<I keep my personal life quiet, so don't think you know me. You only know what I allow you to>

|32|

"HEY," I called out after searching all over for him. He sat on the bed, his shoulders hunched and the clinic nurse cleaning the bruises on his face.

"Not now. As you can see, I'm busy," he said, his voice and eyes quiet and sad. I scooted next to him, saying nothing and watched the nurse do her job.

After some minutes, she was done, then proceeded to excuse herself out but not before she admonished Jayden, warning him to never engage in a fight again. He just nodded, jaw clenched tightly.

"You're lucky Kian didn't file a case against you," she chided and closed the door silently on her way out.

Thick silence ensured in the white sanitized room, the glaring bulb beaming harshly on us and a pungent smell of antiseptics wafting to our nostrils.

I berated myself again as I took notice of the blemishes that marred his jaw and chin. What on earth had I been thinking?! Dragging him into the mess I'd created. Not only was I selfish, I'd taken advantage of him. Of his goodness and kindness.

"Jayden," I started and reached to place my hand on his right arm.

"Just go away, Olay. Please." His face was the other way but I could hear the hopelessness in his tone. My heart cracked some more.

"No." I had resolved that I was going to tell him everything, answer whatever questions he had.

Standing up, I moved over to where he faced, sitting down directly in front of him then laid my hands into his. They felt cold to touch.

"I'm going to tell you everything, Jayden. But first, I want you to look at me as I explain myself," I said softly, squeezing his frigid flesh.

The only sound that could be heard was the humming of the air conditioner and just when I thought he was never going to look at me, he raised his head and pinned me to a piercing stare.

The intensity of his gaze took my breath away. Pain mingled with sadness and an emotion I couldn't unravel were depicted in his downcast expression. His eyes mirrored the anguish reflected in mine and I wanted nothing more than to make everything alright.

I started talking, the lump in my throat getting bigger, "I'm very sorry. I didn't know what came over me and I wasn't thinking. I overheard Kian telling Katharina the whole truth and I just wanted to wipe away Kian's foul kiss. You were the only person available. Yes, I admit I was very selfish and I hurt you deeply. For that I am sorry."

He didn't reply but just inhaled heavily and closed his eyes briefly before opening them back. I didn't know whether I was imagining it but a little hurt had gone away from his expressive facial features.

Taking this as a small feat of triumph, I resumed my explanation, "Okay. You're probably thinking when did this thing with Kian start. It all started when I was a little girl of six. He was always bullying me, making my school years miserable. There was no one to talk to about it, not even my parents because I wanted to keep them in the dark. I had no friends, nobody at all. Then at the beginning of senior year, he just changed abruptly. For the better he said and I was very wary, not at all believing that he'd changed but he blinded me with his good actions and I came to believe him. Foolish right?" I let out a dry laugh.

"I realize now that I readily agreed and forgave him because I badly wanted to be accepted. I forgot that I didn't have to dance to his tunes or begin to like him but I did. Until you came along."

Our breath hitched simultaneously as I stared at those swirling beautiful eyes of his, threatening to suck me into their alluring depth. "I was now stuck between two people, wavering. I tried all my best to see you as a friend because liking you meant abandoning Kian and the false sense of security he had created for me. It meant forgoing all the dazzling illusions that awaited me if I fell for Kian or so I thought. If you notice, I didn't really spend much time with you like I did with Kian but I still used you selfishly and I am so sorry."

"I'm not going to lie but you are the best thing that happened to me this year. You helped me to stand up for myself, to fight back. You were there for me all the time despite how I treated you sometimes. You never complained. Not at all. I was a fool. I still am. But now, my eyes aren't blinded anymore. I've come to see what you mean to me. Thank for you showing me the way." My voice was nothing more than a whisper now, tears streaming down my face.

But I continued, still looking at him. His facial expression was one of yearning now. "And yes, that kiss meant something to me. If it was any other person in the car with me, I wouldn't have kissed them. Honestly. But I did kiss you, because back then, even if I didn't know it, I desperately wanted to. And yes, it was amazing."

He slipped his fingers away and wiped the tears clinging to my cheeks, then he gruffly said, "Stop crying Olay. I forgive you. I thought that you kissed me because you liked me and not because of something else. When I found out that it wasn't the case, you hurt me badly."

My tears ceased as his fingertips lingered on my flushed skin, delicious thrills streaming through my veins. I lowered my gaze down, and observed my knuckles. "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Ever. Are you really sure you forgive me?"

"Hey." He raised my chin up so that I was casting my gaze into his once more. "It's okay. I really forgive you. C'mere." He snuggled close and I laid my head on his shoulder.

It was all over. The pain.

Relief and his spicy sandalwood fragance enveloped me. I breathed in deeply, his snugness and body heat filing me with delight at the fact that we'd reconciled.

"What are we?" Jayden asked softly, stroking my hair in a soothing manner.

I paused. I hadn't even thought about that. We'd crossed the friendship boundaries but was yet to give a name to what we were now. What we were about to become.

"Anything you want us to be." A tinge of desire coated my voice and I wrapped my arms around his. He was my haven.

***

"Your house's beautiful," I told Jayden as we ascended the gleaming stairs. I was here because he'd invited me over and I wanted us to use this opportunity and study for our upcoming final exams.

"Thank you," he replied, ahead of me. I observed my surroundings as I followed him. A modern one storey building, it was painted white, vintage furniture and exquisite wallpaper designs decorating everywhere I could lay my eyes on. It was really inviting.

"Where is everyone?" I asked when we were behind his room's closed door. The decor was fragrant and cosy, its walls inlaid with a vibrant purple that was welcoming. Rays of sunlight shone on the wide bookshelf that was situated next to his immaculate bed on which a brown guitar lay.

"My parents and big sister are out. Only my younger siblings are around but they're asleep," he replied in a muffled voice. He'd gone into the bathroom to change out of his usual turtleneck.

I dropped my bag, then flopped down on the comfy bed and thrummed the guitar's strings, wishing I knew how to play it. "I'll like to meet them when they wake up."

"Sure." He came out, hair wet and clad in black shorts and tight tank top. I swallowed, his captivating and hot physique spiking up my already heated blood. The next thing my eyes zeroed in on was the sexy cougar tattoo drawn on his biceps.

"How did you get that tattoo?" I couldn't resist asking. The ebony black brand fascinated me. His nerdy behavior was at par with that inky drawing.

His back was towards me as he took out a notebook from the shelf. "It's a long story."

"Care to share?" I folded my legs beneath my body and dragged my gown so it would cover my knees.

Jayden came over to the bed and sat opposite me, keeping the book between us. "I thought we were here to learn." He threw me a charming smile that had my insides melting.

"You want to change the topic, Den. No way am I allowing that." I crept to his side and gave in to the insistent urge to trace the inked tiger on his warm skin, hovering on each curve. He shivered slightly.

My touch was affecting him and I hid a grin. "It's beautiful. So tell me. How did you get this?"

"Fine," he relented and halted my index finger's tracing motion, capturing my hands in his.

"But first, let's snuggle in." He kicked away the books on the bed, placed his guitar on the wooden floor then reclined in a lying position, beckoning to me.

A smile tugged at my lips, humor shining in my eyes. "So you'll have your wicked way with me?"

He rolled his eyes and drew me to him. I gently fell on his hard body, my head lying on his chest. "So that we'll be comfortable as I tell you how I got that tattoo."

"Mhmm, I'm waiting," I uttered silkily, loving how our bodies met. His honeyed scent teased my nostrils and I sighed contentedly, burrowing deeper into him.

"When I was sixteen I met this girl, Nina. She was this very popular and beautiful girl in my school then and I don't know how, but we hit it off even though I wasn't exactly topping the school's popular list."

The dark grip of envy had me furrowing my brows as I listened to his story and the calm beating of his heart. So he had liked someone else before. Tch. I wondered whether he was still in contact with her and my face soured. Sue me if a jealous bitch.

His voice became loaded with bitterness. "We had fun and everything but she wanted me to change, to become as popular as her. So one day when we were out on a date, we came across a tattoo parlor. She was like Jay, she always called me Jay although I'd told her I didn't like it, this is your chance to show me you really love me and want to be popular. And because I loved her or so I thought, I agreed to having a permanent tattoo inked on my arm. Once I did that, she was so goddaamn happy but I felt a little dead inside. I knew that person wasn't me but I didn't want to hurt her feelings so I played along. Things became complicated afterwards, she became so bossy and demanding. I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to break up with her. Our relationship was becoming very toxic."

He sighed sharply and cradled me, his fingers digging into my skin. I tightened my hold in response, feeling bad and at the same time relieved. There was no way he was still in contact with her.

"I'm sorry that things didn't exactly work out," I mumbled out.

"I'm not. It wasn't ever going to work out between Nina and I. We were too different."

He didn't say anything else, instead he drew circles on my bare arm with his thumb. I bit back a pleased moan.

Raising my head up, I looked into his penetrating gaze. "You know that I'm never ever going to do that to you right? I'm not going to make you change. I like you the way you are. Even when you wear your hideous glasses." I'd said the last sentence so his gloomy mood would dissipate.

My plan worked. He was yet to replace his old glasses and his uncovered eyes widened in amusement and care. "I know you won't, Olayinka."

Then he tweaked my nose playfully. "So my glasses are hideous huh?"

I cracked a tiny smirk at him. "Yes."

He laughed, his infectious chuckle inducing me to laugh too. Suddenly, without warning, he flipped me beneath him, pinning my hands to the bed. I regarded his gorgeous facial features above me, the laughter dying out and my heart throbbing furiously in anticipation. Despite the fading bruises that tarnished his face, he was still as handsome as ever.

He looked down at me tenderly and in that moment I knew that I more than liked Jayden.

"Did I ever tell you the meaning of my name?" I questioned, whispering softly as I slid my eyes over the freckles scattered on his cheekbone, reveling in the feel of him and bounding this wonderful scene to memory.

"Jamila? No. But I already knew it means beautiful and you're fucking beautiful," he said in a rasping tone, coming closer so that I was trapped underneath his body with nowhere to go. Not that I wanted to leave.

My face grew red hot at his compliment and our proximity to each other. "Olayinka. I'm talking about my other name. It means blessing and wealth surrounds me and you've been a blessing to me."

The moment I'd said that, I wanted to stitch my lips shut. I cringed, groaning, "Oh my God, I sound so cheesy."

"No you don't." Jayden pinned a hot stare on my lips and I trembled, need coursing my skin, the chagrin and mortification fleeing away.

"I want to kiss you. Can I?" He'd stopped binding my hands and now he nestled my face in his strong palms, our skin a striking contrast. His earthenware brown and mine, ebony black.

I licked my lips, yearning to feel the wonderful sensation that had washed over my body last time. "How can you? You're not my boyfriend yet."

"But I can remedy that." And he kissed me.

Afterwards, we cuddled, our bodies flush against each other, the books we were supposed to read, forgotten.

"Wishes really do come through," I whispered to myself drowsily as a curl of Jayden's hair teased my cheek.

Well Theo, I finally found a real person to cuddle with was my last thought as the comforting body of Jayden enclosed mine.

A/N: *Coughs loudly* Ahem ahem. Dyu guys think they did "anything"? *smirks* Tee hee hee. So Olay and Jayden have crossed the line of friendship. Mhmmmmmmm. And we now know how (lmao oh, see how Im rhyming words here :-))) he got that tattoo :-)) 2 more chapters people and I'm doneeeee!

Nita.