Hey, guys🌝♥️

So, some people have been asking me for an update schedule...

And, honestly, I had been trying to avoid this because well, I'm a very spontaneous person and I can't predict myself a lot of times, so I can't tell if I'll keep to schedule.... Or disappoint your guys(which I don't want to).... But, oh well, it's high time, I get a bit organized and disciplined, so I think I will make a schedule and do everything in my power to follow it.

Update days are Tuesdays and Fridays, from the hours of 7-9 (morning or evening time, it depends)

That being said, if I miss any day, I will have to double update on the next update day. And also, I may randomly give surprise updates on any of the days I'm not supposed to be updating (depending on my mood), so watch out for those surprises, lol.

After all has been said....

Move on to the chapter.
(Songs for this chapter are: Bad things by Camila Cabello and MGK, Tonight by John Bellion, dtf by Ckay, and Almost Summer by Jordan Fisher)

Oh, and Special shout out to devil_breaker your comments really made me feel s good and warm, thank you ♥️

~DABI~

Lately, I have been feeling like an undercover secret agent on a deadly, explosive mission.

And I'm not even exaggerating shit.

I had been lying a lot to the Sisters these past few days, especially each time we were doing assignments or tutorials in either Chika or Soma's place, and as soon as the time hit 7pm, I was forced to think of new and more creative lies to tell them, so I could sneak out of their presence.

Just to see Marcus Acha.

I would tell Mum that I was going to stay over at Soma's place a little late, and knowing her, she wouldn't bother me too much or call Soma to confirm, so I needed not worry. In reality though, I wasn't staying late at Soma's place, and as said before, the moment it hit 7pm, I was up and out of her house.

Just to be with Marcus Acha.

These days, it seemed like too much of my thoughts were centred and revolving around him, and hell, a good amount of my time as well.

Marcus and I had been spending an awful, nearly healthy amount of time together.

Too much quality time, if I must say, and we did the most random, and unusual things together: Like picnic at a bonfire, Netflix and chill at a game arcade, and then, just yesterday, we decided to go to a children's amusement park and after I had chickened out on most of the rides, we came to a compromise and decided to have ice cream on the ferries wheel, and the whole night, we ended up talking about the most random things: Like puppies and primary school. Raindrops and roses. Oh, and Zendaya.

However, asides Somadina Best, not a single other soul knew about all these.

No one could know that Marcus Acha and I were hanging out with each other this much.

Not especially the students of Castron High.

For the past one month of our resumption, it had been rumours upon rumours with both our names, and it had been the most exhausting one month of my life. So, I couldn't risk them finding out that I was still hanging out with Marcus Acha because I was scared of an even bigger uproar. The madness in CH was too much, and best believe, I wasn't ready for the unnecessary attention - good or bad or neutral- I just wanted to be left alone in peace, that was all.

And Marcus had been nothing but understanding.

Just as we agreed, in School, we were strangers; we didn't talk to each other, we didn't dare. We wouldn't even glance more than once at each other: in the assembly hall, in our combined classes, literally everywhere I saw him and he saw me, we both deliberately acted like we didn't exist to each other.

I would walk by him and his friends in the Hallway, with the sisters by my side and a straight look on my face, completely acting like he wasn't even there. He seemed to even get into the role better than me, because all the way, he'd be leaning smoothly by the door of his class, arms loosely folded as he laughed casually with a large group of noisy Art boys, alongside his two friends, Sean and JJ. And he ignored me so perfectly, without an atom of care, and one would think that indeed, Marcus Acha and Dabeluchi Orji never even knew each other in the first place.

But that was far from the truth.

It was all an act.

And it seemed to have worked to an extent. The old rumours were still there, although dramatically reduced. Figures, the twins had said it themselves, "In Castron High, rumours die faster than they spring up," and I prayed it would be my fate too. So, maybe, if Marcus and I could successfully pull off actively ignoring each other in School for the next one month, and keep staying undercover like this, then maybe, just maybe, our names would completely be out of the mouths of the students of Castron High for good.

Hopefully.

And then, maybe again, afterward, I would look for a way to tell the Sisters the truth, and make them understand.

Hopefully.

Until then, I didn't need to worry about that, I guess. I enjoyed every bit of the present too much that I didn't want to worry about the future until it came.

Especially this present.

"You have a little something here."

Marcus and I were casually strolling together by the busy sidewalk of the Crown main plaza, where all sorts of people were walking to and fro, brushing past us, and all the way, he held my hand, quite protectively; he was also holding the sharwarma and drinks we had gotten in a paper bag, while telling me a random story about how his mum nearly emptied his wardrobe this evening, and that was when I noticed the small bits of ice cream on the side of his forehead.

"There's ice cream," I told him, stopped walking to stare up at him. "Right there on your forehead." I touched my forehead to illustrate, held back a little laughter as I watched him mope back at me, full brows furrowed, and his brown eyes stared back at me in utter confusion. He looked so cute and stupid and I couldn't help, but laugh at him as he tried to wipe it off.

"Now, how on earth did you manage to get ice cream on your forehead, Marc?" I had to ask this toddler in a teenager's body.

"You of all people are in no position to laugh at me, Aurora," He said as we fell back into soft steps, a small smirk on his face as he glanced at me, giggling uncontrollably by his side.

It was a cold, yet warm, fuzzy night, and the busy streets of Lagos, all around were at its best beauty from this position. The two-way roads were filled with dozens of cars, moving to and fro, and the modest, but ancient bridge right above it, glistened with the illuminated pointers of car trafficators, as they all moved in an orderly motion on it.

We were on the side walk, of course, and there were lots of people, all around us, walking past as they either went to, or returning from their destination, Marcus and I were walking ever slow together, his hand holding mine, ever so cautiously protecting me from the strangers all around us, and the reckless, busy road side by our left.

I didn't explore the night time much, but from he little experience here, all I could say was that it felt magical. The fancy street lights, as well as the colourful, variety of other lights from all the commercial banners and electronic posters, designed at all corners of the road, shone all around the streets, and gave it an aesthetic feel, reflected all over the stoned ground of the pedestrian walk, and the large, fancy buildings and stalls that were by our rights.

It was beautiful.

This was beautiful.

Casually strolling with Marcus Acha, without having a single idea where our destination would be, was beautiful.

He had told me a hundred times I looked dazzling tonight. This guy had literally worshipped at my feet, the whole of the evening, and even if I hadn't said a compliment back to him, I thought he didn't look so bad either. I mean, having being graced with such beauty he had, it would have been impossible for him to not know he was a 'fine boy', so why waste my time adding sugar to his ego?

Although, I didn't fail to notice how much we wore hoodies a lot. I had grown to be so observant to the littlest things about him, and I was quick to notice just how much he loved hoodies. He was complaining that he couldn't find any of his hoodies this evening when he checked his wardrobe, accusing his Mum of stealing them all, yet here he was, rocking a sleek, black big hoodie that I may or may not take after tonight, bogus grey joggers, and a matching grey beanie that I was also considering taking as mine too.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Marcus Acha tonight 🌝✨

And honestly, he had been over complimenting me since we saw this evening. After showering me dozens of 'I missed you' and 'You're so beautiful', he just wouldn't stop treating me like I was a descendant of the royal family... And in my genuine opinion, I looked as basic as I could: Because of Soma, I wore a grey, mock-neck, cropped jacket, and then, some old joggers I was considering throwing away. And since, my hair refused to co-operate this evening, even after half an hour of ferocious combing, I let it be; I let the short dreads forming on my head be.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dabeluchi Orji😌😌😌✨✨✨✨✨ (Like, but honestly, fashi all these haters, who else thinks Dabi is actually low-key cool, like mad ass swaggy fresh hipster cool?? I DO!!!🔥)

"You know?" I glanced teasingly at Marc as we walked. "That Dawn girl we met at Wonder Coast," I slyly looked up to the sixth foot mini-god by my side, to see his reaction.

"Oh? What about her?" He asked, glancing back at me, a tiny smirk on his choco dark, handsome face, as he listened to what I had to say with so much interest.

Marcus Acha didn't smile, he smirked. I had come to notice. Each time, he looked at me, he smirked. He admired, he smirked. He adored, he smirked. I would be talking, and he'd just staring in awe, listening, with intensity in his deep brown, captivating eyes, the hottest smirk on his god-like face, and the cutest lip bites ever. And God, each time, he did that, I can't even begin to explain what it did to my body.

I couldn't just explain how it felt to have Marcus look at you, and literally worship everything there was about you - just by looking. Thoroughly. That, by far, was one of the very many attractive things yet, about him.

Above all, it was the way he thought everything about me to be so perfect and mesmerizing. Every God damn thing, every flaw, every perk. He made me feel more than I really was, and that meant a whole lot to me. Everything I did or said was literally gold to him, and he damn showed how obvious that fact was, with so little things. Little Things as the way he merely looked at me.

"The Dawn girl," I continued as he listened with so much apt attention. "She was right about you and Ansel. You do eat like a cave man."

Marcus' beautiful, brown eyes lit in humour as the cutest laughter came out of him, resonating through me like a warming bell. I couldn't help, but laugh with him too. We didn't even care what all the people walking on this sidewalk with us were thinking, we laughed to our heart's content.

And Marcus was the most adorable things when he laughed. Honestly, it beats me how a guy could be so hot, and darn sexy, and cute and adorable like a child at the same time.

"Oh, wow, Aurora," His voice was moderately deep, and something about how he said my name made me feel fuzzy. "I see what you're doing, throw me some more shade." The sarcasm in his humour filled tone, and that cracked me up even more.

"No, no, no, seriously!" I was saying, not letting this go, and with a smile on his face, he shook his head and laughed. "How on earth did you get ice cream on your face, guy. Did you like dip your entire face into the plate?"

"Haha so funny, I can't breath. My ribs. I'm dying." His clear sarcasm nearly got me rolling on the floor.

"You ravaging beast!" I accused him, laughing earnestly.

"Well, you're one to talk, Aurora," He fired back, a playful accusing tone in his voice. "You have food on your face a lot more than I do, I swear it!"

"Hah!" I scoffed childishly in denial, rolled my eyes at his nonsense talk. "You're talking shit!"

"No, I'm not. I'm not capping, you, Aurora, you ALWAYS get yourself messy each time we have food together. Every single time! There's always food on your face!" He fired back.

"Oh yeah?" I looked at him.

"Yeah yeah!" He retorted stubbornly.

"Give me one instance then!" I challenged, stopped walking just to stand and fold my hands, as I looked up at him, daring him to prove his point.

"Oh, I'll give you three!" He accepted my challenge, stopping to face me, right there on the side walk, man to woman.

"Okay, go ahead then. I'm waiting," I folded my hands tighter, looked him squarely.

I couldn't believe that Marcus and I were really doing this, right here, right now on this busy side walk- actively and passionately arguing like little children about something so, so irrelevant.

"The first time was at the Art Gallery," Marcus was actively back on track, using his fingers to keep count as he spoke.

"Hm mm?" I folded my arms, waited.

"Remember we went out to get dinner because you said you were hungry," He said. I nodded, challenged him to continue, "And we got some burgers and drinks, and you had cream salad all over your mouth!"

"That's an unfair point, because you know that burger was very large and I have a very small mouth!" I pointed accusingly at him.

"It's still a point!" He argued.

"Okay, fine! One cheat point for you, and the second one?" I playfully rolled my eyes.

"When we went to game arcade to watch Netflix, you had bits of the cake we ate all over your face that night!" He counted with a second finger.

"Well, I don't remember that happening, Clyde," I easily declared to his face.

"How will you remember it when I was the one who was left to clean you up after you fell asleep on my lap through our the entire movie? Hmm?" He fired on, folded arms, as he looked at me in a squarely playful manner.

"Well, it's not my fault I fell asleep, your movie was very boring," I paused my lips in playful arrogance as I jabbed him.

"Oh, my God, Aurora, I can't believe you," Marcus broke, laughed, forced himself to go back into character immediately. "First of all, first of all..."

"Hm?" I nodded for him to continue, sass rolling off with the sound I made.

"First of all, that was your movie," He gestured to me. "You were the one who insisted we watched that movie that night. You fell asleep at your own movie, not mine. My movie recommendations can never be boring, note that fact, Aurora."

I scoffed, rolled my eyes. "Bla, bla, bla; That's all I hear, Clyde."

"And besides," He playfully dismissed me. "It doesn't even matter, because boring or not, you still got food on your face anyway."

"Well, you know what I think about that?" I came closer to him, looked him up directly in his big, brown eyes that weren't backing down. "I think you're lying."

"You know I'm not," he laughed.

"And even if it's true, I'm not going to let you have another point, so what are you going to do about that, Mama's boy?" I challenged him.

He looked back to me, came up close, challenging me back, "Do you really want to know what I'm going to do?"

"Hit me." I challenged a third. "What are you going to do about that?"

"Nothing." Marcus squared me, matching my attitude. "If you refuse to give me the point I duly deserve, I will do absolutely nothing about it, Aurora. That's what I'm gonna do!"

My voice broke as I forced myself to swallow back the explosion of laughter that was forth coming. With everything in me, I forced myself to stay in character.

"So?" I blinked in an exaggerated manner. "You said three instances?"

"Yeah, the last one was when we went to eat after your Dance class, you didn't just have stew all over your face, but all over your shirt as well. I had to cover for you the entire night we were together!" He said.

"Okay, now you're just making stuff up!" I accused him.

"No, I'm not!" He argued.

"Yes, you are!" I argued back.

"No, you just don't want to give me another point!" He accused.

"No, you're the one trying to cheat your way into victory!' I accused back.

And Ladies and Gentlemen, I couldn't it, either. Marcus and I were actively squabbling in the middle of the side walk.

Now, to add this to the list of random, weird things we both had already done this week; Arguing about who ends up having food more on their face, on Main Plaza's busy sidewalk.

Ironically, as I would have normally, I didn't feel bothered by the people around us, who were passing by us, shooting us glances of confusion or annoyance, probably wondering what the hell we were doing.

I was too much in a best mood, too happy to fully give a damn. Something about being with Marcus all these days had left me suspended in a different world from my reality. A world where I was happier, care free, where I had no problems, and where life was just a joke to me.... In a good way.

Even if it was temporary, this feeling I mean, even if it wasn't for long, and after tonight, I was aware that Marcus and I would go back to School and be total strangers again, being with him for the little time being was worth it. It was always worth it. It was like I didn't have a care in the world when I was spending time with him.

Therefore, even if the number of people were counting here, probably even increasing in size by the minute, it felt like no one was here, except me and Marcus.

Just me and Marcus.

Talk about us being alone in a full room.

I only thought that kind of shit only happened in movies, but it amazed m how this side walk was this busy with people, and I didn't even feel their presence.

It was just me and Marcus.

Just the both of us.

..... Until it was time for School.

"Here you go." He passed me a neat, cotton woven face mask, out of the blue.

"What's this for?" I asked in confusion as I watched him shield half his face with a larger, thicker black face mask.

"You forget so easily, Aurora," He teased.

"Shut up, Clyde." I rolled my eyes, he laughed.

"Gotta be careful to stay undercover," Marcus said to me. "You know we're celebrities now; if anyone from School sees us, there's going to be a full blown madness. You know our oh-so-devoted and obsessed fans from CH don't dull."

I broke into wild laughter immediately, holding my tummy as I laughed my heart out.

"What do we even call them?" Marcus put a thumb on his chin to think.

"Call who?" I asked.

"Our fan base," He answered. "I mean, they're too devoted to not have a name by now, don't you think?"

"I guess we leave it to the fans to decide, right?" I laughed.

"As a matter of fact, you are right, Aurora," Marcus nodded in agreement.

And together, we talked, laughed, and chatted about all the most random things like: the name of our 'fan base', how thin spaghetti strings are, why we think that skies should have been purple instead of blue, and how Nigerian jollof rice is and will forever be the best in the world.

Oh, we also talked about Zendaya.

And just some minutes to 9m when I stated to get very worried about getting home late, a bummed Marcus Acha practically begged me to stay a bit longer with him and promised on God that he would get me home safe and sound after tonight.

He was acting like this was the last time he would see me.

Like he was not going to still see me tomorrow after school, and the day after tomorrow, and the day after the day after tommorow after school.

Marcus made me feel so important, like I was the most priority to him these days, and I didn't just understand why.

As in... Why me?

If I said I was hungry or thirsty, even if his leg was injured, and he couldn't walk, this boy would literally crawl just to get me food or water.

No, seriously, he had done something dangerously close to that before.

One of these days, I was terribly cold and he had to take off his hoodie just for me. Man had to go on shirtless, the entire evening, and honestly, he looked hot, so why stop him?

If this boy noticed I was even the slightest bit uncomfortable for any reason, he'd do anything to make me ease up and be comfortable.

He gave me the most attention anyone had ever given me in my life. He followed me to Dance Class - something no one ever does, and always made sure I had dinner afterwards and ate well. Even after I had told him several times that my mum was now well, he always made sure to get me food to her.

Good expensive food.

And in as much as I didn't want to take his offer and look like I was begging for food, I had to agree with myself that neither my mum nor Stephen nor me ate well enough in that house because of Dad and Delilah, and soon we may just die off because of Malnutrition..... So, I wanted Marcus' offer.

I needed it.

Needless to say, I was certain that this boy didn't even know or understand just how far this actions were going to save my damned life.

He made me too happy.

"Look at that." He held onto my hand, softly, but protectively, as he showed me something from a distance.

We were past the side walk now, and in a lonely unfamiliar street that was devoid of cars, and full of quiet houses and neighborhoods. We had already long taken off our face masks and hanged below our chins, because the heat we started to feel at this part of Lekki was hard for me to comprehend.

I didn't look as Marcus had told me to, yet, but my eyes were on our hands that were clasped together in perfect union.

Art.

"The fire place." He urged me on to look at what he was showing me.

It was probably what causes the heat.

Voluntarily, my eyes left our hands and traced it's way forward, settling on the distance he was showing me, where I saw smoke, oozing off a bush, and small trails of fire, from a supposed fire place, inside the bush.

"It's the middle of October," He told me. "It's cold, someone is probably starting a fire to keep warm."

"Um..." I thought of what to say about that piece of information. "Okay?"

He said nothing in response to me, but his eyes stayed on the burning bush, a soft look of compassion in his big brown kind eyes as he watched forward, saying nothing, observing quietly.

"Marc?" I called his name.

"Come." He gently stringed me along with him as he walked into the burning bush and while my legs followed him, my head was in turbulence and panic, wondering if I trusted him too much to bring me to a deserted street where he would end up using me for rituals.

Nevertheless, I wasn't sure why, but even in my state of panic, I still followed him.

Until we were inside the 'bush' - or rather, a small created space inside it that felt oddly homely; it was a fire, mounted on stones stones and tree barks that acted as firewood.

The fire attracted me first before anything else.

I couldn't explain it so, but there was something about fires that fascinated me.

Intrigued me.

It may have started from when I was little; Everytime my mum was in the Kitchen making meals for Dad and Delilah, I used to sit on the tiled floors and just watch the harsh flames from the gas cooker, under the pot of food, watched it burn and burn, and a strange sense of satisfaction fuelled me.

There was something about fires. Fires were so bold and fierce - things I always wanted to be. And every time, I came across them, their flames, their intriguing blue and orange flames had a way of trapping me in such a way I couldn't look away, and I was just left in it's mercy, to watch as it burns and burns and burns and burns.

And burns.

And burns.

And bur-

"They're scared of us." I heard Marc's voice.

Huh?

"The children..." He said. "They're scared of us."

That was when I noticed them.

They had been there at the fire place all the while, and I had walked in here, noticed their fire, but not them.

Little children.

Little homeless children.

Seven of them were dressed in things that looked like rags, and they were holding each other, shivering in either fear or cold - or both.

"Why are they afraid of us?" I asked Marcus, who had the most compassionate eyes on these little children.

Most of them looked roughly around the ages of 7 to 10 years old - Asides the oldest girl who looked about thirteen or fourteen, and the youngest boy or girl - I couldn't tell - who wore only panties, and looked about four to five years old.

"One minute." Marcus politely whispered to me before making his way towards the children who were retreating badly in fear; the youngest one was already bursting into tears, and crying out in a devastating wail.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Marcus was more gentle with his steps as he got close to them, assuring them softly.

Right before my eyes, Marcus Acha dropped in front of them, the paper bag he had been carrying for us, that contained our food for the night.

Furthermore, he dipped a hand into the pocket of his joggers, and picked out his brown wallet, got out some one thousand naira notes, and dropped it on the floor for them as well.

These kids were as much in disbelief as I, myself. Slowly, hesitantly, gratefully, they took the offer for them and we're slowly easing up to Marcus, who had definitely made their whole entire night.

And my heart couldn't even help, but melt at such a thing he did for them.

"They really like you," I said to him as he got back to me, with those little kids smiling with appreciation, behind his back, and waving to us.

"Doesn't everyone, though?" He corrected.

I laughed, and punched him weakly on the shoulder. I shouldn't have massages his damn ego, anyway.

"I like the fire though." I told him.

"Okay, pyromaniac." He sarcastically responded with a laugh.

Something zapped in me, on hearing him say that, and I glared heavily at him, immediately.

"That wasn't funny." I said stiffly.

"I'm sorry!" He was so quick to hold both my hands and apologise immediately, and to my own surprise, that was all that did the magic.

I sighed. Let it go.

"I've always liked fires, it's no big deal," I said. "And also, this fire place sort of reminds me of something."

He smiled... No, smirked. Looked at me as I spoke, listened with so much attention. Like listening to me talk was the most interesting thing in the world for him.

"One time in Dance Class.." I told him. "Yukerya, our Dance instructor, was running out of cash, so she couldn't buy fuel for the generator..."

"Hm mm?" He listened more.

"So, we had dance class at the back yard," I told him. "Remember the back yard where we talked that very first night you came to my Dance Class?"

"Yeah, I remember clearly," He nodded, smirk on his full lips, eyes never leaving mine as he listened and admired.

"So, after the class, my friend, Naomi...." I paused to confirm something, "Wait, you know Nao, right?"

He nodded, answered, "Yeah? I know her. The petite dancer girl that wears kimono jackets all the time, and has refused to stop addressing me as 'Peng New boy?'"

I laughed at his description of Naomi. "Yes, her." And I continued, "So she and her boyfriend started this bon fire that night, where we all sat by the fire, and talked all night long. It was the sweetest."

"I can imagine," He said.

"Yeah, and she also made us all slow dance to Moon River," I told him.

"Slow dance?" There was a confused frown on his face. "Who did you dance with?"

"Eghe." I replied.

"Who?" He was more confused, paused, blinked, looked at me.

I just laughed.

"Never mind," I told him. "You don't know anyone else's names in Dance class, asides Yuki, Naomi and the other boys you hang with. Yet, every single person there knows and loves you."

He brought his head down as he laughed in both shame and embarrassment.

I couldn't help, but laugh too. I loved watching him laugh, it was refreshing.

To be honest, these past few days we had been spending so much time together, I had grown to love so many things about Marcus Acha.

Starting from the way he smirked to the way he laughed.

The way he listened whenever I talked, the adoration in his eyes as he looked at me, and the interest in his entire demeanour.

The way every detail about me made him so happy, and every thing that had to do with me was of so much importance to me.

Even the smallest, most insignificant details about him, like the way he paused, then blinked twice whenever he was confused...

His unwanted, unneccesary, yet hilarious side comments at the smallest, most irrelevant things, like how a car was so green, or how an umbrella was so small. Or how fast or slow someone walked.

Also how he got mildly pissed and irritated when someone either coughed or sneezed near him; it was clear to tell he was a very neat person...... Who ate like a cave man.

And oh, the sweetest things he did. For me. For these children. There was too much to love about this boy.

"So..." Marcus said to me, holding my hand, as he looked at me.

"So." I repeated as chills ran through me in the quietness around us.

My hands felt overly sensitive, because it was like every sensory nerve was at its best, and I FELT his hands in mine, felt the warmness all over my body.

"There really is nothing on Dance you don't know how to do." He said to me.

"I don't want to sound narcissistic or arrogant, but yes." I responded.

I heard small giggles and nearly panicked, before it all occured to me that we were still in the company of these homeless children that Marcus had given food to.

And boy, we were putting up a show for them. And they were enjoying it, blushing hard on our behalf and covering their mouths as little giggles escaped them.

"Why don't we spice up the show for them?" Marcus raised a brow for permission.

"You're mad." I told him.

"Mad serious." He countered, squeezed my hands gently, and tenderly touched my face with the other as he looked me in the eyes, drowned me in his', and said, "Teach me how to slow dance."

I looked down away from his intense stare, giggled, increasingly sensitive to his touch on my face.

"You can learn it online, it's easy." I said.

I heard him laugh a little, a beautiful sound that resonated through my body.

"Don't play with me, Aurora," He tilted his head to look at me, to get back the eye contact I had nervously cut off.

These children were giggling like little rats, and the small smile forming on my lips, turned into a full blown blush.

"They're making me so shy," I couldn't even believe how shy I was blushing right now.

Marcus laughed, looked to the kids who immediately pretended to be looking elsewhere, and I laughed even more at how terrible they were at acting. So did Marc.

"C'mon," Marcus turned back to me, softly kissed my hands. "I'm waiting for that lesson."

"Fine." I agreed. "But first," I stepped back from him and was able to breathe - I didn't even realize I wasn't breathing the entire time that he was so, so close to me, looking at me.

"It's always best with Moon River," I said, giggled once more in nervousness as I took my phone to browse through my small, but efficient music list for the the song.

Marcus was patiently waiting for me, and I couldn't believe he was making me do this.

"There." I smiled, as soon as Moon River from Audrey Hepburn started to play, and gently dropped my phone on the ground, a distance away, right by the children who were watching us with such attention and excitement.

One of them - the smallest one- made an attempt to pick up my drab phone, as curious and stunned as they were, and one of the other children had hit the child, to shush him.

"Leave Aunty's handset!" The child had scolded the other, and I just laughed softly and shook my head.

She refered to me as Aunty, lol.

"I'm ready," Marcus said to me, as the song transgressed from instrumentals to the first verse;

Moon River, wider than a mile,

I'm crossing you in style, some day

Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,

Wherever you're going, I'm going your way...

I swallowed, mentally prepping myself for this.

"Step one," I told him, kept my head down as I took my stance in front of him, swallowed again. "Put your arm around me."

He obeyed. Slid an arm around my lower back loosely, in the most tender, yet somehow, firm manner, and my heart seemed to pace faster each second.

I still couldn't look up at him. We were so close. Too close. And it was too much for me. I could only stand there, head down, getting intoxicated ever so sweetly by his strong cologne.

I cleared my throat in the hopes that somehow, it would give me courage. Tried to take a step back, but he wouldn't particularly let me.

"Okay, um... And.. S-step two," I cleared my throat once more. Had to gather up the courage to do my part, and wrap my hands around his neck, loosely, holding myself in balance even when such close proximity with him threatened me a heart attack.

"The basics are simple," I told him, looked up into big, brown addictive eyes that stopped my heart for a second or two. "We're going to be stepping to go around in a circle.."

"Okay.." He nodded, remained in stance.

"And while at it, instead of stepping in a straight line, angle your feet, position your left or right foot in a diagonal line...." I told him.

He adhered perfectly.

Impressive.

"Okay, and..." I smiled, breathed a small laugh to ease tension between us. "So, while that foot in a diagonal line is your leading foot; Now, you have to bring your other foot forward and backward so it's in line with your leading foot. Is that clear enough?"

He smiled at me. Smirked. "Crystal."

"Now, let's get practical," I said to him, smiled back. "And don't just follow my lead, let your own body do it's own talking, okay?"

And that was how Marcus and I actually slow danced that night to Moon River.

It felt refreshing. Silly, yes. But majorly refreshing and peaceful. The song, on its own had a calm, easy going pace; a soft, almost sorrowful tone that could put anyone in their feelings, and plus the scenario at hand; Marcus' hands around my waist, mine around his neck, and out bodies moving elegantly in an orderly motion, so perfect and organized, like we both were made to do this together.... I couldn't help, but feel electrified.

This was too much for me.

But I loved every bit of it.

"They are doing Romeo and Juliet!" One of the children shouted out direction, and Marcus and I nearly broke down in laughter.

"Uncu, will you marry her?" Another shouted, and that was more than enough to kill the both of us on the spot. We were done. Finished. Laughing so hard that we started to see literal stars.

Oh, well...

I guess, now, I had one more extra activity to add to the list of random weird things I have done with Marcus Acha this week; Slow dancing to Moon River by a random fire, and in front of some, sweet homeless children.

What a night.

******

"Isn't it funny how we just literally slow danced to a song about an iconic heart breaker?" Marcus was saying to me as we strolled down the deserted, quiet road side that night.

"Sure is," I answered, laughed at the irony as we both walked together, slow and steady, like we had all the time in the world.

Words couldn't describe tonight honestly.

It felt magical and unreal. Too good, to peaceful, too sweet to be true. As always.

Honestly, each step I took with him felt like heaven. His presence alone was enough to make my whole body tense up in the sweetest kind of way; It was almost like I couldn't even feel my own body, I felt elevated from the physical realm. From reality..... And, I liked it.

"You know?" He said. "Makes it look like I'm supposed to turn out to become some major asshole in the end, though."

"Figures." I shrugged.

He turned his head fast to me.

"What figures?" He asked.

I fought back the sly, teasing smile that was forming at the corner of my lips.

"You are an asshole, Marcus Clyde Acha." I said to him.

His movement halted for the shortest amount of seconds.

"Jesus Christ." I heard him say in shock, and I fought back laughter from coming forth.

"But, I can live with that," I said, glanced playfully at him. "Because you are my favourite asshole."

He laughed at that, shook his head.

"I know I'm supposed to take that as a compliment, so I dare not complain." He said.

"Accurate." I quipped.

"And if it counts though," He stopped walking, and stepped up close in front of me, in a manner that startled me for a moment, "You, Dabeluchi Aurora Orji...."

My heart was a damn drum at the moment.

"You are beautiful," He said to me.

I knew he meant every bit of what he was saying to me, and something in me felt like he said this to me so much just so it could stick in my head.

I just couldn't understand.

Why he thought so highly of me.

Me.

Pathetic, pathetic Dabeluchi.

Why me?

"I don't get it." I looked away from him. Down to the ground. "Why do you keep saying that to me?"

"Because it's true, and you should know." He said.

I shook my head, unconvinced.

Why me?

This seemed too good to be true.

"And why do you care so much to let me know?" I posed another question. "Why do you care so much about letting me know? Why do you care so much about me, in general? Why do you care to see me everyday? Why do you treat me so nicely, I... I just don't understand."

There was silence between us for a while...

Like I asked him a question he couldn't even answer.

My eyes stayed down, refusing to regain eye contact with him, as I waited for his answer. I waited to hear his voice above me. I waited for him to make it all make sense to me.

"Look at me."

I didn't want to.

"Okay, fine, you don't have to." He gave in, a defeated tone in his voice.

My head stayed down.

"Aurora, I..." He seemed to swallow back some words, stuttering, to say. He couldn't even form a proper sentence. He sounded not only defenceless, but also desperate. Maybe too desperate to find the right words to say. "The truth is, I.."

I swallowed a rock. "You what." It was a question, but it sounded flat.

"I'm not even sure how to answer your question, because I don't understand it myself," He said to me. His tone, wavering as he stuttered even more in more desperation. "It's just... It's just that when I look at you, I just.. I feel things. Things I've never ever felt before, so this is even new to me too, believe me."

"I don't believe you." I said to him.

It was too good to be true.

He shocked me with his next action.

Without warning, he just grabbed my hand, and I was shocked to realise how much his hands were shaking in mine. That alone was enough to alarm me, and I looked up instantly, involuntarily to his face where I saw his big brown eyes glinting with the most tender and fearful emotions in them.... It actually moved me. Stunned me. Nearly brought me to tears and I wasn't even sure why. He looked so filled up with all sorts of overwhelming, powerful nerve wrecking emotions, that it started to even get contagious.

"Marc, are you okay?" I asked with a weak voice.

He didn't answer me, but he only just placed my hand on my chest, and my whole body felt chills run through them, not only because of the shock of having my hands on a boy's chest, but damn, his heart beat... I could feel it. And it raced so hard that I had to pull my hand away immediately.

Why was his heart beating so fast?

"You felt that, didn't you?" He asked me, his eyes seeming a lot more moist, and I dared myself to not even imagine he was about to cry. "I don't understand what you're doing to me, Aurora."

I swallowed... I couldn't say a word.

"It's things I can't control," He said to me; I could see the sincerity in his eyes as he poured his whole heart to me, using words that were doing the work of bullets to me. "Everything about you sends me into realms that seem unreal to me." He held my hand, tightly, yet tenderly, breathed in and out to steady himself as he literally let himself so vulnerable before me.

I couldn't feel the ground I was standing on. It felt like I was in a dream... Or I was dead.

"Everything about you, Aurora. Everything," He said to me; this boy was literally shaking in front of me, seeming so unable to control a train wreck of emotions that were coursing through him with such brutal force. Your hands..." He looked to our hands, clasped together - Art. "Your eyes," He locked me in a soft, yet intense eye contact that caused me to see double for a second. "Somehow, they destroy me, and then patch me back together again,"

I swallowed; his words were heavy to take in. And then, he traced his eyes, ever so slowly down, down, down, until...

"Your lips..." He said, swallowed, kept his eyes on them, admired them. "They do things to me. They make me think of things I shouldn't be thinking of."

Bad Things.

"We should go home." I said, completely ruining the moment for the both of us.

I had to...

It was beginning to get beyond my control.

I didn't understand what I was feeling, and why I suddenly couldn't control myself.

Marcus breathed, in and out, inhaled and exhaled.... And nodded in agreement.

"I promised to get you home safe," He said. "I'll keep that promise."

"Thank you." Was all I said.

"But when will I see you again?" He held my hand. Desperately.

"Anywhere that isn't were our classmates are," I reminded him.

"I know that already," He said. "I school, we don't know each other; we're strangers."

"Good." I said. Nodded to that.

"But for real," He said. "Will you be free tomorrow?"

"Always," I responded. "Just give me a call."

"I most definitely will." He was more than glad to say.

And believe me, I was looking forward to it as well. I was looking forwards to another night with him, it was always everything to me.

"Tonight was great," He said to me.

"I feel the same way," I told him. "Somehow, it felt like it was just us and... I had absolutely nothing else to worry about. It felt great."

"I know what you mean," He said with a cute smile.

"Let's keep it that way," I proposed. "When it's just us, it's just us. We can't talk about, or give room to any sorts of thoughts that would depress us in any way, especially School."

"I agree," He said to me, and I thanked God that this boy easily did anything I said. It made my worries a whole let less.

This would be easy, I guess.

Marcus would be my escape pill, and I would be his' too.

And no one else could know.

It would be our little secret.

As usual, just right after he had dropped me off and wished me a tender good night, I was left to keep staring and watching at his back, sadness overwhelming me as he got more and more out of sight....

And when he was gone...

I cried my eyes out.

Tomorrow, we would act as strangers once more.

But I guess that was the only way we could have freedom to ourselves later on, at night.

It would be our very own little secret.

Omoh.

Say everything on your mind. One, two, go!

Not me laughing and crying to myself because y'all cannot even be ready for the amount of SHIT that will go down in this book. I swear, you're not ready. But oh well, let's be at peace for the mean time, shall we?

How was this chapter? And how did it make you feel? Honestly, I think I over did myself and I hope you guys felt it as much as I did, while writing. These two won't kill us, amen!

Next update is Friday (7 - 9 am or pm)

See you until then!