It was hard to enjoy myself here, when I knew that my friend was emotionally in a bad place.

I spotted Tife coming up the stairs and he questioned. "How's she doing?"

"Fine. Imade just wants to be alone. I'm sure she'd be fine. She has to be. I'm too scared to let myself think otherwise." I quickly answered. It wouldn't be fair to share Imade's personal secrets with him.

"Me too." He spoke, in an enthralling tone with his baritone voice.  "So let's distract ourselves. Like the way Imade wants us to. We can't miss this moment."

"What moment?" A chill ran through me.

"Music is playing. Neither of us are doing anything, but worrying. We have to dance." Light glistened in his eyes. His face softening.

My cheeks burned "Dance?"

"Don't be so dramatic. It's a brilliant distraction. Besides, my aunt's trying to pair me with any single young lady she knows. If she sees me dancing with you, she'll back off a bit. You know how Aunt Bola is."

"Oh yeah. She's totally obsessed with you. Okay. Just one dance."

Tife repeated "Just one dance." and took my hand in his. His electrifying touch eased a rush of sensation in me. We swayed slowly to the slow paced jazz music and he began to stare at me, a lot more different than he did some minutes ago. Despite the palpating tension running down my body, I raised my eyes to meet his gaze, and muttered. "I don't think I'm good at this style of dancing."

Tife whispered against my ear, and couldn't help feeling tingles spiking my breathing. The feel of our bodies that close in proximity, was making my mind over think things. With the rays of light shining down the room, his eyes seemed to twinkle. "Relax. You're doing fine."

I snapped. "I am relaxed."

He smirked, and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. A squeal escaped my lips and I couldn't help feeling embarrassed. This was Tife Johnson. Why did it seem like he suddenly had the power to bring me to my knees? How did our dynamic suddenly just change? "See. You're not. Take a deep breath and relax. I'm not going to bite."

Nodding at him, I did take a deep breath and it did seem to put me slightly at ease. I gave a brief look at Tife, and our eyes locked.

Tife's lips curled up slightly. Amusement danced in his eyes. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

I shook my head nervously. "Not really."

Tife twirled me around, and pulled me closer, earning a soft unexpected gasp from me. "Then quit staring at me."

I snorted. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

His eyebrows scrunched up. "How so?"

"You enjoy making me uncomfortable. You're the worst." I grumbled.

Tife laughed. His breath fanned against my face warmly. "Maybe I am, but right now isn't so bad. Don't you think so?"

"I'd rather do other things."

Tife cocked his head. Dark eyes turned unreadable instantly, that I almost wished I didn't say any of that. ALMOST. "Really?"

I averted his gaze. "Really."

Sounding rather disappointed, he said. "So maybe I should get goi—"

My eyes caught someone moving forward, and quickly retorted. "Shit. Stop talking. Aunt Bola's coming our way."

"That old h—" he paused, when he saw her in front of us. "Aunt Bola. I see you're enjoying this evening."

Three words can describe Aunt Bola. Old. Intimidating. And very persuasive. Dressed in a lavender aso-oke, she looked regal in her expensive attire, matched with silver gele and heels. She was Mr. Johnson's much older sister, who had a way of frightening people, just by looking at them.

We both greeted her, and Aunt Bola smiled, in an unconvincing manner. Even smiling looked so weird on her. "Can I steal Tife for a bit? I need to do my family duties towards him." I couldn't resist rolling my eyes. By "family duties",  she meant introducing him to any woman her haughty eyes laid on.

Tife spoke. "I just started dancing with this beautiful woman. It would be rude to keep one's dance partner waiting."

"But it's just Nara. She can wait all day, if she wants. She's practically family. She wouldn't mind that either. Would she?"

I turned my gaze to Tife's pleading eyes, then back to Aunt Bola's steely gaze and blurted out the first thing that popped in my head. "I don't mind if you take my boyfriend out for a little while, ma'am"

Aunt Bola's eyes popped open. "You two are dating?"

Tife smirked amusedly. "I'm still trying to get used to that title too."

I elbowed him and pretended like it was a playful one. I grinned, when he winced in pain, slightly. "He's so funny. Isn't he?"

Aunt Bola cleared her throat. "I see. I should leave you two then. Enjoy your relationship. Excuse me."

When she was clearly walked far away from us. I turned to him. "Remind me to tell your parents about this temporary fake plan. I wouldn't want to catch them off guard."

Tife didn't seem like he was paying attention to me and cocked his head. "So I'm your boyfriend, now?"

"You're welcome, and it was only to get Aunt Bola away from you for a while. After today, you won't see her until December. You can tell her by then, that things fizzled out between us, so you better get a girlfriend by then."

"Yes ma'am. Seriously, that was some fast thinking though. You saved my ass. Aunt Bola would have dragged me against my will, to meet a boring stuck up lady she fancied. I owe you one."

I blurted. "Then pay me back in food."

It didn't look like he found my idea appalling and seemed fine with it. I, on the other hand, wanted to sink into the ground, and disappear. "How about lunch tomorrow? I'll pick up at your place by two."

"Deal." I realized that I had spoken too soon and cursed internally, because it really felt like I was walking myself into the lion's den, and there was no way out of it.