Hey you guys. So sorry for taking sooooo long to update 😪❤️
However, I have  AMAZING news!!!

So, "Those Little Things" came 1st place in the Creative awards for the teen Fiction Genre💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃

So shout out to thecreativecorner_ for making me so happy this morning 🤧❤️

Let's begin...

                                      ~Giwa~

"I'll be fast with this story," I told him as we sat down together.

"Whatever you want," he replied. He sat right by my side but he turned to face me so he could be looking directly at my face as I spoke.

I took in a deep breath, cleared my throat and started,"I initially was a very quiet shy girl and I got bullied in the worst ways."

His eyes widened at my opening statement.

"I know it's shocking," I said, laughing softly.

He sort of laughed too. "Yeah, but continue."

I took in another breath.

This was a really depressing story to recall so I needed it. From there, I opened my mouth and spoke;

"It wasn't always like that though. Initially, no one even knew or cared to know who Giwa Falade was....but my problems in school began when I started to really like this boy in my class. That was primary one, I don't even know what I was doing with boys to be honest. He was well out of my league, but I was a hopeless romantic. So, I wrote him a love letter. That day, during P.E, I went to give it to him_," I looked at Ivandor, who looked so interested in my story.

Then, I went on;

" Well, I stood infront of him as he read my letter and my heart raced like hell. When he was done, he looked up to me... with the most uninterested look ever..," I paused there, remembering the similarity between that look from the past and the similarity it had with the look Ivandor gave me the very first time I talked to him.

I carried on anyways;

"He tore the letter up in front of me. Tore it all to shreds and then sprinkled it all over me like a shower," I laughed a stiffled laugh, before looking to Ivandor again. He looked so serious now. Only God knows what he was thinking.

"What he did wasn't even what changed me. It was the aftermath." I told him.

His eyebrows raised and stayed up for a few seconds, before his face relaxed again.

"Go onn" he said.

So, I continued;

"You know how kids are. My classmates used it to make my life unbearable. The ones that didn't make fun of me avoided me like I was some kind of plague. Quickly, I went from the girl nobody knew to the most scorned girl in the entire set. Everyday, I had to endure public humiliation, and sometimes, even physical assault.  I know we were kids and it's something I should have gotten over by now and I would, I probably wouldn't even have..well.. changed even, but then_," I stopped there. I felt my throat stifen at the next part of what I was about to say.

"I used to have a brother - an older brother," I finally let out.

Ivandor's lips curled up like he was about to say something. When he didn't, I went on;

"He was about three years older than me and very brave. He was always telling me to be strong and always stand up for myself. Everytime I got bullied in school, he used to defend me and scare all my classmates away," I said this with a small smile at the corner of my lips.

"..but that same year, he went on a school excursion to Switzerland and the plane they boarded crashed," I let out a painful sigh and added, "he was among the majority that didn't survive."

"Giwa, I am so sorry," Ivandor immediately cut in.

"No, it's fine, I'm good now," I assured him.

I let out a stiffled laugh.

"But, I wasn't back then" I told him.

I watched his Ivandor's eyes soften. I looked away from him as I felt tears threatening to drop.  I hated to bring this up. No one in the family ever brings up my late brother, but I just had to now. My story would be incomplete without it.

I forced the crack out of my voice and dug my voice from the pit of my stomach.

"You know as kids, we were ruthless and inconsiderate and just didn't care what we said or did to people we didn't like. So...my classmates laughed at me when they found out my 'protector' brother was gone. Somehow, it was a thing of joy for them. They mocked me, and kept asking me who was going to protect me now. I was grieving for my dead brother and they used it as an instrument to break me further and further."

"What?" Ivandor's voice came, almost throaty.

"Yeah..," I breathed. "That was where I started to lose my mind. I remember it got too much for me that I just wanted to die. Literally. But then, I asked myself if it was really worth it giving my classmates the satisfaction of seeing the protector's little sister dead as well."

A little smile crept on my face, "I decided it wasn't. I told myself enough was enough. If my brother wasn't going to be here to protect me, I'd do that myself. After all, if he had the chance to say one last thing to me, he would have told me to be bold and brave."

I barely glanced at Ivandor once more, before continuing;

"I came back for Primary one third term with a  whole new demeanor. A sick, twisted, inhumane demeanor, with only one goal and that was to destroy all my classmates," At that point, I started to feel that anger I felt at that point in my life and I think it was evident in my voice. I felt Ivandor's hands on mine.

"I made my classmates fear me" I stressed on that word 'fear' because I really did.

"I made them so afraid, to the point that they couldn't even look me in the eyes and speak. When I walked into a class, it became so silent like it was a graveyard, none of them would want to say anything to get on my bad side. It became so brutal that I could even command adherence with just a snap of my fingers and they had no choice than to obey my every word and do exactly as I said. That's just how afraid of me they became." I let out to Ivandor.

From there, I looked up to directly meet his piercing hazel eyes. His hands were still on mine and with the expression on his face, I felt my story was hitting right through his soul.

"There's just something about that fear and power that still drives me crazy even till today. My biggest fear is losing that effect on people..," I paused again, remembering the last incident in Class F with Ajiroghene. "I never want to be that girl I used to be. The helpless girl everyone scorned at. And as far as I'm concerned, that will never happen. Not when that fear I've already worked to instill in everyone is still there."

I finished my story. Ivandor was silent for while. Eventually, he opened his mouth to speak.

"First off, Giwa. I am so sorry for what you had to go through. Honestly, I can't fault you for taking that decision to change at that point in your life. But Giwa..," he adjusted a little on his seat, before adding, "Do you really think fear has a long lasting effect on people?"

"Yes." I answered plainly.

He laughed a little at my response.

"Okay, okay." he started. He smirked his lips together like he was thinking for a moment, then he said, "Tell me the difference between Stone face and Charlie Ba."

I laughed at the question.

Stone face, that is, Mr. Shola was our uptight, controlling Chemistry teacher that everyone absolutely hated. Sometimes, when he started over doing the whole 'respect me' shit, some students just gave him a piece of their minds.

Meanwhile, Charlie Ba, that is, Mr. Charles Bassey, was our Physics teacher. A nice and friendly man who could somehow still control the entire Ss3 set with a smile on his face, coke in his hands and a calm voice. Everyone loved him to a fault, so in turn, we did as he said at all times.

"Well," I started answering his question. "Stone face is a douche and Charlie Ba is sweet."

"Good." He replied. "Now, do you see the long line between fear and actual respect?"

I looked to him to continue.

"Instead of trying to make people scared of you, why don't you try to make them respect you?" He said.

"I don't think that's exactly how I'm..well..wired," I replied.

"It takes time," he shrugged. "Just think about it."

A smile formed on my lips as I pondered on his words.

"I will," I replied.

"I'd love that," he said.

"Thanks..and.." I looked to my phone screen to check the time.

                         10:13pm

Christ! I spent nearly four hours on this date.

"It's really getting late," I said. "I have to go. I'm sure my driver will be wondering what one earth I'm doing."

"Oh,Umm..okay, okay..," as he said this, both of us were standing up from our seats, and starting to make our way out of the place.

I halted suddenly on my tracks as we walked. That surprised him.

"One second.." I told him, before turning around to start walking back towards the bowling dispenser. As I reached there, I carried a bowling ball with my two hands.

Jeez, these are heavier than I thought.

I looked back to Ivandor who was now smiling at me like he knew what I was about to do.

I turned back and walked to the bowling aisle. Setting my stance, I steadied the ball properly in my hands.

I had never tried bowling before, but I know it's just basically aiming a target, that is the bowling pins. And with my perfect knowledge of projectiles in physics, I think I can pull this off.

I did a mental calculation in my head in seconds, before bending slightly, with my right leg slightly crossing over my left in what looked like a cute little bow. Then, I rolled the ball.

I watched it go down the aisle smoothly, until it hit the pins finally, crashing all of them down at once, at the same time.

Immediately, there was a round of applause following what I just did from the people around who I had no idea were even watching me.

I had to laugh. And, when I turned to Ivandor, he was laughing too.

I made my way back to him, my pride showing in my glowing smile.

"You're amazing," he tells me.

I couldn't help but blush at the compliment.

Just as we fell back into step, the unknown song that was playing changed and the next thing I heard was..

🎶Dreams dreams dreams
🎶I've been having dreams..

"Ivandor, they're playing that song you like!" I squealed, shocking myself with the excessive excitement in my tone. I turned away from him immediately and looked towards the speakers, smiling and letting the '7 rings by Ariana Grande' themed lighting of the place fill me with joy as the song played.

Trampoline by Zayn Malik and Shaed - he had made me listen to that song over and over during our date. Somehow, he made me fall so much in love with the song well.

"This is just so_,"

"Giwa," he cut me off, taking my hand and turning me back around to face him.

"To be honest, I_,"

Ivandor, once again, cut my sentence short and without warning, his lips pressed against mine in a kiss.

It was a soft kiss. At first, I was shocked at his boldness. But then, I then I found myself not wanting to stop him. I took a bold step and kissed him back.

One word to explain what I was feeling that moment - ecstasy. It's nothing like I've ever felt before.

When our lips parted ways, I wished the night didn't have to end for us just then.

"I'm so glad we got to do this. I had so much fun with you tonight," he said.

"I had fun too, Ivandor," I replied, earning myself an adorable smile from him.

"Let me escort you outside" he said, taking my hand once again and walking out of Gomery with me.

The entire drive back home, I couldn't stop smiling to myself.

I couldn't stop thinking about my kiss with Ivandor.

When I got home that night and entered my room, Hassana and Prissy were already long asleep, spread out across my bed and snoring softly.

I sat at the base of my bed for a moment, still lost in my thoughts. I laughed softly as memories of my date with Ivandor flashed in.

And then the kiss..
How magical it felt.

I sighed as I kicked my shoes off my leg.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I'm falling in love with Ivandor Fejaun.

That's a wrap, you guys😩🤧👌
Did you listen to Trampoline as you read this chapter? Tell me the truth. I don't know, for some reason that song and More than okay by Frank Walker and Clara Mae remind me of Giwa and Ivandor (maybe cuz I ised it in the book😂)

Too be honest, Giwa and Ivandor are making me feel all tissues right now🤧🤧 Sometimes, I wish I could just enter my world of imagination and live with my characters because to be honest, real life is sooooo borinnggg😩

What do you guys think of this chapter? Of Giwa and Ivandor, or should I say, Giwandor 😉😉