THEODORE

"Finally!" Irene let out an exasperated sigh as she kicked off her heels and threw herself lazily on the king sized bed. "Today is one stressful day." She mumbled getting up from the bed and heading to where she kept her luggage.

When she got into the adjoined bathroom, I rolled my small trolley to where her large ones were by the wall and took a seat on the bed.

Irene and I were going to share a room because she was not aware I was coming instead of Desmond. Apparently, she was very cool with sharing a room with Desmond.

Before coming up to the room through the elevator, we had asked at the reception for another room but we were told that the rooms were already booked and since we would be returning the next day it was no use anyway.

The independence gala we had attended hosted so may other celebrities and many other influential people in the country that was the more reason why it was strictly by invitation.

"This isn't your picture on the IV card." One of the bouncers growled out at me and Irene explained to them yet he wasn't buying it.

I quietly pulled out my identification card and he let me in after reading out my name from the card.

"Theodore Oyedele-Thompson."

"Son of the—" his second made to ask me and I nodded. They let me in. They simply did. That was it was. If it had been a random person, he wouldn't have been let in. Deep in my heart, I knew it wasn't right as we were all equal before the law, wealthy or not but sadly, that's how it all works.

The hall was decorated exclusively, three exquisite chandeliers hanging out from the ceiling and lightening up the room. The round table of six scattered beautifully around the event hall with assorted edibles sitting enticingly on them.

I had excused myself halfway into the party to use the bathroom and returned to meet Irene with an unfamiliar guy and to me, she seemed very uncomfortable.

Poor Irene! I had thought, I knew what it felt like to be forced into an unyielding conversation.

"Would you stop hitting on the girl." I called out as soon as I got to the duo. Beside me I watched her heave a sigh of relief and relief washed over me.

She's fine. I had thought.

"Why should I listen to you?" He replied with a scowl.

I eased into the chair crossing my legs in that businessman style my dad always did.

"We came together."

"So?" His scowl deepened, It felt like he was about to snap.

"She's my girlfriend." I wrapped an arm around Irene and surprisingly, she didn't try to clarify things. She wrapped her hands around me and placed her head on my chest.

A smirk made it's way to my face. I could actually tell he was screaming 'PDA' in his head.

He stood up and walked away fury evident in his features.

"He's gone now, you can—"

"Please let me remain like this."

I didn't object. I let her hold me like that and through out the period we were in that position, no fan came searching for Irene.

The party was fun even though I sat rooted to a spot most of the time.

What actually got me bananas was that that same guy that I met hitting on Irene did the exact same thing with me.

"It's fine if you want your girl to yourself, I don't mind. I could make do with you. You're really cute."

And he was actually chewing softly on his button lip.

Eww...

Thinking about it know brought a bile to my throat.

I raised a questioning brow at him and he chuckled. "I'm Luke and I'm Bi." He stretched his hand for a handshake.

My eyes followed his outstretched arm to his face and back to his arm. "I'm Theodore and I'm straight with every bone in my body." I ended eyeing him dismissively.

He simply giggled and winked.

Yes he giggled like a girly girl.

And I thought I had seen it all. I thought as he walked away.

The door of the bathroom making contact with it's frame pulled me out of my distasteful reverie.

Irene walked out and my eyes danced around her body. She was draped in a lace nightwear that stopped few inches below her backside.

I actually wasn't surprised as she loved to show off skin. I had seen her severally in booty short but this nightwear was different. It was way too sensual.

I lifted my gaze to her face. She pulled the towel she had wrapped around her head earlier and then bent by her luggage to get something and her nightwear rose higher.

I quickly tore my gaze from the very oblivious girl.

Who knew sharing a room with a girl would be this hard?

When was the last time I shared a room with a girl?

My gaze returned to the supermodel I was to be sharing a room with on its own accord and I felt something move in me. A small yet pronounced movement.

Two dots.

Her nipples were very evident through her nightwear.

Oh no! I groaned mentally and got up from the bed.

Why am I so perverted this night.

I strolled into the bathroom to prevent whatever it was coming over me.

Poor Irene had no clue that what she wore was slowly awakening dead cells. I was man after all.

And as a lay man would say,

Body no be firewood.

Those thoughts slowly drifted away as the cold water cascaded down my skin.

As I stood under the shower, thoughts of how I was going to spend the night with Irene flash though my mind and I cringed.

What if the nightmares come?

What then?

I knew one thing was for sure, that I wasn't going to let her meet me vulnerable. Why?

Because I'm strong, I'm Theodore.

IRENE

My eyes flew open suddenly and the mild pain followed. I was so pressed. Getting out of bed, I rushed straight to the bathroom.

I felt relieved after I had emptied my bladder. I strolled back into the room with one hand gripping my waist.

I noticed Theodore was awake and seated on the bed when I advanced towards the bed.

He had his head bent toward ad he was reading.

"Hey." I called out softly plopping down beside him on the bed. He looked up and his brows creased.

"How long have you been in this position?"

I shrugged "I just woke up. Went to ease myself and came back only to meet you awake. Why are you awake?"

His eyes immediately left mine and went back to the books in front of him. "As you can see I'm studying."

"What are you studying?"

"Mathematics." Was his curt reply. I peered into the book looking through the lines.

"Differentiation." I voiced out the topic he was studying. "Why are you studying by this time?"

He pushed few buttons on the calculator and scribbled something down. "We have WAEC soon."

"That's like in six months." I watched him quietly as he kept doing what I met him doing, studying. How he managed to look so good even in the dead of the night amazed me.

I knew I had a hopeless crush on him. The way my body reacts to his touch, smile, voice and even scent was becoming dangerously embarrassing but for some reason, I was fine with it, I didn't want to fight it.

"Trust me you won't know when it arrives. Six month is closer than you think Irene."

"Yeah yeah." I waved it off dismissively. "But you should rest tonight. You came all the way from Abuja and had to be with me throughout the entire time of the shoot and as if that wasn't enough, even the party was quite exhausting. We will be returning by morning and you need to be refreshed."

He finally looked up from his books to me with an amused look. "Why do you care?" He shrugged.

My heart took another pace. "We're friends anyways, I should care about your wellbeing." He hummed and smiled softly. And yet again, the smile unleashed wild hormones and my body seemed electrified.

"You should go to bed, I'm fine. Thanks for your concern." Now it was my turn to frown.

"There's no way I'm going go to bed if you don't."

When I noticed he ignored me totally engrossed in his books, I took them from him and took it to the dressing table. "You can study some other time."

He didn't seem happy with my actions but he didn't say anything. I rested my back on the bed frame, my sitting position mirroring his. "It's fine if you aren't sleeping. Let's talk."

"You should sleep." His voice was low and his gaze on his feet. Watching him in this position, I wondered why he was forcing himself to stay awake just to read. I mean, it was very obvious that he was forcing himself to stay up.

"I'm not sleepy anymore. Let's talk. Tell me about your childhood and maybe while we're talking I'll sleep off."

He seemed hesitant for a second but he finally eased up and lay beside me plopping on his elbow as his hand supported his head.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

He sighed and smiled and I looked away feeling those electrifying sparks shoot up my spine.

"I used to be a very playful child." He started smiling probably at the memory.

"I always had something mischievous up my sleeves but nonetheless, I knew my boundaries when it comes to certain things." He ran his hands through his hair and my eyes followed that subconscious action.

"C..Can I touch it?" I stuttered pathetically gesturing to his hair.

"Sure." Was his simple reply and I dug my hands into his rich brown curls. The feel of his hair was heavenly.

How can a boy have hair this beautiful?

I drew small circles on his scalp whilst listening to his tale.

His face brightened up and he smiled. "You know, there was this time when I was around eight or so, my immediate older brother was in secondary school. He was about sixteen or seventeen then, he used to bring this girl home and they'd go to his room and all."

I leaned closer paying more attention my hands still massaging his scalp gently. "And?"

"There was this day I asked him to set up the PlayStation for me when he arrived with the girl but he didn't. I reported him to my parents."

I doubled up in laughter. "Who knew you could be a little snitch." I sighed my hand still not leaving his hair.

"Irene, you have no idea."

The way he called my name made me feel things I had slightly gotten used to.

Eyereen

He pronounced every vowel and consonant perfectly. It left me wondering what more effects he had on me.

Watching him with keen interest, he continued speaking making all sort of faces all along. A smile, scowl, frown and the likes. I took in everyone of it and basked myself in the ethereal moment we were sharing.

"Irene." He drawled out.

"What is it Theodore?" I asked in the calmest and softest voice I had ever heard. I found it so hard to believe that that was my voice.

"I feel... I feel really... really sleepy." He mumbled the power of sleep evident in his voice.

"Then sleep." I mumbled back at him.

"I don't want to."

Why wouldn't anyone want to sleep when they feel sleepy?

"Why?" It came out more as a whisper .

"I'm scared."

My heart started beating erratically against my chest. "You're scared to sleep?" If I had though I had whispered moments ago then I had no idea what to call this.

He nodded slowly, his drowsy eyes on my face and my hands still knitted in his hair.

"Irene."

"Irene."

"Irene."

He kept mumbling as he dropped gently on the bed eyes shut.

I just stared. I stared at Theodore, at how vulnerable anybody can be and I couldn't help but wonder what it was bothering him so much that he was scared to sleep.

Sleep sometimes was my hiding place but he was scared to sleep.

I quietly lay my head beside his never disconnecting my hand from his thick rich curls.

The soft sounds of his breath could be heard in the silent room. Slowly, I was drifting to another world, one that ridded me of my worries.

Oh Theodore.

*

A new chapter y'all☺

Oh and the trailer for this book is at the media. Made by my one and only Iyanuoluwa-Temi.

Nothing to say today 😂

Bye bye 👋

Word Count: 2129