First off, thank you for 34k reads!

Special shout-out to teemasco. Your comments really made me happy this morning ♥️

Oh, and before I forget....

DON'T SKIP THIS A/N!

Loll, it was the anger and hate thrown on Sean for me in the last chapter 😂😂😂💔💔 Y'all entertain me so much, today you're like "Omg, I love this guy!" and tommorow, you're like "kwoaoalkajsjsjsksiissksb#@$&@###@$$$&@# Sean must die!" 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Are you confused?

Sha, all I have to say is that y'all should take it easy oo. I mean, one of the purposes of this book is finding out the mysteries behind the strangest kinds of people, so we gon' ride together, okay?😂♥️

All I have to say is the Sean's character is very complex, and until the second book, you may not fully understand him (unless you're quick and smart enough to pick up the hints in this book) You're going to love him, hate him, love him more, and hate him more, you'll probably even wish he was dead at a point (believe me), but at the end of the day, you'll feel soooooooooo bad for hating him sha, and you'll love him more than you ever did from the beginning.... Watch me do my magic 😌✨

But before I continue, y'all should understand something I want to make clear; NOTHING, and I mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING justifies a character for  being flawed. Yes, it makes them to be able to sympathize with, but NOTHING should JUSTIFY it.

I'm saying this because of some of the characters in this book. As terrible as they may seem, even JJ, Papa Acha, and even Kaniru, don't hear their stories and say, "They're justified, I can't blame them for being that way.", I won't blame you for feeling bad for them, but do not justify people's evil because of a traumatic past. I mean, no one was born evil, if we're being honest. Something caused something that caused something that caused them to be bad people. Even the rapists, bad people in politics, mysognic men and misandrists, murderers, they didn't wake up and became terrible people, things caused it. So, now, tell me, what is the difference between people who had a bad past and chose to still be good people, and people who chose to be bad? It's all mindset. You can't justify them for choosing the negative, but we're all humans at the end, and sure, you can sympathize with them.

Now, let's go.....

(Warning: Please, don't have an anxiety attack in this chapter, I know what I'm doing, trust me 😂♥️)

~ACHA~

"Do you ever talk to Sean?"

I frowned at the question that seemed quite unusual to me, as I stepped out of the terrace with Kelechi, carefully trying to move with her, at the same soft and dainty pace she was walking as we headed slowly towards the brief downward stairway in sight.

And my God, she walked so slow.

"I talk to Sean everyday, he's my gee." I answered her.

"It is indubitably clear that you know exactly what I am trying to inquire from you, Marcus Acha." Her voice was curt and warm, but firm.

Her eyes were straight ahead, staring into the space in front of us, and her head, slightly high, nose even more slightly shooting upward, as she walked with grace and regality. So much of it that it almost looked too perfect to be true.

The girl looked and sounded like there was absolutely no way she could be wrong.

And she was right.

I did know and understand exactly what she was asking me.

"Look, Kelechi, it's complicated." I told her.

We had stepped into the first step; my foot, landing just a split second before hers' as my impatience began to grow, and even more carefully, I tried to slow down my pace once more, so I could walk with Kelechi's slow, cordial pace.

I was trying my hardest not to be faster than her and she seemed too much in that regal comfort zone of hers.

"It's really complicated," I said, "You have no idea."

"Well, then, I shall wait for you to break it down for me." She easily responded, the tips of her fingers softly grazing the protector of the stairway as she walked even slower.

I couldn't believe this.

She actually slowed down, about two times less her speed. Seeming so unbothered, as she elegantly took one step, two seconds, then another step,  down the stairs, walking ever so elegantly like this was some coronation ceremony, and not Gomery's drab looking warehouse stairway.

With all due respect, I was contemplating walking on and leaving this girl here.

She walks too slow.

Too damn slow.

Are we ever going to reach the main Diner and Bowling Alley of Gomery at this rate?

What have I really gotten myself into?

"Do I really have to break it down?" I asked her.

She nodded, slowly. Twice.
"My answer is an unequivocal, emphatic yes."

I nearly stepped ahead of her, accidentally, but forced myself once more to ensure I stayed on her pace.

"Carry on." She urged me on.

"Sean isn't a bad guy, believe me." I started by telling her.

"I know that." She nodded.

She did?

"He just has his many flaws," I told her.

"Sounds a bit cliche to me," I heard her laugh a little. "C'mon, Acha. Humour me a little."

I chuckled, shook my head, and just carefully thought of ways to put this without spilling too much to Kelechi.

"Okay so...." I said. "You know how everyone is just wired differently and..."

Kelechi muttered something I didn't catch, and I stopped talking.

"Did you say something?" I asked her.

"Oh." She sighed. "I was just saying to myself; 'Culture and Background'. That's it."

I frowned. "I don't understand."

"Culture and Background." She repeated like it was going to make more sense if she said it twice.

"Everyone is wired a certain way because of their culture and Background, as well as their life experiences," She went on.

I completely understood what she meant, but I loved how she went on to further elaborate still.

"A person's culture and background goes a long way to mould their mindset, and shape their beliefs, method of thinking, and in your friend's case, speech." She said.

I barely said anything and this girl completely understood everything.

What is she?

"It's like this for example," She continued. "In some really remote places of Nigeria, having someone say to you 'You've added weight' is shockingly a compliment."

Wait.... Really?

"But, of course, outside those places, that's one hell of shade." She said.

"I didn't even know that could be taken as a compliment by anyone." I said.

"For some reason, they think by saying that, they're communicating to you that they think you're healthy and that should mean you or your parents have a lot of money." She told me.

Wow.

How did she even know all these?

"That aside," She continued. "Your friend may not be in the category o people who fail to be able to differentiate a compliment with an insult, he seems to fall under the category that don't particularly realise the impact of the things they say."

I haven't even said anything, and she was taking all the words right out of my mouth.

"And for someone to be that way, it all still somehow falls down their background, it makes them not understand the gravity of the things they say, or even do," She said. "It's like a kid who grows up in a terrorist camp for example; as early as the age of 5, he's already learned to use a gun. At 7, he can end a whole family with a bullet to the head, without even batting an eyelid. To the child, it's no big deal.  He's been killing people before he even learned to spell his own name. Killing a whole family to that kind of kid is like batting a housefly........ But then, to the outside world, it's so cruel and evil, and he should be the spawn of Satan."

There was silence between us for about five seconds.

"Wow." I could only breathe.

"You seem aghast." She noted.

"I mean, a little," I laughed a little, and so did she. "I don't even need to explain more, you get the entire thing."

"You flatter me." She chuckled softly.

"I'm serious," I said. "You said it all, and you're right. It's going to do a lot more than talking to Sean to make him understand. You see, the guy grew up in an environment where a lot of things that shouldn't be okay were the order of the day. So, basically, it's really difficult for him to adjust in the real world where everyone isn't as.... extreme..."

I noticed Kelechi stopped moving.

I had to stop too, took a step back to stand on the stair she was standing on, unmoving.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, but she only stood still, like a ghost, staring into space blankly.

"Kelechi." I waved hand in her face, but she stayed still.

Like a ghost.

I started to get scared.

Was she messing with me on purpose?

"Kelechi." I waved hands in her face again.

She stood still, unmoving. Eyes straight ahead, face impassive.

Jesus Christ.

I hope this girl isn't possessed.

"Kelechi!" I shouted her name, and my voice echoed in the space of the place.

She jumped, gasped, nearly fell off the other side of the protector, startled by my voice, and I had to hold onto her to her to stop her from falling.

"Jesus Christ, are you okay?" I asked her as I held onto her, realising she was back to her self again.

She seemed too startled, and she got my hands off her, and hysterically started to dust something off her body as she looked around her, seemingly embarrassed.

She better be okay.

It was only the both of us here, so she shouldn't be pulling shit like that.

If she hadn't moved the last time I called her, I may have knocked her off the stairs myself. I have never encountered a ghost or a witch before in my life, and she won't be the first.

"I'm sorry." She said. "What you said just reminded me of something."

I didn't ask her what.

I just nodded in understanding, and gave her a little space, as it seemed she was suddenly uncomfortable for some reason.

I stepped back, about two steps behind her, and walked torturously slow as I tried to keep up, behind her.

We didn't speak to each other again as we climbed down the stairs, and with how slow this girl walks in front of me, I had to actually pause for a while, stand on a spot for about five seconds to watch her climb down two steps, before I moved one step.

She was so slow, Jesus Christ.

But mahn, her co-ordination though, was put of this world. She walked so carefully and proper, like it was a taboo to miss a step. And there was just something about the way she carried herself that was pleasing to watch.

It was clear that since we stepped out of the terrace, she wasn't Baby Kels or Mummy Kay Kay anymore. I mean, of course, those parts of her were only activated when she was around Nana and Chido. Right now, she was....

I don't know?

Kelechi?

She was just Kelechi.

The one that didn't play as much. Didn't get super clingy. And didn't pull anyone's cheeks. She was all classic and prim, walking with her head held high, spine straight, and face, impassively still. The only sound heard in all the silence was the soft vibration of the protector handle, as the tips of her fingers slightly grazed upon them, ever so gently, like she could derive some sort of pleasure or satisfaction from merely feeling them.

I didn't understand why she was doing that.

Kelechi gave off this good girl vibe with a touch of class, and a sprinkle of elegance and confidence. She was the definition of 'poise and grace'.

Her regality and mind blowing organization was one of the reasons our classmates respected her so much. Naturally, she just commanded it.

Even with the Juniors.

As the Disciplinary Prefect that she was, even juniors could attest to the fact that she didn't have to shout or stress to command adherence. She said the word and it was done.

Even the school authorities had noted the girl too.

Back in the days of our junior school, she would model adverts for our school, and her picture, particularly was always put up in flyers, banners, and most of everything that the school wanted to show off in their advertisements. And back in Jss3, her voice had  gone viral all over the internet as 'the little girl with the big voice' when she and another boy from Kings Academy did the voice overs for a national programme that Nigerian Schools were holding called 'The New Generation'.

I guess the School loved showing her off. I mean, beyond all reasonable doubts, in their words, she was the best dressed female student to them. Kelechi's school uniforms were moderate and decent; her shirts were always bright white, neat, and had a nice fitting on her, and her skirts were of moderate length, and always well ironed. Most times, her hair was in a neat, perfect bun, and she never had on coloured hair. Never broke the uniform code, and that also meant, she always wore white socks.

How she managed to be so keen to rules, be herself,  and still get popular in our set was always a mystery to me.

She didn't even have much friends aside Chido and Nana, and since she was in my class (away from theirs'), she always sat alone, in the front row of the class where she could take notes and listen to the teacher. She didn't talk to anyone in class and no one talked to her, just minded her business by her well arranged corner.

Yet, there was still that respect everyone still had for her, and there was this dominant orderliness around her that even promoted the people who sat by her to be forced to be as organized as she was.

And may I say, she was pretty too. In a conventional type of way.

"Can I hold onto you?"

I was shocked at what I heard her say.

She noticed.

"I mean, if that's okay with you." She was quick to add, she was hesitant.

There was something about the way she even talked that would have made it hard to say no.

Her voice was soft, yet firm. Sensual was the word. She talked like her intent was to seduce you, but she didn't want to make it obvious. Her voice sounded like seduction.

"Is it.. okay with you?" She looked at me, asked once more. Sensual.

She was like Aphrodite. A beauty goddess with the sweetest tone of voice from Heaven.

"Sure." I said.

I let her.

I let her hold me.

And I helped her down the last step until we stepped in the Bowling alley of Gomery.

There was always something about stepping into this place. It always hit so different.

The bowling Alley had beautiful lights illuminating the entire room, flashing all shades of pink, blue, and purple all around the place, and having them reflect beautifully on the squeaky clean stoned floors.

It felt like I was in that Ariana Grande 7 rings video, lol. Only instead, Jhene Akko was blasting through the speakers and it wasn't a music video, but a bowling alley in here, filled with people all around entertaining themselves with a friendly bowling competition, a brief row and columns of seats at one end that looked like High School bleachers, and by it, a small counter they sold drinks.

I had let go of Kelechi, absent-mindedly, walking ahead of her, as I stepped into the alley.

And just as I took another step forward, I felt soft hands grip mine so fast that I was shocked.

I turned back quickly to her and turns out she was almost falling, and grabbed onto me for support.

"Hey, be careful!" I caught her immediately.

"Sorry." She laughed embarrassed, dusting off her skirt one more time.

I first noticed the diamond pendant she was wearing.

I hadn't noticed it before, because maybe all the while, I was walking behind her. She was wearing a white turtleneck cotton shirt, with the sleeves long enough to her wrists, a black, plaid skirt that was right on her knee, and high knee boots. Then that diamond pendant glowed in the light.

It was pretty. Seemed quite expensive too.

"Why are you looking there?" She got self conscious, and placed her hands on her chest area.

She thought I was looking at her boobs.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't-" I felt so embarrassed and traced my look up to her face immediately.

And wow.

There was something oddly pretty about the colour of her eyes under the light.

It was like her normal brown eyes combined with the lights created this cool, silver colour that was insanely abnormal. It was like shads of glass were shattered and sprinkled all over, so artistically, that it started to look like there were literal diamonds in her pupils.

I couldn't find the right words to describe it, but I was awed.

Kelechi looked away immediately, took her hands off mine, and looked...

Pissed..?

"Can you stop it, Marcus Acha." She deadpanned.

I was so confused.

"Stop what." I asked.

"You know what you're doing, stop. I'm not one of those your girlfriends." She said.

I frowned.

The fuck is she saying.

"Aren't you with Dabeluchi anyways? So, why are you trying to hit on me?" She attacked me still.

"Woah, woah, woah!" I had to stop her there. "I'm not hitting on you, don't get ahead of yourself, b."

She looked visibly offended. "Well, ouch."

It slipped. I didn't mean to be so raw, but with all due respect, even if Kelechi was absolutely gorgeous, she wasn't even close to Dabeluchi.

"Don't just do that again." She rolled her eyes.

"It could help of you tell me what exactly not to do again, though." I said.

"Don't look me directly in the eyes like that again, it makes me feel weird," Her voice was softer, more tender. Almost sad. "Please."

I swallowed. Even if I wasn't sure how I was looking at her... I just said 'okay'.

We walked towards the Bar of the Alley, and for some reason I didn't understand, Kelechi refused to let go off my hand.

"Is that how you look at her, though?" I heard her ask in a little voice, next to me.

"What?" I wasn't sure I heard correctly.

"Dabeluchi." Kelechi said. "You look at her the same way you looked at me?"

I swallowed again... Wished she would leave my hand.

"Umm..." Gulp. "I don't know, I don't know how I look at her. Or you. Or anyone else in the World?"

She laughed softly, and didn't leave my hand still. I was uncomfortable, but the only good thing about her holding my hand was that we were walking at my own pace now.

"Dabeluchi is pretty," She said.

"Like mad." I agreed.

"Effortlessly," She went on. "She doesn't even try too hard and she still is that pretty. It's so surreal and beyond my understanding."

Honestly.

"And if you look at her that way, then she must be head over heels in love with you," Kelechi said.

I thought of the possibilities and couldn't help, but smile.

"It's hard to tell really," I replied.

She laughed softly, a sweet, delightful sound that was like a heavenly vibration to my ears.

"Hearing that from you is rich." She said. "I didn't think a guy like Marcus Acha would have difficulty making a girl fall in love with him. I mean, you have quite a reputation in School."

I only laughed. "Well, I can't disagree with that."

We got to the drinks bar and she ordered a coke and slipped the neatest 500 naira note I had ever seen in my life to the guy behind the counter, stood straight and upright, and waited for her change.

"Can I ask something of you though?" Kelechi asked in a soft tone.

She avoided my eyes, finally let go of my hand, and tucked an imaginary piece of hair behind her ears. If I hadn't seen her ooze such stunning amount of confidence, I'd think she was terrified of direct eye contact.

"Go on." I told her.

"Don't break her heart." Kelechi said to me.

I didn't grab her motive. One minute she seemed all touchy and all over me, and the next she was accusing me of doing the exact same thing and fangirling Dabeluchi.

"I mean Dabeluchi," She added. "You look confused, so I don't know if there're other girls asides her that you're having something with."

"You have to start giving me some credit, Kels. You and Chido. I'm not as bad as you guys presume." I said to her.

"That's not what I mean," She looked at the crumbled, ugly two hundred and hundred naira notes that the guy behind the drinks bar had slipped back to her and I saw a small frown form on her face. "You are a good guy, Marcus Acha." She picked up the notes like it was covered in cow dung, frowned again, straightened it on the table, and carefully put in back in her purse, along side a stack of neat, fresh, mint-looking five hundred and one thousand naira notes.

"The thing is," She said as she closed up her purse. "I just think Dabeluchi is too much for you." 

That was an uppercut. Knocked the wind right out of me.

"Excuse me?" I looked at Kelechi, the offense taken glaring like a bastard and my suddenly bruised and battered ego picking it's pieces. "Are you saying Dabeluchi is.... Out of my league?"

"Don't misinterpret me, Marc," She was calm. "You're a good guy, but I'm just saying that Dabeluchi needs more than just good. She needs spotless. Flawless. I don't know much about her, but from the little I have seen, I feel it so that she is damaged. Too damaged on her own to fix someone else, Marc."

She was implying I also needed fixing... And Dabeluchi shouldn't be the one to fix me when she also needed fixing herself.

"Dabeluchi needs someone who is spotless and perfect despite all odds. Someone who under no circumstance, knowingly or accidentally would let her down. And no being can be that perfect for her, asides God," Kelechi looked at me for the first time, placed a gentle hand on mine, and I stared at the diamonds in her eyes that formed under the light. "She needs God, Marcus Acha. Not you."

"So..." I shrugged, looked away from her, left her hand on mine. "What are you saying?"

"I'm just worried for her, that's all." She said to me. 

"You don't have to be." I responded.

I didn't even know how to feel.... Was I even offended by this conversation or not?

"Why do you care so much about her though?" I had to ask Kelechi.

Kelechi only shrugged and a small smile was at the base of her lips, as she casually answered, "No reason."

A deep voice barged in on us the next second, cutting off our conversation.

"K, I've been looking everywhere for you! Nana has been waiting for-"

Chido paused... As in completely stopped on seeing me and Kelechi together. The spiky hair kid literally looked the both of us over together; Kelechi's hand on mine, and our close proximity, and there was a look of confusion on his face for a second or two.

The next moment, he raised a brow, backed up a little at both of us, and Kelechi's hand awkwardly left mine immediately. An amused, yet almost emotionless chuckle left him, and he quickly diverted his attention to Kelechi, completely disregarding me.

"Nana has been waiting for us in the car." He told Kelechi. 

I don't know if I was hearing things, but he sounded cold.

"One minute." Kelechi had the audacity to dismiss him and turn back to me. "Do you have JJ's inhaler?"

"Yeah, I took one from Nana. Why?" I asked her.

"He may have an attack tonight." She told me.

I scowled in confusion. "How do you-"

"Don't ask too many questions, Dozie is waiting for me." She said to me. 

Chido was waiting. Standing there and watching the both of us.

"And as for Sean," She continued talking to me. "Tell him to be careful."

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," She said. "There's this deep feeling tugging in my spirit. A strong urge to look out for him. Like there is some sort of unforeseen circumstance. I just feel he is seriously getting himself into some sort of trouble I can't pin down. Something we should avoid."

She said we.

"I don't want to scare you or anything, I'm sorry," She shook her head, she looked like she was about to leave.

No, I didn't want her to leave until she made me understand what the hell she was saying to me.

What was Sean getting himself into? How serious was it?

And also, I wanted to know...

"Do you feel that for Dabi too?" I asked her straight up. "The urge to look out for her? Is that why you're so concerned about her? Do you think I'm incapable of making her happy, do you feel I'm going to make things worse?"

She looked back at a waiting Chido and shot an apologetic look to him, before turning back to me.

"Kelechi, tell me...." I said to her. "Do you see things? Visions? Do you have any of those?"

She shook her head to say no.

"It's more of an intuition," She told me. "I get intuitions, not visions. I don't see things, I only feel them. Visions have always been a challenge."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"That's so cool," I had to say.

"Well, what can I say? Every child of God can possess the gifts of the spirit. It's a free gift after all," She smiled at me.

Chido started to make large steps towards us, intent on getting Kelechi himself.

"Good night, Marcus Acha." Kelechi waved me. 

"Kelechi will talk to you later." Chido had gotten to us and Kelechi was  laughing at his childish dismissive tone as she chunked her arm under his' in a hold. Despite it all, Chido was still letting her hold him, even if I could clearly see the boy was forcing himself to stay annoyed.

"See you, my guy." I threw him a salute greeting anyway, even though he refused to act like I was existent.

"Come on, grand pa!" Kelechi weakly punched a cranky Chido's arm . "Be nice to him."

"You made us late." He accused Kelechi, and I wasn't sure if he was seriously mad or not, but Kelechi was apparently laughing at him.

"And you." He finally decided to spare me a quarter of his time.

I tried not to laugh myself as I looked at him to continue, and after mock-glaring Kelechi for a brief second, he sighed softly, and said to me in a low voice, "Nana says he'll see you, Sean, and JJ in school tomorrow."

I had to blink twice to confirm if I heard him correctly.

Nana says he'll see us in school tomorrow?

Even after what happened?

I couldn't believe it.

Kelechi was soon gone with Chido, holding onto his arm as they walked out of Gomery, and even after about two whole minutes, I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Nana would even still dare to be around us after Sean had totally disrespected him and his dream like that.

Jhene Aiko was still playing softly in the speakers and I decided that these Gomery people were in quite a mood tonight.... And in a way, the day felt a bit incomplete.

"Wow, 8:19pm," I noted to myself when I checked the time on my wrist watch.

And I ended up not seeing Dabeluchi today.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets, covered myself with my hoodie, and carried my feet back to the terrace to find the other so we could get out of here, and go home already.

I was indeed shocked to see that neither Sean or JJ was at the terrace by the time I got there.

I stopped on my tracks, hands still shoved into my pockets as I viewed the empty terrace around me, not failing to note how surprisingly more beautiful it was in here.

I always believed that somehow, night time was prettier than day. There was just something about darkness, being illuminated by the prettiest lights around, and here in the terrace, as it was starting to get dark, the lights from the candle lamps  made the place even more beautiful; a warming gold, all around me, reflecting on my skin, on the pretty couches and benches that were simply decorated here, and making the entire place look like a mini-heaven.

I could faintly hear Stars in the Sky by Jhene Aiko and Phora from downstairs where it was playing, and for a moment, there was some sort of peace within me..... And it made me wish Dabeluchi was here with me too.

Like there was some supernatural force out there, heeding to my internal wishes, my phone in my pocket, buzzed with a message, sending small vibrations into my skin.

I got my phone out to see the message, and just as I had hoped....

It was Dabeluchi.

I walked towards the bench where JJ had still left the food he brought for me, laying there in it's bag, as I opened her message to view;

I texted you on WhatsApp. Go there.

To say, I was filled with joy may have been an understatement, but there was no other way to describe how happy I felt seeing her message.

I couldn't help, but laugh at how dismissive she sounded.

It was the stoic attitude in her message for me.

I was the one who buzzed her SMS messages first when she wasn't responding on WhatsApp, and here she was, without no atom of emotion,  'ordering' me to go on WhatsApp and see her own messages, ever so plainly, like she couldn't even be bothered to ask a second time.

Anyways, I obeyed the Queen, took a seat, and went on to open my Whatsapp app.

And as soon as I got there, I tapped on Dabeluchi's dm with a speed that could go down in the Guiness book of world records.

I'm here.
*Sent 8:22pm

I stared at Dabeluchi's message and concluded she thought I was a joke. I couldn't help, but laugh.

I mean, I had left this girl about 19 WhatsApp unread messages today, asking if she was okay, if she needed anything from me, if she wanted to talk, if she wanted to hang out today, and the girl just comes online, doesn't even respond to any of those messages by telling me how she was doing, or if she was free today, or maybe a simple explanation as to why she aired my messages for so long, no, she just skips each and every one of the messages like she doesn't even see it, and goes on to just type 'I'm here'.

And she even added a 'period' to top it all all.

One 'I'm here' with a period, under over 19 messages.

What is this girl?

I laughed, shook my head, and started to type in my own response to her.

Hey, I just wanted to ask if you were okay 😶.
*Sent 8:22 pm

I watched my message tick blue and in seconds, she was typing.

I'm fine.
*Sent 8:22pm

That was all she texted back, and I started to send back more messages to her.

Are you sure? I texted a lot, but you weren't online for so long. I was worried.
*Sent 8:23pm

Oh, and btw, I saw you in School today. You looked very beautiful.
*Sent 8:23pm

My message was left on read for so long that I started to get worried that I  said something wrong.

Hey, are you there?
*Sent 8:27pm

She clearly was. My message ticked 'read' the moment it was sent.

Yes.
*Sent 8:28pm

She was still typing so I patiently waited for her next message, until it came.

Thank you.
*Sent 8:29pm

That's it?

I laughed under my breath, and sent another message.

I missed you a lot today tho🌝
Wanted to hang out, but it's already too late.
*Sent 8:29pm

Unless you don't mind tho, I could still wait for you out here. I'm in Gomery
*Sent 8:29pm

Or maybe, tommorow. Idk, it's already almost 8:30, so maybe we could just meet up Tommorow, after school?
*Sent 8:29pm

Or, I don't know, what do you want to do? I'll do whatever you want 🌝
*Sent 8:29pm

My messages were ticking 'read' as they were flying into her dm with speed.

No.
*Sent 8:30pm

It's already too late.
*Sent 8:30pm

And my mum is not well, so I've been busy all evening, helping her out.
*Sent 8:31pm

She was still typing something and I started to type back as well.

Your mum? What happened to her? What's wrong?
*Sent 8:31pm

I'm free tomorrow tho. What time?
*Sent 8:31pm

Our messages clash-sent at the same time. Me, responding to the message about her mum, and she, continuing the chain of messages she was sending me, asking for a meet up time.

My mum's not well.
*Sent 8:32pm

Oh, wow.

I replied her;

Jeez, I'm sorry about that😢. Wish her all the best, I pray she gets well soon.
*Sent 8:32pm

She took a minute to respond.

Thank you.
*Sent 8:33pm

And what time are we meeting up Tommorow?
*Sent 8:33pm

I knew it was wrong to let her come to me when her mum needed her, so I texted back;

We'll talk about meeting up when your mum is well, okay?
*Sent 8:33pm

And what about your friends tho☹️?
*Sent 8:33pm

I sat back and watched my phone screen as it showed she was typing a response.

The twins and I were having problems with Charlie Ba's assignment, so we were supposed to meet up in Chika's place so Soma would tutor us.
*Sent 8:34pm

But, since Mum got ill, I missed. But Soma said they would help do my assignment for me.
*Sent 8:35pm

She didn't get my question, so I elaborated.

No, I mean, are you going to be sneaking out behind them to see me?
*Sent 8:35pm

Her response came in a minute.

More like sneaking behind the entire school, lol.
*Sent 8:36pm

I couldn't help, but Dabeluchi and I were doing some kind of secret spy mission that we didn't want the world - Castron High- to know about.

Oh, man. Talk to you later, gotta go, bye.
*Sent 8:36pm

And just like that, Dabeluchi just went offline.

I smiled to myself, happy that I could talk to her today at least. Even if it wasn't in person, at least, I could hear from her. It was a lot for me.

I just didn't understand what this girl was making me feel. I only just texted her, and my heart felt like there were a thousand sensations in them, buzzing and bubbling up energies of excitement I couldn't explain.

What is this girl doing to me?

Soft footsteps were beard behind me and I realized I wasn't alone.

Slightly alarmed, I turned back immediately to see who was sneaking into the terrace.

It was only Sean.

And he wasn't sneaking up behind me. He was quietly strolling into the terrace....

I was only surprised that he could walk into a room without a barrell of noise and aggression behind him.

He seemed quiet. Too quiet. Dragging his feet in as he walked, having his eyes tracing the lines of the ground, and his shoulders, slightly hunching over in something that seemed like defeat, backpack hanging over one of them, as he calmly strolled in.

It was strange. Unusual. He wasn't usually this mellow. He seemed deep in thoughts, and  I wondered if everything was really good.

"You scared me though." I told him.

That was when he noticed me. Stopped walking. Traced his eyes from the ground and to my face, and I backed up a little, when I noticed how bloodshot red his eyes were.

What the fuck?

He surprised me by throwing a classic smile, even amidst all that, a brief smile that punctuated his dark, handsome face with dimples.

Chucking, he only responded in a surprisingly, calm voice, "Fear fear."

I watched him walk towards the protector, and further watched in mighty awe as Sean jumped right onto the edge of it, and I was just about to scream in horror, and fly with the speed of light to stop him from his suicide attempt.....

But then, he was only trying to sit on the hand rail.

Jesus, thank God.

But still..... Why sit at the handrail of the terrace protector?

There were a lot of places to sit around here, why did Sean pick the handrail of the protector?

I wasn't sure what to do....

So, I ended up joining him.

And it wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. The rail had a lot more width space than I thought, enough to sit, and I had to wonder how many times Sean had been here to sit, realise that.

It didn't make it any less dangerous though. If any of us fell from here, that would be a gruesome death.

"What's up?" I asked Sean, who hadn't even said a word to me since I joined him.

"I dey." His reply was calm, as he said nor did nothing more than stare quietly into the night, after declaring that he was just fine.

He obviously wasn't.

But, I waited for him to tell me himself. I knew he was going to anyway.

Together with Sean, we risked our own lives, sitting at the dangerous edge of the handrail of the protector, staring quietly into the night, and admiring the lovely landscape of Lekki from this top roof view.

We could see the entire landscape from here; The cars, moving to and fro, heading back and forth their destination, the people on the streets - pedestrians, families, everyone. Even the roof top of houses that were smaller than Gomery, as well as the street lights and lamps at the sides of the tarred roads, the colourful lights from the electronic banners, and every form of colour and light that gave the night a pretty, aesthetic beauty.

Wow.

I did love the Night life view. It was beautiful. More beautiful than day.

"Brah."

Sean's voice was a whisper.

I turned to look at him.

"Which one do you want?" He did a 'stunt' by bending back to reach back to the backpack, behind him on the ground, to open it and get out two can drinks.

"Bullet or Smirnoff?" Sean asked me.

"I kinda still have JJ's food gift waiting for me untouched," I gestured back to the bench I was on, where the food was still wrapped in the paper bag.

Sean laughed under his breath, chuckled rather, a soft chuckle.

"JJ took your La Casera." He told me.

"Oh, wow!" I exclaimed in utter belief, eyes widening in humour. "He brought it for me and took it? Wow, JJ."

Sean snickered, a small controlled laugh, other than his usual, loud carefree one.

"So? Bullet or Smirnoff?" He asked again.

"Smirnoff." I decided.

He smiled. "Thought as much." And went into his bag to get out a cold can of Smirnoff to give to me.

His eyes were still sort of red.

"Are you okay, though, fam?' I had to ask him.

"Yeah." He only whispered.

"You know we shouldn't be sitting up here, though," I chipped in. "It's very dangerous."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Sean asked in a dead tone.

"We could fall." I answered.

"So?" He scoffed. "If we fall, we die. Simple."

He, unbothered, got out another can of bullet, opened it with a loud snooze, and gulped from it.

Sean made it seem like dying was the most casual thing in the world.

That made me feel very uncomfortable.

This boy called Sean Ayomide.

He really seemed to feel so little about the most glaring things.

I actually recalled how today, he had walked all the way from the class block to the Assembly Hall, without his socks, and didn't feel an ounce of shame. Every other guy didn't have the balls to do it unless they came in a group, and Sean begged to differ.

He almost seemed to not have an ounce of shame or fear in him.

But then again...

After recalling how he was thinking about escaping Mr. Harry tommorow, I came to the realization that maybe, just maybe, he did feel fear.

Maybe he was just good at hiding them. Numbing them.

"Can I ask something?" Sean said to me, looked at me. "And I need you to be a hundred percent honest with me."

I nodded. Listened.

"Explain it to me in concrete, exact details what I said to Nana that made him feel so bad."

Something about how he said that broke me. He sounded pathetically frustrated.

He..

Actually didn't know.

"Okay." I said.

Sean sat there, can of bullet in his hands, and sad eyes ahead, as he waited for me to answer him.

"You know Nana has big dreams of playing Basketball." I told Sean.

"Yeah." He whispered, nodded.

"And he has been fighting to be heard by CH authorities for the longest time now. He has been trying to convince them that there are enough players who are good enough to make Bball to be recognized by the School, still, they have refused to officially add Basketball as a sport in Castron High." I said.

Sean nodded, whispered, "Yeah."

"It hurts him, Sean." I looked at Sean as I said this, made my voice as tender and understanding as it could possibly be.

He was quiet.

"And having someone so harshly throw it to his face that his dreams may never come true is the worst kind of wake up call anyone can get." I  said.

Sean stayed quiet.

He said nothing, stared ahead onto the landscape, and said nothing. His eyes, somewhat downcast, and yet, at the same time, thoughtful and seemingly understanding.

Hopefully.

"Are you good?" I asked him.

He shook his head, sniffed and wiped something at the edge of his eyes, refused to look at me as he muttered to himself, "I'm such an asshole."

"See, Sean-"

"No, don't give excuses for me," He wouldn't let me. Wouldn't look at me and kept wiping the edge of his eyes, repeatedly. "It's all my fault. I always work more with facts than emotions, and that's one of the biggest problems I have. I need help, Acha."

He sounded desperate.

So desperate that it was difficult, painful to let him keep talking.

I rarely saw Sean this way. And I hated seeing him like this.

"I just..." He breathed to keep composure, "I just thought it would be best for Nana to not give himself false hopes and get hurt after. I mean, it's not going to be possible, we both know that. I just thought it would be better if he understood it now that being a Basketball player is going to be impossible at the rate CH is going. I just wanted him to understand that........" He sighed tiredly, and brought his head down in defeat, muttered again in a low, sad voice,"Just as I was forced to understand it too."

I couldn't even say anything at that point, I only patted his back softly.

There was a time as kids Sean did want to be a Basketball player. However, somewhere along the line, somewhere around late primary school, he just stopped talking about it, and without any explanation or heads up. He still played basketball, but he never talked about full time going into the career anymore.

A lot had changed about Sean till childhood, but a lot still stayed. He was always that possessive right from time, but there was a time he was more gentle with his words. He also used to cry a lot too, I had noticed. He was also ridiculously emotional; He tripped and fell, he cried. He couldn't lift a bowling ball, he cried. I took a toy from him, he cried. The other kids told him he was short, he cried. He cried way too much..... But now, Sean barely seemed to feel a thing that emotionally. Or at least, nothing that had to do with mere words.

"For so many years," Sean said. "I had accepted, and thoroughly gotten used to the fact that the dream Nana and I share may never come true that I had forgotten how much it had hurt me the very first time I had to come to terms with it."

This guy had gotten so used to the harshest jabs that he had actually forgotten how much they once used to hurt him.

"I understand." I told him.

"I'm not sure you do." Sean shook his head, unconvinced.

I can't relate, but I can understand.

"You know what it's like to open your mouth and speak, and somehow, always end up hurting somebody by something you said." Sean said.

Not exactly.

"It's like a curse." He told me. "I feel cursed."

I let him do the talking because I had nothing to say, honestly.

"Sometimes, it makes me scared of meeting new people, or threading into other people's conversations." He said.

"Really."
That revelation surprised me.

With how social he was, I couldn't fathom how he would have such a problem.

He nodded. "It's like I'm always afraid that somehow I'd mess up and say the wrong things." He shrugged sadly. "And I always end up doing exactly that."

Sean drank from his bullet can again, looked up towards the dark, night sky, and there was a tiredness in his blood shut red eyes.

"No wonder our classmates hate me so much. I sort of hate me too." He said.

"Don't say that." I said.

"Acha, but, seriously, you know I never intend to hurt anyone on purpose, right?" He turned to me, genuinely, desperately wanting to hear what I had to say.

"I know that, Sean. Believe me," I said. "To be honest, I just feel one of the things that would help you be less extreme, and more understanding with people's feelings is listening."

Sean wasn't a great listener.

"Listen to your conscience, and most especially, listen to people as well." I told him.

He laughs a small, embarrassed laugh.

"This is because I didn't hear you about when everyone was accusing you of sharing that video to the admins, right?" Sean joked around.

I frowned, confused.

When did that happen-

Oh, I remembered.

How and why would Sean bring that up though?

"I felt bad about doing that though, and I sort of wished I handles things differently," He said. "I should have listened to you."

I completely even forgot about that.

"You see, that's the rubbish I do," Sean lamented. "I say shit, I do shit, and end up making the people I love feel so bad. Then, I feel so much guilt afterward, but my damn ass pride won't even let me address the whole thing after it's been done."

Woah.

All my years of being friends with Sean, he had never been this open to me.

I had no idea he felt like this.

"Or maybe it's not the damn pride," He said. "I just feel like when damage is done, it's done. Nothing you say or do can erase it, so you just let it be."

"Sean, that's not how it is." I told him.

He buried his hands in his face in a frustrated posture that broke my heart.

"Dammit, ain't I the most asshole-ish m'fucker you've ever met?" He lamented into his hands.

It hurt do much to watch him throw dirt like this all over his own self.

This level of self hate.

He just sat there, back hunched, face buried in hands, spewing hateful words upon himself, cursing himself out and repeating all over again how much of an asshole he was.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," I said to him. "The best of us are, really."

Sean laughed at that.

I wasn't sure if it was a real or humorless laugh, but when he brought his face back to my view, he was deliberately forcing himself to not break down in front of me, forcing a smile on his face as he looked at me.

"Says Mr. Perfect himself." He could even joke still, mock-looked me over.

I shook my head. "You're bluffing, abeg."

"You and I know I don't bluff." Sean said.

"You really think I'm that perfect, huh?" I asked him.

"Mahn, I'd give anything to be you." Sean easily responded.

That struck me.

Hard.

"Why?" I asked him.

Sean looked at me, blood shut eyes filled with the most respect and adoration anyone could give another.

"You have no idea, Acha," He said. Shook his head and chuckled sadly. "Sometimes, you even motivate me. I've tried to be a nicer person, I've tried to be good. I've tried to be someone people can smile when they think of.... But I always fail."

I say quietly, listening.

"I really try, my guy," Sean said. Shrugged. "But maybe some of us are just meant to be terrible people." He smiles wistfully at that, and shattered me with his next line, "No wonder Ada left me."

I swallowed.

Ada didn't deserve him.

That girl is a witch.

And with everything that had been going on all around me, I almost seemed to even forget the fact that by constantly giving that idiot witch money to conceal the truth, I was betraying Sean in the worst way.

Wasn't I an even bigger asshole?

"But you, Marcus Acha..." Sean looked at me,  that respect at its peak, clear as crystal, and evident in his eyes, "You are hands down the most awesome human being I've ever met in my life, and I respect you so much, brother."

Hearing Sean give me this much praise.... With everything I was doing behind his back....

It was punishment.

"You're talented. Handsome. Charming. Smart. Sensitive. You're literally everything me or any other pathetic guy out there would want to be. Acha, I'd give my whole life to be even half the man you are." Sean said to me.

He thought so highly of me, and thought the worst of himself.

"In the meantime, cheers to assholes like me," Sean laughed sarcastically, punched me weakly on the arm. "Man like Acha, you're the best, brah."

I didn't deserve this. It tore me to pieces.

And deep down in my heart, I kept asking myself one question;

Aren't I an even bigger asshole?

And was Kelechi right after all?

Was an asshole like me worth Dabeluchi?

A moment of silence?....... Now, thoughts? Tell me everything on your mind.

And also, as promised, I was meant to announce the winners of the challenge from Chapter 35 of this book, so here goes!!!

diamond__rubies

Pearl-esque

A lot of people did so well with remembering random characters, but these two impressed me the most! So, Diamond and Pearl, dm me, let's talk!♥️