This is the second update for today, so if you missed the first one, go back ijn☺️❤️

~DABI~

Apparently, Chika Chioma was not joking when she said that it was a celebrity's party that Marc and I were going to. The babe was not even playing with me one bit. I sort of hoped she was.

But, no, this shit was real.

All through the ride, there were various voices in my head that were repeating it to me that I was going to a place where I was probably going to have the most epic anxiety breakdown yet, but why didn't I open the door of the car and jump out of the fast riding vehicle? I had no idea.

Cuddling myself in Marc's arms at the back seat of our ride, I thought about what it would be like to step into a place with names and faces who were popular all around the country and I imagine how awkward and stupid I would probably look in front of all those rich, dripping luxury and fame young people that would be flocked there.

I got curious.

Who exactly are the kind of influencers that I would be seeing in that place?

When I asked Marc, he gave me a few names. Turns out he had already done his background research and knew the kind of people we were going to see and when he listed off those names to me, I just frowned, kept about a quarter of a quarter of their names in my head and had him type out all their Instagram handles for me one by one for me and my eyes widened in shock.

So many famous people.

It turned out that they had been anticipating this big bonfire party since a few weeks ago and all of them ranging from viral Tiktok stars to popular Instagram models and trending skit artists, who had over millions of followers and subscribers, faces whom I literally saw all over my Instagram and Tiktok explore, whose skits I see trending over virtually all of CH students Whatssap statuses, conventionally attractive guys on the net who were popular for their good looks all across Nigeria, all of them were reposting the party logo and I dared not to even imagine or comprehend the thought of having all these people in one place......

In one place that I, Dabeluchi Aurora Orji was invited to.

How did I even get to this level?

"We're here, love,"

Loud music was like background noise in my head as Marc tapped me softly on the shoulder shifting my attention from Susan Pwajok's Greenland park bonfire party post on her Instagram page.

She was the very last of the celebrities that I had been stalking to get details on what was happening tonight, and the moment Marc had managed to draw my attention to the slowing down vehicle that carried us here and the magnificent display of art that was the outro of the supposed park that was the venue for the party, I took note of every bit of my surrounding in clear and concrete details from the window of the car, watching around me in awe like an alien who it was its first day on planet earth.

"Thank you." Marc had saluted the man who gave us a ride and quickly paid for the both of us while I was still distracted by the maddening eye candy that this place was, and in my state of awe, he got the door quickly, stepped out, and like a gentle man, left the door open for me, holding it with courtesy as he politely smiled my way, gesturing for me come out.

I took his hand, absent minded still, and he gently pulled me along, saying something that I wasn't listening to as I came out of the car while taking his hand.

"This place looks like Disneyland," I could not help nut make a comment as I looked around me and Marc laughed at that.

I was not even kidding. It looked like a festival of lights and colours all around me, with a little Christmas theme spirit hovering around it. It was right about the most beautiful trade fair that I right about may have ever seen in my life happening all around me, with everything as organized as ever, with dozens and dozens of ice cream stands, Suya shades, fish, beef and chicken BBQ grills, cotton candy machines, lemonade dispensers and virtually everything that anyone could have craved all around.

All around me, there were people of various ages and sizes, big, small, old, young, middle aged, and some of them had small picnics together, others walking around with a stick of cotton candy or a tin foil of Suya, virtually everyone keeping themselves busy. This place looked absolutely artsy and beautiful.

"It sure does," Marcus agreed with a smirk and a nod, "Wait until we get into the main park."

I looked to him, confusion written all over my face on hearing what he said.

So, this was not the main park?

"This is just the outskirts, Aurora. The gate to the Greenland main park is a short walk from here. Of course, you don't expect that everyone here is going to be allowed to be walking into that bonfire party, do you?" Marc said to me, gesturing to the many many people spread out all around us, amusement in his tone as he picked up my confusion.

"So, what are all these people doing here if they won't be allowed into the party?" I asked him.

"This is right about one of the biggest events this year," He said to me, "Of course, you should expect to see very eager and anticipating spectators here."

Oh.

"Come," He smiled at me. He seemed to know his way around her because he led the way and I followed blindly. He looked like he knew what he was doing. Unlike me, Marcus may have walked round the streets of the entire Lagos because so far I figured, there was a place he was not much familiar with.

Revolution by Diplo blasted everywhere and I absolutely loved that song, so having walk with Marcus and have the thunder of the bass of that song boom into my soul, enough to want to make me feel like dancing, the entire thing felt so euphoric to me.

This was what I needed tonight. A time out. I needed this.

"Name?" The man right there at the left wing of the red rope barricaded gates said to Marcus as soon as he stated his purpose of being there and one look at the large gates that were secured with barricades and large security men, the magnificence and gloriousness of the park that rose even above the gates to anyone's clear view, I could already tell before I stepped in that, my god, that Greenland Park was going to be a fortress!

"We're from Yukerya's dance class," Marcus spoke for the both of us as I stayed mute, staring blankly at the man with a weird moustache, "Under Dabi. The beanie girl. She's here right now."

As Marc was talking, the man was already quick to action, pulling out a note pad that I presumed had the names of the people who were invited to the party, but I didn't fail to notice how he had suddenly paused with his actions for a moment in the middle of Marcus's talk.

"Dabi? Beanie Girl?" He said. The man's head shot up, a look of pleasant surprise mixed with shock and confusion married his face as he stared at my face for about two seconds flat, absolutely flabbergasted.

I got uncomfortable, took a minute step back and hid behind Marcus for cover, and he had boldly stepped up for me, a sleek eyebrow up and a simple, yet polite questioning smile to the man's face.

"Any problem, sir?" Marcus asked him promptly.

Shaking off that surprise quickly and trying his best to keep that professional air around him, he was quick to pick up himself and get it together, laughing an awkward laugh and apologising.

"Oh, sorry. Nothing, nothing, I didn't expect that the Beanie Girl would actually come here tonight," The man was rubbing the back of his neck, laughing awkwardly. "We all weren't expecting her. My God!"

'We all?' Who was 'we all' abeg?

"Huh." Marcus's eyes lit up with some kind of understanding.

I frowned, in confusion rather, wondering why 'we all' were supposedly so eager to see me and most pressingly and urgently, why this man was acting so damn funny.

"I'm just star struck; I'm sorry," He laughed again as he told us and started to tear up some colourful pieces of papers and handed them to Marc and with a blank face on my face, my eyes followed his hands until Marc too it, and he was still telling an ever listening Marc, "All my children don't ever stop talking about the Beanie girl. Do you know, Dabi?"

It was only when he called my name that I realized that he was actually talking to me.

"Even my wife too," He was talking to me with so much excitement in his eyes and as he rapped on, I stared him in the face, blankly and without emotion, wondering why he was that excited. "The whole family loves you! They don't stop talking about you!"

I stared at the supposedly 'star-struck man' without any character or light in my whole entire demeanour for about three seconds, and legit, curious, contrary to the dead attitude I was probably giving off to him, I opened my mouth to ask him in a plain, emotionless voice, "Why?"

His face fell and his shoulders dropped, I didn't know why, but something told me that he felt embarrassed and uncomfortable. I tilted my head to look at him, wondering why.

Marcus was quick to jump in and he sounded like this was a situation that needed salvaging, laughing with the man, quickly rolling with him like they used to be best of friends in another lifetime and explaining to him that I was just very quiet and shy, assuring the man that I was not even the closest thing to rude or proud, and I just did not speak much on a regular......

I didn't know why he had to do that, but I was quick to figure there was a misunderstanding somewhere with me and that man and if Marc knew how to salvage it, then, he could go ahead because I was so lost and genuinely confused as to what I did that could be mistaken by someone for being 'rude and proud'. 

"Here you go," Marc smiled as he handed  something that some of the officials at this stand had given him after asking if we were a couple and I stared at the weird stick in my head, wondering what the hell it was supposed to be and why it was being given to me.

"Fire crackers," He elaborated to me, "It's for our intro."

"Excuse me?" I blinked at him, He laughed. Took my hand. "Come with me. I'll show you."

Marc was the boss around here, I didn't know shit. So, I didn't even argue. He took my hand and ran with me like a little child, away from the gate and the stand where we got our tickets and I was wondering why he was running father away from the main gate of the park and having me circle the bodies that were all around us in that vast spaced aesthetic trade fare, racing like a little child to a destination that I was not sure of.

"What are we doing?" I asked Marc as he started to open up the cap of his firecracker.

"Just do what I'm doing; you'll see," He told me instead and I obliged blindly, turning the cap to open it like a bottle of soda just as he was doing and praying silently within myself, "Let's beat them to it." I frowned. Beat who? What were we even doing?

I noticed it then, those little looks that I had thought I had seen when I walked in here, they worsened on me and Marc, with more eyes catching us, in suspicion and some kind of anticipation, like they were waiting to confirm if we were someone that they knew from somewhere. Whispers. Looks. More whispers. More looks. 

"Argh!" I screamed when a gush of spoke started to rush out from the openings of our firecrackers and with a loud voice hinting excitement with a bit of urgency, Marc screamed out to me, "Throw it in the air before it explodes!" And it all happened reflexively.

I swung the firecracker high up in the air with all my might, the exact moment that Marcus had flung his own too and I watched in awe as that thing shot up from my hands like a rocket, fast and efficiently, almost aggressively, bursting right into the dark clouds and exploding in a fury and with the loud, banging sounds, I screamed in excitement and pressed my hands to my ears, laughing so hard with Marcus as we were deafened by the loud applauses all around us mixed with the fiery explosion of colours that lightened up the skies so beautiful with all shades of colours that I could not even imagine.

There were even more explosions coming from a distance and I looked there, staring afar off to the fireworks that attracted just as much attention from the people inside who I could hear screaming and applauding too.

"Why are they so happy?" I asked Marc.

"The fireworks intro tells everyone that a new 'important person' has arrived the scene," He told me easily, nudging me slightly and I hoped he was not referring to me, "We lighted one here, and they -" He gestured to the fireworks that were resounding as loud as ours from inside of the main park, "They lighted another in there for you too, so every celebrity there is anticipating, you, my love."

"But they don't know that I am the one who's arrived," I laughed softly.

"Don't they?" He raised a brow at me as he traced his looks quickly from me and to the fireworks that were blasting in the sky with all wild abandon and in reflex, my eyes just followed his, my head went back up to watch the fireworks in the air that the both of us had lighted and my pupils dilated with the shock, stupendous SHOCK of WHAT THE FUCK I was seeing up there all of a sudden.

"What?" I muttered lowly in shock and I would have staggered on my feet if Marc didn't have a firm hand around the small of back.

Holy Father by Mayorkun was playing everywhere and right before my eyes, I watched the light of the fireworks form six letters, ne after the other, in perfect cursive, and my eyes grew wider as my brain started to decode those four letter words one by one and what they spelt - AURORA.

It was the most beautiful and colourful and explosive representation of my name, coined there high in the skies for everyone who saw to gasp in shock and nearly stumble over themselves while the others exploded into more deafening screams, here and there. 

"Wait for the icing on the cake," Marc told me, a patient smile on his face and I wondered what would be more glorious than this, but my mini god always had a way of surprising me, I guess because the next thing that I saw even shook me beyond my words could comprehend.

It wasn't all. There was more. As the explosions sounded over and over, never wanting to even end for even a second, more words started to appear in the sky, one after the other, and I watched in awe as they came together and started to make sense, coo'ing in amazement and disbelief at the glorious beauty  and formation of these letters, words, and the entire concept of it, at large. 

"Oh my God," I was nearly in tears on the spot as I saw the next words that formed close by my name. They read, "AND CLYDE!" and to top it all, there was the most massive heart shape drawing around the words that were so beautifully inscripted by the another.

Aurora and Clyde.

It was the most beautiful thing that I could have ever seen and everyone else could agree too as they was a resounding of applauses for the both of us and I was not sure which one was more fierce, the fireworks or these people's excitement.

This felt great. It meant a lot to me to see all these strangers show forth so much excitement for us especially when all I had been ever used was people scorning the idea of me and Marcus.

Ironically, there were so many people that were happy for us.

And overwhelmed, I buried my face in my hands and laughed into it, maybe even cried too, I was overwhelmed with so many emotions.

Marcus's phone beeped in his hands, it distracted me, distracted the both of us, and when he looked to it, I saw the sharp glint in his eyes and I was not sure whether to be scared or excited to ask him what the problem was.

"Um, Aurora?" He called my name while looking at his phone screen.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"People all over the internet have been suspecting that the girl who has been lurking around Greenland trade fare with a boy is 'Beanie Girl'." Marc informed me.

I wasn't sure why, but I felt my heart drop. 

Well, that explained all the awkward stares from when I had walked in here. That was why everyone was staring at me? They had recognised me to be beanie girl but were not sure?

......Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

 "Well, I don't mean to alarm you," Marcus subtly chipped it in, "But some random blog page has just confirmed that as a matter of fact, it is you and pictures of us are surfacing all over Twitter as I speak."

There were sirens in my head.

But that was when I noticed it. The looks on us had intensified as people raised their heads from their phones to look at us. And so had the whispers, they had turned into full fledged noise as everyone was  pointing our direction, bubbling with star struck fever, excitement, and crazy obsession, a Marc and I, for some reason, were frozen on our feet in all the spotlight.

Sizing up the multitude and numbers of people here with us, I asked Marcus a question.

"Is there going to be a stampede?"  

"Probably." 

"Will we die?"

"Most likely."

"What do we do?"

"Stay with me, Aurora. I have an idea."

He glanced at me, glanced at the crowd that looked like it was coming onto us.

"Listen, yeah?" He whispered to me conspiringly.

"Yeah?" I listened.

Marcus gave a start. "On the count of three—"

"One," I started immediately.

"Two," He continued.

"Three," I finished.

"Run." We both were in sync and on that note, took to our heels, running as fast as we could with Marc holding my hand to keep up with his pace, all the way.

Bloody waste of time.

It was all to no bloody avail, because we were soon trapped in a dead end as it did not even take the eager and excited crowd long enough to catch right up to us, and while I hid behind Marc for cover, hiding from all the camera flashes that blinded me from so many phones that flashed in my face, stealing pictures from ever angle that they could take from, screaming, Jesus, screaming so bad.

These people were animals. Animals with weapons of mass destruction that were those phones that blinded me with camera flashes.  All the voices were like screeches in my head, shrieking screams of excitement from people all around me that screamed who were practically drowning out Marc's voice for oneness as they went on and on from every angle, throwing me compliments, exaggerations, desperate requests, here and there, like bullets from a firing squad.

"Oh my God! Is this really her?? I could barely recognize her with the hair do and everything!"

"Wow! It's really Dabi oo! And I could have sworn no one would have thought beanie girl would show up here! Abi, she like completely disappeared off the internet!"

"I swear, no one ever sees her ANYWHERE! Not even on the streets! This is so exciting!"

I groaned when a hand sprawled across my shoulder in urgency and a quick camera flash blinded me and turned my vision into a mush of grey and white and one girl was screaming to her friend;

"Oh my God! I just stole a picture with her—"

What the fuck.

Marcus was my able body guard, pushing through the torturing crowd and trying to help me to see the end of this dark tunnel.

"She's even prettier in person, and she's not even wearing make up!"

"Look how dope she looks!"

"Oh my God! That jacket she's wearing, I want it!"

"Abi, you're also seeing her skin! So clear and flawless! Jehovah!"

"And is that her boyfriend? My God! I call dibs oo!"

I was horrified.

Absolutely terribly mortified.

Why were they so many? And why wouldn't they leave me alone?

Marcus grip on me was strong and I thanked God he was here to see me through and past this because God knows I would have sat down to cry on the floor if I was going through this alone.

Thank God he was here—

"PENG SECURITY GUARD COMING THROUGH! MOVE BEFORE I START PUSHING OH! MOVE! MOVE! MOOOVEEEEEE!!!!!!"

That voice.

That catch phrase.

I felt the greatest rush of relief as I heard it and I almost cried tears of joy. As I pressed into Marc, like a child to their protective parent, cuddling him as he pulled me to himself and through the crowd, I saw and recognized the little Smurf sized giel who was pushing through the crowd with the force of a freight truck.

"Naomi!" I called her name, relieved that one person from Dance class was able to find me and I was more than grateful as the petite girl grabbed onto me and Marc and started to help me alongside with him, sliding through the bodies all around us and trying to find our way out.

I could see that she came along with three big men and they did not even have any problem taming the crowd and pushing them away from me and I was relieved. So relieved that I could legit just cry.

"I am so excited that you both are here! The entire dance class would be soooo happy to see you guys!" Naomi was jumping and clapping with her small frame as the crowd was clearing around us, the big men who came with her trying to hold back the people behind us from coming at us.

"Our celebrity dance star, Dabi and peng new boy!—"

Marcus actually broke down laughing and so did I. It was truly something how Marc had been with us in our dance class for over three months now and for some reason, since the first day that Naomi had met him till this very date, she still called him 'Peng new boy'.

The short girl was jumping and looking up at us like we were giants as she gushed on in our laughter, screaming above the wild afro beat song that was blasting everywhere as she told us in all her excitement.

"We were waiting for you both! Everyone saw your BIG entrance with the fireworks and everything. PENG penger PENGEST! And see, you're trending on Tunde Ednut's page. Should I show you? See? Over four hundred thousand likes already and counting oo—"

Marcus was actively talking with her, vibing without stress, and I wanted to join them so bad, but there was that little anxiety in me as I watched back at that gaping crowd that was still waiting and eager to swallow me if those huge men left them.

Mehn. Fame was not for Dabeluchi Orji.

"And you, Marcus!" Naomi had slapped him on the arm, feigning fake annoyance, "Why didn't you call me to tell me when you and Dabi arrived here? If Dabi does not understand how popular she is in this side of the world, you should have known!"

"I didn't understand the gravity of it, na. Don't blame me," Marc was defending himself.

"Eh? You didn't understand the gravity of— Jesus oo!" The short girl face palmed, "Do you know this entire party has been anticipating to see 'Dabi, the beanie girl' since that post that Yusra and the ballet girls' made telling everyone that that we were coming to a celebrity party under Dabi went viral?!"

How did all these things happen and I had no clue?

"You should have called so that I would come to your rescue faster, ehh!" She was still scolding my boyfriend.

"Why would everyone want to see me?" I asked, and yes, it slipped out of my mouth, but damn it, I was scared as hell.

Naomi's eyes grew wide as saucers.

"Girl, you're darn blown!" She exaggerated, "It's because you don't come outside, that's why you don't understand. These people have been dying to see you in person! You deactivated all your social media accounts, and you are never seen on the streets. Babe, you're like a celebrity ghost!"

Wait, really?

I mean, I knew I had dozens of fan pages, but I never really thought deeply on all of that.

But I wasn't that much of a 'ghost'. Was I? I mean, I went to Castron High and I also never missed a single dance class rehearsal too.

But then again, I always always used a taxi to school and back, and everytime that I was with Marc in public, for the fear of being spotted by classmates on the streets, I always made sure we both wore face masks.

The Sisters rarely wanted to go outside unless Soma heavily insisted. The places we ever went to were Gomery and SA Cafe and I could count the number of times we went out there, it was very seldom. Most times, we preferred to stay indoors in someone's house and when we did go out, I knew I had weird looks surrounding us.

But, that wasn't a big deal because on a norm, everyone always stared at me. I was alarmingly hideous.

It took me a while to realise that Naomi was actually right....

My God. I am a celebrity ghost.

"Guess the people who are with me oo!" Naomi was suddenly announcing with pride and that was when it came to my understanding that we were now surrounded by a new set of people and I would have had an anxiety attack if I didn't look through the faces to realise in a instant that those were the members of my dance class and that threatening panic was quickly replaced with relief and happiness. Indescribable happiness.

And boy, were these people a vibe!

They didn't waste time hailing me and Marc, singing our praises at the top of their lungs, dancing and showing of the goofiest moves as they welcomed us and I was laughing. I was actually laughing my heart away, overwhelmed with so much love and peace that I had learned to find in these people. They made me so happy.

And Marc knew practically all the names of every single member of my dance class and as I exchanged pleasantries with as much and the many of them who gave me all their attention and adoration, he was slapping handshakes with Ebuka and the afro dancing boys and girls, laughing to inside jokes with Eghe, Abby and the hip hop girls, dusting off his shoulders in mock pride as Osas and the other breakdancing 'mates complimented his swag, and all the way, never ever did Marc make me feel left out.

I don't know how he did it. He was so social, knew so many people, talked to so many people even when out with me, but never made me feel awkward or left out. He was truly talented.

It was a beautiful reunion in here an I had not felt this happy in sooo long. It was everything to me. The perfect escape from everything that plagued me. Peace of mind at it's finest.

"Let's go, guys! Let's go! Let's go!" Naomi was running and leaving me and Marc to cling onto her boyfriend joyfully and like everyone was having one mind, we all moved as a group towards the large gate that was the only obstruction between us and this long anticipated bonfire party night that was driving everyone crazy.

Maserati by Olakira was booming around the place and this energy filled bodies of my dance 'mates were not giving it a rest, screaming in the name of singing to the song, moving their bodies in tune with it, laughing as they did the sickest funniest moves to it, dancing effortlessly, crazily, in all abandon and carefree fun, and I laughed and nearly fell right into Marc as the gate opened just in time for Naomi, her boyfriend and a few crazy dance mates to 'leg work' their way into the premises, causing the security guards with stuff faces to break their smile ever in the slightest.

I laughed so much that my ribs started to hurt. But I loved the pain. I embraced the pain because this was the most fun than I had had in a long, long time. I didn't even want the night to end.

And Christ, Greenland main park was better than whatever I may have imagined it to be. It looked like I was in a world inside Disneyland.

I had heard all about this place even though I had not been there before and this was my first time. I heard that Greenland Park was a very big park, a mighty one indeed, with a hell lot of amenities and aestheticism for sight seeing.  It was so many things in one, a park, resort, a gaming centre, a trade faire, but my goodness, words were not enough to elaborate the eventful wonder this place was.

"Wow." I looked around the place, surveying it's magnificence, drowning myself in it's beauty as the fireworks made the night even better.

We were barely still at the entrance and from where I stood, I could see slightly afar off a number of young peoe, so many of them, around at a vast area which ends I could not see, decorated with party chairs and tables that looked like they came from Coachella, filled with sumptuous, expensive looking food on it, wine from brands I had never seen, snacks, souvenirs, and practically everything, and virtually, no one was sitting. Everyone was standing, scattered all around the place, taking pictures, showcasing their stunning A-class fashion, new and expensive jewelry, posing for the camera men that hustled, ran around everywhere to take pictures of people with their friends, boyfriends, or cliques.

It sort of reminded me of school.

Only that these people were all celebrities.

It was like the Met Gala in here. Popular faces that I had seen from all over TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, practically everywhere were all around me. And my dance mates were star struck by every one they had passed and I heard all sorts of popular and revolving names flying around, conspiringly in the air, in whispers.

"Aji Anje abi!"

"That Beauty Goddess girl on Tiktok!"

"Is that not Soft?"

"Mad oo. See Eronini sef!"

Names of people who I heard of everywhere were just flying in the air, buzzing all around me, and so were those annoying ass photographers who were pestering us, begging to let them take pictures of us.

I looked to the beautiful girls and handsome guys who were young stars all around me and like someone was whispering it to them too, alerting my presence to them as though I was just as important too, some of them started to look our way, shockingly casting me smiles and waving subtly in acknowledgement.

"Way to go, star girl. But aren't you going to wave back to anyone?" Marc playfully asked me and that was when I had realized it that I had actually forgotten to wave back to all the people who waved at me.

Imagine.

I accidentally snubbed a dozen fucking influencers and celebrities.

Well, shit.

"Let's all take a picture," Marcus suggested to the group, "I'll pay."

They were more than happy to oblige, and especially since the expenses were not on any of them and they were all gathering immediately into one group, and striking the craziest poses for a camera man who was rushing at the opportunity to make some money.

"Oya, oya, will you all clear out so I can see my star!" I heard Yukerya's voice bursting through, firm yet playful, as she popped into view from somewhere, playfully hitting all the dance mates in her way to create space and everyone was laughing and hailing the dance instructor as she made her through to me and I shook my head and laughed at how silly they all were.

"You made it on time," Yukerya addressed me and Marc, pulling the both of us into a warm hug, "We are going to have sooo much fun!"

"Guaranteed, this place looks sick!" Marc chided her on.

"And you know we wouldn't have been here today if it weren't for your girlfriend oo," Yukerya was telling him right in front of me like I wasn't even there. "Can you believe she made us make it into the online dance contest? We're going to Abuja next year! Is that not exciting?"

"I don't want to take all the credit. Everyone put in effort," I said, blushed as I was flattered.

"Abeg, don't be humble! The entire choreography was your idea oo!" Some random dance mate shouted at me from behind and there was an explosion of laughter from there.

"She is so talented. Do you know she stuns me everyday? I have never seen a better dancer than Dabi all my life!" Yukerya was still gossiping about me to my boyfriend and Marc was ever so fast to agree with her immediately.

"I'd say the same. Aurora is a gem. Indescribable talent. She doesn't even know the half of it," He said.

"Aurora," Yukerya laughed at the nickname, passed on teasing looks between me and Marc and I laughed so hard, laughed and had to throw my hands over my mouth.

"Thank you so much, Dabi," My dance instructor hugged me, holding me in an embrace that lingered for such a long time. "Thank you. You're the reason we are here."

"Thank you," I told her. Honestly, these people made me happy. I should have been the one thanking them and not the other way around.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!—"

That was Ebuka, Naomi's boyfriend, shouting out to the open where all these celebrities were and my eyes grew wide in shock, wondering what the fuck he was up to an where the hell he got such guts from.

"— DABI AND MARCUS ARE HERE OO!" He didn't waste time to alert our presence to everyone, and contrary to what I thought that they would Al just snub the literal fuck out of him, there were cheers and claps coming from all angles of the place and I was beyond flustered.

"Wave, Aurora, everyone's waving," Marcus who was already waving to the large mass of people who were acknowledging us both said to me, and shy, very flustered and sweetly embarrassed, I covered my face with one hand, blushed into it while waving with the other.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" Came a chorused cry from all angles of the place and with all the mushy comments that were thrown my way, I couldn't help but laugh in embarrassment. People walked up to me and even though Marcus did most of the talking, pleasantries were exchanged and everyone talked r everyone, not even excluding my crazy dance mates. They were not left out too.

This was incredible. I simply could not ever imagine that there would be a day where a large mass, an incredible number of people like this actually would acknowledge me respectfully and without ridicule.

This was amazing. Truly.

And maybe this celebrity life was for me after all.

*NEW MESSAGE ALERT*

I stared at the message ID and nearly stumbled over my own feet, shocked at the person whom had just messaged me and what they literally just said to me .

Nothing to fear, it was good shock. I felt my heart leap for joy and dance around a little, bubbling with excitement as I imagined what this message could freaking mean.

Dawn💃

Look behind you.👀

<<Sent 10:16pm

I wasted not a second and I whipped my head behind me so fast that my neck could have actually snapped a d at one view of the girl whom I had no freaking idea was here all along, I lost all my shit and belted out the loudest, most excited scream that shocked me to my bones. Shocked Marc too.

"Aurora—" He turned to me swiftly, alarmed, but I was gone before he could complete his statement, running from where I was towards this girl that I was so excited to see again.

Dawn Damipe Dayo.

"Oh my God! Hi!" We were throwing ourselves into each other's arms immediately, hugging and embracing one another, excitement and joy dancing in our body, bubbling with each second that passed.

"Wow, Dabi, you look fire! Look at you, I'm so Jealous!" Dawn, as usual, being ever generous with her compliments was showering me with it nonstop and I honestly begged to differ.

If anyone looked as stunning, it was most definitely her.

The girl showed up in here, looking like she came to kill and destroy, dripping finesse and class with that maroon coloured body con playsuit that complimented her curvy silhouette, coupled with that big grey coloured checkered long shirt that she improvised for a jacket. She looked fire!

And there was this fact about Dawn; Having she was so beautiful, effortlessly, everything she wore made her stand out. No wonder mostly every girl in Nigeria wanted to have the beauty of Dawn Damipe, and hell, she rocked it! Flaunted everything she had, her beauty, confidence, and mind-blowing talent unapologetically.

As much as I would have loved to get another look at that her wonderful fro that had the pretty blonde tips, she looked really nice with the long weaves she had on, her edges perfectly gelled so neatly, giving her a soft look.

"Wow, Dabi, it's been so long. How have you been?" Dawn asked me, genuinely sounding like she wanted to know.

"I've been alright. What about you? I see your videos everywhere these days. My school mates are always reposting you! Sis, you're making headlines!" I told her.

"Says the girl who is currently trending all over Tunde Ednut and Instablog with her boyfriend!" Dawn teased me and I laughed so heartily.

"Hey, it's true," I snapped my fingers in remembrance, "What about your boyfriend? How is he doing too? I haven't heard from him since Wonder Coast—"

"Did someone call me?" Ansel popped out right away, literally out of freaking nowhere, claiming Dawn with a firm hand wrapped around her waist and a soft kiss upon her lips. "I heard boyfriend. I jumped here. What's up?" He extended a hand to me to take in a handshake as Dawn laughed her heart away.

They looked so adorable.

They looked so good together, I almost blushed for the both of them.

Her guy, Ansel, he looked just like I had remembered from last time that Marc and I had met him and Dawn and danced with them in Wonder Coast. That confidence. Stunning, unbelievable confidence. The natural swag he emitted through his demeanour. That effortless humour he had. And of course, that kinky hair on his head that looked even fuller and kinkier.

Just like Dawn, he twinned her maroon colour with the colour of his shirt. He dressed simple, yet he looked compelling even for a guy who wore a maroon shirt and some neat jeans. It was his aura that was everything.

"Long time no see, Dabi," He said to me, "But is that why you're hanging my hand though?"

Dawn burst into another series of laughter and so did I. I had zoned out again and muttering an apology, I took his hand in a handshake.

Then, suddenly, Marcus popped out of the blue to join the three of us. With hands around my waist, a subconscious act he had grown to so, he pulled me softly to him, while acknowledging the couple that I was just talking to, actively, exchanging pleasantries with them.

"Wow! D for Dawn. How far na? Yo, Ans, my man! It's been a while!" Marcus was easily chatting with them in no time, dragging them along with us as we walked together in a group, with me and Dawn in the middle.

We were all lost in a series of random discussions, a new topic coming right after the other; we had so much catching up to do with each other's lives and it was so wholesome to talk to all of them like this. I don't even feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.

I noticed all of a sudden that the boys, Marc and Ansel started to give some kind of signals to each other, and Dawn may not have noticed it because she was saying some funny story about one of her friends called Hilary, but I knew right off the bat that these boys were up to something.

They were definitely up to something.

It was so obvious.

Marcus looked to Ebuka from his distance, gave a signal with his eyes and had a full fledged conversation with him using eye signals and no words, and afterwards, he looked to Ansel who had a grin of anticipation on his face.

What the fuck was going on.....

"Bro, are you ready?" Ansel asked Marc.

Eh?

"Man like Acha was born ready," Marc responded and both boys sniggered and slapped each other's hands in an aggressive handshake and Dawn and I were stupendously confused.

"What's happening?" Dawn asked, as soon as she noticed the change in the boy's behaviors, and the subtle intensity of the looks from all the celebrities and influencers all around us who looked like they all knew and we're anticipating something along with Marc and Ansel.

"What's going on?" Dawn had to ask again. Someone had to.

Ansel hurriedly kissed heron the cheek and started to flee, racing towards Ebuka and my dance mates in a hurry, and Marc spared us a quarter of his time to say something to us before he left.

Something that resounded in my head even after he had gone.

"Hope you ladies are ready for the time of your lives, because you're going to freak out when you see this."

Dawn and I stared at each other, the confusion on our faces almost made us look like circus clowns, and we were asking each other questions that no one could answer as everyone was conspiringly planning something that we had no idea about.

Everyone in this party apparently knew what was going on, asides me and Dawn.

I wanted to turn to my dance mates and ask questions, but Ebuka and his girlfriend, Naomi were rushing to me and Dawn to pull us, against our will, onto some seats that were pulled together and we were hysterically in a state of confusion all the way.

"What's happening?" I asked Dawn.

"I have no idea," She swore.

We were both confused as hell as everyone in the party started to circle me and Dawn who sat there in the middle of it all, looking around us and at the gaping, awe-ing crowd of celebrities and influencers who watched us like we were television.

Marc and Ansel stepped out in the heat of it all, a distance in front of us with catchy smiles on their faces passing on between each other in a knowing look, and the whispers around were turning into noise.

Those boys were up to something.

They planned something.

And they were about to execute it right here, right now, in front of all of the people.

Ebuka from Dance leaned into the space that was between me and Dawn's head, and out  came four words of farewell.

"Enjoy the show, ladies."

There will most likely be a third update for today, so feel free to take wild guesses at what you think Ansel and Marcus are up to. Including you Iyanuoluwa-Temi🌝❤️

See y'all this evening!❤️❤️❤️