Chapter dedication: To the whole #WattNaija team. You guys are the best and I can proudly call y'all my sisters for life🤍🤍

And to my faithful readers, the old and new, ghost readers join. I love y'all for your encouragement. Please endeavor to share this book to your friends and all.

New cover alert!!! Yayyyy!
By KosisoChikezie. I love itttt❤

SONG OF THE CHAPTER: Gum Body – Burna boy ft. Jorja Smith

♤

For the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread.
–𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓫𝓼 6:26

In other words, don't be a hoe :)

♤

"...In conclusion, I do hope I have been able to convince but not confuse you, that Bruce Wayne is better than Tony Stark. Thank you!" An involuntary snort-like-sound escapes my parted lips as Tobias does a mock bow to compliment his so-called debate, speech..whatever.

"If horses can fly, then I would succumb to that illicit conclusion of yours." I roll my eyes and make a gagging gesture. But internally, I am cheesing in sheer happiness and contentment. The date surprisingly went well – more than I ever imagined in my wildest fantasies.

I thought I was going to freak out and mess everything up; cause for starters, I never had to associate with guys for the past fifteen years of my life. And now a date? I guess you would agree with me on this one that I tried at least. It is not easy to learn reality in a harsh, raw and crude way.

The official opening ceremony of
Genesis cinemas' in the Lagos island branch was commissioned today at the heart of the city. It was a great and splendid choice since it was situated very close to the beach and had an exotic touch to it.

A lot of celebrities and top people flanked the occasion and I was happy that Tobias made it a surprise. If not for him, I wouldn't have known that there was a 'Genesis cinema located close to a beach and oh, celebrities are going to be in attendance.'

Fortunately for us both, he isn't a person of spotlight although he is a very popular celebrity. He skipped the signing in, and the meet n' greet  – where the celebrities are being interviewed about thier experience about the new branch, and how their movie experience was. We instead went to the restaurant part where they was ongoing discount, for each food and a free meal of appetizer for the opening ceremony. So you see, today has not been bad so far.

"You see," He intertwines his slender fingers on top of the Moroccan diner table and stares at me amusingly. "A wise man once said; never argue with a determined lady; a beautiful and pretty one at that." He finishes his statement as he darts his tounge to stylishly lick his bottom lip which of course, causes me to blush shyly.

"Are you the former in this case? Because obviously you can't be a wise man." I retort with a scoff and stylishly use my palms to soothe my flaming cheeks. Quirking his brows lazily, he replies.

"If I am not a wise man, who will? Besides I meant it when I said you're beautiful; and determined the same time." Can I see the emotions swirling behind those honey eyes of his? Of course not. He totally disguised with dark shades on his eyes and a black durag over his head. Trust me it is better to know how intensive someones' eyes are displaying, than not knowing what it is because of some stupid dumb shades.

"Ummm..." I start stuttering when his words cut me off guard again. Looking at his handsome face or his perfect body form that is currently slouched on his own side of the booth isn't an option so I simply opt for gazing at the outstand-ish details of the restaurant.

Instead of show glasses, sliding doors and glassware, they are all being replaced with polished and expensive woods. Every material details — from table cloth down to the curtains, are all Ankara materials. This branch however, decided to furnish its taste in a retrospective style and that is what makes it sizzling and spectacular.

The massive inclusion of the olden days is a very brilliant idea. Thankfully, the waiter brings our appetizer at that very moment which eventually saves the intense moment on the table.

"A bowl of goat meat peppersoup each, for the lady and gentleman." The waiter's smile is so genuine that I find my self reciprocating his kind gesture as I assist him in lifting our meal from the salver. After serving our appetizers, he bows and exits our space to attend to other customers and I for one, didn't even waste time in digging into mine with haste.

I totally forgot that it is called pepper soup for a reason because I rushed the first spoon in a go; causing me to choke.

"Shït, are you okay?" Tobias slides to my side since it is a booth, and comes over to my side – soothing my back and using his other hand to uncock the bottle water on the table. I could not answer as I greedily drain all the contents of water in my mouth.

And once again, Aramide the great has disgraced herself!

Why did I rush the peppersoup like someone is pursuing me?

"Why are you rushing it though?" Tobias asks skeptically, after my coughing fit has calmed down. I hang my head down in embarrassment when his head is just meteres away from mine — his breath fanning my cheeks and bare neck.

Why did I rush the food?

Oh well, because I wanted to avoid embarrassing myself further and also to rescue myself from saying anything stupid in return. But seems like, fate decided to mock me by embarrassing me in the worst way whatsoever. I am so glad we are situated in a secluded section of the restaurant if not, I'd have gone ballistic by now.

"I'm better now." I reply in a somber tone while fiddling with my spoon. Tobias chuckles and mutters something under his breath before sliding back to his own side. In no time, he starts sipping the peppersoup contents from his own plate and once again; we abide in comfortable silence as the music from the bass speakers, streams out to entertain guests. Okay maybe it isn't comfortable per say. I am trying and failing in removing my gaze from the olive tan skinned model sitting across me.

How can someone look effortlessly handsome and dexterous in a plain outfit? His massive curls of golden-brown hair is tucked into the black durag neatly while a dark ray-bans shade covers his eyes – those honey sharp eyes. He is donned in a red flannel ripped shirt which by the way, the sleeves are up to his elbow point and two of the top buttons are undone displaying a muscular and well toned chest.

Just kill me!

As if his exposed chest isn't enough, the silver Asos signet ring on his right finger always glistens anytime it hits the reflection of light. The reflection contour hits my eyes and I am not complaining at all. I just admire the way it shines and fits his finger perfectly.

Sighs.

Being a celebrity kinda sucks. Disguising here and there just to hide from crazy fans and 'heads over heels' paparazzi...but it is okay though. At least the durag and the shades makes him look dangerous in a bizarre way.

"Hope you're having a good time little one?" His question booms out of the blue and jolts me out of my dreamy fantasies.

"Yeah. Really I'm having a good time." Truly, I am having a great and splendid time because for one, I've never had to leave the house because I've always been this anti-social girl who was locked up by her mother. "Why do you always call me little one though?" The curiosity has been nipping at my guts and I need to know if he is just being plain platonic, or hidden intentions are involved.

His spoon pauses halfway into his mouth when I ask the question. I am not able to see the way he reacts because of the dark shades covering his eyes but his lips curve into a wry smile; giving me the assurance that I didn't cross a red line.

"I dunno, maybe because you really are a cute little one." He shrugs and splays his long fingers on the table; as if he is deliberately showcasing the silver signet ring that reflects its light on my eyes, again!

I cannot deny the fact that his unconventional words didn't pertub me. Hell, it did! First of all, I don't even know the real motive for asking me out on this date. Yes, he may have told me it was to compensate for our last encounter at the Triple-J's party but still...I have to be sure if this is platonic or romantic like most people that go for a date would say.

Who am I kidding? Tobias would never be interested in someone like me. But he just kinda flirted with me just now. Should I flirt back? God, I suck at this! How do I reply him without sounding like a dying kenari bird?

Okay, I'll just play it cool.

Breathe in and out; relax.

I gently let my spoon fall back into my unfinished plate of peppersoup and muster my best flirtatious face. "I know right? I am so cute that is why I am irresistible to all and sundry."

Yikes! That came out wrong.

What was I thinking??

"Oh wow." He simply mutters and pushes his own plate aside – indicating he is done. I knew flirting back was such a wrong idea but I thought that was the norms of talking with a guy? "Since when did the mighty Aramide start flirting with guys like me? Hmm?" If the situation wasn't awkward before, it is now super awkward and tensive.

I fumble over for words as he is clearly amused by my current predicament.

"Let's talk about you. Why did you invite me on this date?" My voice surprisingly comes out without a single falter.

Kudos to me!

"Hmm, avoiding questions. I see." He reclined on his seat and crosses his arms over his chest. The gesture causes his exposed ripped chest to bulge out; looking so...

Snap out of it!

"I'm not avoiding anything. I'm only asking the obvious." I sass back and cross my own arms too causing my off-the-shoulder top to roll down a little. I notice him staring intently at space but I cannot exactly pinpoint what he is staring at since his shades are perfectly covering his eyes. "Um, Tobias are you okay?"

He doesn't answer me as he slides to my side of the booth. My body automatically tense up when I notice his closeness to me.

"Tob..Tobias what are y–you doing?" I try to mask the undertone of confusion as his hands slowly come up to touch my exposed shoulder blade. I involuntarily let a low hissing sound as his fingertips grazes my exposed shoulder. Goosebumps sprout over my arms and I feel so weird having such a huge turnout just because of his touch.

"Tattoo." He simply says which leaves me confused more.

"Tattoo? What the hell are you yapping about?" I subtly shift away from him incase his hands would keep wandering further.

"I mean, you have a 3D tattoo inscribed with the Triple-J's name right here." He pokes my shoulder blade again as he concludes his statement. Embarrassment and instant panic immediately washes over my whole being. I quickly scramble to tug the hem of my top in covering up the tattoo.

I have successfully hidden it from the others and now, Tobias of all people have see it; well apart from Kiki.

"Why are you covering it up? It's so cursive and stylish. I love it." I know his eyes are fixed intensely on me and this makes me over self-conscious since I can't see where his eyes are directly fixated on.

"Tha–thank you." I mumble shyly and use my hand to still tug the top-neck-line to my neck level which is totally absurd but hey, I'm being self-conscious here you know. Once again, he doesn't say anything and I am left to see he has automatically decided to remain by my side.

He is so close to me now. Unlike before when we were sitting across eachother, we are now sitting adjacent to eachother and I can catch a whiff of his expensive cologne; heck his leg and arms are barely grazing mine because of our closeness. His olive tanned skin is looking so lustrous and radiant that I didn't know the time my fingers on their own accord, grazes his forearm.

His face whips to hold my gaze as if questioning what I am doing.

Seriously what am I doing?

I quickly think of a lie to justify my stupid actions. "What is your nationality? Because your skin tone is soooo..." I trail off, hoping he gets what I mean. And yes I know he is a half Indo-european and half Nigerian because of Kiki who told me, but she never went into details.

"Oh, Western Asia. Basically; we are what people call the indo-europeans or Aryans. My mum is an Aryan and met my dad who is a Nigerian that worked as a young surgeon then in India." He flashes a bright smile to me and props his arm on the table while balancing his chin on his palms so that his full attention would be solely on me as he spoke.

"Wow you're an Ayran/Itsekiri? What a weird combination though." I mumble to myself in awe. Honestly I've never heard of an Ayran so this is to prove that, there are over a million tribes that I am unaware of. Though Ayrans are the indo-europeans, while the Itsekiri is from Nigeria.

"I know right? I'm grateful though. If not, we the children wouldn't be so sexy and blessed with this skin colour." His lips are curved in a wry smirk.

Cocky much?

I hit him on the arm playfully as we fall in fits of laughter and just then, the same waiter of before comes to clear our unfinished dishes of peppersoup and takes our order for the main course meal – before leaving us to our own little privacy again.

"To answer your question, I asked you out on this date because I owe you so much. You don't know how I felt when I learnt you were drugged. I would never have forgiven myself if I took advantage of you or better still, if the perpetrators had thier way." He sighs heavily and turns his head to the other direction. I hesitate and think through on the move I am about to make before I do so.

Carefully shuffling to his side, I gently place my arms on either sides of his cheeks to make him face me tough I feel so uncomfortable doing so.

"Tobias, I don't know how to put this..but I'm fine. Much stronger than I thought I'll ever be. You can't keep on beating yourself about a spilled milk. You're kind, you're nice and I appreciate your warm gestures so much. It means the whole world to me." I hope my words seems so genuine because truly, I mean them from the bottom of my heart.

I can feel his pulse racing  underneath my palms and I wonder why his breathing pace is now fast. Attempting to remove my hands from his face, he inhales sharply and places his hands over mine; holding them still.

"Please leave them there." His voice comes out in a gentle plea and I wonder why his voice has taken a drastic change. This is so un-Tobias persona.

"Umm, okay I can't just keep my hands on your face all day. Besides the waiter would soon bring our main course meal. He might.."

"That he might see us like this? Who cares?" He finishes my statement and exales heavily.

"Tobias..." I trail off wondering what is making him act strange. "Take off your shades." The command in my voice can be heard miles away and I too, I'm surprised at the way it sounded so authoritative. Tobias himself, is clearly shocked because he removes my hands and hangs his head low.

Okay, something is definitely up with him.

Without warning, I swiftly yank the shades in a careful manner when he least expected it. Come to think of it, Tobias is the only celebrity that disguised here. This place filled with co-stars so what is he hiding? On seeing his eyes, I gasp loudly and blink my eyes repeatedly.

"Jesus! To..tobias! Your eyes!" The usual honey sharp eyes that I am so accustomed to, are now bloodshot red. The thickest and darkest shade of red I have ever come across. My ears immediately swells up with tears. What is he hiding? Did he really come to this date with eyes like that? No wonder he disguised from onset.

"I'm..I am fine." His breathing pattern is now changing to an irregular pattern and I am so scared to my bones.

"Don't tell me you are fücking fine! What is wrong with you senior Tobias? I don't freaking care if you want to compensate me or not. This is plain madness!" I scream and pick my purse up in an attempt to leave but then, he holds his head and groans out loudly – as if he is in great pain.

"Call my sister." He mutters weakly and I am left with no option to quickly dial her number though my hands are shaking like sea weed.

"Kiki! Jesus, I don't know what's happening to Tobias!...Yes, I'm with him at the new Genesis cinema...he is what? Epileptic?" That is the last word I heard from her after she said someone would meet us there. All I need to do is make sure all his buttons are popped open and he has enough ventilation of air and put a metal spoon in between his teeth.

All these while, I didn't know Tobias has the epilepsy condition. Thinking about it now, I ignored his dressing and thought it was swag. A single tear slips from my eyes as Tobias slowly falls into a deep sleep on my lap.

God why?

Why do good people suffer like this?

Droplets upon droplets of painful tears stream down my face before the person sent to take Tobias and I home respectively, comes to our rescue.

–

Date gone wrong? Lol I don't even know what to say.

Things are happening oo. Just look out for more🤭

Btw, thanks to all those who harkened to my call. I am so so grateful and it means so much to me as an author. If you've not voted for previous chapters, please go back and do so. Thanks☺🤝🏽

Book recommendation: Bittersweet by chisom_dili the book quipped my interest from onset. If you've not read it you're missing ooo! Trust me and check it out y'all. You won't regret it❤

Q: Would you rather go on a date with a model or a musician? *presuming both are extremely hot and fine :)

–Jasmine ©️