Anyeong my lovely people💋💋💋

We're picking up were we left off with our favourite ship🌝.

Warning: Cuteness overload😩 (with some spiciness here and there😗)

(And btw, character names for their POVs will now be in all caps✨)

Let's goooo!

~~~~~~~
"You make me feel
like Heaven is a real place,
I'll bet on us
'cause I know it's the real thing."
~~~~~~~
- Pink Sweat$
(Real Thing)

𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈

"Come on. I promise you won't regret this."

"I hope you're right, for your own sake," I told Phineas, still sulking.

Going on a ferris wheel has been a dream since I was little.

I always imagined it'd be with Tochi, but the thought of being on one with Phineas, with the possibility of....things happening, well, let's just say I have a new dream.

The handsome, green-eyed demon holding my hand grinned at me in that attractive way of his.

"Have I ever lied to you, Chetachi?"

"Well...no," I answered.

"Good. And I don't ever intend to," he said, giving me a soft, tender look that nearly melted my insides. "Now come on before we miss this thing!"

He pulled me by the hand and I nearly stumbled before quickly getting my footing.

"I'm fine," I said with a laugh when he gasped and paused, probably scared I got hurt or something.

He sighed through his nose and smiled again, shaking his head.

We walked down one side of The Promenade to get to the Planetarium building.

There was so much going on in just this part, on a Thursday evening at that, making me wonder how a proper weekend here would be.

We passed by an arcade whose bright lights and loud buzzes nearly left me blind and deaf. Just in front of it was a kiosk with jewellery and other trinkets and household items made out of seashells from the beach.

"Wow," I said, fingering one of the shell necklaces carefully before walking past it.

"It would look lovely on you, sister. Only 4000, but I can give you for 3500!" the lady at the kiosk called after us.

"Bros, buy for your babe, na," the young boy at the next kiosk said to Phineas as we walked past his own display of shell jewellery.

That's the second time tonight Phineas and I have been called a couple.

I felt my cheeks blush and I looked up at Phineas. He was staring ahead, a happy, contented look on his handsome face, clear green eyes just as gorgeous as ever.

Feeling bold, I gently pulled him closer to my side such that our arms were practically pretzeled together, with my head slightly resting on his shoulder.

The music changed to Closer by Saweetie and H.E.R.

🎶Hold me closer..🎶

I giggled at the coincidental lyrics. Phineas found it funny as well. He chuckled and I felt the way his body shook, in a way that had me shuddering slightly at the sensation.

The aroma of grilling suya hit my nose and caused my mouth to water. We had reached another food section and all sorts of delicious scents were assaulting my nostrils.

There were several suya stands, as well as a large shawarma cart people were gathered around. There were also different stands for small chops, popcorn, cotton candy, pastries, baked goods and ice-cream. There were drink carts and mini-bars as well.

"You hungry?" Phineas asked.

"No, no, let's just go see the meteor shower," I said, patting his arm with my free hand.

He smiled. "But when we're done, I'm definitely getting you something to eat."

Moving ahead, we passed an open area lined with carpet grass, with small white tables and chairs all over it. People were seated at the tables, eating snacks and sipping drinks they'd purchased from the stands. It was like an open-air restaurant.

"At night in the dry seasons, they clear the tables and chairs and this becomes a drive-in cinema," Phineas explained, pointing.

"Oh, wow," I had to say.

Everything about this place was just....wow.

I could tell we were nearing the end of the walkway we had taken as the music thinned out and the sounds of cars on the road filtered in.

We reached the very end of the wooden walkway seconds later and took three steps up a small staircase that ended on a paved ground.

"We're here," came Phineas, as we both looked up.

There, right in front of us, stood The Planetarium.

It was a multistorey, multipurpose building designed to look like a modern lighthouse.

The first two floors were for the Planetarium Café. The next three served as an Art Gallery for both renowned and aspiring artists. Above that was the Library covering about five floors. A cinema and an arcade covered the next two and there was also a cyber café and a few stores and offices.

Right at the top was the observatory we were headed to.

I've been here before, but only for the Café and the Library, which has these huge top to bottom windows with comfortable chairs and couches you can sit in and read with the city right outside you.

This is the first time I'm accessing the building via The Promenade, though. I've always come through the main gate from the road.

We went past the Café towards the elevators.

"Majid says this café serves the second best coffee on our side of the Island. The first being-"

"- The Lasgidi Grind," I cut in unintentionally.

"Yeah," Phineas said, then nudged me slightly as he chuckled. "How'd you know that?"

I knew it because Majid took me there once when we were together, saying it was his favourite coffee spot.

But I can't tell Phineas that right now, right?

"He's mentioned it to me before," I simply said with a small smile. "And he's right, the coffee and other stuff they have there are amazing," I rambled.

I looked up at him and he was smiling at me.

"What?" I asked, feeling my cheeks blush.

"Nothing, just admiring you, that's all."

His words warmed my heart, and I immediately wanted to pour my heart out to him about....everything.

Tochi, the man I shot that night, the nightmares I haven't been able to shake, my use of alcohol as a crutch....everything.

But there was a knot in my throat. I swallowed, trying to push it down, trying to get the words out, but I choked. I choked on my own words. I couldn't tell him.

I looked down at the ground,feeling my eyes begin to tear up,my hands slipping off his arm.

He grabbed them and turned me to face him.

"What's wrong?" There was concern in those green eyes of his. "Is it something I said? I'm sorry."

I aimed my head downwards again, the tears slipping out.

Why must I always get emotional?

Phineas placed his index finger under my chin and pushed my head back up so I was looking at him again.

Right there, under the street lights and the lights coming from the Planetarium building, Phineas wiped my cheeks clean and then tenderly removed the tears pooling at the sides of my eyes.

Then he hugged me. Pulled me into his chest, strong yet gentle arms circling round my body like a muscular pillow.

I gasped, feeling something shift inside me. The feeling was so tangible, so real, so deep, it almost scared me.

I hugged Phineas back and I felt my heart rate pick up, my stomach doing flip-flops and somersaults as I inhaled his rich scent of vanilla and cedarwood.

"You good?" He whispered.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for almost breaking down on you," I whispered back.

"It's fine. I just need you to be okay, Chetachi."

I shivered at the way he called my name and hugged him tighter.

It was as if every system, every organ, every cell, every tissue in my body wanted to be a part of Phineas Ozoemena Sullivan.

Is this....is this what love feels like?

"Thank you, Phineas," I said, eyes shut as I held him. "You don't know what this means to me." What you mean to me.

He rubbed my back in slow, soothing circular motion and I sighed, relaxing.

Peace settled in the pit of my stomach and the dread that had been building up dissipated into nothing.

From just a hug.

But not just a hug. His hug, his touch.

Him.

My heart was still palpitating when he eventually pulled away and smiled at me.

"Let's go before we miss it," he said, linking his fingers through mine once more.

.......

The view from the roof-top observatory was breathtaking.

"There's nothing like seeing Lagos at night time," Phineas said, bringing out his camera.

I had to admit, he was right.

The beaming streetlights, the lit-up buildings, the cars down below that whizzed about.

It all added up to make quite the aesthetic view.

And trust me,I've seen a lot of beautiful cities around the world, but there's this tangible energy you get in Lagos, this vibe that is just indescribable, and that makes the city even more appealing, whether it be the posh Island or the plebeian Mainland.

I walked over to a telescope connected to the metal railing and pointed it at the  night sky, peeping through the hole with my left eye.

All I saw was black.

Is it broken?

I stepped away from it and then tried again.

"Um, Phineas," I whispered after two more unsuccessful attempts."I think this telescope is broken."

He put his camera down and came over to where I was, a small frown marring his forehead.

"Broken?" He asked, raising the telescope to his eye level. "How?"

"Well, I looked into it and all I could see was bla-"

Phineas interrupted my explanation by bursting out into laughter.

He doubled over, holding the telescope with one hand and his right knee with the other.

His laughs were so loud that a few of the other people in the Observatory, who had been quietly minding their business glanced our way.

"Why are you na laughing?"

"Oh my days, Chetachi!" He chuckled out, standing up straight.

"What is it?" I had to ask.

Phineas beckoned me to come with his index finger, a lop-sided grin on his face.

I inched forward, watching as he reached over and pulled off what appeared to be a lid from the lens of the telescope.

"Chetachi, darling, you forgot to remove the lens cover," he drawled to me like I was a five-year-old.

I felt my cheeks flush as he laughed again at my expression.

"Y-yes, of course. I knew that," I said, folding my arms indignantly and rolling my eyes.

"Of course you did," he said, nodding with a grave expression on his face. One that lasted for mere seconds before he broke out into laughter again, only this time I laughed with him.

He looked so cute, laughing that way, with his cheeks raised and his green eyes shining, the tiny gap between his two front teeth on full display.

When the laughter died down, he just smiled at me and raised his right hand, using it to pinch my cheek a little.

"What am I going to do with you, Chetachi?" he asked rhetorically, still smiling at me in that cute yet very hot way.

"I don't know," I said, stepping closer, feeling a bit mischievous, "what do you plan to do with me?"

I looked him in the eye, tilting my head to the side as I batted my lashes innocently.

He blinked. Once. Twice.

And then he gulped. " Well, I-"

A gasp from someone to our left cut through whatever he had been trying to say.

"It's starting," I whispered, grabbing Phineas' hand and leading him to the railing.

"Wait," he said, dashing off towards the exit.

I watched as he picked up what appeared to be two pairs of sunglasses.

It was then that I realised everyone else had theirs on.

He jogged back over to me and gave me a pair, slipping on his own as he explained. "You know in actuality, you're supposed to watch a meteor shower in a dark, open space, like a field or something. But since we're up here in a lit up skyscraper, the shades will provide some darkness for us to see the stars properly."

I nodded in partial understanding, putting on the glasses as the dim lights in the Observatory were switched off.

The place grew deathly quiet, albeit gasps here and there,as the first star streaked across the sky, leaving a trail of stardust in its wake.

My mouth opened slightly as I watched another celestial body whoosh across, lighting up the sky very briefly before it faded away.

"It's a shooting star," Phineas whispered, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"I can see that," I whispered back, my eyes still fixed above.

The whole thing was simply magical. Imagine a dark, dark canvas with silvery streaks gliding all over it in the prettiest, yet most chaotic way possible. That's just a mere glimpse of the experience.

"You're supposed to make a wish," Phineas continued. "What do you wish for?"

I bit my lip and tried to think as another meteor blasting across caught my attention.

In all honesty, I still wish everyday that Tochi would come back and my family would be complete again, but I know that it's just not possible. Not matter how badly I want it.

"I dunno," I answered. "What do you wish for?"

It was dark all around us, but Phineas reached over and took my hand into his, linking his fingers through mine in a now familiar motion.

"This," he said simply.

But there was something about the way he said. Something that made his voice come off deeper, huskier, as if filled with emotion.

I turned to look at him and found him already staring, his sunglasses off.

He raised his other hand and carefully removed mine, the brush of his skin of skin against my face giving me goosebumps.

"Your eyes are so beautiful, Chetachi," he whispered softly.

I hadn't noticed it before but we were close, so close to each other. So close that I could see each of the perfect, tiny little freckles he had scattered across his nose and cheeks. So close thatvhis vanilla and cedarwood scent was filling my lungs and clouding my senses.

His hand lingered on my face, tracing across my cheekbones and I stood there, hypnotised, watching as the stars shooting behind me reflected in the oceans he had for eyes.

Then he leaned in, tilting my chin up with his hand and pressed his lips on mine gently.

Time stopped. The earth seized its rotation. The universe froze over.

The only thing I could sense and feel at that very moment were his soft, soft lips gently moving against my own.

My whole body caught fire as a bolt of electricity shot down my spine, reducing me to nothing but flesh and bone.

He took my bottom lip between his teeth, nibbling and sucking in a tender way that made me moan out and grip his shoulders for support, my legs turning to jelly.

His hand on my face graduated towards my back, joined by his other hand, and both slowly made their way down my back towards my waist and stayed there.

I kissed him back, nervously at first, but the way he squeezed at my waist let me know I was doing something right.

He pulled me closer till I fitted perfectly against him and I circled my arms around his neck, letting my hands sink into his soft curls.

His tongue traced the seams of my lips slowly, causing me to emit another soft moan, that small action allowing him to gain full access to my mouth.

And,oh my, that took everything up a notch.

He was both gentle and wild with his kisses, turning his head this way and that to find the perfect angle at which to kiss me better, leaving me breathless in the process.

He kissed me like he had wanting to do it his whole life. Like he had been trudging through a desert, dying of thirst and I was an oasis. Like he was trying to communicate all he was feeling at once.

I tried to kiss him back the same way,to let him know that I felt the same way. That he was the one who always made me smile. That he was the one who brought me peace in this shitty world. That he was the one I'd fallen in love with, even despite my plans and schemings.

When we eventually pulled away, he rested his forehead on mine, his hands still on my waist and mine still in his hair as we both panted.

"W-we're missing the m-meteor shower," was all I could manage to word out, my brain completely turned to mush.

"Chetachi," he said, staring into my eyes with a serene smile on his slightly swollen lips, "you are all the stars I'll ever need to see."

"That's so corny!" I snorted, giggling giddily as my cheeks blushed.

"But you love it, though," he grinned cheekily, pecking my nose.

"I do," I said, watching as his eyes lit up like the stars above us. "I really do."

........

"So was that the greatest thing ever, or what?" Phineas asked as he placed two cans of Fanta on out table.

I looked up from my shawarma and raised an eyebrow. "The kiss or the meteor shower?"

He grinned. "What if I say both?"

I rolled my eyes and he chuckled, popping both cans open.

"Well, if you must know, I enjoyed both...very much," I said, before taking another bite.

"Trust me, I could tell," he said, with a smirk that nearly made me choke on my snack.

I grabbed a can and chugged down it's orange-flavoured contents.

"Don't look at me like that," I scolded him.

"Like what? Like I want to kiss you again? 'Cause I do, Chetachi," he said, his gaze both playful and intense.

I looked away and took another bite, chewing slowly this time.

He laughed and pinched my cheeks."Come on, eat up. I want to take you on the Ferris Wheel before they close it for the night."

"Yes sir," I said, rolling my eyes again.

In five minutes, I was done with the shawarma and we headed towards the Ferris Wheel.

Lucky for us, the last set had just finished their ride and were coming off, so we were able to get on it first before others in the new set.

We chose a seat lined with purple material and sat in it, waiting for the others to get on so the ride could start.

Eventually, everyone that had lined up had come on and the conductor started the ride.

The Ferris wheel slowly begin lifting up and soon our chair was in the air.

The night breeze washed over me and I pulled my flannel shirt tighter over my crop top.

"Here," Phineas said, raising his arm with a smile," share my warmth."

I laughed, remembering our first hang-out at the beach as I cuddled up to him.

He kissed my forehead softly and them balanced his head against mine.

We stayed like that, in silence and the wheel kept going, allowing us to see all of the Beach and the Promenade.

Despite the flashing lights, blasting music and night-life noise from all over, everything felt peaceful.

Everything felt calm and serene. Perfect even.

"Phineas?"

"Yes, love?" he answered, in a cute, almost sleepy voice.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

I shrugged. "Everything, I guess. Especially tonight. Just...thank you."

He held me closer and kissed my forehead again. "You're welcome, Chetachi. You're always welcome."

Omorrr😭😂😂❤

To be honest, I didn't know how to end this chapter😭😂. Might have to edit it later on😂.

But anywayyyyy🌝🌝.

Ship don dey sail o👅👅

Will it be smooth sailing or will it sink?👀

Sha, sha, you can't deny Phineas and Chetachi are something else😭 #Godwhen🥲🤲🏽

Not much to say, except thank you for 1.68k reads and 102 followers🥺💖💖💖. I love you all😭💖

Please keep reading, voting, commenting and sharing🙏🏽( even if I misbehave and delay updates again😭😂)

See y'all when I see you💖💖💖💖