so bad they have to witness a crazy Aramide in seconds to come. Bracing myself for my supposed payback, I immediately latch my set of teeth unto his forearm like a vampire hungry for blood.

His hand loosely comes off my wrist as he gapes at the glowing red mark on his flawless arm. This causes me to smile victoriously in my head. One of the bodyguards steps forward and gives me a hard and stern stare. I sheepishly wipe the victory dance in my head and replace it with somberness.

"You're fücking stubborn Aramide and I would not tolerate it if you continue to behave like a dumb kid." He says in exasperation and finally removes his hand from mine. My eyes cloud with tears as his words sink into my heart. He insulted me for trying to ask nicely and he refused to answer me. Now I am a dumb kid for doing what was best? How would I know if he is trying to kidnap me?

"You know what? I was on my own with my elder brother when you came. You whisked me like a property and dragged me like a rag doll. What do you want from me huh?! Leave me alone!" I yell back in frustration as I slam his chest repeatedly.

His face doesn't even change one bit and I am pissed to no end. "You know what, you're a jerk. Screw me for having enthralled effects around you." I finish my ranting and stomp out of his presence into the entrance of the building we were originally going into. He wants us to enter right? I'll show him that I am not dumb.

"Madam, this way please." I don't know how the bodyguards suddenly appeared in my front, but I will bite them if they come close to me. I hiss and follow them into the narrow hallway that leads to a hollowed entrance. It glows with golden lights and as we enter, I am greeted by chandeliers hanging off the high roof. The room looks exquisitely elegant, comfortable and spacious. The fresh air from the top vents is refreshing. I sight few people moving up and down to ensure something is done and then I see the stationary studio, scripts and headphones scattered around. It then dawns on me, that I am in the Triple-J's studio.

"Hey," Kiki greets me as she comes into view. I smile sheepishly and offer my hand for a handshake as she comes closer. She stares at my hand incredulously and smacks it off. I am about to complain when she pulls me into a warm embrace.

Holy Lord!

Did Kiki just hug me..willingly?

"Just this once." She whispers into my ears as we pull out of the embrace. I giggle and reciprocate her cheesines with an eye roll. Whatever it is that is making her cheesy, I swear I am happy. Kiki isn't someone to portray emotions easily. She's just..complicated.

I see Jerry and Jide inside the booth of the studio, singing their hearts out and my heart yearns out to them. I genuinely and utterly miss them so much. For two weeks, I pushed them away from me. No matter how I come up with an excuse for them to leave me alone, they were stubborn and crude. Jerry eyes collides with mine through the glass booth and my heart races fast. His face morphs into a small smile and he uses his elbow to jab Jide on the stomach.

Jide is about to smack him for doing so, but following Jerry's eye line of vision his eyes widen twice its size as he takes in my form. They drop thier headphones simultaneously to come out of the studio booth. My hands become clammy all of a sudden as they approach me. Kiki notices my apprehension and does a sign language for the guys to back off. Their faces fall miserably at that but I can't help it.

My body automatically screams danger zone whenever the Triple-J are close to me. I miss them so bad but this terrible non-existent force, pulls me apart from them.

"Come with me," Kiki says as she drops the intercom on the table and taps the computer guy that is controlling the media before handling the device to him. She jerks her head to a section and beckons me to follow. As we move, I sight Jamal sitting on a beanbag chair lazily. His whole aura seems so alluring and enticing - even in a state that. His eyes are following my every move and it seems so creepy. Does he regret raising his voice at me?

Nah. I doubt such.

I quickly avert my eyes from his preying ones and follow Kiki with shaky legs. I really should stop allowing Jamal to have this enthralling effect on me. We finally make it into the bathroom stall that is designed with exquisite interior screaming gold. My hand runs through the cubicle and I smile within. The mirror is so clean that I wish my phone was here to take a mirror selfie...unfortunately I don't even like taking pictures.

"So," She reclines her back on the pure white walls and crosses her feet. I follow suit but sit on the sink's counter. "We are trying to investigate what happened that night and we were able to come up with some theories and little evidence. I must admit, the person(s) behind it did a clean job." She finishes with a wistful tone. My head swarms with clouds of tremors and anxiety. I hate to admit this..but I have a feeling someone is watching me again.

"I-it is..fine really. You guys have done so much for me." I say with all sincerity and gaze at the design on my beach shorts thought the sparkling clean mirror.

"No, you don't understand. You are avoiding the guys for God knows what and I really feel like it is weighing my brother the most." Something about her statement snaps me to the present. Actually, Tobias has been scarce since that day on the party. Except for the fact that I would see him in school here and there, he was really scarce. Like, he was a walking ghost.

"I..." I am lost for words as they choke me. How would I explain that I can't get close to the boys when I feel threatened mentally? What of the message an anonymous person sent before Jamal threw my phone? Who wants me to stop associating with the Triple-J and snr Tobias? This is just pure madness. Kiki understands my predicament as she comes close to me and holds my shoulders firmly.

"Put yourself together girl. Nothing is hidden under the sun and I promise we must get to the root of this matter - together." Her words sounds so comforting and I wipe a stray tear that slips from my eyes. It sucks when you can't live your life freely and it sucks that you have to be monitored 24/7. My life was simply free before all these complications came in.

"Thank you Kiki." I mumble in reply as she removes her hands from my shoulders and shoves it into her jean shorts pockets.

"I'm going back to the main studio. You coming or you wanna ease yourself?" She asks.

"I'll join you later." I reply and wait for her to leave before I enter into one of the stalls to ease myself. After that, I play with the machine that dries my wet hand. I never got to know the name of the machine so, let's just go with 'Drying machine'. I push the button and enjoy the heating effect on my hand repeatedly - totally getting lost in the mini-game I divulged myself in. One of the stall door opens and I do not pay much mind to it until I feel a hand trapping my mouth.

My eyes widen in horror as I stare the familiar culprit through the mirror.

Mayorkun? What is he doing here? And why the hell is he trapping my mouth with his hands?

I bite through his fingers and he bends over his back in an act of pain as he clutches them hard and groans out, yelling profanities.

"Bitch, why are you so stubborn?" His eyes are red as he faces me again and attempts to come closer. I search round frantically looking for a means of escape when I see Jamal coming out of nowhere.

And it just happened like a slow movie. Jamal hands raised in the air, as he descended with full force on my cousin's head. Mayorkun falls down with a thump after he staggers mercilessly. Jamal looks ragged beyond measure as his eyes are fierce silver and blank. I have never seen Jamal like this and the lifeless body on the ground - it gives me the urge to cry. Jamal looks super scary right now and I do the first thing that comes in mind.

I scream with all my might.

《A/N》

Watch out for the next chapter coming out this week also. Lol yes I am really struggling to come up with regular updates and it is sha difficult. My hand Is paining me yunno, but I'll strive. Thank y'all for your patience and love. It means a lot🥺❤❤

And to these guys; isegeorge_ sheistiara_ and Timilehin06 they made my day honestly. They spamed my WhatsApp with a lot of encouraging warmth. Though they were arguing o😂 I love you guys.

VOTE and COMMENT lovelies!!!

- Jasmine️©️