THEODORE

I was seated in the dining hall rounding up with my breakfast so I would hurry to school. Not like the school cared what time finalists arrived but I just felt the need to go to school early like I always have for over a month. Moreover, it was a Monday.

The moment I got up from the chair I was seated on, I headed towards the couch in the living room to get my backpack so I would head out when my eyes caught something on the television screen.

BREAKING NEWS

"We are live at the residence of the teen supermodel Irene Coker." The reporter spoke up.

"Tell us miss Coker, why have you been inactive on all your social media accounts? We have heard speculations from different points of view but we want to hear directly from the horse's mouth."

Irene spoke up with so much confidence. "I have been a bit ill and stressed out and have also been preparing for my forthcoming examination."

I watched Irene closely. She looked unbelievably beautiful. More beautiful than she had ever been. She had her natural hair up in a bun and laid the edges neatly and stylishly. She looked ever so classy in the school's uniform.

"Can you explain why your friends were seen at the emergency unit at Kelina Memorial hospital?" Another reporter asked.

Irene lifted her weight from one leg to the other. Something I had noticed she does a lot.

"We all were at the hospital and were at many other units so seeing them at the emergency unit means absolutely nothing. I went to receive drip and since Tobias was in town, he came over to see me."

She replied them skillfully but trust the journalists to have more questions for her.

"What do you have to say about the rumors going on that you are terminally ill and go for chemotherapy from time to time?"

These reporters!

"I am not terminally ill. I am very fine. I just fell a little ill as a result of stress, nothing more."

She replied them yet again. Watching her on the screen made me want to hold her close and tell her how sorry I was, how much I missed her and how I wanted to fix things, make things right between us, make it up to her.

"What do you have to say to those who thought you were dead just because your sister died as at the same time you went hiatus on the general public?"

I sucked in a breath. They decided to bring up such a sensitive topic and I began to fear for Irene.

Do not break down, you're a strong girl. You have always been.

I muttered on the inside praying silently that she doesn't break down before the media and surprisingly, she didn't. In fact, she spoke with so much confidence that I doubted I would be able to face her.

"My disappearance from all social media network and my sister's death happening at around the same period is purely coincidental. As you can see, I am well."

Another reporter spoke up. "One last question for you miss Coker."

"No more questions, I have to leave for school and I'm running late.

The extremely huge guys beside her whom I figured were her bodyguards kept the reporters away as they led Irene away, probably to the car.

A reporter's voice and faced took over the screen next.

"We have just heard from the horse's mouth. Miss Irene Coker is in good health condition-"

I did not wait for her to complete her statement. I grabbed my backpack and dashed up the stairs towards my room when I bumped into Lucy.

"Woah woah woah. What is up with you this morning?"

"Irene is coming to school today."

"What? How did you find out?" She asked.

"How I found out doesn't matter, how I'm going to approach her should be our sole concern."

"Here's something." Lucy started and I stood watching her speak.

➪➪➪➪➪

The moment I got to school, I hurried towards the library area where Osaze and I met from time to time. Walking to the back of the building, what I saw made me stop in my tracks. Irene speaking to Osaze.

I couldn't make out what they were saying but I sure did know that they weren't yelling in each other's faces. That was a good thing then. I still tried my very best to decipher what it was they were saying but I couldn't make out anything from the movement of their mouths.

They weren't smiling and neither were they frowning at each other.

Could they be talking about me?

Well why don't you walk over to them and find out.
My subconscious suggested and I walked over to where they stood conscious of my walking step and my looks.

I was only few meters away from them when Osaze turned and acknowledged me with a smile also drawing Irene's attention to me.

The moment my eyes met Irene's, I froze. They were so endearing yet so repelling. So mesmerizing yet so pained. Just as I was about to say something to her, she looked away from me, nodded at Osaze and walked away.

I let my gaze follow her as she took graceful steps away from us. "Are you going to keep watching her walk away or are you going to walk up to her and talk?"

Oh yeah!

I gave Osaze a small smile and hurried after Irene. "Irene wait up." I called and she stopped right in her tracks. I jogged to where she stood.

"It's really good to see you in a much better state."

She didn't say a thing and neither was she looking my way. I took her silence as a cue to speak up. "Can we talk?" I asked.

"In private." I added.

She finally acknowledged me by throwing a glance my way. "We have nothing to talk about." She said and began walking away. I followed her.

"I want to talk Irene."

"Well I don't want to." She replied still walking away from me as though I was a plague.

I pulled her by her wrist and made sure she stood to face me. "I'm sorry for what I said the other day. I didn't mean any of it, I was just-"

"Sorry you say?" She said to me pulling her hand out of my grip. "Sorry can't make the words you said suddenly have no effect on me, sorry can't stop me from hurting. Theodore, sorry cannot mend my broken trust."

My heart ached for her, my words had hurt her real bad. "I know, but I want to fix it, I want to make it up to you." I said to her but she shook her head instead.

"I'm leaving."

I grabbed her by both arms to stop her from leaving . "Please don't go."

"Let go of me." She said in reply. I looked into her eyes hoping that she would soften up a bit when she realized how sorry I was but instead she was shooting fireballs and hailstones my way.

"Let go of me, Theodore."

"I'm very sure you heard her man, let her go." I frowned at the sound of that voice. It was Desmond.

"I'm pretty sure I told you to stay away." He said as he got to where we stood.

"This is between Irene and I."

"She doesn't want to talk, let her go or do you want my fist to connect with your face again?" He asked shooting me a thunderous glare.

"Again?" Irene asked in confusion and after a few seconds her face was contoured with fear.

I had had enough of Desmond being overprotective and utterly annoying. "I'd like to see you try."

He grabbed me by my collar before I could say Jack Robinson.

"Stop!" Irene yelled. "Don't do this Desmond, you're going to create a scene." She said and when he wasn't paying any attention to her, she stood in between us and held me close. "If you're gonna hit him, hit me too."

I looked down at her as she wrapped her hands around my torso tightly. I was shocked beyond words, I couldn't utter a word.

I heard Desmond growl and I returned my gaze to him. He retreated still glaring at me.

"Fine, I'll let him go."

Irene pulled away from me with a smile and pulled him by his arms. "Thanks." She muttered. He nodded with a small smile.

"Let's go." She said to him and pulled a reluctant Desmond away not saying a thing to clear the air of confusion she had succeeded in blowing around me.

I turned to return to the library area when I sighted Osaze behind me.

"Don't worry, I saw it all." I sighed.

"Well it didn't go so well." I muttered but I was certain she picked up my words.

"Don't beat yourself up about it. There's always next time." She said and dug her hands into my curls.

I chuckled. "You're behaving like my mum. That's how she ruffles my hair whenever she's trying to cheer me up."

She beamed and flipped her braids dramatically . "Well aren't I a motherly figure?"

I scoffed and she smacked me with the textbook she held. "You know I am." She said and I held both her hands behind her back causing her to scream.

I let her go whilst chuckling and she came after me as we ran towards the library building.

IRENE

Resuming school was a big deal for me mostly because I knew I was going to face Theodore, Osaze and the entire school but I knew I would scale through in the end.

The moment I stepped out of the house, I was faced with so many cameras that made me stop in my tracks.

These journalists.

I decided to stay cool as they rushed towards me asking me so many questions I found rather unnecessary. I answered skillfully knowing that it was going to be aired on every news channel and I couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

With the help of my bodyguards, I was able to get into the car and leave the compound. Mum suggested my bodyguards go with me to every single place I was going to so I wouldn't get 'missing' again. If I didn't leave them in time, I would've been late for school and even though the school wouldn't worry themselves with the tardiness of finalists, I just wanted to be away from home and the prying eyes of the media people.

Stepping foot on the neatly interlocked grounds of Claret High School, I began my search for Osaze. I might not be in good terms with the girl but I knew when to appreciate someone for doing something good.

I sighted all other students asides the finalists heading to the school's auditorium for assembly and I began to wonder where on earth Osaze could be. One thing I knew was that she was not in the SS3 block or love garden because ever since the fall out, she tried her possible best to stay as far away from us as she could and that left me to other options like the ICT department and the school's library.

I hurried towards the ICT department just when I sighted black braids from afar. Forty inches long if I wasn't mistaken. Osaze's trademark, she was a braids person. She had always been.

She was seated on a concrete bench behind the library, her head in a textbook and I walked towards her. The moment I got to where she stood, she looked up to face me with her black rimmed glasses sitting diligently on her nose.

"I'd like to talk." I said. She nodded and stood up.

I took that as a cue to continue. "I saw the article you posted on your blog. That saved me a lot of stress and unnecessary questions from literally everyone. Thank you." I said.

I said it, I really did thank Osaze.

She gave me a small smile and shrugged. "It's not a big deal, I only did what I thought right."

I hummed when I had nothing else to say and Osaze fixed her gaze to the side and smiled. I decided to follow her gaze and see what it was that made her smile.

My heart skipped two beats when I saw the person that made her smile. It was Theodore. I gave him a quick one over.

His glorious curls were even longer than they were before, someone has not been to the barber's shop in a while, and his light skin was gleaming under the morning sun. He looked good was what I thought till my eyes met his. His eyes looked terrible. They looked tired, sleep deprived and the eye bags were quite evident.

I thought for a moment that I could have been the reason for his sleepless nights but then again his words replayed in my head and I dismissed the earlier thought I had. He was probably up at night because he reads at night. That makes perfect sense doesn't it?

Of course it does.

His gaze held mine for a little longer and I had to look away. I focused my gaze back at Osaze and with a simple nod of acknowledgment and appreciation, I walked away.

I walked a few meters before I hear the footsteps behind me. I hastened my steps as I already had a clue who it could be.

"Irene wait up!" He called out.

And I was right. What did he want from me again. Why couldn't he just let me be? I eventually stopped and waited till he got to me.

"It's good to see you in a much better state." He said as he stood towering above me. I didn't say anything partly because I had nothing to say but mostly because his words from the other day kept resounding in my ears.

"Can we talk?" He asked. "In private." He added.

"There's nothing to talk about." I responded dismissively and started walking away.

"I want to talk Irene."

"Well I don't want to." I replied still walking away from him.

He pulled me by my arm making sure I stood right in front of him our chests almost touching.

"I'm sorry for what I said the other day. I didn't mean any of it, I was just-"

I pulled my hand out of his grip. "Sorry you say?"

I huffed out a breath. "Sorry can't made the words you said suddenly have no effect on me, sorry can't stop me from hurting Theodore. Sorry can't mend my broken trust." I was at the verge of screaming.

"I know but I want to fix it, I want to make it up to you."

Fix it? Make it up to me? Impossible!

I shook my head. "I'm leaving."

The moment I took a step to move, his voice came out again. "Please don't go." He pulled me back holding both my arms.

"Let go of me." I said calmly and when he didn't budge, I spoke up again. "Let go of me Theodore."

"I'm very sure you heard her man, let her go." That was Desmond. He took gentle but well pronounced strides towards us but Theodore wasn't even moving and neither did he let me go.

"I'm pretty sure I told you to stay away."

"This is between Irene and I." Theodore said and I noticed the thunderous glare they sent each other's way.

"She doesn't want to talk,"

Thank you!

"Or do you want my fist to connect to your face again?"

The bells in my head went off. Again?! This has happened before?

"Again?!" I asked in shock but neither of them acknowledged me. They were so into their glaring contest.

"I'd like to see you try." And the bells in my head went off once again and Desmond grabbed him by his collar.

Desmond happened to be the nicest person I knew and also the most ruthless person I had met. When it comes to the people he cares about, he would break protocols. I was very much aware what kind of danger Theodore was in because with the way Desmond was seething in rage, he could beat Theodore into coma.

I might not be in good terms with Theodore and most definitely wanted nothing to do with him but the last thing I wanted was to have his beautiful face battered beyond repair and his slender frame in a sick bed. Especially not when we had our JAMB UTME exams the following week.

"Stop!" I yelled. "Don't do this Desmond, you're going to create a scene." I said but it didn't seem like he was even listening to me so I did the next thing that came to my mind.

I rushed towards Theodore and hugged him. Desmond cares so much about me he wouldn't even want me to get stung by an ant. "If you're gonna hit him, hit me too." I said with my arms still wrapped around Theodore's torso tightly.

I had watched Desmond beat someone to pulp in the past and I wasn't ready for another. Moreover, he would get in trouble with the school authority and it would be all over the news and internet that teen star, Desmond Ukeme beat someone to the extent that they had to be rushed to the hospital.

After a while, Desmond let out a pained growl. "Fine, I'll let him go."

I pulled away from Theodore and pulled Desmond by his arm smiling. "Thanks." I muttered to him.

He returned my smile and I pulled him forward. "Let's go." And with that we began to walk away from Theodore.

We had walked quite a distance when I heard Theodore's deep resounding laughter. I couldn't resist the urge to turn, it had been ages since I heard that sound. That sound that hits different when I'm the reason for it.

The pang I felt when I turned had me biting hard on my bottom lips. Theodore was laughing while Osaze played with his hair smiling. I faced my front and continued walking beside Desmond who held me even closer as though he knew I needed it badly.

Breath in Irene, calm down.

You shouldn't bother yourself about them.

YOU DON'T CARE!

"I don't care." I muttered lowly and snuggled Desmond's larger frame.

He placed a small kiss on my head and I sighed out loud.

All is well.

*
Hey y'all! What's good?

So a few people came to my DM saying that Desmond is secretly in love with Irene. Kindly air your opinion on this.

Do well to vote, comment and share. I'll see you all in the next update which will be coming soon, hopefully.

Bye boo bear!

Word Count: 3108