Yay! I'm back! You missed me?
No?... Okay 🌚.

Thanks for 1k votes! 😭💞 Y'all are my besties fr fr 💕(whether you like it or not 🔪.)

It's Tracy in the media box, y'all 🥀.
The way I love this girl ehn! 💞✨

[Ramsey Nouah as Olakunle Adenuga, Tracy's father 😌✨]

Please, forgive my Yoruba in this chapter 😭. Everything is straight out of Google translate and my rickety Yoruba vocabulary.

So erm... semi-mature scene ahead... idek, bruh 😂.

But enjoy! 😂🍻

This chapter is dedicated to me 😭. For all the headaches I battled for this shit.

°°°°°

Intense heat made me shudder in his hold.

❦︎

~[TRACY]~

It felt good.

It felt so good, I swear.

Letting it all out like that, finally being bare like that before them, my friends. It took some weight off my chest, made me breathe a sigh of relief. I was for them, they were for me. That togetherness, it meant a whole lot to me.

And it was even better when he walked me to my car, my little hands in his. How he had held on to it, his eyes lingering on our interlocked fingers with that satisfied smile he had on.

But do you know the best part? All that-those intense emotions I saw in his eyes, the soft smile that played on his lips and even that little satisfied sigh he had let out-was all me, because of me.

Charles Yohance Ayuba had fallen hopelessly for me.

And with every time he reminded me it-with those glances he stole, that kind of smile he reserved only for me, those specks of glitter in his eyes-I fell deeper and deeper for him, blissfully drowning in whatever it was I was sinking in.

That boy had my heart, and he didn't even know that enough. I didn't let him know that enough.

Baami would kill me if I ever did that, the mere thought of boys around us could make him go bonkers.

But Charles... he was like a forbidden fruit I could not get enough of. A kind of weird substance that I wanted to have over and over again, I never got enough. But-

Bong!

The pain that rippled from my forehead to the base of my skull caused me to sneer. I held my head with both hands, in hopes that I was actually still alive.

Was that door made out of just mahogany? Or it was steel in the guise of wood?

"Argh!" I groaned, massaging my head harder. "This freaking door, geez!"

I would have kicked the door to expel my frustration, but I still needed my legs intact actually.

So, I opted for swinging it open instead.

And as usual, my eyes scanned the living room first, to see if anyone was around. No one was there though, and the house was silent, too silent.

But still, my eyes roamed, I felt a presence. Strongly. Carefully, I took everything in, just incase there was a possibility that someone could be hiding amongst the furniture.

But nobody was there; Behind the coffee brown couches, under the clear center table, absolutely no one. Heck, I even lifted the part of the cream rug peeking from underneath the table.

Still, nobody.

But what was this presence I was feeling?

Or was I still paranoid from the events at school?

Must be that, I agreed within myself. So, I shook off that feeling.

But the silence in the house was weird, disturbing even. Save for Baami, every other member of the household should have been home. So where were the twins and Kathryn?

I mean, the twins-Tega and Preye-had left school before me. And Kathryn was at home most of the time. In her words, the sun was not meant to see her skin.

So where were they?

Were they trying to prank me? Was that why I sensed a presence? Who in God's name was watching me right now?

"Who's home?" I called out with a question, eyes still roaming the width of the living room. "Is anyone home? Kate? Preye?"

No response.

It must be the paranoia, I said in my head. So, with that conclusion drawn, I began to make for the stairs. But I heard Baami's voice,

"Ahn ahn, Tolani, you're back?"

He was right there, at the top of the flight of stairs. Standing there, you'd have a perfect view of the living room. But Baami would not waste his time like that, watching me without saying a word.

"Yes. Eku irole, sir." I squated slightly, the traditional way to show respect.

[Good evening.]

I observed him as he descended the stairs, nothing short of regality in his manner of movement. One would think he was an Oba, from the way he walked and spoke sometimes. But Baami had his way of switching characters to fit any situation; I picked that from him, learned it, mastered it even.

[Oba: King.]

"You look tired, omo mi." He gathered the sleeves of his black agbada around his shoulders, stretched out a bottle of water he must have brought from his room. "Wa mu omi, come and drink water."

[Omo mi: My child.
Wa mu omi: Come and drink water.]

I received it, opened the cap and took a quick gulp. "E seun, sir." I thanked him.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. I made zobo too." He told me. "Do you want some?"

"Maybe during dinner."

"But you look so tired, Tolani. Ki lo n sele?" He assessed me in concern. "Omo mi, are you alright?"

[What happened?]

"Baami, please, I'm fine." I tried to assure him, and myself too.

"Tolani, o n paro fun mi, abi? I know you're lying." He narrowed his eyes at me, pursed his lips.

[You're lying to me, right?]

Of course, he knew. He always knows.

"Anyways, go have your bath. Then come down and let's talk, so gbo mi? You hear me?"

I sighed in defeat, nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And," he added, adjusting the fila on his head, "make sure you use that vitamin E oil I got you oo, so your skin will keep shining like mine."

He graced me with his rare smile, briefly though.

Nevertheless, I laughed, shook my head at my father. "Okay."

"Ehen, omo daadaa. Now, go and have your bath." He dismissed me with a small wave.

[Good child.]

°°°°°

My quick bath was refreshing, even the vitamin E oil too. I actually needed it, y'know, to wash out Esther's blood from underneath my pretty nails.

I laughed to myself, still high on the satisfaction I had gotten from finally wrecking her face like that. No really, it was like a breeze of calmness, that feeling of finally doing everything I had always wanted to do to that bitch.

Well, not everything; I still hadn't strangled her.

But hey, no regrets, I was not about to be locked up in jail because of a piece of trash. If it were for stabbing all stabbing all abusers alive, or forcefully hugging Justin Bieber on stage, I'd gladly go to jail. Just not for Esther Idiot Bolarinwa.

So, I was glad I didn't stab her actually.

And then, I took my time to actually think of this situation that Preye had somehow gotten trapped in. It was in that moment of thought that realization actually struck me with the gravity of what Preye had done.

The girl really did the nasty with her juniour, not just any juniour, Kenneth. That one whose genitals could easily be another one of our national cakes. And out of all places they could do the freaking do, they had chosen the school's pool.

Well, ew.

I made a mental note to never get in that pool in my life again. Cause, again, ew.

I had to be down on time for dinner though. Baami never condoned lateness to the table.

So, I quickly reached out for my phone on the vanity to remind myself how much time I had left.

4:47pm.

Well, I had a little over an hour to get to dinner, there was fairly enough time to chill around a little.

My eyes still lingered my phone's screen as I walked over and plopped down on the pink sheeted bed. I couldn't help but smile anytime I looked at her, so it was only logical that I made her my wallpaper, right?

It's not likely that your answer is yes, I know. Because I honestly don't remember the last time I did anything logical.

But really, the way I admired this particular girl was beyond my own comprehension. And I had to question myself, am I bi?

Nah, I also responded to my own thoughts. Who was I kidding? If it wasn't Charles, then it was simply no one.

Still, I was grinning at her photo on my screen.

In all honesty, in another dimension, where Charles didn't exist, I'd actually marry Victoria Kanayo and have three lovely boys.

And as if on cue, my phone buzzed with a call. Her name flashed across my screen. Ria. I know right? Dope nickname.

My already huge smile actually broadened. And I found myself screaming into the phone,

"RIA!"

A hearty giggle rose from my chest and escaped my lips.

"Tracy." She said my name to me, her silvery voice felt like a soft pat on my tummy. "How are you?"

"You're calling, so I'm absolutely fine." I was completely honest with her. The fact that she didn't know how easily she could brighten my mood was funny, cute too.

"I'm glad." She let out a short laugh, I heard her breath and then she inquired again, "How are you?"

This time, concern accompanied her voice, clearly. Really, it warmed my heart that she actually bothered about my well-being.

"I told you already, I'm fine." I made sure to laugh, just to convey my mood. "Especially now that you've called."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Ria. A hundred percent." I confirmed.

"Okay." I heard the amusement in her voice. "We'll see tomorrow, yeah? I have to revisit some topics now, midterms start next week."

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. This girl and books ehn. "Whatever, Ria. Just don't keep me waiting again tomorrow."

"Fine, fine." I imagined her hands raised in surrender. "Bye."

We dropped the call. And my smile was still plastered on my face.

Again, I would marry that girl if Charles didn't exist. Anybody would be insane not to just love her.

In that case... Jason was mad then. Because I didn't understand, I couldn't put it together at all. I tried, tried and tried, yet, I didn't come up with anything. I couldn't come up with anything. Really, I failed to point out why Jason was appalled by her to that extent.

Then again, it was giving mixed signals. I mean, what was I supposed to make out of the fact that he always had on that little smile whenever he heard her laugh? My guy desperately tried not to turn and watch her everytime, that vein that popped from the side of his head was enough proof, his heavy gulps too.

But I didn't make a fuss, I was supposed to be the non-observant, childlike one, and that I remained.

So, I concluded that Jason was mad indeed.

I checked my phone again, it was 5:43pm. I had only a few minutes left, so got my ass up and finally went into my closet to change.

°°°°°

Baami maintained the simplicity of the living room for the dinning's decor too. Clear table over white tiles, with black, leather chairs surrounding it, all confined in white walls and floor. A chandelier of three dangling silver cylinders hung from the ceiling, right above the middle of the table.

"You'll just have to dash me this your sweats, please nau." Kathryn was at it again, coveting my clothes.

"I am not letting you have any of my clothes." I told my stepmother as I lowered the cooler of eforiro unto the clear table.

"But-"

"Please, Kate." She always insisted I called her that. "You're not taking any of my clothes again."

"Na wa oo." She clucked her tongue, jutted out her bottom lip. "It's not like you're wearing them all."

"You're not wearing all of yours either."

"It's okay, abeg." She took her seat, at the right of Baami who was already at his place at the head of the table. "I even went shopping today."

Her last statement, it was to arouse jealousy in me. I tell you, Kate can be that petty. But it explained why she wasn't home when I returned.

"Where is Preye?" Baami inquired from Tega.

"She says she's not having dinner." Tega's voice was groggy, like one who had just woken from their slumber. And if it was so, it also explained her absence earlier.

"Ehn?" Baami took his time to wipe both his ears with his index fingers. "In whose house is she about to do that? My house?"

Of course, Tega remained quiet. How was she even supposed to respond to that?

"Oya, kiakia, go and get your sister." Baami ordered and Tega got on it immediately.

[Quickly.]

It was a norm, we were not allowed to start eating until the table was complete with every member of the family. But the sight of that soup was tempting me to break Baami's rule.

Not today, Satan, I shook my head, summoning every bit of will power I had. It is not me that will face Baami's wrath this night.

I was still rebuking in head when I heard my father's alarmed voice,

"Ah! Egbami! Omo yii ti pa mi! Ye!"

[Help me! This child has killed me!]

"My husband," Kathryn's concern-filled voice came next, both confusion and worry were evident on her features. "What's the issue?"

"This girl has disgraced me! Preye has finished me!" Baami's phone dropped on the table with a thud. He took of his fila in distress, revealing his head which was slowly going bald.

"What did she do?" Kate was obviously agitated at this point, the way her fingers drummed on the table communicated it. "What did Preye do?"

"Why not ask her yourself?" Baami pointed at the dinning's entrance.

My eyes trailed his finger to the twins, they were just stepping in. And Preye, she looked puzzled, like she didn't understand what was happening.

But why? By now, she should have gotten the gist, that the school must have reached out to Baami already.

"Do you know that you have killed me?" Baami threw that rhetorical question at Preye.

She choked on it, whatever she was about to say, it didn't get past her throat. And she had gone stiff, completely; The girl had stopped midway, eyes locked with Baami's.

And I was there, turning my neck at intervals to look at both of them.

"Baa-"

"Don't call me your father." Baami's tone was so cold I felt the chills on my skin, his eyes were even colder. Filled with dangerous wrath. "I reject it."

I saw it, the way Preye's shoulders dropped even lower, tears welling up in her eyes and her lips parted; Perhaps to speak, but she seemed to still be choking on her words and guilt.

It was clear, it would take a miracle for her to get out of this one. Even if the school, by chance, would be lenient with her, Baami would not.

Preye was in deep shit, deeper than I thought.

"All of you, leave here."

Baami's voice sliced through the thick silence that had enveloped us, the one that had clogged Preye's throat.

"I said all of you should leave!"

I jolted, taken off guard my the heaviness of my father's tone. This was the angriest I had seen Baami since I was born. He was not saying anything yet, he was not doing anything yet.

Baami was calculating how to properly deal with the girl.

Preye was in the deepest shit possible.

Chairs scrapped against the floor as Kate and I got up. Both of them were confused messes, Tega and her mother.

Me, I stopped by the kitchen to grab some snacks before ascending up the stairs to my room.

There was no thick tension, cold eyes or shivering bodies here.

I exhaled the air that had gathered in my lungs.

The night was cold. Or maybe it was from the chills I felt from Baami. Either way, I hugged myself, rubbed my arms to create heat.

My God.

That single action transported me back to that night, in his room, the second time we had kissed. When he had caressed my arms like that, made me drown in his deep, brown eyes. And then said those words that made my knees wobble,

"I think I'm insane, Tee." He had breathed out, that subtle hoarseness in his voice could have cracked my ribcage and have my heart in his hands. "Because of you."

Lord...

And then his fingertips trailed down my arm, connected at the small of my back; Ever so gently, he pulled me even closer to himself, leaned in so that our foreheads touched. Our breaths mixed, so did the heat that oozed off of us.

A slight movement from his end and our noses grazed. He sniffed in sharply, I shivered. My eyes fluttered close.

I raised my hands from his biceps, wrapped them around his neck.

"Tee, I swear..." he gulped down whatever words would have followed that, I heard it.

Where it came from, I don't know, but a sense of boldness compelled me to get on my tippy toes, graze our lips; Pushed me further to nib on his bottom lip, softly taking it between my teeth.

He let out a sigh, it held a mix of frustration, longing and lust. I felt a crash of everything dangerous in my tummy as he tightened his grip on my waist, let his warm tongue tease my upper lip.

Intense heat made me shudder in his hold.

I had barely tasted what he had to offer, yet I was already high. Intoxicating and exciting flames sparked within me, engulfed me in a sweet inferno.

And then he took control, with a force fuelled by desire, he pressed his lips fully against mine.

Both our breaths ceased.

My arms around his neck tightened in my need for more proximity. I was too electrified, high on him to even kiss him back, to move my lips. So, I let him have full control, followed his lead.

Then our lips gradually fell into rhythm; We stepped into our own world of euphoria.

And it was then, at that very moment, that Baami's face flashed in my mind, reminded of his dangerous wrath.

With mighty speed, I veered backwards, disentangled myself from his arms.

And I saw it in his eyes, as he stared at the distance I had created between us; The confusion, mixed with sorrow and a hint of regret.

"I thought you wanted-"

"I do." I whispered in all sincerity. "But- I-" Then I dropped my gaze to the floor, eye contact with him was suddenly too heavy to maintain. And I blatantly lied, "No, I don't."

I wasn't looking at him, but I heard the rapid rush of air he inhaled.

But God knew it, how much I ached to run back into his arms, connect our lips again.

But, Baami.

With the heaviness of my heart, I told him, "I'm leaving."

As I twisted the doorknob, I prayed that he would run after me, grab me again and refuse to let me go.

He didn't.

And I didn't blame him, I couldn't blame him.

I had cried my eyes out every night for days after that.

I swear, I had thought he had moved past that. Not until last Friday, when I went to consult him and his brother about the sleepover.

Chris had left us shortly, headed to the indoor, giving reasons I did not bother to listen to.

Charles and I were now alone in the school's garden.

And boy, the tension between us was thick enough to keep you warm in a storm.

Then this boy decided to kill me, wreck my insides, when he told me,

"I am still insane, Tee."

Oh, God...

I would have fallen to floor at those words if I weren't already seated.

But the fear I had for Baami was greater than those butterflies that were raging in my tummy. So, avoiding his gaze, I told him, "Leave me alone."

Still, he dared to move closer on the bench, touched my hand that laid by my side. I recoiled as a zap of electricity travelled up my arm.

Again, I said to him, "leave me alone."

He made to to move closer again.

I ran.

It shocked me, I swear, the sudden speed my legs had generated as I dashed for my car.

And I spent the rest of that day coaching myself to ignore him at the sleepover, suppress my feelings.

Well, thanks to Chris, that plan went to the dust.

And in that forced dialogue, Charles and I agreed to forget everything, literally pretend like we both didn't make each other feel inexplicable things, like we both didn't arouse sinful thoughts in each other's minds.

A part of me knew I was fooling myself, we were both shitting ourselves.

But still, hugging myself in the middle of my room, I prayed that I would fall into any dangerous temptation.

•
•
•

A/N

*Puts hand on breast and swears*
I promise, I'm an innocent child 🙂🤲🏿.

Whatever you've read was fully constructed by Tracy, I have no hand in it. My job was simply to tell you guys.

These kids are wilddddd! I wonder where they're learning all these bad things from 🌚.

Patiently waited for Victoria and Fidel's turn 😌. Jk jk... or not 😗.

Y'all have no idea how much I'm cringing right now tho 🙂.

As for the next chapter. It's actually ready, but I'm hoarding it 😗. Y'all need time to digest this one. Spoiler: Jason is finna swallow some bitter truths from our one and only Chris 🙃. Hopefully, small sense will enter his head 🌚.

We'll soon start seeing positive changes sha. Then yawa go gas, and I'll be cackling like the winch that I am 🧙‍♀️.

Anyways, before I go talk too much, follow me on IG for spoilers @_vickyraee (note the double Es 😗)

Remember I love you, abi? 💞✨
Stay safe! 💕