~ADAM~

"Oh, my innocent eyes and virgin lips, what did I just walk in on?"

I felt Kunmi's smile against me at the words and I started to smile too before pulling away. Her eyes were still closed, lips swollen and slightly parted and...

"I'm still here oo."

God! Sophia!

What was she even doing here? Wasn't she supposed to be in Paris or wherever?

"I'm still here oo before you guys start going PG."

God! I moved away completely from Kunmi whose eyes were now open and she was looking at me, a small smile on her lips and that mysterious glint in her eyes. I started to smile too.

"Guys! I'm still here oo. Can you guys hear me or even see me? Oh my God! This is the first time, I'd walk into a room and I won't be acknowledged."

My smile turned into full-blown laughter at Sophia's sheer silliness and I had to look away from Kunmi to look at her. She was leaning against the opposite wall, her eyebrows raised. She wasn't even in her uniform and what on earth was she putting on?

"Oh my God! I left an innocent baby Kay behind. Now, look at what I came back to meet. Hmm?"

She pushed herself off the wall and she walked past me to Kunmi who was looking at her as if she had grown two heads.

"My God! I've missed you, my baby Kay."

And she threw her arms around Kunmi who was still looking at her warily as if she couldn't believe Sophia was capable of talking or acting like this.

"So, did you miss me too?"

She asked, pulling back from Kunmi who did not even get to hug her back. The latter looked up at me before she looked back at Sophia, a beaming and overly excited Sophia. She was too excited that I could feel her excitement.

Only God knew why she was that excited?

And did she say innocent eyes and virgin lips?

Really? Sophia? God! How did I end up being her friend in the first place?

"Well, I guess you did not even have time to miss me because you were busy doing other things with that pretty boy over there."

She turned back to me and did she just wink at me? God of Sophia! She turned back to Kunmi who was still looking at her warily, probably wondering what to do with this overly excited Sophia.

"Oh, My God!"

She screamed and I could have sworn that even the walls shook at the intensity of her voice. She moved away from Kunmi, palms covering her mouth and eyes huge as saucers as she looked at us.

"So, wait, are you guys like DATING!????"

Now, the walls did shake at the intensity of her words.

"You guys are dating? Are you guys dating? Oh my God! They're dating."

She was beaming now and she reminded me of a child about to eat her favorite ice cream flavor.

That was how she was until shit hit the fan and she had to grow up.

"You guys should answer me! Are you dating?"

"Sophia, what are you doing here?"

That wiped the grin off her face and she glared at me, more like raised her hand to smack me before she stopped herself.

"I won't hit you because of my Baby Kay."

She replied, turning to look at Kunmi who looked flustered as hell.

"Anything for my baby and to answer your question, I came here straight from the airport because I thought you guys would've missed me but Kunle had gone AWOL with Aminah and you guys were busy doing what you were doing. Did you guys even miss me at all?"

"No."

"Of course, you did not, did you even remember you had a friend called Sophia?"

She asked, arms crossed over her chest and rubbing the nonsense she had on, in the process. There was an amused and almost eager look on her face like she was remembering something.

"And remember what I told you that last time? That I'd be watching you and you'd be held accountable? Now is the time and I've got my eyes on you."

I frowned at her, remembering the words but not remembering when she said them. But again, she talked too much that it was always hard to even filter out the important ones.

But those words.

I remembered now. That first time, so long ago that I showed Kunmi around the Art Gallery, Sophia had walked in on us when we were about to leave. She had said those exact words. I thought she meant something entirely different then but she was talking about this? Really?

"You remember now?" She beamed again "You were still trying to form hard guy but being the seer that I am, I saw it coming."

Wow. I only looked at her, still surprised by this revelation. I surprised myself by bending my own rules for Kunmi but that was just it, wasn't it?

"I think I should just leave you guys to catch up. I'll be in the class....."

"Nooo, of course not, if anyone is leaving, it should be the third party."

That should have been my words but it was Sophia who uttered them and I had to look around for the supposedly third party.

"Don't even bother to look around, pretty boy. I'm talking about you but we'll leave since it's your studio afterall, right, Kunmi?"

Kunmi looked at me at that, eyes silently pleading for me to save her from Sophia's clutches.

"Right, Kunmi?"

The latter asked her again and Kunmi looked away from me to her.

"Yes."

That meant no but Sophia was too excited to even think about it.

"Alright then, see you later pretty boy."

Then she grabbed Kunmi's hand and she started to open the door, which she wore rubbing in the process.

"Sophia, please, what's that thing that you have on?"

"You mean this?"

She asked excitedly and gestured to her cloth or what was supposed to be her cloth.

How Sophia showed up in school 😂😂

"It's a limited edition from adpehhdtyssdvbuetgdfxxzdyiscbhragjn."

Exactly. That was what I heard because there was no way in the world what she was wearing would be from anywhere sensible.

"It looks pretty."

I said and I watched as Kunmi tried to stifle her laughter. I was sure she knew I did not mean that.

"Of course, it is. It's a limited edition after all."

With that, they stepped out of the studio, leaving me to my thoughts and to my imagination of what would have been if Sophia had not walked in through the second door.

How did I even become friends with Sophia and Kunle in the first place?

                            **********
                            ~KUNMI~

A beaming and overly excited Sophia led me out of the Arts Studio and she dragged me past the administrative block and the academic block. She did not stop until we got to the cafeteria until we were sitting inside the cafeteria. It wasn't lunch break yet but because it was the first day of resumption and classes had not fully started yet, they allowed us in without any complaints.

Sophia only dropped my hand when we got to the farthest spot in the cafeteria. I still had no idea why she dragged me here.

And the fact that she was still smiling and beaming at me. Was I supposed to be scared?

What was she even doing in school, dressed in whatever she was dressed in? I shook my head as I looked at her from head to toe. I'd never understood how this fashion of a thing works for a model. She took her seat opposite me, that smile still on her face. It was unlike Sophia to smile this much and I was starting to become afraid that her face would start to hurt because of her excess smile.

"Are you okay?"

I found myself asking, my mouth working by itself again and she just shrugged, that beam still on her face.

"I'm not sure. I mean, I've never felt this excited in a very long time."

"Why are you that excited? Did something happen?"

"Of course, you and Adam happened. That's everything."

You and Adam.

I started to smile but remembering the kind of girl that was sitting in front of me, I forced that smile off my face but it was too late, she caught on already.

"Oh, God! What was that smile just now?"

She asked, propping her head on the table with her hands and leaning over.

"Look at you, smiling to yourself because of Adam and he isn't even here. God! I need a man in my life."

She basically screamed the last part and the few students in the cafeteria turned to look at us and I even had to cover my face. This Sophia ehn.

"Why did you even drag me here? Don't you have to go home or something?"

I asked, eyeing the clothing she wore. I don't know how someone would be comfortable walking around in the kind of clothes she wore.

"I dragged you here because I missed you and I'd rather sit with you than go home."

She'd rather sit with me than go home? Really? Was it possible for this girl to even get any weirder?

She opened her mouth to say something but she was cut off when we heard her call her name. We both turned towards the direction of the voice to see Kunle and Aminah walking towards us, hand in hand and I subconsciously turned to look at Sophia. She was looking at the duo with an impassive expression. More like how she used to look before she became this beaming and overly excited Sophia.

"Sophia, is this you? When did you get back? Shouldn't you be in Paris or wherever?"

Kunle asked immediately they got to us and Sophia only shrugged.

"I came back because I missed you guys."

The darker boy only looked at her as if he couldn't believe her before he looked away from her face to her clothe and I watched as he tried not to laugh.

"And, what are you putting on, please? This is not a runway or a fashion show."

"Oh, this?" She asked, looking down at herself and touching the clothing.

"It's a limited edition....."

"Don't worry, I understand already. I feel you."

He interrupted, pressing his left hand to her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze before letting go.

"And Kunmi, where is Adam? I thought you were together?"

I opened my mouth to answer Kunle but Sophia beat me to it.

"Yeah, they were together in the Arts Studio and they were......"

"He's in the Art Studio."

I interrupted her and she looked away from Kunle to me, that teasing looks still on her face.

"Okay. I have to go and join him. Aminah, do you want to come with me?"

"So that you guys would bore me with your boys' talk, hmm? Nah, I'd rather sit here."

"Alright then, lemme leave you guys."

With that, he left, leaving us with this really weird atmosphere. The last time I was with Aminah and Sophia, Aminah had left angrily and I did not know what to make of the both of them sitting together like this. Strangely, the two girls reminded me of each other and I had to wonder if they would be friends if a Kunle wasn't involved.

Even with a Kunle involved, would they ever be friends?

Aminah liked Sophia and would probably do anything to become her friend but Sophia?? I did not think it'd even be possible for her to even like Aminah, not to talk of actually becoming friends with her.

I did not think so, at all.

"I like your hairstyle."

Sophia's voice startled me out of my reverie and I subconsciously touched my hair that was packed into a ponytail but that compliment wasn't directed to me because Sophia wasn't looking at me, she was looking at me. She was looking at Aminah and my mouth dropped open.

Sophia just complimented Aminah? Really?

Aminah's eyes mirrored my expression before her lips stretched into a smile, her hand reaching out to touch the locs.

"Thank you. I was wary about making my hair into this but it turned out fine. Even Kunle likes it."

Ooops. Don't jinx Sophia's mood. I looked at Sophia to see this small smile on her lips, eyes fixed on the darker girl.

"I'm sure he does."

I said nothing; I just kept looking at the two girls, wondering what was going on with them. Wasn't Aminah supposed to be angry at Sophia?

"And, happy birthday in advance. Your birthday is in what? Two weeks?"

Something flashed in Sophia's eyes at Aminah's words but I couldn't tell if it was anger or hurt because it was gone almost immediately.

"Three weeks, actually and thank you, you're the first friend to wish me."

Sophia's voice was solemn and it almost creeped me out. Does she just refer to Aminah as a friend? Her mouth said one thing but her eyes were saying something entirely different and a beaming Aminah, oblivious to the obvious only smiled.

"Sophia!"

We all looked up to see Gab waving at Sophia by the entrance and the latter muttered something incorrigible before excusing herself from us. I watched her walk off to meet her cousin at the entrance, watched as they exchanged pleasantries, their excitement, and all that. Gab even proceeded to pull Sophia's cheeks before the both of them walked off.

I looked back at Aminah to see that she also had her eyes fixed on that spot where they were just seconds ago. S    e at that space, lost in thoughts until I cleared my throat and at the rate at which she turned back to look at me, she almost fell from the seat.

"Sorry ehn, I got carried away."

Carried away by what was I wanted to ask but I found myself saying something else.

"So, you and Sophia... I thought you were angry at....."

"She apologized."

She interrupted and I paused, mentally calculating and deciphering what those two words could mean.

"She apologized?"

I exclaimed, shocking myself by how high my voice sounded but seriously? Sophia apologized? Oh come on, tell me she came to school naked instead.

"Yes, she did."

She answered, almost nonchalantly as if she believed that apology as if Sophia would apologize and mean it.

And why would she apologize anyway? Was she up to something or what?

"Why do you look so bewildered? Do you think Sophia isn't capable of apologizing? She's human after all."

I shook my head. Aminah should know Sophia better than anyone but she was just too trusting and naive and oblivious.

"This is Sophia we're talking about. I can't even picture her apologizing."

That made Aminah smile and I tried to imagine Sophia actually apologizing to her and I just couldn't come up with a mental picture. It just seemed impossible to me.

"I mean, I was also surprised when I saw her text. I thought it was even a prank or something but it was real and Kunle keep telling me to bear with her, that she has a lot going on and stuffs like that. He won't tell me whatever it is that she has going on...."

She trailed off and she turned to look at that spot where Gab and Sophia were minutes ago.

"But it's Sophia, what could she possibly have going on?"

Something hit me at her words, no, it wasn't the words, it was the tone with which she said the words, especially when she said Sophia; it wasn't love or respect or hatred or whatever. I just couldn't tell what it was but it made me think that there was something more to Aminah's relationship with Sophia.

And probably vice versa.

                                **********
                                 ~ADAM~

Someone opened the door to the Arts Studio and the person shut it with a bang that the floors shook, figuratively. My back was to the door but I needed no soothsayer to tell me that it was Sophia. No normal person would do something like that. And especially because Kunle, who was facing the door shook his head and he leaned closer to me.

"Please, what's Sophia wearing?"

I burst into laughter at that and I turned around so I was facing the beaming girl.

"Adam, look at you, you're now grinning from ear to ear. One would think you sold one of your paintings for a seven-figure deal."

She said before sitting down directly in front and I shrugged.

"This feels even more satisfying than signing an eight-figure deal."

"Ehn ehn."

She exclaimed, eyes wide with childish excitement before turning to Kunle and pointing to me.

"Guy, can you hear that? Can you hear your friend? Being with Kunmi is more satisfying than signing big deals? Ehn? God! What has baby Kay done to this boy?"

She asked, her eyes filled with light and excitement.

"Like, tell me about it. I just look at my friend and I ask myself, is this d known what he needed was a Kunmi, we would've gotten one gotten for him since these days."

"As in ehn. Adam, ogo olomoge."

Sophia replied, turning to look at me with a teasing look on her face and I shook my head. Sophia can never be sensible, it's just not possible.

"Why are you even back? You were supposed to be there till next week."

"The Gala got canceled at the last minute and I rushed back home, thinking you guys were bored to death without me but you were busy kissing Kunmi and Kunle was busy doing whatever with his girl."

I started to smile, then stopped at the last words. His girl. I searched her eyes, trying to see if I could see anything underneath that bright smile and teasing look but there was nothing, absolutely nothing.

It either was properly masked or not.

"I think I should be on the lookout for a man."

I nodded slowly at her.

"That's a very good option, except Stephen would murder him if he should just say something wrong."

"No way, I won't date a weakling. I'm going to date Stephen's match, definitely not a weakling like that stupid excuse of a guy Stephanie dated."

Stephanie.

I exchanged a knowing look with Kunle gone mute earlier and he shrugged before looking back at Sophia who had now fished out her phone from her bag and was pressing it. I noticed how her fingers tightened around the phone and I felt sorry for the device. The room was suddenly weirdly quiet, this kind of uncomfortable silence that made you adjust your collar and your buttons just to ease the discomfort.

"We went to see Stephanie during the weekend."

Kunle started, cautiously as if trying to pick the right words that wouldn't cause Sophia to flip but I did not see us having this conversation without Sophia flipping.

There was no indication that Sophia heard what he said. She just continued to press her phone as if we weren't even there.

"She looked fine...."

He continued, still cautiously but still undeterred by her indifference.

"And she was super proud of you, kept talking about all your pictures and posts and deals and all that."

She faltered for a moment, her fingers stopping for a moment on her phone but it was for the briefest moment before she started pressing it again.

"You should go and see your sister, Sophia. It's been six months."

"I'll see her when she gets back home."

She replied in a nanosecond and I frowned, sitting up.

"You're bottling up so much because of her and you still won't go and see her. What exactly are you waiting for?"

She looked up at that, her face impassive and tired.

"Can we not talk about this, guys? I can't leave home, trying to escape the reality of what's happening there only to get here and have you guys bombard me with that same thing I'm trying to avoid, hmm?"

I exhaled, taking in her words. I wondered how she was holding on, hardening her heart and surviving each day like that. Why was she even choosing the hard way?

"Sophia, we have to talk about it. You're bottling so much in that it is affecting you. You can't keep doing this. It's unheard......"

"And I have a therapist for that!" She interrupted her voice slightly over the edge. "I have a therapist for that!" She repeated, her voice still higher than usual. "I have a therapist for that! Can't I at least, have some semblance of peace with you guys? What part of can we do not talk about it don't you guys understand?!!"

She flared up and I could hear her ragged breathing as she tried to control herself, tried to control herself from going over the edge. She was reminding herself to breathe in, breath out while taking calming breaths. Kunle reached out and he tried to touch her hand but she shrugged him off.

"Don't touch me."

Her voice sounded nothing like how it sounded just minutes ago. It sounded controlled, subdued, and calm but I could tell that she was still fuming from her almost agitated breathing.

"I have to go now. We'll see tomorrow."

And without waiting for either of us to talk, she stood up and left, banging the door and making the entire studio shake in the process.

We remained silent for a while after she left and Kunle started to massage his forehead slowly.

"You know, I'm trying to understand Sophia but she's just making this hard for herself. She probably cries herself to sleep every night and one minute, she's acting all cool and collected and the next, she's breaking down."

I heaved a sigh at his words, his pain-laced words.

"We just have to be there for her now, more than ever."

He shrugged again.

"If only she'd allow us."

If only she'd allow us.

Writing the first part of this chapter made me realize how much of a talkative Sophia is. If I had a friend like her, I'd have pinned her mouth a long time ago.

And Sophia apologized to Aminah for shouting at her. Mehn, are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Aminah and Sophia's relationship? 🤔🤔

And writing this chapter, I just thought of how you guys felt about Sophia at the beginning of the book and how you guys are fawning over her now. It's just really funny to me sha. Some readers wanted to enter the book to beat her up and now, they are going gaga over her 😂😂♥️. I hope we keep this energy ehn 🙏🤞

And I did mention it before, Perfectly Imperfect will soon do a very amazing and drama-filled collab with stilling the storm, the sequel to Eye of the Storm by Iyanuoluwa-Temi. The collab is already happening in Stilling the Storm but mine would be coming up in the later chapters because of our different timelines. I can't wait to write about Temi's character, especially my Khalil, Mateo, and Soma 😩😩 and trust me when I say you're missing a lot of you're not reading the STS. You get to see how Kunmi, Adam, Sophia, Aminah, Alex, and Gab are in the first term of their last year in secondary school. If you're reading the book, you'd probably know what I'm talking about.

See you guys when I see you ♥️♥️