"Hey, you."

Grace looked up from the textbook, she forced a frown on her face but it soon broke into a smile. She'd spent most of the hour going over notes she'd missed due to Remilekun Phillips impromptu invitation to Abuja, exams were soon — earlier than the normal timetable for degree students — and she didn't have the comfort of ORION boosting her grade point anymore.

Tope was standing in front of her, blocking the sun, dressed in her football jersey and shorts, her wig was gone and her afro was held back with a yellow band. Her jersey was a Real Madrid tee since the school didn't have a custom shirt and her shorts were matched the top.

"Why aren't you playing ball?" Grace teased when she saw a pout form on Tope's lips. Apparently the school football team from a private university called Freeman University were having a friendly match with the Lagos State University's own football team. There was supposed to be a match between the female team before the males and Tope was one of the best football players the school had on its team, although the female team was just barely starting out.

"Habibat bailed out, said she had an important doctor's appointment." Tope said. She took the concrete bench under the tree besides Grace and leaned closer with a glint in her eyes.

Grace instinctively flinched back. Tope pretended not to see.

"I have a spare kit." Tope offered. Grace burst into laughter despite her will.

"I'm not playing," Grace answered quickly. Sometimes she thought it a damn shame that her anxiety never let her play the sports she loved to play with a crowd present.

"Please, I'll buy you shawarma." Tope said.

Grace raised her eyebrows and closed the textbook resting on her lap.

"You forget that I am now one of the richest people in the country, I can afford to buy a thousand shawarma." She said.

Tope sighed dramatically and brought herself to her knees.

"Please, Grace, I swear you're my last option, I haven't found anyone to replace Habibat and I really want to beat those Freeman slayqueens."

Grace laughed again, Tope did hate the student population of Freeman University, the private institution was probably one of the most prestigious in the country and also with one of the most expensive tuitions, but Tope's reason for her hate was that one of her ex boyfriends had cheated on her with a Freeman girl.

A thought occurred to her suddenly, it should have been the first thing she should have thought once she heard the news of the football match.

"Wait, the male team are playing right?" Grace asked, sitting up quick. The thought of playing still made her chest tighten and her palms clammy but she was willing to risk it.

"Yeah," Tope said, casting her a strange look. "You are dating Kendrick, right? Why are you suddenly interested in checking out Freeman boys?"

"I am not dating Kendrick." Grace bit out. She didn't know what they were, she was afraid to define it even. For now, they were just friends who kissed each other an awful lot.

Tope raised an eyebrow at that, but thankfully, she said nothing.

"Firepemi might be there, he's captain of the team." Grace added.

Tope's eyes widened in realization. "You want to corner him and talk, in an open space, what if one of ORION'S spies sees you?"

"There'll be a damn crowd, Tope." Grace argued. "I can handle Firepemi."

"It sounds like a good plan, everyone knows Fire has a knee injury, I doubt he'll play but he'll definitely show up as captain, might even do a little coaching." said Tope. "So you're playing?"

Grace bent to pick up her bag and fished her phone from one of the smaller pockets. She'd freaked out when Tolu Kingston handed her a new phone, not an Android but the latest iPhone, in gold and she knew that he must have asked Sanmi what color would be her favourite.

She was still getting the hang of the new technology but she quickly sent Kendrick a text to meet her if he was free.

"Yeah, let's kick Freeman asses."

***

The sports hall had been divided into two, Freeman girls took the girl's changing rooms while Tope's team took the other. As Grace stepped out, dressed in a slightly over sized Liverpool kit, she noticed three girls discussing in loud tones, two of them speaking of all the wicked things they wanted to do to Fire, he was like a mini football god in several universities.

He was her way in. She wanted to laugh about how just a year ago, she'd told Tope that she wouldn't even touch Firepemi Kingston with a ten foot pole and now, it turned out that he was her cousin and she needed his help.

She bent to lace her converse, when she walked out the sports hall, she caught the last words of the girls' conversation.

"For fucks sake, we're here to beat them, not screw their boyfriends."

Grace chuckled at that and turned to catch a glimpse of the girl who'd said it, it was the shortest amongst them and hints of a silver tusk tattoo peeked out from her sleeves.

Tope was stretching with the other girls as Grace approached. Instinctively, Grace stuck to her best friend's side, thinking that the other girls must hate her for taking their teammate's position even though there was no hint of loathing on their faces.

"This is Grace, she's filling in for Habibat." Tope announced flippantly. A few of the girls offered verbal greetings, others smiled or waved.

"You look familiar," One of the girls said, a contemplative frown etched on her fair face. "I think I've seen you on the news recently."

"Not her." Tope cut in smoothly. Grace's heart skipped a traitorous beat, with Remilekun Phillips' exposure of her to the media, her privacy was now non existent and it was only a matter of time before someone connected the dots and begin to dub her the long lost heiress.

"Go on without us, I want to buy pure water." Tope lied. The girls began the short jog to the field in the distance, kicking sand up as they walked, already, Grace could see that the pavilion was filled students.

"I'm sure in a matter of weeks, nobody will remember all this." Tope adviced, touching a hand to Grace's shoulder in comfort. "Just continue to deny them."

"Or I'll just transfer schools since I'm a millionaire now." Grace murmured distractedly, she swiped at her phone and saw that Kendrick had replied to her text.

Held back, will be there soon.

She felt a stab of frustration at the precise message. They hadn't really spoken since days ago when he visited and she was afraid that calling him on the phone would be intrusive.

"Was that Kendrick?" Tope asked as they walked through the barbwire gate where the pavilion was enclosed. Tope stopped to buy chewing gum from the stall near the gate. After she paid, she handed Grace a piece.

"Yeah, he's on his way."

"So you two aren't dating each other?" Tope asked again. "He seems to care about you a great deal and you're obviously simping for him."

Grace shot her a side glare. "I am not simping for him."

"You kissed him yet?" Tope asked with a knowing smile on her face.

Grace felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"Yeah, thrice. We kissed again, two days ago." Grace admitted. She bit her lip, remembering how he'd teased her to kiss him goodbye and when she'd braved herself to do so, it had turned into a make out session. Tolu hadn't been pleased when he walked in on them, later that night at dinner, he'd attempted to give her a very awkward talk on safe sex, it was then she remembered that he was a professional medical doctor, even if he didn't practice anymore.

"You f—" Tope began, Grace spluttered, cutting her off with a withering look.

"Of course not, I would never."

Tope doubled over, laughing. When she recovered, she looked like she would begin again.

"God, you're a prude."

"I'm God's child, Tope." Grace retorted.

"I'm sorry, it's just so funny, I said that to tease you. If you want to abstain, then your choice, if you don't want to, well, your choice too."

"We already know what yours was." Grace said sourly. Tope had let it slip once.

"Yes, mine." Tope said flippantly. "I think you and Kendrick need to define your budding relationship."

"I'm not going to tell him that." Grace said.

Tope gave a snort, casting the gum wrapper on the ground just as the speakers on the pavilion boomed, announcing the match would start in a few minutes.

"Don't make that mistake," She said cheerily, although there was something bitter in her voice as if she spoke from experience. Again, Grace wanted to ask about her relationship with Sanmi, Tope could be so closed off and she'd never speak up until she was comfortable with it.

"I know you're thinking of Sanmi, and yes, there was a lot wrong with our relationship, many things that were just too much. I made excuses for him." Tope said faintly, she seemed to snap out of her fantasy when she noticed Grace's proding glance. "And it ended."

"Talk to Kendrick, that it if you want to date him. If he doesn't make you a priority, then he's probably not right for you."

"Don't be with someone like that, you deserve better."

***

Freeman University had been Jié Yong's first choice of a university when Kendrick had announced his decision to transfer to Lagos, seeing their students now, the customized tees they wore made him remember the Kendrick he had been in the first few weeks after Emmanuel's murder. It was an uncomfortable reminder that he could have heeded his father's advice, attend a normal school and have none of the complications of his life now.

Although his feelings of melachony were just probably a result of the tongue lashing he'd received from a professor. The woman was one of the first lecturers that had taken note of the fact that he was a transfer student, she'd been impressed by previous record in his former university, there had been nothing but disappointment in those eyes when she'd announced that he failed yet another test.

"There must be something taking up your attention, Mr Yong, since your education does not matter anymore." she'd said.

Kendrick wanted to laugh at how correct she was. There was else something taking his attention and it wasn't even ORION. This hesitation filling him had begun when he'd discovered the truth about Emmanuel's death from Jamal Popola. The nagging doubt told him that he was fighting a battle that wasn't even worth his time, the Emmanuel he knew wasn't the whole boy, there had been a secret side Kendrick had been oblivious.

Why fight the justice of the boy who'd loved playing with fire? Whose own greed led to his destruction. It killed Kendrick that he couldn't just walk away, declare he was done and wash off his hands.

He mounted the low steps up to the highest seats in the crowded pavilion and hated that he was someone who stuck loyally to his word. His peace now lay in finding foolish justice. It seemed like the pavilion was divided already, Freeman students at one side, LASU students on the left half and the rivalry didn't end there, occasionally some students would shout louder than necessary when a player fired a shot close to the goal and several LASU students would equally rise to say taunting words.

Because of the divided space, Kendrick sat at the highest spot up in the middle and let his eyes sweep over the crowd, searching for a familiar afro.

A sudden thunderous shout rose up and he looked in time at the field ahead to see Grace juggle a pass from a teammate effortlessly on her knees. A smile tugged at his lips unwitting, he wasn't even surprised. A defender slid her leg to catch her but she was quick to recover from the move.

She hopped past an incoming defender and shoot the ball into the net, the ball grazing the goalie's fingertips dangerously. Cries of 'goal!' echoed at once, before he knew it, he was standing with half the crowd and cheering.

That was what football did to him, or maybe that was just the Grace effect.

He caught the slight stiffen in her shoulder relax slightly as an elated Tope pulled her into a rough hug. That was Grace, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Thirty minutes and two goals later — one from Tope —  the final whistle was blown and LASU were declared the winners, winning with three. Firepemi was still no where in sight.

Kendrick stood with several students that probably wanted to get snacks to eat. He was torn between texting Fire and asking to meet, but they weren't really sure where his old friend stood, it was best to reach him unaware.

He jogged down the steps and at the same time, Grace was walking out of the enclosed field. She caught sight of him and a small smile lit her face, she only took her eyes off him to slap the shoulder of a short Freeman girl who'd offered her a handshake.

When she finally reached where he stood at the gates, she didn't hesitate to run into his open arms. She was breathing hard and her dark skin was sleek with sweat, but there was something about her lips that couldn't stop smiling, something that made him pull her in for a brief kiss, just a little one at the corner of those lips. He heard her breathless sigh and pulled away.

Her smile gone. He was taken aback by the steely determination set at the edges of her mouth.

"Kendrick, we need to talk," Grace told him, her throat bobbed. "About whatever this is between us.

He took a step back and wondered what to tell her, that yes, he wanted to be her boyfriend so bad, but that he couldn't because he'd made another stupid promise to his father. He was an idiot and he knew it. It was even worse because he was tired of where he was, Nigeria had stopped being home a long time ago, maybe America would fix that homelessness.

Grace saw his hesitation and took a step back, already coming to the worst conclusion. He reached for her hand, she slapped it away.

"Don't kiss me again." She said flatly.

She made as if to walk away, but Kendrick saw her eyes widen, then her spine stiffen again. He sighed and looked behind him, and sure enough, Firepemi Kingston was standing there and he looked like he wanted to pummel Kendrick.

He wasn't wearing a football kit, just a pair of jeans that were faded and an old Barcelona jersey, his hair was held back with a cap slung backwards. His backpack hung carelessly on one broad shoulder.

"I think you should get lost, Kendrick, she doesn't want to speak to you." Fire hissed.

Kendrick wanted to tell him to do the same, but it was funny, because the last thing they needed was for him to do that. It was also funny that it was his chivalrousness that found them.

"Well I want to speak to you." Grace said quietly.

Fire gave a half hearted shrug, already glancing away from them.

"Sorry, I have to go." He said, he gave her one grim smile but she was quicker. She moved past Kendrick and took Fire's arm in her grip. The taller boy looked shocked by her attack.

"Now, I mean it." She said. "Family helps family."

At that, he flinched but Kendrick saw that he was curious.

"Please, don't rope me into this, I've had enough of family feuds." He said tiredly. "Besides, you don't want any of Joshua's spies to see us talking and report back."

Kendrick gave a hollow laugh, the cousins jerked, as if they'd fogotten his presence, lost in their staring match.

"You once led ORION, I refuse to believe you are afraid of Phillips." Kendrick said.

Fire gave a bland smile.

"It's not me I'm afraid for." He said simply.

"Now you're going to feel emotions for me?" Grace said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're such an honorable guy."

Fire sighed but there was an amusement in the gesture. "There's an empty office behind the pavilion, you have five minutes."

He didn't wait for their reply and they followed, Grace stared ahead determined and Kendrick knew that no matter what he told her, she would still think of him as an idiot, it still didn't stop him from whispering one last sentence, one that sent her scurrying ahead of Fire.

"Whatever is stopping me from being with you, it's my fault, not yours, never yours."

True to Fire's words, there was a row of offices behind the pavilion, something Kendrick had never even noticed. He pushed the last door on the right and the metal door creaked open.

The office was dim and the smell of rust in the air told Kendrick that it was rarely ever used.

"The coach is on maternity leave." Fire explained. He took a seat on the edge of the table and nodded his head, gesturing that they speak.

"We have evidence to take to ORION'S council, evidence that could ruin the Phillips." Grace cut in.

Fire raised his head. "I don't see how this concerns me, Grace."

Grace made a tsking sound. "Oh it will, there was a lot of protocol broken with the way you and your friends brought me into The ORION Project and played me a fool."

She spoke in a scathing manner, Kendrick was impressed by how easily she drew guilt from him. Fire looked away.

"And you as a member of The ORION Project, knowing that rules were broken and not turning them in will probably destroy your place in ORION."

Fire shrugged nonchalantly, it was hard to tell if he really cared. Kendrick cursed himself, thinking that he knew so little about the people he'd once called friends. He used to think he was a good people reader.

"I don't care, you think I want that place?" Fire said. "You're mistaken, and you'll be helping me, so by all means, take me down."

Grace circled the room slowly. "I think you do, you know why?"

She leaned closer. "Nina."

At once, Fire stiffened. Even Kendrick was shocked, when Sanmi had informed them of Fire's secret relationship with Joshua's girlfriend as potential blackmail material, Grace had been quick to shut down the suggestion. Now she was using it, angrily too.

"You all go down and the next best person takes over, Charles St. Clair will not throw away the chance to allow his daughter be leader when he once tried to be, and lost, serving under Remilekun instead." She said breezily, as if she were a teacher giving history lessons. "His daughter has mostly been out of the country, he's kept it that way for years, also while tying her to Joshua too."

How Fire kept his anger in check was a mystery to Kendrick, he looked ready to spring up and attack, the muscles of his arms strained.

"He'll push her to be leader and he'll force her to cut all ties from you, your little secret relationship will be over." Grace echoed mockingly.

Kendrick wasn't even sure how she'd come up with the assessment of Nina but there had to be an ounce of truth in her words to make Fire so riled up.

"Plus, your mother will lose ORION'S backing, she might even be mysteriously assassinated, we both know the lengths ORION will go to keep their secrets, a secret." She added with saccharine sweetness in her voice.

She was like an avenging angel, wreaking havoc and smirking in it.

"But, if you help us, none of this happens, you stay excluded from the fall when it happens, you can quietly leave when Joshua comes crashing down, like you've been planning to and as a bonus, you even get the girl."

Fire still said nothing.

"We might want your help, but don't you dare think that you're the one in power."

"I could tell all your plans right to Joshua." He finally said, his voice a deadly quiet.

Kendrick watched Grace's mask slip for a moment, but it was back on as quick.

"Go ahead, tell him, Joshua gets more careful with your help, he tightens his hold on everything, even you. You want out of ORION, help us get in."

Kendrick looked from Grace to Fire, waiting.

Fire relaxed suddenly, there was no defeat in his eyes.

"What do you want my help with?" He finally asked. For a moment, there was nothing but stunned silence, then disbelief on Grace's face as if she didn't expect to win him over.

"Entry into the Dome."

Fire broke a piece of wood off the desk. He hopped off it.

"And how do I know you won't fuck me over after I help you?"

"I'll have it written on paper if you want." Grace shrugged.

Fire nodded, he stepped closer to where Kendrick stood by the door and Kendrick caught the contemplative look on his old friend's face.

"I'm not that influential to grant you full access to the Dome, I'm going to need help planning that."

Grace shook her head. "It has to be just you."

Fire shot her a look of irritation. "There's someone who knows the Dome far longer than I have, she used to bring me there when I was a child and knows all the secret entrances."

"We'll need my mother's help," Fire said, a mocking smile stretched on his lips. "Good thing for you, she's in town. Funny, just yesterday, she asked me to find a way to get you to meet her."

"You've got to be kidding me." Kendrick muttered.

"I'm not, Dayo Kingston wants to see you, Grace."

"You convinced me, now convince her to help you."

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Sanmi asked. He pretended not to notice what Joshua Phillips had folded away in an envelope, pretended not to see that familiar seal, a blue cupid stamp. One he'd held many times before.

"I thought we were friends, Sanmi?" Joshua mocked, touching a hand over his heart.

Sanmi cursed under his breath, he should walk away now, he should have never decided on answering the mysterious text he'd received.

MBA hall, now.

It was several minutes before 7pm, not dark, but dark enough to hide that envelope in plain sight. The parking lot was almost empty, save aside a single car.

"Cut to the chase, I'm not playing your games." Sanmi heard himself say, run, his mind screamed, but no, he was fixated on that white paper.

"Do you know what happens when the body is forced to stop taking what it has depended on for a long time? The body begins to die, wither slowly and shrivel, becoming nothing but a slave to that particular urge."

"Your own body betrays you now, I bet you want to leave, but you won't."

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Joshua's smile was gone, in place, there was no malice, just a cold detachment. Sanmi hated it, and then hated himself.

"You're going to take this," He pointed at the outstretched envelope in his hand.

The smile made a brief reappearance, then it flickered again, giving way to something that Sanmi might have noticed if he weren't shaking so badly — loathing. Joshua Phillips loathed his own self, hated himself with every fiber of his being, it was what both boys had in common.

Joshua might not even know it, or maybe he did, maybe that was why his own hand shook slightly.

"Then you're going to do as I say."

* * *

Happy Independence Day, Nigerians! I find it very funny that much of this book is surrounded by politics, when I started writing TOP, I did it with the intention of shedding light on a number of injustices in our country, I did it how I know best, with sly digs at the government. I love this country, with all my heart but I'm still going to keep dissing us when shit goes wrong.

Moving on to chapter discussion, Kence sure ended quick, lol. Kendrick is an idiot but don't we all love that he knows Grace struggles with anxiety and how he always looks out for her thoughts by making his words twice as clear so she doesn't misunderstand them? We stan an idiotic king.

And Fire is officially in! Or is he? And his mama???  Gear up to find out a shocking truth in the next few chapters.

Also, pray for Sanmi, my poor child. I've tried to make my depictions of his addiction not too triggering, but yes, he's relapsed (thanks to fucking Phillips) and yes, he needs to decide if he wants help. Let's just hope he doesn't spill all their plans.

PS, the mention of Freeman University is important and is the next setting of my upcoming book, did you spot our future main character? Get ready to experience Yoruba mythology and magic in this book! I'll share details soon.