11.5k reads my people!!
That's shockingly fast cuz we just hit 10k barely two or three ago. I don't even know what to say tbh. Love you guys loadsss!!🤧🤧❤️❤️

Sorry for taking so long to update though 🤧❤️

~SHADE~

My body wakes up by itself around 6 in the morning.So early the next morning, it did just that.

With my eyes still half-asleep, half-awake, I moved my body a little against where I laid on. A painful feeling of discomfort hit me.

Ouch.

It feels like dumb bells were pressed on my back in my sleep.

Groaning in pain, I tried aching my body and stretching a little to ease off the pain.

God, why does my body hurts so much?

And why does my bed suddenly feel so extra hard like_

Wait a second!

I immediately jerked up, sitting up straight, with eyes wide open, looking around where I was.

Wait! This isn't my room!

Oh my God, don't tell me_

I'm still in Krisdana's room?

What the_

Did I sleep over here in Krisdana's room?!

No, no, it can't be. It can't be!

I turned to my side to see Nova sleeping peacefully by my side on the blanket spread across on the ground.

I looked all around the room to see everyone else sleeping as well. Blankets and pillows were spread everywhere across the room and the others that were here last night, slept on them.

The only person I saw sleeping on the bed was Ivandor's little sister.

How and when did she even come inside the room? I thought she was outside all the while.

But that wasn't the pressing issue at hand..

I slept outside the Beverly Mansion and I'm pretty sure Madam K has gotten bald from pulling all her hair out!

How did this even happen!?

I made up my mind that I would call the limo to pick me up from Krisdana's house last night by sharp 9pm. So how on earth did I end up sleeping over till the next morning?

What even happened last night that made everyone even fall asleep so early?

Oh right. I remember.

Last night, after everyone had gotten back to the room after all the yelling and fussing we heard from downstairs, Krisdana literally went mute.

When she got back to the room to join us, she just silently grabbed her pillow and a blankie and laid down on the floor. Within seconds, she drifted into sleep.

Yure, on the other hand, just looked funny. Didn't stay too close to Krisdana throughout the night, and judging through what I know about the whole Prissy and Yure case, I just silently hoped nothing was something wrong with the couple. That would make things too complicated for everyone - way too complicated.

Everyone else was busy doing their own thing afterward. I remembered seeing Ivandor laying down on Giwa's laps as they talked, Hassana with them, either using her phone or nosing into their conversation.

Then I clearly remember talking to Nova for a while, before lying down with him on the blanket and listening to his playlist silently. But that was the last thing I remembered. The next thing, I'm waking up the next morning by_

I grabbed my iPhone from the ground immediately and the first thing I did was to check is the time.

6:47am.

My call notifications nearly threw me off balance just then.

35 missed calls from Madam K!??

Jesus Christ. I'm so dead!

"Nova!" I called, tapping him softly in an attempt to get him to wake up from his sleep. He only moved a little on the floor and made a faint sound, but didn't wake up yet.

"Nova!" I called again, tapping him harder than before. It was only but a few seconds he sort of winced, before finally opening his eyes.

"H-hey..," he said as he sat up on the ground and strained his eyes to look.

"It's to 7 in the morning!" I alarmed him.

His eyes were still trying to adjust into his wake so it took about three seconds before what I said registered in his brain and his eyes shot wide open in shock immediately.

" Your manager!" He exclaimed.

"I know," I followed up. "What am I going to do? She's going to be so angry with me, Nova,"

How was I going to deal with this today? God, I'm so in for it!

"Have you called them?" He asked me. By 'them', he was referring to the people who drove me around in my limo.

"No," with that word, I started to dial numbers with speed. Nova, sat by me all the way. He was just as tensed up as I was - maybe even more.

He followed me downstairs after the Limo had arrived in front of Krisdana's house at about an hour from the time I called.

Although, the guards didn't let him too close once we got to the limo. That part annoyed me so much, because hell, they saw me coming out of the house with him and I'm completely safe and sound. So what's all the Social distancing about all of a sudden?

However, my anxiety outweighed my anger concerning the way my guards treated Nova.
So, all through the silent drive down the quiet early morning streets of Lagos, my mind wasn't at peace. I kept thinking about what it would be like with Madam K once we got to the Beverly Mansion.

We were on the road for about 15 minutes and I tell you honestly, I had never felt more tensed, as I did that moment we entered the estate of the mansion.

As we got closer and closer to the Beverly Mansion, my heart thumped so hard. The guards were well positioned by my sides and at the back of the limo, all of them stoned face, but I can guarantee you they were hearing my heartbeats.

Then, we got to the Beverly mansion.

Brief visualisation of what the Beverly Mansion looks like!!!

I felt my body go numb. You know that moment you have been eaten up by anxiety and it's time to face the music and your body basically shuts down. Yeah, that feeling.

As we drove in through the mansion gates, I started to take deep breaths in a desperate attempt to calm my self down before I died of a heart attack.

I felt light weighted as I can down from the limo - one of the guards opening the door for me and another attempting to help me out.

I half wondered why Madam K didn't come with these guards. Was she perhaps still asleep??

Well, I was about to find out.

As soon as I got into the mansion, I took the lift to the third floor where my room was situated in.

Maybe if I just silently got into my room, Madam K wouldn't notice me right?

Well, when I got to the third floor, I grazed the tip of my fingers on the glass protector as I realised..

The main lights of the floor were turned off - only the back up dim blue lights by the end of the corridor were there.

Oh ThankGod! That meant Madam K was still asleep.

The first thing she usually did when she woke up in the morning was to turn on the lights here. Her room was opposite mine and the big round golden table that was right there in the middle of the spacious corridor of this third floor, was her domain. She usually sat there, silently meditating or just flipping through pages of a magazine - as usual.

I made my way to the foor of my bedroom and as soon as I got my hands on it_

"SHAWDAI UHNUHM!"

I froze by the door of my room as I heard the sharp, yet, painfully farmilar voice and accent I was very well used to.

It came from the round table.

Turning around with eyes wide in shock, I noticed a figure move in the slight darkness around there.

Just as I had already predicted it in my head, the figure was Madam K - sitting there by one of the seats, with poise and grace, head held high, face filled with sass and a classic diva pose.

As she stood up from the round golden table and walked towards the lights switch, her white thin-clothed robe flowed with majesty. The slight imcrease in her steps made me realise that beneath all the parade she was putting up, she was indeed furious.

Shade, be calm. Breathe.

As soon as she turned on the lights, she turned to face me with the coldest expression I had ever seen on her face. I swallowed as her look lingered on me for a long hard while.

"G-good morning," was the only thing that could come out of my mouth that moment.

Madam K diverted her look from me to the round golden table and gracefully started to make her way back towards it.

"You'll have to come closer if you want me to hear what you're saying." She deadpanned as she took one of the seats by the table.

Taking in a deep breath, I started to walk towards the round golden. However, I didn't sit with her when I got there. I just stood a few feet away from the seat she balanced on.

"You've been trending all around the internet since yesterday evening. I don't know if you are aware." Madam K said, eyes on me all the way.

"I..," I barely let out a word when she spoke again.

"I've given you everything."

I didn't know how that was connected, but I didn't say anything. I just let her speak.

"I picked you up from the slumps and made you Shade Onam." She continued.

Let's ignore the fact that Madam K pronounced my name correctly for the first time in her life. Halleluyah to that.

But, all jokes aside..she was right.

I was barely six or seven when Madam K discovered me - not long after my father and mother died at the ages of 55 and 52 respectively.

Yes, you're reading correctly.

My mum gave birth to me at a time it was believed it was too late to have a child. Even after my mum got pregnant with me, people thought she was going to have a 'special child'. They were thinking more of down syndrome or any other related genetic disorder. It indeed surprised them to see I turned out perfectly fine. Too fine - to say.

Few days after my parents died, my aunt temporarily got me into her custody. She barely even had anything.

Madam K showed up one day in a hair salon and saw me and my aunt. For some reason, she believed so well I was a star.

So, here I am today - all thanks to this woman in front of me. Maybe I did turn out 'special' like they so felt I would, but a good kind of 'special'.

Unfortunately, Aunt Margaret wasn't even able to live to see what her neice turned out to be. She died a few years after as well.

So, life wasn't all rosy for me from the beginning. But at those early six to seven years of my life, how much would I have even learnt about 'living a normal life'? I barely even remember anything from that part of my life.

Don't get me wrong - I love my life. I love the fact I'm somehow blessed and loved by many. I love the fact I am Shade Onam - the teenage celebrity.

But we're still humans, right? Once in a while, we get curious to know what a parralel life would feel like.

Apparently, Madam K wouldn't understand that part and maybe I don't have the right to question her. As I stood infront of the woman who made me who I am today, I was mute. I let her speak. She had the right to be the one speaking now.

"After everything I have done for you. My sincere hopes were to make your life better, because I didn't see you as 'ordinary'. I groomed you, took care of you like my own child, used my money to start a career as a child model for you. You made your millions, I still give you even more than I take from it. I have literally put my whole ENTIRE life into your career, Shade, and for some sick twisted reason, you believe you can make your own personal choice to go against my orders?" The way her voice went deep went she said the 'my' gave me chills.

"I didn't mean to sleep outside, I promise, I just..," I couldn't even finish that statement and she cut me short again.

"And then we come to pick you up yesterday in school and find out you weren't even in your classes!?" She immediately shouted, standing up at that point and slamming her fist on the table in anger.

I shuddered simultaneously with the loud banging sound of her fist on the table. My mouth stayed shut.

"Is that what you do!?" She screamed even louder. "You decieve me that you want to go to..to that godforsaken school to learn and you just ditch it and go out somewhere and..," her sentence cut there as she pulled on to her hair in rage and looked around the whole place like she was losing her mind.

"This was the first time, I promise." I said honestly. Through my voice, it was clear I was very tensed up.

"Oh really?" Madam K's voice went squeaky high, eyes bulging wide and a mental laugh following up.

Jesus. Had she finally gone mad?

"Oya come, come." She said grabbing my wrist. I honestly tried letting go.

"Come. Let me give you the latest gist on Shade Onam!" Madam K said, as she pulled me closer to one of the seats on the round table and threw me on it roughly. That psychotic smile that plastered on her face as she typed speedily into her phone scared the living daylights out of me.

"Look at this!" Her voice roughly came as she pressed against the back of my neck painfully and pushed my head forward to look into her phone screen.

Her voice came with rage as she read the headlines about me on the internet;

"Shade Onam flexing on the streets of Lagos with mystery boy! Shade Onam casually having icecream with a mystery boy!! Shade Onam and her mystery boyfriend!!!"

As she read each headline to me, her grip on the back of my neck got stronger and stronger.

God, was she trying to kill me?!

I was almost on the verge of tears. Her grip was too strong. Too painful. I felt I was going to pass out soon.

"Stop!" I barely whimpered, but she didn't.

"Stop!" I whimpered yet again. If anything, her hold got stronger.

"STOP!" I screamed with every thing in me. Immediately, her hands suddenly left me.

As she stood up from the tabIe, she moved a few feet away. When I looked up at her, I saw her adjusting her white robe casually. The tears forming in my eyes blurred my vision from seeing her smug face clearly. Slowly, but definitely, the anger was creeping inside me as I looked at this woman.

"Go to your room, Shaw-dai." She told me so casually. She was acting so normal again - like she didn't just semi-assault me right now.

"And while you're up there, text all your friends and that boyfriend of yours and tell them goodbye. From Monday, you will not be attending Castron High anymore," Madam K stated plainly to me.

What?

Did I just here her correctly?

"I don't understand," I said, my hand still on my neck that was painful all over.

"You are not returning to Castron High. That's what I said." Madam K said plainly.

With that, she started to walk out to her room. I watched behind her as she left.

I wasn't coming back to Castron High?

I..wasn't.. coming..back..to.. Castron..High?"

Nova..the others..I wouldn't see them?

I..

Wasn't..

Coming..

Back..

To..

...

No!

No fucking way!!

"I WON'T LET YOU DO THAT!" I heard myself shouting back to Madam K and surprisingly getting up on my feet as well. The pain on my neck suddenly seemed to disappear. Or was it my adrenaline? Believe me, I was furious by now.

Madam K paused for a few seconds. Then, slowly turned back to face me.

Perfectly arching a brow like a professional, she replied, "Excuse me?"

"I said I'm not letting you do that!" I boldly repeated to her hearing.

Her face remained in a shocked expression and I carried on.

"Who in heaven or hell's name do you think you are to treat me like I'm a television and you have the remote controller?" I deadpanned.

She didn't speak a word as she looked at me. I wasn't even going to let her speak. She had said enough. Now, it's my turn.

"I am so sick and tired of having to ALWAYS do things your way. That's ALL I've ever been doing ALL my life. I have always conformed to all your rules. I have always done everything you say and that's because I respected you and always felt like I owed you for everything you have ever done for me...but..,"

I paused at my last sentence for a second and when I continued, I addressed Madam K by her full name.

"Madam Kira Kofi! You have NO right to take advantage of my receptiveness." I reprimanded her.

Her eyebrows shot up as if she was saying 'wow, what guts!' I didn't care. I continued.

"If I have to endure your constant critiques, your pointless and baseless orders, your controlling attitude and now.. physical abuse..just to make it up to you for making me who I am today, then fuck all of this!!" I screamed at her.

"Shaw-dai!" She called out sharply.

"My name is Shah-day!" I shouted right back. "And I'm not done clearing you up!"

Madam K Surprisingly kept quiet. Surprisingly.

"It's such a big crime for me to get curious to see what living a normal life feels like now. You have practically caged and confined me all my life and I've done nothing but let you. The one time I decide to explore..THE ONE TIME!..you blow up and lament like I've always been such a rebel when all I've ever done is do things your way!" I reamed her.

Madam K was mute. I wasn't even done with her yet.

"And then above all, you now want to remove me from Castron High - the one place where I have met people who have helped me find myself and you honestly think I'll let you? Like, what do you you think you are? A traffic light or something?? As per, Shade, red light, stop here. Shade, green light, go there. Shade, yellow light, wait for me to tell you when to go! If that is all I have to endure to be a celebrity, then I don't want to be one anymore!"

Madam stood there shocked at my boldness. What did she expect? It's only to an extent a human being can possibly take. And I have had enough!

"What has gotten into you?" She exclaimed.

"Nova." I replied promptly.

Her eyebrows creased in confusion. I decided to clear her up.

"Yes, Nova. The famous mystery boy everyone's talking about. And you know what? I LOVE that boy!" I said it, straight to Madam K's shocked face.

"And he thought me what it's like to live for myself. That's exactly what I'm doing, Madam K." I told her straight up.

With that last sentence, I walked out on her and straight to my room. She stood there, watching behind me in shock, but I didn't turn back. Not even for once.

That night, I sat down on my bed reminiscing.
Madam K had not said a word to me or anyone since what had happened and neither had I.

As I scrolled down my Instagram feed, I saw so many tags - all of them, connected to posts about Shade Onam and Mystery boy.

I sighed to myself. Nigeria liked having something new to talk about.

However, what I did next surprised me.

I tapped on the image icon in my Instagram and the first picture I saw was the one I took with Nova yesterday when we went out for icecream.

A small smile formed on my face as I looked at the picture and recalled what happened that day.

Picking that very image as my next ig post selection, I typed in the caption "Yes, he is the one❤️"

Maybe I should just upload this picture of me and Nova on Instagram, right?

I paused to rethink what I was doing. On a norm, I couldn't post on Instagram without Madam K's permission.

But who cares about her anyway?

Making my decision thereon, I tagged Nova's instagram handle to the photo and uploaded the picture on my Instagram page.

Nigeria wanted to know who the mystery boy was right? There it is.

I switched off my phone from there and went to bed.

Ohhhhhh, Shade just told the whole of Nigeria that Nova is the oneeeee!!!!😩😩❤️❤️
You guys, what do you think is going to happennnnnn!!!!

On side note, how was the whole confrontation with Madam K and Shade though???

All in all, how was this chapter?????