Thank you guys for 18k reads! We'll already be hitting 20k soon, omo, it's doing me like film!😩❤️

Today, I will update twice (You're Welcome ❤️) Expect the second update this evening!!❤️❤️

~DABI~

Saturday Morning started with a headache.

Figures, I barely had any sleep the previous night. What should I have expected to wake up to? Sunshine and Rainbows?

Another day for another set of ugly eye bags. We move. The walking dead we are.

I took a moment to look at the stupid, stupid reflection of stupid, stupid Dabeluchi in the mirror, and it took all my energy to not vomit on the deformed figure that stared right back at me, from the broken glass of the mirror.

I had to make sure everything I could conceal was properly concealed.

The scars on my back and thighs; the big long green shirt I wore did well to hide them well. It went down to half my thighs, and all I had to wear along side it were my ugly, old white-turned-milky shorts that were anything, but attractive.

Luckily, the shirt was too long and hiding the ugly thing under it.

I tried to make my hair more appealing, but after many struggles with my comb and the tangling on my hair that was unbearably painful to get rid of, I let the stupid rat bush on my head be.

I thought about putting on some make-up? If I had any. And, after brushing off the idea, I sought to figure out what to do with my wrists because they were still bruised from Last Night, and it hurt like a total bitch, but nothing I couldn't handle anyway. I was almost used to it.

Mum helped.

"This doesn't help," She told me as she bandaged my wrists perfectly. "And I'm talking from experience, Dabeluchi."

"Thank you," Was all response to what she said and her help.

Dad and Delilah had been out since last night, and she didn't let me help her with the dishes they had dumped in the Kitchen, as well as the waste and litter of food they had messed the entire living room and Masters Bedroom with, because she insisted Dance Class was more important for me.

She also went on to say she deliberately let me miss Dance Class yesterday, but she wasn't daring it today.

I didn't stay to the end of her elaboration, because I wasn't ready for her to remind me of how Dance is a treatment for my 'madness', because I knew it was not. The last thing I wanted was to act out with such a trigger. I loved Dance, it was not a medication to me. It was a hobby.

She didn't even seem bothered, she only muttered the gospel song 'Amazing Grace' as she mopped the corridor alone, and for a moment, I got angry..... At God.

I didn't understand why he would just sit there and let this kind of thing happen to her, to all of us. I didn't even understand why he wouldn't just make people like my Dad and Delilah mysteriously drop dead? Mum was left to endure everything all by herself, and till the day I die, I couldn't also understand for myself why my Dad was so into making her miserable? Why doesn't he just leave her and marry that whore, Delilah?

So many things about this home confused the shit out of me. It just didn't make sense.

The ride from Falade Realty Estate to Dynasty Afrique was about ten to fifteen minutes. A taxi, for some reason, would took longer to reach there, so worst case scenario, twenty minutes.

My mind swarmed places through out the entire ride, and it was hard for me to focus on any detail of the world around me. All I wanted to do was reach that Dance Class and for a moment, my mind had travelled long and far, thinking about so many things. The tweet from yesterday.

What in God's name is even giving her the delusional idea that a guy like Acha will ever take her seriously...

As in, he'll leave all the fine girls in our set and settle for the low budget, second hand Igbo sister...

She thinks Marcus Bruno Acha will drop all his sanity for a dirty girl like her....

Different degrading parts of the tweet. All the trending videos in my name.

I imagined classmates, laughing their asses of at me.

I cringed so hard, recalling how desperate I looked. How stupid I looked. How everyone, especially Marcus Acha will be looking at me as the cheapest form of garbage.

I could imagine how the entire population of Castron High was having a show out of this, at my expense. And I absolutely dreaded school on Monday. Thinking about it alone, I wanted to just pass out--

"BOOO!"

I nearly had a stroke. And if not for the hands that were quick to break my fall, I may have been lying shamelessly on the floor, probably dead.

"Oh, my God! Did I scare you!" Light brown eyes were filled with worry as someone, a familiar voice that made me certain I knew whoever it was, rushed to help me back up after deliberately trying to give a damn heart attack.

"Oh, my God! I'm so sorry, Dabi. Damn it, I play too much!" Whoever it was seemed very hysteric as they helped me steady myself on my feet, softer hands holding mine dearly.

It took me a minute to realise what just happened.

To begin with, I was already in Dance Class.

This was dance class, right?

I looked around, analysing; the familiar faces, the spacey white walled hall that illuminated a beautiful dispensation of purple and blue lights all around the place. Cool Music, probably a Burna Boy song, that was playing and warming everyone up that evening.

I was in my dance class.

How?

It wasn't a dream. Or my imagination. I was already in my dance class, standing there, and having about the entire class, staring at me with the most confused faces ever.

All of them, the ones stretching themselves, warming up, the ones that seemed to just be hanging around, playing with others or gisting, and others, who were doing whatever the hell it was they were doing before I walked in, EVERYONE literally stopped what they were doing, staring at me with shock, absolute, terrifying shock on their faces.

I don't look that bad, do I?

I got uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?!" The feminine voice that had been speaking to me from the beginning, and yes, the same person that had almost knocked me down, asked me again, panic mode more intense than before.

One look at her - a dance mate and a friend, whose name was Naomi - and I couldn't help, but laugh a little.

With all due respect, she could have been about half my height, and those large over-sized coat jackets she always wore weren't helping matters. Her minute, adorable frame stood there, beneath me, beaming the widest, purest, brownest, most concerned eyes, up at me.

"I'm okay," I assured her before she had a stroke herself. Hopefully. A part of me was still wondering why the entire class was just staring at me.

The shorter girl looked unconvinced.

"You walked in here with the most expressionless face and just started walking straight, without saying a word to anyone." She informed me.

I did?

Wait...

Hold up a second?

The last thing I remember before I drifted into thoughts, was sitting in the taxi.

So, when did I even get down from the taxi?

And did I pay? Did I?

When did I walk into the building? And into the class? How..? I---

I was.... So confused.

"And EVERYBODY has been greeting you ever since and you've just been snubbing us," Naomi was telling me.

So, that's why the whole class was looking at me in shock?

"And I decided to scare you to get your attention," The shorter, darker girl pouted in discomfort, guilt and realisation, "Maybe, I shouldn't have?"

"Dabi, what's up, naw? Did we vex you???"

I heard a distant male voice from a distance, and it was first, Naomi's boyfriend, and before I knew what was going on....

The entire dance class, boys and girls, was coming over to me and Naomi's side, literally surrounding us, surrounding me, throwing high fives, hugs, welcomes, and all forms of hyper active greetings.

The boys and girls in this class were all known for one thing - Hyperactivity, and one hell of Support.

On a norm, I'd be terrified.

Would have even completely gone through a mental breakdown with all this crowd of people, who were chilling in my age range, give or take a few years, hovering all around me - the girls who were either stunningly gorgeous, and probably wouldn't be speaking to me if they went to Castron High, or very athletic and naturally intimidating to be around, and then, the loud guys, most of them, tall or big, or both - and talking so loud, laughing so loud, and being that over active.

But I couldn't explain it. There was this pure excitement, genuine anticipation, and contagious happiness, and sweet joy that these guys literally emitted. One that made you want to suspend yourself in their warmness and serenity forever. As in, forever and ever.

I didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable. I have no idea how these guys did it. How I was so happy in their presence. Was it just them? Or the love of dance that we all shared in common? Or was it... Both?

Whatever it was, I loved this new feeling that was starting to overwhelm me.

The whole of last night, and the entire morning, I was a mess of negative emotions, but barely seconds in this place, I was - against my will- smiling, genuinely getting happy, and slowly, slowly opening up to these guys.

"Alright, people!" Yukerya, our instructor appeared, clapping her hands to summarize our little 'meet and greet', that sweet smile that never left her face ever, shone even brighter this evening. "It's already two minutes to 5:30, we've wasted a lot of time. You have less than a minute to get yourself in place, pick a partner, so we can pick up from where we left off yesterday...."

Naomi was quick to hook my arm before any one else had the chance to, right as Yukerya was still talking.

Everyone seemed eager and excited for today, and they started hopping to pair themselves up, in the middle of her announcement.

"I know you can pick up easily, you're very talented," Naomi smiled at me with all her teeth, and tugging excitedly onto my arm, and I couldn't help, but smile down at her. "And may I say, you look so peng!"

"You give me way too much hype," I shook my head at the shorter girl who wouldn't leave me alone.

"It's true!" She almost swore, eyes wide in sincerity.

I went on to listening to Yukerya give instructions, and with the most I could pick up, yesterday, they were doing this experimental dance exercise to test out 'flow'.... How well you can easily just 'go with the flow', even when dancing with complete strangers, in a way that still entertaining and engaging to watch, and shows one hell of team work.

I think I grabbed the gist already.

"Marissa taught me how to tap dance!" An excited Naomi pulled onto my arm, and informed me in a rushed whisper tone.

My head snapped to her, eyes wide in disbelief.

"It's a lie!" I said.

"It's a truth oo!" She retorted back, squealing and low-key trying her best to not get heard by Yukerya.

"Which Marissa?" I asked. "The dark one, or the light one?"

"Which OTHER Marissa moves her legs like she's possessed!" Naomi almost screamed.

"Marissa queen of Legwork, Marissa?" I couldn't believe my own excitement.

"Yes! Marissa, queen of Legwork, Marissa!" Naomi confirmed.

"I am so jealous of you right now!" My eyes widened in excitement, and my heart felt as though it would burst from immense joy.

"Oh, please. You shouldn't ever be jealous of anyone, when you have talent like one million people!" Naomi pushed me slightly.

"Uhh... You tap dance? That's one hell of an accomplishment. I'm jealous, for real, for real," I still said. I just couldn't believe it.

"You'd probably learn it easier, I was a klutz!" Naomi said, and we both laughed easily.

"Seriously, oo, Dabi! If I were a jealous prick, I'd hate you. You seem oblivious to your own abilities, honestly oo! You are so peng!" She was telling me.

"Oh, please," I laughed under my breath.

"No, seriously, everyone in this class has some sort of area in dance that's their specialty... as well as weakness," Naomi was telling me. "Like, Yusra, for example..."

I looked to the Muslim girl who was referred to, in the midst of a few boys and girls at one end of the large spaced room, holding on to her partner as our dance Instructor, talked.

"She's hands down the most flexible girl in the room," Naomi said.

And as though the girl was hearing the hype on her and wanting to live up to it, I watched her pick her left leg up, and effortlessly bend it up behind her - I'm not joking- still standing on her right feet, left leg bending behind her, reaching towards the back of her head, and I was shook. She finally decided to rest her left leg on her right shoulder, gave a satisfying sound like she had stretched her body to full satisfaction, before resuming standing on both legs like nothing happened.

"Yusra, as well as about six to seven people, amongst the members of this class, are specialized in Ballet dancing," Naomi was saying. "But a lot of them aren't very perfect when it comes to bopping to Afro Pop."

I nodded. "True."

"Then, Danny and Osas are like the break dance Kings," Naomi drew my attention to the boys who were engaging her boyfriend in their own mini-conversation , during Yukerya's announcement.

"Indubitably," I agreed.

"My boyfriend and I rule the world of Afro-dance, please hold our crowns with care," Naomi smiled proudly to herself, caressed the air with her long nails in a prissy gesture, and probably would have flipped her hair in my face if she wasn't rocking an afro.

"You're funny," I shook my head as I just laughed.

"Abby and Eghe rule hip hop," She went on, referring to the girls who had been all around us the whole time, and said said hi way too much to us. "But, just like me and my boyfriend, we flunk at Contemporary dance,"

She was right though. Everyone did have their strength and weaknesses in this class, and everyone was known for what they specialized in.

You know what particularly made me adore this class? The fact that even if these specialties were very distinctive from each other, there was no segregation. Not like in Castron High.

Yusra, the flexible ballet girl had an afro pop dancer girl as her partner, and they were closely surrounded by, and occasionally laughing with some boys who break danced. Some of the other break dancer boys were also mixed up with some afro dancer and hip hip dancer boys and girls as well. And hip hop dancers like Abby and Eghe occasionally came around me and Naomi, who was more of an Afro Dance person. I could go on and on about how perfectly mixed up and blended the class was. Everyone was so, so united......

It warmed me. It actually set my entire body in peace every time I came here, because I was always reminded that no one was going to treat me as an outcast for any reason. Everyone was all love, happiness, and Unity.

"So, you see, everyone has their strength and weaknesses," I realised Naomi was still talking, "Their specialties, and well, their disabilities, but you, Dabi, you're like a perfect blend of everything, a balanced equation. And that's so peng!"

"Dabi, are you following?"

Yukerya's voice called my attention out loudly, and I blushed in embarrassment.

I had tuned her out a long time ago, when Naomi started distracting me.

Yukerya looked at me, smiled warmly, a smile that always made me feel at peace. The small framed, dark lady folded her arms, looked at me, then at Naomi, who blushed in even more embarrassment.

"Since Nao wants to distract you, I have a little exercise for her," Yukerya said.

"Oh my God," The short, adorable girl beside me covered her face, laughing to herself nervously.

"Yes, Nao," She went on, "You are going to have to pick a partner and show Dabi everything that has to do with connection during dance. Flow," Yukerya said.

Naomi jumped, squealed excitedly. "I love this kind of punishment!" And before I knew it, she was throwing me her over sized, floor sweeping long coat and running like a little smurf towards the afro dancer boys to drag her cute boyfriend out from the other tall boys.

"It's the energy for me!" Went Yukerya and before I knew it, someone switched the song to Already by Beyonce and Shatta Wale, and in seconds, the whole class was already hyping Naomi and her boyfriend up, gathering around them in a circle and throwing loud 'AYES' AND 'OHS' like crazy, mad people.

And my God, they gave us such a show for a start. Such a sensual, engaging show if I may add. The way he held onto her waist, moving professionally with her as she was nearly doing a backward flexible bend down towards the ground as she rolled her hips against him at the same time, and moving in sync and in tune to the beginning of the song.

I felt these two. And with the deafening screams and chants around me, I was certain everyone felt the same way too.

And when the song started in full force, I couldn't get my eyes off them. They were killing it so effortlessly, that I couldn't help but move my body a little at intervals they impressed me the most. Like, when they without warning, pulled off one of the most insane zanku I had ever seen, and kicked their legs in the air, all at the same time, before she started to move against him again.

Same vibes. Same everything. They looked so good together. Their unison. Their blend. Their flow. Their joy and fun, as they danced to the song together, throwing in the most random yet, most pleasing to watch moves, and doing it so gracefully effortlessly, just basically having fun together and looking like a catch while at it.

And before, I knew it, right I noticed Naomi stop for a second during Shatta's part, and I didn't have the chance to even wonder properly what the problem was. Before I knew it, the girl was racing towards me, and I wanted to run away.

"No, no, no!" I found myself struggling with her, adamantly refusing, but she was insisting, pulling me alongside with her and dragging me to the center of attraction.

This usually happened all the time. On rare occasions, I either pushed myself to dance in front of these people when I was pumped enough, and most other times, it was people like Naomi who literally pulled me out against my will.

If you had a hobby, say dancing like me, or even singing, or acting, or just anything you were really good at, and you were called to do it in front of people, you could die from nervousness. But then, you realise with just about the right amount of positivity and energy around you, you find yourself opening up eventually, and probably even shocking yourself.

Well, these people made me shock myself too many times. Way too many times.

It started with Naomi doing a move, and in sequence, her boyfriend and I did it too. It was like a 'Can you do this dance?' challenge, and each time, she did a move like Pilolo, or gwara gwara, or Kupe, the class went wild, and each time, her boyfriend and I copied, it was even double the noise. In fact, with time, Naomi did a move, and the entire class repeated after her, and it was just a mess of screaming, excited, hyper active dancers bursting out their everything.

And there was this thing about freestyle dancing. I believe every dancer had the ability to predict to an extent what the next move of their dance partner may look like. It just made the sync more possible, and I believe to an extent, this created the flow between dancers.

So, we all were almost dancing in sync at some point; me, Naomi, and her boyfriend. Either they knew my next move, or I knew one of theirs', and we all moved in sync, right about most of the time, without even planning it.

I missed being this happy. I missed dancing. This joy was indescribable.

I may have been too into what I was doing to realise, but the moment I felt a withdrawal in the atmosphere, I knew something was wrong. Terribly, horribly wrong.

It was the few ballet girls, I saw, looking at something at the door with some form of interest that did not sit with me for some reason, and I got distracted trying to figure it out, and I missed a step, missed two steps, and was on my way to messing up the entire dance, slowly, slowly, ever so slowly.

Fortunately, it wasn't noticeable and I was able to manoeuvre and act natural, at least the best way I could, while trying to grab what was happening over there, dividing attention.

It took a little bit more effort before I could finally see what It was. Who it was.

I tripped over myself, horrified at who I was seeing, and prayed to God it was only an imagination.

It seemed too real to be fake.

Marcus Acha..... in my dance class?!

Shit. Shit! SHIT!

I felt the most brain resetting slap hit me square in the face, and I lost my balance, heart racing, hands, shaking, whole body, trembling, and I shamelessly tripped over my own self, and hit the ground with such dangerous force that alarmed the fuck out of the entire class. Startled them into immediate silence.

The boy was really here, I wasn't seeing things. He seemed to just be stepping into the place, and I watched him, just as he watched me too, a look that foretold some kind of surprise, as well as confusion on his face.

I tried to make myself believe that it was probably someone else who looked like him.

He couldn't be here!

This can't be real!

HOW is he HERE?!

I was losing my mind, trembling on the ground, nearly losing my entire shit.

Did he come here to embarrass me?

Did someone dare him to come here?!

Is this part of a school prank?!

IS HE REALLY HERE? OR IS IT JUST ME?!

It was him. Only Marcus Acha possessed that kind of athletic build. That towering height. That ridiculous attractiveness of his face, his body, his entire being. He was too attractive, it was absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary.

When I noticed the few girls in the class, giggling, and whispering amongst themselves, I realised it wasn't a mirage. I wasn't the only one seeing him. Every one else could see him too!

"Dabi, are you okay?" Naomi raced towards me, tried to help me up.

I didn't let her touch me, I crawled away from her, and when her hands grazed mine, I got up, literally jumped up, and ran, fucking took to my heels, and ran towards the door that gave way to the the mini rest room at one of the ends of the hall.

I ignored the foot steps behind me and didn't stop running until I was in the little restroom that was unfinished in building, and in decrepit condition. One no one even used.

Of course, the doors weren't able to lock, so it was me, pushing my own body weight against the weak, partially broken door, trying to restrict anyone, and everyone from entry.

This wasn't happening!

What in God's name is even giving her the delusional idea that a guy like Acha will ever take her seriously?

As in, he'll leave all the fine girls in our set and settle for the low budget, second hand Igbo sister?!

She thinks Marcus Bruno Acha will drop all his sanity for a dirty girl like her!

Aunty, he is going to use and dump you oo! He dumped Neche. He dumped Funmi. He dumped Vanessa! Who you be! Stop embarrassing yourself abeg!

So, Is that why he came here?! To embarrass me? Were there hidden cameras? Could everyone in school see everything that was going on right now? Watch me? Watch us? Was this all a big plan to shame me publicly?

"Dabi, what happened?!"

That was Naomi.

My heart was beating. So fast. So fast. So fast. So fast. So fast. So fast. So fast. So damn fast!

"Dabi?!" Naomi called out from the other end of the door, trying to push the door open, but I pressed my whole weight against it, stopping her.

"Dabi, what the hell happened out there?" That was Yukerya.

I couldn't even find the voice to speak. The sound coming out of me was quivers and pathetic trembling moans and noises.

"Dabi, let go of the door, let's talk to you, please!" Yukerya again.

I really couldn't speak. Couldn't make a coherent sound.

"Dabi!" Yukerya was saying. "I will break down this door!"

I let go of the door, and fell into Naomi's arms, absolutely defeated. Yukerya was able to pull into the hold, calming me and calming me and calming me.

"What the hell happened?" Yukerya asked, worry laced in her tone as she looked at me.

"Is it the new boy that looks absolutely peng?" Naomi blinked up at me.

"Do you know him from somewhere?" Yukerya asked me, getting more worried.

"He.." I was dying and trying to breathe. "Yes, he.." Breath. "He goes to my school."

Naomi looked at me, worried, and expecting to hear more of the story, eyes filled with even more suspense and anticipation. "Yeah? And?"

That's it, Naomi! THAT IS IT! HE GOES TO MY SCHOOL, THAT'S THE FUCKING PROBLEM!

"Is there anything else you want us to know? Does he bother you in school? Bully you?" Yukerya asked me.

"No, no.." I found it hard to explain this to them. "No, he doesn't. He's nice and all, but it's just..." Gosh, this was so hard to explain!

The two of them just stared at me and I could easily tell they didn't understand.

"Please, tell him to leave." I told Yukerya.

"I'm sorry, Dabi, if I don't have a specific reason to, I can't do that," She sounded pitiful. "I have principles, guarded under several legal contracts, and I am forbidden to go against them as a dance teacher. I'm so sorry, Dabi, I can't reject new members, as far as they are able and willing to pay, and have a passion for dance or are willing to learn."

"Jesus," I rubbed my face with my hands, frustrated. Was this a dream?

"If you can tell me in clear details what the problem is, and if it is strong enough, I can show him the door now," Yukerya told me.

"He doesn't even dance, he doesn't even care about dancing!" I was nearly screaming.

"I wished that would be the case. Then, I'd have a legal reason to send him away." Yukerya said, assuring me. "It's to have our fingers crossed, now?"

Naomi nodded, widened eyes looking between me and Yukerya, steadily and in turns, in all her absolute attentiveness.

I swallowed. "Okay." Nodded, breathed, counted to ten within me. "Okay."

We decided to leave the rest room, my heart still racing all the way.

Marcus was just standing there, awkwardly glancing over the members of the class, who didn't understand what just happened either, and the moment the door opened with the three of us, he turned, a hand at the back of his neck, hidden by the fancy white hoodie he wore that hugged his impressive body frame in that position, and fixed his eyes directly at us, directly at me.

The boy looked somewhat relieved to see us, and Yukerya was quick to start welcoming him with that enthusiasm she made sure to use on all her students, new and old.

"Well, welcome, you fine young man, what brings you here?" She smiled, practically grinned, walked towards him with opened, welcoming arms.

Marcus' charming smile seemed to throw Yukerya off guard, because she backed up, lips downturned in impression as she watched him, admired him.

"The love of dance, basically," Marcus answered easily, confidently, charming smile intact as he extended a hand for a formal handshake.

Bullshit.

"You have the most talented students, you are doing an excellent job," He told her, his smile slowly turned into a smirk, and his hands lingered on hers for a while longer than necessary. "And you have a dashing smile too, Ma. I must say."

Yukerya was even more shocked, more impressed, absolutely flattered, it was almost embarrassing, and easily members of the class were starting to throw smiles of approval at Marcus. Smiles I knew that meant that they were already accepting him in.

I don die.

No. Don't tell me otherwise. This is a fucking death trap!

"He is a charming young man," Yukerya whispered to Lizzy, by her side who quickly nodded in approval and agreement. I heard her from where I was. I was pretty sure Marcus heard too.

You know what I didn't grab?

One, why Marcus Acha was here in my dance class.

And two, Why he was trying to get everyone to like him already?

Things were looking sketchy. Too sketchy.

"Oh, I'm just thirty, you don't need to call me Ma. Call me Yukerya," Yukerya told Marcus, and he smiled that charming smile again, showcasing a perfect set of sparking white teeth, and making the girls in this class drool so badly.

I really hoped his charm wasn't going to make Yukerya forget that I didn't want him here.

"So, are you already a dancer or you just want to learn?" She asked him.

"I'm rusty," Was his answer.

Tf was he even saying?

"Really? Why don't you show me?" She challenged him.

He folded his arms, smiled to himself like he was trying to decide whether to, or not to.

"Does he dance?" Naomi who was holding onto my arm, whispered to me.

"Not a bloody chance." I murmured. She heard.

His eyes moved away from Yukerya...... And landed directly on me.

I stopped breathing.

"But, Dabi, he's like soooo fine. So....." She squealed low-key. "..peng!"

I wasn't still breathing. Marcus was still looking at me, and the last thing I was going to do return that damn smile.

He looked back to Yukerya. "Can I dance with her?"

I nearly peed on myself.

Who? WHO?

His eyes moved to mine again, and slowly, the entire class started to look my direction, slowly, slowly. Everyone was looking at me.

"I think it's you that peng new boy wants to dance with," Naomi whispered to me. "Are you okay with that?"

I couldn't even answer. If Naomi's arm wasn't so strongly clung onto mine, I may have concluded I was really dreaming.

Yukerya excused herself for a second and ran to me.

"Yes or No?" She sort my permission first.

"C'mon, Dabi! It'll be mad!" One of the guys in class shouted.

"Kill this shit with him!" Another girl shouted.

"I.." I stammered.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Yukerya told me, completely ignoring all the shouts.

"But, I want you to get this, Dabi," She continued. "You're a dancer. And no matter what or who the circumstance may be, a dancer should always give their best. You can challenge yourself with this. Prove to yourself that you can do anything. Don't do it because anyone is pressuring you to do anything. Do it because you want to do it, okay?"

I swallowed. Hard.

I couldn't do anything really, except dance.

And I looked round the class, saw all the faces of my friends who had already accepted Marcus, and I knew there and then, that he was going to make the one place I was comfortable in, be hell for me. I had to kill this fear, this anxiety.....

"I'm doing it," I said.

"YASS, QUEEN!" Naomi's voice cheered on behind me, as long as cheers from dance mates as I walked towards Marcus Acha.

He stood there, an amused brow lifted as he watched me, either impressed by my confidence, or irritated by it. Whatever it was he was feeling, I was still going to do this.

It was when I got too close to him, I nearly stumbled back, fear and panic that I started fighting back, threatening to step in.

I actually stepped back, away from his towering height; one step, two steps, three steps, four steps, five, six, seven, Jesus, my legs were walking back by themselves now.

He looked confused. So did everyone else.

"Dabi," Yukerya called out to me. "I think you have to walk forward to get to him, not backward."

I felt awkward, some what embarrassed. "Oh... Right."

Marcus looked amused. I didn't ask why. Tried not to even make eye contact.

I thought I had the confidence, but as I stepped up, and had just a few spaces separating us, and one hell of that expensive, strong cologne he was wearing, hit my nose, my heart started to race again, and my hands were shaking.

Stay in place, Dabi. I told myself. Stay in place.

"Ready?" Yukerya shouted to us.

"Yes." Marcus confidently answered, eyes straight at me, smile intact.

Gulp. "Yes." I wasn't even sure if I said that feeble yes out loud or in my head.

I heard Music.

I never needed you like I do right now...

'Make me Cry' by Noah Cyrus and Labrinth. That was the song playing for us.

I stood there, unsure of what to do, unsure of how to dance for the first time in my whole entire life, my entire body shaking in front of this boy, who didn't even seem to be fazed in the slightest.

I never needed you like I do right now...

He put out up a hand that was at the same level with my head, and about the same level with his chest, looked at me like he was assuring me to follow his lead.

I didn't know what to do. This complete air head-ness had never happened to me while dancing before, so I was desperate for a means of redemption.

I never hated you like I do right now....

My hands touched his. Embarrassing how my hand was like a midget's hand joined with his. I wondered if these were how big guys hands were, or it it was just him.

'Cause all you ever do is make me cry....

His hand, just one of them, wrapped around my waist at that part, the other hand I had joined in the air, closed in on mine, holding mine dearly, and the whole class coo'd, awed, and absolutely couldn't believe their eyes.

I froze for a moment, looked up in absolute shock into his eyes that started down ever so peacefully into mine.

I had NEVER been touched like that in my life! Never had a guy wrap his arm around my waist in my whole entire life. It felt odd, strange, and as much as I wanted to run away at that point, I was too shocked, too frozen, too SHOCKED that I couldn't even move at all.

I literally couldn't move at all. This tension. This close proximity.

It was.... too much for me to handle.

The vocals of the song has stopped at that point, like the music was also in shock for us.

And immediately, the beat dropped. I screamed mentally; This is my chance to run!

Gave you up 'bout 21 times...

I literally tore myself from Acha, spinning gracefully like a carousel, and tip toeing like a ballerina, causing everyone watching to scream in absolute awe and wonder, and at the same time, relieving myself from that awkward, intimate position that threatened to give me a heart attack.

Felt those lips tell me 21 lies...

The wicked soul came after me, and I danced away from him.

He had successfully danced to me, caught me, grabbed my hand, and I tried to move away from him, but he cornered me again, placed my hand on his chest, held it there so I wouldn't move.

I legit stopped breathing again, taken off-guard.

My hand... On a boy's chest.

I could feel everything his hard body was made up, even his heart beating in his chest, and I could have sworn I may have felt his nipples too, and that shit creeped me out. Terrified me. The detailed feeling I was getting from just touching his chest, it was too much.

And no matter how much I tried to pull away, he wouldn't let me. He was strong. Too strong.

You'll be the death of me....

Sage advice...

Since I couldn't release my hand from his chest, I tried walking backward still with the hand there. My aim was to create a distance between us, but he wouldn't even let me. He walked with me, in tune, in sequence, towards me, getting closer, every time I tried to get away.

I moved faster, maybe three steps in about a second, and he equalled my speed and intensity. I tripped, over something on the floor behind me, a hand bag or a shoe, only God knows what, but what I knew was that in no time, I was falling.

He was quick to catch my fall, strong hand grasped unto the small of my back, holding me in place with a little bit more urgency that made it clear to me that he wasn't expecting me to fall at all. That urgency, that force, his catch, it propped me forward, pushed me onto him, bringing me closer to him, much than I expected.

My body was touching his, his hands were on my back, my hands unknowingly, holding, literally gripping onto his shirt tightly, holding on for dear life, and all these happening in seconds, making me want to run mad.

I looked up to him, alarmed, confused, conflicted, absolutely not knowing what to do next, pathetically awe-struck.

Love-Loving you could make Jesus cry...

I blinked up at him, he blinked too, staring down speechless, I swear, he could have heard my heart racing. The song stopped there again, paused, like it knew what it was doing, leaving us in that position for about a second or two.

When the beat picked up gain, Acha and I were back to our dance theme. Me, running away from him, and he, always catching me again, and it went on and on and on, and on. I would run sometimes, do a spin to get away from him, and he would grab me, throw me in the air and sometimes, I would reverse his own move and get away, sometimes her would have me to himself, twirling me in the air, dancing and moving with him.

I wasn't completely in a steady set of mind to decipher if he was good at dancing or not, but with the way he handled me, handled my body, he was either educated about handling a woman's body, or just a fair dancer himself.... Or both.

The song stopped after the first chorus and the entire class was staring at us in awe.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Yukerya was the first person to scream, and the moment the entire class burst into madness, screaming, and shouting, and acting like they had just watched the best dance performance in their life, I realised one thing;

Marcus Acha had come now.

And Marcus Acha had come to stay.

And I wasn't even sure how I felt about that.

How do you feel about it? How did this chapter make you feel?

Longest chapter yet. Sorry, abeg. It won't happen again. Buttttt..... Writing this chapter made me feel warm, I guess I got carried away.

Expect another update today, loves!