THEODORE

"How was your day at school?" Lucy asked as I slumped on my bed.

"Same as always, extremely stressful." I responded as I loosened my tie. Even though I had snapped at Lucy when I was in a bad mood, she didn't stop looking after me. She left me at that moment and returned later.

I was sincerely glad she understood that I was in a bad mood and forgave my harsh words and even decided to help me. Easing off stress by talking every now and then and also by reassuring me that all would be well with Toby and Irene.

She also helped me realize that I just might have the slightest crush on Irene. Asides Osaze, she was the only person my age I spoke to recently. Maybe my mum's decision of getting me a maid my age was a great idea.

"Did she come to school?" Lucy asked and I instantly knew who she was talking about.

I shook my head. "She hasn't resumed yet and the guys won't tell me a thing about her health condition."

"Why don't you call her phone?" Lucy asked and I casted a quick glance her way.

"I'm not doing that." I replied as I kicked off my shoes.

"Why not?" She as she took my shoe and returned it to its rack.

"I promise you I'm the last person she would want to speak with right now. I will talk to her alright, but that would be in person and when she fully recovers. She made to say something but swallowed it back.

"Say what you want to Lucy, I don't bite."

She shrugged nonchalantly as she walked to the door. "Oh it's nothing."

I nodded and she made her way out. The moment she left the room I stripped out of my school uniform and walked into my bathroom for a cold shower. A well deserving one.

I tried very much to push away the guilt I was feeling and tried to be optimistic to keep my mental health in check so I could assimilate what I was going to study later on.

I made a mental note to put a call across to Kazeem before dusk and immediately after my shower, I dialed his line through FaceTime and waited for him to pick up.

"Hey man." I greeted the moment his face popped right on my phone's screen.

"Yeah you only need the lamp when it's burning low, only miss the sun when it started to snow, only know you love her when you let her go," I frowned. He was singing along to Passenger's let her go.

"Only know you've been high when you're feeling low, only hate the road when you're missing home, only know you love her when you let her go. And you let her go."

"Should I hang up?" I asked as my blood began to boil.

"Feel free bud." He said as the song paused. Apparently he put it off.

I sighed and dug my hands into my hair. "What was that about Kazeem?"

He smiled. "Just reminding you of what you did."

"You're supposed to be my therapist for goodness sake."

"I am lil one. But that doesn't mean I should sugar coat the truth. You have to know that you have done something wrong."

What is this dude even saying?

"Thank you so much but I have realized my mistakes and I'm working towards fixing them so I'd really appreciate it if you don't make me feel even worse than I already do."

He shrugged and smiled.

What's funny?

His smile soon blossomed into a full blown laughter. I squinted my eyes watching him intently. "Are you drunk?"

"Tipsy yes, drunk no."

I facepalmed myself. "Where are you?" I asked him.

"Hong Kong."

"Hong what? What are you doing all the way in China?" I questioned.

"Had something to do there but I'll be back before the week runs out." He said and I nodded easing into my couch as I set up my phone on the table before me.

"So you finally realized you just might had a thing for Irene, yeah?"

I shrugged. "I have a slight crush on her. I must have gotten carried away spending so much time with her."

Kazeem shook his head. "Why don't you move on Theodore. Lucia is gone forever, she's dead and will not be coming back. Find somebody else."

I chuckled lowly. "Why are you acting like I'm in my thirties and I need to get married. I'm barely nineteen dude."

He didn't smile or make funny faces at me. His expression was stoic and that made my smile disappear. "I know you still think of her Theodore, it's been over two years, why don't you just move on."

"You're talking like it's the easiest thing to do."

He spoke as though forgetting everything was equivalent to walking out a door. I had tried severally to move on and not think about Lucia anymore but I failed, every single time.

"I know it's not easy but that's the only way you'll be fine again. That's the only way your mental health will be stable again. Do it for yourself, your family and friends. For Irene."

"Kazeem you of all people should know that Lucia was first my best friend before we dated. I can't just forget about her just like that. Believe me I've gotten rid of anything that could remind me of her. I have put them away but somehow she finds a way of coming into my thoughts.

I breathed in trying to keep my anger and frustration in check. "I swear I've tried so hard and it's been very hard and here you are speaking like I'm not even trying. You know I want to be normal again and I'll do anything to be the Theodore I once was."

Kazeem fixed his gaze on me through the screen . "The problem is you're not trying hard."

That made my blood boil. What is the dude even saying. I beat myself up day and night and try my very best to move on so I could be normal again. So my parents would stop bothering themselves about me and he had the guts to tell me that I wasn't even trying.

I casted a death glare his way and switched off my phone.

IRENE

"What are you up to?" I heard Mayowa ask. I had always wanted to be as far away from him as possible, especially when it was just me and him at home.

Spending an entire week with Mayowa had to be the scariest thing I had faced in years. Mum would go to work, Ivy and Rowland to school leaving me and Mayowa with the workers who would return to their quarters the moment they are done with their chores.

I tried my hardest to stay in my room and made sure I locked the door so he wouldn't have access to me. I was also very excited whenever my friends visited. They made me feel more safe at home. I was just so glad I would resume school the next day.

I had left my room to get a bottle of soft drink when he walked into the kitchen. I closed the fridge and turned to face him.

"I'm pretty sure that is none of your business."

He smiled as he walked to where I stood. All the hairs on my body stood erect as he approached me in gentle strides. On getting to me, he pulled open the fridge and took out a bottle of water.

"You're avoiding me Irene." He spoke up before he downed the content of the bottle. He reeked of sweat, definitely fresh from the gym.

"Don't I have every reason to avoid you?" I asked him mustering up courage.

"Honestly I don't see any reason as to why you would want to avoid me. I would never hurt you, I don't stand to gain anything from doing that."

I moved away from him. "You reek of lies and sweat too. Those two don't work together."

"I could have killed you and Ivory and get away with it but I did not do that, because it wouldn't benefit me."

There was an iota of truth in what he was saying. Why didn't he kill Ivory and why didn't he also kill me? What game was he playing.

"What do you want then?" I asked.

He smiled. "Nice try love, I'm not telling." He said and walked to the door.

"Wait!" I called out to him just before he walked out the door. He turned and arched a brow.

"Do you really love my mum?" I might not be close to my mum and might not be in good terms with her but I most definitely did not want her to go through the pain I was going through. Having someone break your trust and most definitely not heartbreak. She didn't need any of that.

"I do." He said, smiled and walked out.

I stood fixed to a point in confusion when the door opened slightly and Mayowa poked his head into the kitchen. "Oh and, don't try to act smart because you can't outsmart me."

And with that he walked out.

I did not know what to think anymore. Was Mayowa guilty or was he not?

What did he want?

And what is his deal?

Are we safe or not?

Was he being manipulated?

So many questions that I had no answers to.

➪➪➪➪➪

"The shoot was awesome!" Ivy squealed when I asked her how her shoot went. She had a shoot right after church. My mum went to church with Ivy and Rowland leaving me with Mayowa.

"They were all treating me like a queen. I felt so special." She cooed and I smiled.

"Well get used to feeling special because you are indeed very special." Ivy was back but Rowland and mum were still out.

She smiled as she slumped beside me. "Let's check their page. They must have uploaded the photos on Instagram." She pulled out her phone and that was when it occurred to me that I had been inactive on all of my social media accounts for over a week. An entire week and it didn't quite sit well with me.

I had lost my phone when I went to see Ivory and hadn't gotten a new one. I was guessing the reason I didn't quite notice was because I was studying most of the time.

She handed her phone to me and I looked through the photos. They were perfect. She modeled for one of the biggest clothing brands in Nigeria 'Totally Cute'. Ivy was so aesthetic, I was most definitely proud of her. Her commitment and zeal was going to pay off in the long run just like mine did.

"They are really beautiful." I said to her and she beamed.

"I know right!"

Leaving their page and scrolling through the Instagram explore page, something caught my eyes and I clicked on it. It was a post from one of the many nosy bloggers.

Teen supermodel Irene Coker supposedly on a break from social media.

I scrolled and started seeing similar posts and went through them.

Teen sensation Irene Coker reported missing.

My heart started beating erratically as I scrolled through. This was what I tried so much to avoid. I continued to scroll even though my subconscious warned me against it.

Desmond Ukeme, Tobias Pirah and other friends of Irene Coker were sighted at the emergency unit of Kelina Memorial Hospital. Could the supermodel be in danger?

Supermodel Irene Coker missing as at the same time her sister was. Could she be dead?

What is this? People cannot just mind their businesses.

I shoved the phone in Ivy's face. "Have you seen these?" I asked and she swallowed.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You have. Why didn't you tell me about it. I would have done something about it."

She made a face as though she was beginning to feel uneasy. "I wanted to. I was asked not to tell you as you had not fully recovered."

"Who asked you not to tell me?" I asked.

"Everyone." She responded. I closed my eyes and dug my hands into my newly loosened hair.

"Take a look at this." Ivy said as she handed her phone to me. I took it from her hand and took a quick glance at it. A deep scowl marred my face the moment I saw the heading.

Famous anonymous blogger's opinion about Irene's Coker's disappearance from social media.

According to the article Kenny the Blogger our favorite anonymous blogger posted earlier today, the teen supermodel Irene Coker is not terminally ill as many had assumed.

She is in fact doing very well. All she needed was a little break from social media as a result of stress and her forthcoming examination.

This information...

I did not wait to read the entire article as I handed Ivy's phone back to her. Did any of the guys asked for this from someone whom we no longer considered our friend?

"Well this blogger has put an end to the spiteful speculations. You owe him one. If only we know who he is."

Oh I know who SHE is.

Osaze Robert.

I drew in a deep breath and lay face down in my bed. Could all this get any more complicated?

*
Hey guys, I'm here again.

Do tell me what you think about this chapter and your speculations about whatever Mayowa has going on.

Do well to vote, comment and share.

Bye!

Word Count: 2252