Here's to 6k reads, Mi Familia.♥️💞 When I count my blessings, I make sure I count y'all twice. This energy is so beautiful.🔥😭

THANK YOU!💞

So, are y'all ready?🌚

Well, fasten your seat belts and let me start the drive.😂 This chapter is giving everything it ought to give. IT'S THOROUGH!♥️

So, the song for this chapter- Dusk Till Dawn by Zayn ft Sia.



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"𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑠
𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒?
𝐻𝐼𝑀.

_________________𖧷________________

              ~𝚂𝙷𝙰𝙺𝙸𝚁𝙰 𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙰 𝙼𝙰𝙻𝙸𝙺~

If I stayed in that house all by myself, for one more day because of this damned mid-term break I wasn't even enjoying, I would lose my Goddamn mind. And to think it was going to last till the end of this week. I had to find a way to slip out of the house without Mama Heather noticing. 

Well, let's just say Stefan brought me home again, for the second time. I really don't know what I would do without that guy at times. He didn't hesitate to spill the beans to Mama Heather, telling her how I fainted in school and how the Nurse insisted I get some rest.

Mama Heather went all Mother hen on me and it was so annoying that she wouldn't even let me out of the house. Stefan ratted me out and I decided to give him the silent treatment, so I wasn't speaking to him presently. He stopped trying to reach out to me and probably just wanted to give me some space to sort things out myself. 

"Who even told him that I wanted him to leave me alone?" I mumbled, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel and bobbing my head to the music blasting from the stereo.

Uh... you?

"Not one word from you! What did I say about leaving me the fuck alone?" I growled at that tiny voice as though it was present and sitting by my side. I rolled my eyes afterwards and drove forward when the car in front of me moved.

"You have had your fun. Just leave me be." I added.

I knew I had to come up with a plan to get out of the house, so I had to warm up to her after ignoring her. Not to mention the fact that I had to eat, even when my appetite was currently shitty right now. The only thing I probably didn't hate right now was water. The rest? Oh, they can go to hell. And when she wasn't lurking around anymore, I took my keys and made a run for it. I had already gotten into my car when I realised that the only thing I had on was my PJ shorts and a matching sleeveless top. 

It was no Biggie.

People rock PJ'S and besides, it wasn't like I cared what other people thought about me. The only thing I cared about right now was to get my hair done because I was tired of carrying these tacky Cornrows on my head. I didn't want something I would carry for long, just something simple. I was going to lose it in no time. I drove into the building and slowed the pace at which I was driving, trying to scour the lot for space so I could park my car. I soon found one and I pulled over, turning off the engine.

I picked up my phone from the compartment I had tucked it in, and then, my eyes strayed to the empty seat beside me. My heart fell to the pit of my stomach and I felt my eyes sting with unshed tears, I released a breath and chuckled, blinking back the tears that were about to fall. She never missed any hair appointments with me. It was our thing. She'd come over to my place very early in the morning and drag my ass out of bed. She would be on her phone, throughout the ride, trying to find the perfect angle to take videos of her, videos of us, and videos of me driving, not to mention how she would be unabashedly hyping me, whenever they were making my hair.

She called it a mini vlog of hair appointments with her girl. I couldn't even go through my gallery without bursting into tears. Not like it had stopped me from going through it anyway, since she wouldn't reply to my messages and even blocked me off at some point. I needed no soothsayer to tell me that I have lost her and I wasn't getting her back but I couldn't bring myself to make peace with it. Not today. At least. I wiped the tears off my face and got out of my car.

The guard at the entrance held the door out, and I stepped in, rolling my eyes. I knew where I was going, so I made my way to the reception and asked if there was a slot available. Thankfully, there was just one left. She called one of the stylists that led me into the salon. I made myself comfortable on the swivel chair, dropping my phone on the inbuilt glass that had drawers attached to it and was situated in front of me.

"Would you like to wash your after losing it?" The beaming lady asked me and I nodded my head in response.

"I want light braids and in ginger-red colour," I spoke up, and she nodded, getting right to work.

To prevent myself from dwelling on certain thoughts I desperately wanted an escape from, I made myself busy with my phone and at some point, I had to drop it because all I did was scroll through my IG feeds and it was starting to get so boring. So, I kept myself busy with the refreshments they offered me. 

And after four hours, the lady was done braiding. She added some mousse to my hair and laid my edges. I smiled softly at my reflection in the mirror and patted my braids. 

"I love it," I smiled at her.

"I'm glad you do," She grinned.

The medium-sized braids made me fall in love with the colour ginger-red. It suited my skin tone and gave me a certain distinct look I loved. She took off the towel around my neck and I got up from the seat, feeling an ache around my waist and legs. I flashed her one last smile before leaving the room and heading to the reception to make a transfer, since I basically ran out of the house, I didn't take my card.

After paying, I left the salon.

                          ✰✰✰✰✰

As I made my way to the parking lot, I couldn't help but blame myself for saying no to Khalil's offer, when he asked me if I was interested in spending the mid-term break at his place. I refused, telling him I was a big girl and I could handle the whole thing myself. At least, if I were with him, there wouldn't be this sudden restriction of my movement like Mama Heather and even if there was, I would baby sister myself out of the situation. He wouldn't be able to say no to me. I didn't understand where Mama Heather got her stubbornness from. 

She hadn't called me or sent a text to me and I knew that she was really mad at me for sneaking out of the house. I tried to tell myself that I had it all under control but deep down, I knew how much of a lie that was. She might have even called Khalil and told him about the whole thing but if she did, Khalil would have been blowing up my phone right now. So, the reason that wasn't happening was that she hadn't told him anything.

I pressed the buttons on my keys and my car beeped as I approached it. I stopped short when I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure stepping out of a black Range Rover and my eyes went wide with shock, my jaws nearly dropping to the ground. I looked over to where my car was parked and I knew that the next thing I ought to do was get into my car and get out of there right now but I knew how he could be and that would be an absolute waste of time because he was ready to chase me to the ends of the earth If I made that move.

Fuck...

He approached me, his hands tucked in the pocket of camo pants, which he paired with a black sleeveless shirt that had weird inscriptions on it. His twists were left unpacked, falling over his face. I stood still, my heart hammering loudly against my chest and I could hear how unpleasantly loud it was in my ears. My mouth had suddenly run dry and my throat was clogged with lumps. I clutched my phone tightly in my hands before mustering up the courage to move to where my car was parked.

"Hey," He mumbled with a smile on his face when he got to me and I sighed, suddenly not possessing the strength to keep up with him. Right now, all I wanted to do was get in my car and drive out of this place.

"You followed me here, didn't you?" I queried, arching my brow at him. Okay, fuck that. I am angry now. Heck, I was irritated. He exhaled and opened his mouth to speak but he stopped halfway, taking a step forward and leaving just a few steps between us.

I was so sure that if he took two more steps, he will be all in my face and the thought of it made my skin crawl with disgust.

But your skin didn't crawl when you were underneath him o.

Fuck you.

"Kira," He began and I snorted under my breath, mumbling incorrigibles.

"Look__I didn't mean to follow you and I know how creepy this looks but does it matter? I have been trying to reach you, Kira but you keep blowing me off." His voice raised an octave higher at the end of his words and I scoffed, planting one of my hands on my hips and massaging my forehead with the other.

"I came to your place and then, I saw you drive out of your compound. I wanted to talk to you, so I had no choice. I had to follow you. There was no other way I could get you to talk to me!" He threw his hands up in the air, his tone reeking of exasperation. He exhaled afterwards.

He was quiet and wouldn't stop staring at me. His lips twitched and his eyes left my face before dropping a little and lingering on my chest.

Was he really ogling at my boobs right now?!

I wouldn't even be so conscious under his gaze if I were wearing a bra but that didn't mean he shouldn't keep his eyes where they belong.

"Can you stop?!" I shouted at him and heard him chuckle.

"Well, you make it so hard not to stare. You look beautiful and the hair suits you." He smiled coyly at me and I cringed. I was so sure he saw how my face was scrunched up in disgust and that made his face fall. He brought his fingers into his hair, running it through it with a scoff leaving his lips.

"If you would just tell me what to do, I would do it, Kira. What else do you need me to do? How else do you want me to show you that I love you and I want to be with you? I am at a loss for options here, so help me, please!" His voice was rising now.

"I don't want you to do anything, Ola!"

"I don't want anything from you and if you really love me as you claim, then you would respect me and respect what I want!"

"I don't want to keep hurting you like this, Ola. I don't but I don't know any other way I can make you see it that I do not feel this same way about you…" I trailed off and God, I watched him snap and I couldn't help but take a step backwards because I was so scared.

"Fuck, Kira!"

"Stop saying that! Okay! Stop saying that! Please!" He yelled, his light brown eyes shimmering under the sun and fuck, I couldn't even control my tears that were starting to burn every corner of my eyes.

"Can you not see it?" He asked me, his voice drawn to a whisper as he took a step forward. My eyes wandered around the seemingly quiet environment and I took in some air, fear settling into me.

"Can you not even see a quarter of how much you have me wrapped around your fingers? God, Kira, I would do anything for you!" He shouted at me and I flinched, shutting my eyes.

"Is this about Khalil? I will handle him. He's my best friend. Leave that to me. I will deal with that when the time comes!" He cried, throwing his hands in the air and allowing them to fall limp by his side. He groaned, and took a step backwards, running his fingers through his twists and doing a mini pace in front of me. He brushed his hair backwards and sighed, looking up to meet my eyes.

I shuddered softly at the look in his eyes.

Want...

It was raw, intense and broke my heart into a thousand pieces.

"Ola…" I trailed off, choking out a sob.

"Baby, you don't even have to love me the way I love you. All I ask is that you just let me love you. You don't have to do anything. Just be mine and let me do the whole work. Let me treat you like the Queen that you are. I want to give you the world, baby. All you have to do is just be mine…" He spoke, a heart-wrenching pain evident in his voice and I could have sworn I heard it crack. 

He strode forward, closing in on me and I released a shaky breath, my heart threatening to burst through its confines and come out through my mouth. One minute, he was looking into my eyes and the next, he had his arms wrapped around me, pulling me to himself. 

And God, it felt so wrong.

It felt so unfamiliar.

I froze in his arms, not hugging him back because I couldn't even bring myself to hug him back and it felt as though I was doing something wrong. I couldn't place it but it felt so out of place. His hold felt so blank and I felt nothing, not in the slightest.

"Just hold me, please…" He begged, his voice coming out a quivering mess. I shut my eyes and shook my head because it felt like hugging him back was one act of a huge betrayal. I couldn't do that to Stefan. I couldn't hurt him like this. Our physical contact was familiar territory and I couldn't be exploring it with someone else.

Someone that wasn't Stefan Bibitayo Oluyide.

It made my heart constrict in pain.

"Ola, let me go," I demanded, prying myself out of his grip. He tried to fight it but I was resilient, so I broke free, taking a step back and not sparing him a glance because I knew my heart couldn't handle the look in them. It would break me to see him that way.

"Kira__"

"Ola, leave," I ordered, not giving him any room to debunk what I had just said. I heard him exhale and then, he retreated, making his way back to his car. I choked out a sob and unlocked my car, getting in and shutting the door. I dropped my head on the steering wheel and broke down uncontrollably.

                                         •••••

I was spiralling.

I was spiralling so badly and with the vague memory, I had about my mental breakdowns. This had to be the worst. It was a far cry from what it used to be like when it all started. It was a loud house inside my head and I could barely keep track and stay in touch with my surroundings. My entire vision was blurred with tears and I even tried one of the tricks Dr Laura had told me about but it wasn't working. 

She told me whenever it's feels like my thoughts were running haywire and I couldn't keep track of them. I should try to concentrate on my breathing and stay in touch with my surroundings, while I tried to note five things I could see, four things I could touch, three things I could hear, two things I could smell and one thing I could taste.

But fuck it, it wasn't working!

I didn't even know what time it was. I didn't know where I was. I couldn't even breathe and all I could do was cry. My head was pounding so hard, the sides of my head throbbing hard. My breath came out loud and uneven and I could feel my fingers trembling. I shut my eyes and dropped my head on the steering wheel, trying to search through my mind and see if there was anything worth holding on to. Even if it was just a voice. 

Anything!

"You have me and I will always be here,"

"You have me and I will always be here,"

"You have me and I will always be here,"

Stefan…

I groaned, digging my nails into my skin and I puffed out some air from my mouth, slowly taking it back in and then I exhaled. I tried to focus on his voice as I struggled to catch my breath which was starting to come out softly. I closed my eyes and exhaled again, then I sniffed, lifting my head off the steering wheel. I let out an inaudible groan, looking through the windshield and taking in my dark surroundings. 

The tall building in sight was enough to alert my senses that I was still at the salon but it was dark already and I could barely see a car in sight at the parking lot. I picked up my phone from where I had dropped it earlier, turning it on to check the time. It was past eight and I sighed, brushing my braids backwards. My hands hung on the screen of my phone, debating who to call. His name was niggling at the back of my mind but we weren't even speaking and it was late already.

Sheesh, girl, you miss him. Just call him.

Fuck it.

I went to my contacts and dialled his number. It didn't ring for two seconds before he picked up and it almost had me wondering if he had been expecting my call.

"Reina?"

Fuck, I missed hearing him talk.

                                          •••••

It almost turned into a breathing contest over the phone because I didn't even know what I would say to him. I was so scared and the thought of saying the wrong thing to him brought tears to my eyes. But as usual, he always knew the right things to say. I had told him I just wanted to talk to him but his hydra sense had alerted him that I wasn't okay. I tried to tell him not to come but he countered me and told me he was going to come over to where I was. 

After going back and forth, I only agreed if he was going to come over to the park that was situated in his estate. At least, that way, he wouldn't get into trouble because it was just around the corner and he wouldn't have to lie to his parents about where he was going.

I told him I was going to call him when I got there but it was far from Stefan to agree to that. Heck, I could see him pacing around in circles from where I sat in the car across the road. I couldn't bring myself to step out of the car and face him. Not because I was scared__

You don't want him to see you like this...

Vulnerable.

I puffed out some air through my mouth and held onto the knob of the car, then I mustered up some courage, pushed the door and stepped out of the car. The loud slamming of the door seemed to have caught his attention. Of course, he would hear it because the neighbourhood was so quiet. He looked up from the ground, where he had his eyes fixed on and his eyes zeroed in on me.

He removed his hands from the pocket of the red shorts he was wearing, paired with a black tee. He stared at me for a while and I found my legs glued to the spot where I was. A shaky breath escaped me and I took a step forward. Out of the blue, I didn't know where and how the courage hit me but I found my legs moving towards him at a speed I couldn't even comprehend. 

He didn't stay still. He strode forward and met me halfway, where I threw myself in his arms, bursting into fresh tears. Stefan didn't waste a nanosecond before he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the ground like I weighed nothing and I wrapped my legs around him, instinctively. I buried my head into the crook of his neck, sobbing profusely.

"You are okay, Reina."

"You are okay,"

"I am here now and I am not going anywhere."

Those were the words that left his mouth as I cried my eyes out in his arms, soaking his shirt with my tears. He didn't say anything afterwards. He just allowed me to bawl my eyes out in his arms. Stefan didn't let me go, with how tight I was holding onto him like my life depended on it and crying my eyes out. He held onto me, his hold matching mine. It wasn't overly tight that I couldn't breathe but it was just the perfect amount of proximity I craved when it came to him.

His hold was soft and gentle, yet it made me want to fuse my body into him even more, drawing comfort in his masculine cologne that filtered into my nostrils, rendering my vision blurry. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if I start smelling like him. Not that I had a problem with it.   I released a soft breath, my head still buried in the crook of his neck and that elicited a familiar sound from him.

"Don't let me go, Stefan," I mumbled into his neck.

"Never, Reina."

"Never," His words were soft, assuring and coated with an amount of conviction that scared me to bits about how willing he was to keep that promise. I was so tired and I could feel my eyes almost closing as I held onto his shirt, keeping my hands busy with it.

"Isn't your hand hurting?" I asked him, earning me a rich, throaty chuckle that resonated through the walls of my ears, settling in it and reverberating through it over and over again, leaving this feeling of utter satisfaction in me. 

I suddenly didn't want him to stop chuckling. 

It sounded like music to my ears.

"Really, Reina?" He asked, his voice thick with amusement. His hands moved over my back, leaving a soft, tingling sensation everywhere he touched and that made me a tad bit breathless. His fingers rested on the small of my back and he began trailing small, airy circles on it. I buried my head into his neck even more and clamped my teeth down on my lips to hold back the soft sound that threatened to escape my lips.

"And that's the first thing you ask me?" 

"Yes na, is your hand not hurting you?!" I retorted sharply, in an attempt to defend myself and a breathy laughter escaped his lips. I detached my face from the crook of his neck, meeting his warm gaze that left my breath a hitching mess.

I have seen his eyes in several shades but I didn't think they could look this breathtaking at night. It was like a warm, sparkling light that shone irrespective of the darkness that surrounded us. Stefan Oluyide's eyes glowed like diamonds under the moonlight that managed to illuminate our dark surroundings and I almost reached out to touch it at how much it fascinated me. 

They were so alluring.

"Well," His voice came out a little low.

"If you must know…" He trailed off with a light smirk on his lips and fuck, it was so sexy to see him smirk at me that way. It had me biting my lip to suppress the smile that was starting to form on my face.

"My hands aren't hurting,"

"And, I love holding you like this," He concluded, the huskiness of his tone was so glaring and I released a soft sigh, looping my arms around his neck. I couldn't even stop the way I was grinning from ear to ear. To think I was crying a few seconds ago and now I was grinning so widely that I feared my cheeks might spread to the back of my head.

"Yeah?" I asked, to be sure of what I had just heard.

"Yeah," He answered, his voice barely audible. 

"You look beautiful." He told me, one of his hands moving to my hair to toy with my braids. His fingers grazed my scalp and my eyes fluttered close at that action, leaving goosebumps to sprout all over my skin. 

I opened my eyes slowly and locked eyes with him, a light gasp leaving my lips at how he wore his emotions on his face. He had this warm smile on his face that left me fuzzy with my stomach twisting in beautiful knots, gazing at me like I was worth looking at.

After all my mess, how was he still able to stand me? How was he still able to pull up, whenever I needed him, knowing how much of a bitch I could be most times. A tiny sob left my lips and I pulled him to myself, his head dropping to my chest and I shut my eyes when he wrapped his arms around me, a sigh of contentment emitting from him. I cradled his head in my arms, running my hands over his buzz cut. 

"That feels so good," His voice came out so low, the sexiness that dripped off it heavily had me biting my lip and suppressing a smirk.

I could never trade this moment for anything in the world.

"Thank you, Stefan," I whispered and he didn't say anything else. He just held me in his arms, his head softly pressed against my chest. 

                                       •••••

The moment I drove into the compound and saw my mom's car in the parking lot, I rolled my eyes and scoffed under my breath before pulling over and turning the engine off. I took my phone and got out of my car, slamming the door shut. I strutted onto the front porch and gave myself a mental pep-talk to remain calm, no matter how hard she tries to push my buttons because I was rebuking the devil this night.

With that, I twisted the knob and stepped into the house. Mama Heather's worried gaze was the first thing my eyes met and it soon morphed into relief when she laid her eyes on me, releasing a sigh. 

"Shakira!" She whisper-yelled and I rolled my eyes at how dramatic she was acting. I opened my mouth to speak but the soft footsteps descending the staircase had me snapping my mouth close. I looked away from her and my eyes dropped to my mom's frame as she descended the staircase, dressed in a black satin robe. With the way her face was glowing, I needed no soothsayer to tell me that she had just finished her skincare routine for the night. 

Her black bob weave cupped her blank face that she had trained on me as she approached me where I stood still, suddenly appalled at how hard my heart was beating wildly against my chest. Mama Heather didn't need to be told twice before she scurried off into the kitchen, leaving us alone.

"Niniola, nibo lo ti nbo?" She asked me, her tone surprisingly calm as she stopped right in front of me, sizing me up with her glass-like brown eyes that remained overly cold. She watched me for a while and spun on her heels, taking a seat on the couch next to her. She picked up her phone and kept herself busy with it, while she was waiting for my response which I wasn't sure was coming any moment now.

"Nini," She spoke, her voice holding a hint of warning in it, as though she was trying to warn me not to waste her time.

"The salon," I simply said after swallowing my spit.

"At nearly 11pm?" She asked, scoffing.

"I am coming from the salon," I repeated, my voice unwavering as I looked her dead in the eye.

"It still doesn't explain the masculine cologne," 

She deadpanned and I felt my jaw drop, dread clouding my entire feature. What masculine cologne? How did she__oh, fuck! That was the reason she came close to me the other time.

I swallowed and shifted uncomfortably, where I stood. My palms suddenly grew sweaty and I feared my phone would slip off my hands because of how slippery my hand had gotten.

"How__"

"Are you sleeping with him?" She arched a brow at me, her question punching the air out of my lungs, her words giving me a whiplash, which caused me to take a step backwards.

Jesus Christ!

"Mom, what the hell?!" I shouted, horrified that she would even ask me that kind of question. What was she even thinking? And it was only Ameera Malik that would ask that kind of question with a straight face.

"Ew, what the fuck, mom?!" I cried, alarmed.

"I don't even have a boyfriend!" I shouted at her, my face scrunched up in disgust.

"Abegi," She gave a dismissive wave of her hands in the air, rolling her eyes. I didn't even know what I was still doing, standing there and her entertaining the crazy things she was spewing. I hissed through my teeth and threw her a stink eye, walking away from her sight.

"Just don't stick needles in your body this time around and stuff yourself with drugs when this one leaves you after getting what he wants from you," She uttered, monotonously and I whirled around abruptly.

My eyes went wide with horror, dread creeping into me as I did a double take of the woman that sat on the couch a few feets away from me, holding her phone in her hand. I was utterly appalled and my head felt fuzzy, tears brimming in my eyes as I stared at her, wondering how she could sit down there and hurl those words at me. She even stared back at me unflinchingly. I couldn't even work my thoughts around how she knew about the whole truth with Alvin because I was just frozen and could barely feel my head.

I opened my mouth to speak but the only thing that escaped it was a shaky sob. I snapped my mouth shut and took a step backwards. My legs suddenly felt heavy. 

Then, I scoffed and chuckled, peeling my gaze off her rigid frame, spinning on my heels and practically staggering upstairs through my blurred vision. I pushed the door open and slammed it shut, resting my back on it, so I could get a hold of my erratic breathing.

I couldn't do it, so I slid down the door and dropped to the floor, bunching my knees up to my chest and taking slow, deep breaths. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to dwell on the throbbing ache that had settled in my temples. 

I wasn't going to cry. I wouldn't give her that satisfaction because she doesn't even deserve it. Once a bitch, always a fucking bitch.

Well, 

Mommy: 1000000

Shakira: 0

A/N

There is a bitch and there's Ameera Malik.💀💀

Someone should tell Ola to rest! This babe doesn't want you! Deal with it and get over it!😭😩 He's too fine to be begging a girl na!😂 At least, he should have small shame!😂

Help me ask him that if he gives Shakira the world, where does he want the rest of us to stay?😂

Stefan and Kira's friendship is so beautiful with all the carrying, waist grabs and rubbing of head.💀😂 Omoo, I don't even know what to say about this two, other than the fact that it gets more intense.🌚

Anyhoo, don't forget to vote, comment and share. As usual.💞 And hopefully, I will see you guys by the weekend. If not, that's next week then.

Adiós✨

Love, Didi.♥️