Chapter 50: Third wheel
Christopher
"What are you doing here?" I asked as she stood in the middle of the room, moon-eyed and mouth agape.
"What am I doing here?" she screeched, "What are you doing here? What happened to you? What is that around your waist? You scared the living daylights out of me. I had to rush down here after hearing you got... shot? Who did you get into a fight with? Who did this to you?"
Slowly, I stood up from the bed and winced at the sour ache in my abdomen before walking up to her in slight limps.
"Tracy," I placed a hand in her shoulder and clutched my wound with the other. "I'm fine. It's alright. Look at me, I'm fine. So calm down, okay?"
Tracy stepped away from me and yelled again in hysterics.
"What do you mean you're fine? Look at you, you can't even stand straight! What were you thinking trying to get yourself killed, huh?"
"Are you going to be mad at me now, tomboy?" I smirked as she heaved at intervals.
"You scared me." she confessed in a broken whisper and finally broke down in tears.
I pulled her to me and she wrapped her arms around my waist. I wanted us to remain that way and I wanted to back away too. Her locs brushed my cheek and I was just grateful to have someone who cared about my wellbeing right after I came close to dying.
Kelvin coughed behind us and we slowly disbanded. Tracy sniffed and wiped her face, looking embarrassed.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." she replied and forced a smile. "I... I'm sorry for yelling at you. I have a bad history with emergency calls."
She must have been scared her to death. I combed through my messy hair with my fingers and figured she was talking about her dad.
"How do you know I got shot?" I inquired as she took a seat to calm herself down.
"Suzan told Chioma and Chioma told me and everyone else."
"My bad." Kelvin croaked behind us and I glared at him.
Going to pick up my tank top from the bed, I caught Tracy gawking at my abs as I put it on. It was the first time she was seeing me shirtless.
"Like what you see?" I smirked and she snapped out of it.
"Don't flatter yourself."
I smiled and pulled it all the way down, lowering myself to sit on the edge of the bed. It was a painful process but I managed.
"I still don't understand how this happened." she stated and I heaved and glanced at Kelvin.
"Go on, motherfucker. Tell her how you almost got me killed."
Kelvin looked away in guilt while Tracy looked between us, puzzled.
•Sunday evening•
Christopher
It's been quite a while since I was in Lagos so I readily accepted Kelvin's invite to a house party after everyone left the beach house. Granny and her daughter headed home and my dad and his wife went to our house in Lagos.
It was just like old times. Kelvin and I being neighbors and best buddies, fleeing from home just to party out. We left in my car and we got there at sundown. We were still finding our way around the crowd with drinks in hand when Kelvin called my attention to some guys coming our way.
"Shit, I'm toast. Chris, we need to leave now."
"What?" I yelled back over the loud music. "Why?"
Instead of answering, he froze as the guys got to us. I turned to the three older boys with tattoos, piercings and distinct hair colors. I barely managed to make out their faces under the dim disco lights. From the looks of it, they seemed more of university students.
"Well, hello there. Look who we've got. Long time no see, Kay." said, the one with a red hair and cigarette in hand.
"Kev, who are these people?" I asked him, now as still as a statue.
"Go on. Introduce us to your white friend. Or are you scared to?" the red head spoke again and his companions laughed at the untold joke.
Kelvin looked at me apologetically and looked back at them in fright. We stood at a corner of the huge living room, music blaring in the air and a drunken crowd dancing to it. I've never seen Kelvin too panicked to form a sentence and it pissed me off that these douchebags were being a bully.
"Look. Whoever or whatever you are, leave us alone before I do something stupid." I said but they let out their sick laughter again.
"Who does this one think he's talking to?" the gold head with a pierced eyebrow jeered back and I edged towards to him while scrunching up the red cup of tequila in my grasp.
Kelvin quickly held me back and spoke up, "De-Don, I'm sorry. I know I fucked up big time but I'm sorry, okay?"
I nudged Kelvin and gave him a stern glare that said, 'The fuck are you doing?'
"You're sowy?" De-Don mocked, "Really?"
"Yes I am. I... I didn't know she was your girlfriend. I swear, I didn't. Believe me Don, I didn't know Daisy was your girlfriend." Kelvin pleaded and I glared at him and sighed at his idiocy.
"Is this guy mad?" De-Don flared back, "Kay! I arranged pot for you and you went behind my back to fuck my girl. If you didn't know she was with me then why did you run away? Tell me, why did you disappear into thin air?"
"You're still on this?" I turned to give him a scolding of my own too, "You're still fucking around despite Suzan? The actual fuck, Kev? I thought I told you to stop using those stupid drugs too."
"I wasn't and I have stopped! This happened some months back." Kelvin turned to the red head again. "Bro, no reason am abeg."
De Don vaped his cigarette and puffed out the nauseating smoke in our faces.
"Whoever steps on the tail of a scorpion is ready to face its wrath. You think say you fit mess with me and bounce just like that, shey?"
He moved closer to us, reeking of alcohol and cigarette, and clamped his hand around Kelvin's neck. I lost my cool that instant and threw a punch to his face.
The red head staggered back and clutched his bleeding nose. The three guys glared at me at once and charged forward. I never used my fighting skills on people owing to my father's stern warning unless I was in dire need to defend myself. I couldn't be more glad to finally test out my ability on them.
The brown head who had stayed quiet half the time raised a fist but I caught it in the air and twisted his arm backwards. Next, I gave the gold head a nasty kick in his crotch, knocking the wind out of him. De-Don came at me so I shoved my captive into a wall and dodged his blows before smacking him across the face with a backward leg flip that sent him to the ground with a thud.
Brown head sprinted to me again and I gave him an uppercut that sent him down for good. I exhaled and adjusted my clothes as they stayed on the floor, either groaning or unconscious. The house was pitch silent now with the music turned off and everyone watching us. They must be surprised I took down three older and heftier guys without breaking a sweat. How strange that I was becoming infamous for creating a scene at house parties.
"Yo," Kelvin jumped on me in laughter, "I almost forgot you kick asses."
"Shut up, shithead."
"Sorry, " he rotated his arm and tapped his bicep, "I would've helped out too but I sprained my arm this morning."
I glared at him but eventually shook my head and smiled.
"Y'all saw that, right?" he jeered at the crowd, "Anyone who crosses us will crawl home with half an ass."
"Dumb fuck." I mouthed and suddenly noticed the red head moving as he reached into his pants for a black object.
My eyes widened at the gun pointed at my oblivious friend and without thinking, I grabbed Kelvin out of the way just when a loud bang went off in the air. Staring down at myself, my legs failed me on seeing the hole that took shape on my belly. My eyesight blurred and so did the screams around me as I tipped over on my back.
Kelvin rushed to me as people ran in opposite directions and I blinked rapidly to see him frantically yell incoherent words above me.
"Fuck..." I let out weakly as my eardrums made a pitchy noise that deterred me from hearing anything else.
Kelvin rose on his feet and I managed to see him dash over to the red head and deliver countless blows to his face until he passed out. My ears stopped ringing and I clutched my groin only to see a bloody smear on my hand when I raised it to my face.
"Fuck!" I cried, literally, as I finally acknowledged the gruesome pain and near death situation.
"Chris," Kelvin rushed to me again and said, "the SARs are around. We have to go."
He helped me up while I let out heavy grunts to the pain on my side burning as if on fire. We left through the back door with his arms guiding me and I would've dropped to the ground if not for the police hot on our tail. I knew it would make matters worse for everyone if we got caught so I kept moving with every bit of will I had left.
Kelvin made me lean against my car when we got outside so he could unlock the doors and quickly helped me into the back seats before zooming off.
"Kelvin..."
"I'm here, Chris. Just hang on. We'll be at the hospital in a few." he reassured me in a shaky voice.
"No, not the hospital." I said between uneven breaths. "Take me home."
"Home? What are you talking about?"
"It's a bullet wound, shithead. They're going to ask questions. Take me to my father."
"I'm so dead." he began to cry out loud, "Dr. Thomps will kill me."
"Kelvin, focus!" I gritted my teeth at the pain, "Go to our place. He'll know what to do."
"Alright... Fine. Just hang on, okay? Don't you dare give up on me." he said as my eyes felt heavy until I closed them and slipped into insentience.
When I woke up, we were home. My shirt clung to my body from my sweat and blood and Kelvin came around to help me out of the car.
"Great. My car is a mess." I mouthed dryly at the sight of crimson drying off on my seats.
"At least we know your sense of humor is still intact." Kelvin quipped and helped me into the house.
"I don't have a sense of humor."
"Exactly." he retorted and I frowned.
"How did we get in?"
"The gate was open. I called your dad a while ago, he's expecting us."
"Fuck," I sighed, "I'm dead."
"Please don't say that or I'll run mad."
Aunt Lydia was pacing up and down in the furnished living room with a wet face and she rushed to us as we entered.
"Oh my God! What happened?" she took my other arm around her shoulder and helped me up the stairs and towards the attic.
"Mark! Mark, they're here." she hollered and he showed up to guide us into the empty room with unused appliances stashed at the back.
The torture room. It felt odd and scary to be back here. I remembered he used to lock me in this room for hours when I pissed him off as a kid.
My dad might have been hostile back then but I remember I was a problem child too. At the terrifying sight before me, I gulped and clutched my wound as if protecting it from him. There was a nylon sheet spread out on the cold marble floor and on a nearby table were scissors, alcohol, antiseptic, gauze, gloves, forceps, scalpel and other instruments I couldn't name.
"Make him lie on the sheets." my dad instructed them.
My heart was thumping so hard in my chest at the thought of dying from an excruciating pain at the mercy of my own father. They helped me down on the sheet while he put on the gloves and washed his hands with alcohol to sterilize them. As he reached for the metal clamps with a hardened expression, I began to beg him in tears.
"Father please." I sobbed, "Please, I'm sorry. No, Father. Please..."
He always told me he would kill me himself. What a perfect opportunity to, that I so dreaded at the moment. He sighed and turned to Kelvin.
"Hand me the belt on the table."
Kelvin did so reluctantly and my dad folded it in halves and told me to open my mouth. I shook my head and kept my mouth sealed tight.
"Do you want to die?" he snapped at me, "Open your fucking mouth."
I finally followed through and bit down on the belt as he asked for the bottle of alcohol which my stepmom quickly handed over to him. He tore my shirt open like a piece of paper and told his wife and Kelvin to hold me down.
Hot tears slid down from my face as he opened the bottle of alcohol and poured the liquid on my wound. I groaned and bit down hard on the belt. I would've shot up and ran away if I wasn't being held in place.
"I'll remove the bullet now. From the looks of it, it's not in that deep." he mused as he felt around the wound and used the forceps on me without prior warning.
Clenching my teeth until my jaw ached, I made a muffled scream as he pulled it out from my abdomen. Once he got it out, I felt weak and tired but just relieved it was gone. He tore out a gauze sponge from it's packet and cleaned my wound before stitching it up afterwards. I had gone through enough torment to cause me to pass out there and then.
I woke up early the next morning in my old bedroom with the covers up my body. I rubbed my eyes and tried to sit up when I had a painful reminder of my bullet wound. Ripping off the bloody gauze, I traced my finger on the stitch and sighed before looking up to find Kelvin slouched and fast asleep on a chair nearby.
"Fool." I muttered, "You'll wake up to a stiff neck sleeping like that."
Thinking back to all that happened the previous night, I took a minute to watch him sleep. He must've stayed up all night because of me and to that thought, I smiled and reached for my pillow to smack him across the face.
"Stay with me, bud!" he yelled as he jolted up from his slumber with swollen eyes before noticing me, "You're alive. Oh thank goodness."
"Who were those guys, Kev?" I questioned as he yawned and stretched.
"You just woke up. At least, give me a big hug before you query me."
"How about I break your nose, huh? Open your fucking mouth and give me a good excuse for almost losing my life." I spat and he rolled his eyes.
"Wasn't it obvious? I used to buy weed from him and we became close. His babe found me cute and we slept together a few times until we got caught by one of his guys and the nigga snitched on us. I fled after I heard she was murdered and that he belongs to some psychotic secret cult in school. I figured he was looking for me so I stopped attending parties and moved to your place."
"So you kept visiting only because you were on the run?" I spat in anger, "And you made me go to that fucking party when you knew damn well he was out to get you?"
"Chris, calm down. It was not entirely because of him. Bro, you were having a difficult time with Anna. I was there for you because of you. And I thought he stopped looking for me, okay? It's been months and he doesn't even know my real name or where I live. I had no idea he'd be at the party, I swear it."
"Can you just promise to stop hiding things from me. First, it was Suze and Anne and now a cultist out for your ass... Shit, you should've told me."
"I know," he replied with a sulk, "I know. I'm sorry. And thank you so much for having my back out there. I'll be dead meat by now if it wasn't for you."
I owed Kelvin my life too and I was glad I could finally return the favor. I kept quiet and looked out the window at the blue sky and it suddenly reminded me of a certain someone with long locs.
"Forget it. I'm going home."
"Um, Chris? You are home." he deadpanned and I gave him a look.
"Bitch, I meant home at Royal."
"Are you out of your mind? Your wound... you're not fit to travel back yet."
"You are not going to tell me what to do, Kev. I might just die if I stay one more minute here. This place makes me sick."
Kelvin gave up and I packed my stuff and had my wound redressed by my stepmom after shower before announcing my departure. My dad did give a long talk to reprimand us for trying to get ourselves killed but then decided we all returned home since the holiday spirit was dead.
Kelvin and I took my car and left, heading first to the hospital on my father's discretion. He made mention I was a lucky idiot and would be otherwise dead if the bullet had gone any deeper. I got a scan and other check ups done by an older doctor and got placed under an IV after my wound was re-dressed.
"What happened?" Tracy shrieked as she came in just when I was about to get discharged.
~~~
Tracy
"I'm just glad everyone's okay." I said after hearing the rundown of how they got here.
I managed to shrug off the news as nothing but I was simply petrified. Cultists? Weed? A murder? These two boys were giving me the creeps with their upside down and frantically shuffled life. To be fair, someone did put up a warning sign before now.
Speak of the devil, the door suddenly slammed open and a wild looking Suzan bolted into the room and dashed towards Kelvin to give him a hug.
"Thank God you're okay." she said softly in the middle of caressing his face and kissing his lips.
"I'm fine." Kelvin replied smugly and made her sit on his laps to continue the make out as if they didn't realize they weren't alone.
"Um. I'm fine too. Thanks for asking." Christopher said flatly and I couldn't help the chuckle.
"I'm the only one who gets to be sarcastic, rat face. Don't steal my spotlight." I teased and he gave a boyish grin, comically holding a hand to his mouth.
"Oops."
I laughed and watched Christopher with a warm smile on his face. I was glad I didn't lose him overnight without even knowing he was in danger. Just like, you know...
He was staring back at me with a smile and I trapped half my lower lip between my teeth. Trust me, it was a reflex. I pulled it back out after realizing I was looking at him seductively. He just looked so sexy and made me randomly question myself being a virgin with him around. If he could read my dirty thoughts right there and then, he'd be disappointed. I know I was.
Christopher cocked his head towards the door and I perked a brow. He nodded reassuringly so I shrugged and left the room with him. Oh, to that exchange, Suzan and Kelvin were still eating each other's faces off so he suggested we left them alone.
"Just take a look at that." I piped once we got out, "You're the patient but you still got thrown out of your own ward by a hormonal pair."
"I'll live." he shrugged.
As we slowly walked down the hallway that smelt of hospital, a thick set woman in a white coat was passing by while studying a notepad in hand until she raised her head and smiled on sighting us.
"Christopher! So good to see you."
is it?
"You too, Mrs. Clement."
"You keep finding your way here one way or the other. You kids need to be careful out there, alright?"
"Sure thing." he gave a polite smile and the woman went on her way.
"You come here often?" I asked and he glanced my way before looking elsewhere.
"Yeah, um... Anna happens to be here so I've been coming to check up on her once a while."
"Oh." I remarked, then remembered Chioma told me she was being administered treatment here at Crownlake.
if this isn't fate...
"Well since we're here already, why not check up on her?"
"You just want to see her, don't you?" he smirked.
"Kinda," I confessed, "but you might as well go see how she's fairing."
He paused to think about it and finally sighed and mouthed, "Fourth floor."
Smiling, I made to lead the way towards the stairs when he pulled me back by the collar of my extra large t-shirt.
"Elevator." he deadpanned.
"Wow." I marveled, "There's an elevator?"
"It's a tower, tomboy. Of course there is. It's not the biggest hospital in the state for nothing."
"Wow." I uttered once more and we stepped into the box before he tapped the button that took us to the fourth floor.
I finally got to see his ex-girlfriend for myself. She looked beautiful even in her slightly pale state, just like a porcelain doll. She was in a hospital gown and her hair was a silky and shiny black of curly mess. An oxygen mask rested on her face and some wires connecting her to a life support machine. It was my first time seeing someone in coma and I wondered if she would jerk awake if I slapped her out of the imaginary pretence.
While I stood by and gawked, Christopher crouched by her bedside and tenderly kissed her hand. I watched the two of them and realized how perfect they were together. And right then, it hit me that I was nothing but a third wheel.
A while later, we left her ward and Christopher was putting on a cheeky smile as went back down in the lift.
"What's got you smiling like a fool?"
He started giggling to himself even more and hitting his head on the wall of the elevator, before it got worse when he had to wipe away his tear with his index finger.
"There's a psychiatrist around here somewhere, right? You might have to see one before leaving." I goaded him but he ignored my taunt and cocked his head to me with glistening blue eyes.
"It's just so funny that I suddenly remember the way you reacted earlier." he cleared his throat and imitated me with a scrawny voice that sounded nothing like me, "What happened to you? What is that around your waist? You scared me!"
Christopher fanned his imaginary tears with his hand and rested the other on his waist for a girly posture. My nose flared and my hands fisted into tight knots but he didn't notice as he continued his jest.
"If I didn't know better, I would've believed you, forgetting you've tried to kill me yourself when you dug my toothbrush into a toilet bowl. Oh, and that time when you were like ew! He thinks I s.s.s.s.zlept with him when I simply asked if we've met before. Who knew you would finally drop the act to say you like me. Girls, so pretentious." he finished with a shake of the head.
Only Christopher could find a way to make fun of my confession for him like that. I was too preoccupied with my hot temper that I forgot to debate on why he of all people would bring up this sort of thing right after visiting his ex. Noticing my silence, he turned to me with a questioning look.
"What?"
What happened right after is rated X because things went bloody, downright. He was my bully and archenemy, now a renowned jerk for being insensitive exclusively to me. And I was the girl who got swallowed up and puked out by embarrassment, whose defense technique was to go physical. What could possibly go wrong in that little box of space?
To cut out the nasty scene short, he had to get his wound redressed when we left the lift. On the other hand, it was a miracle I walked out alive. With a sour scalp, might I add.
♣
Tracy
So much happened the next day. I was an upcoming artiste with little to no recognition and I got offered a record deal by a major record label. Left to Daniella, there was a lot to be done.
I found out from the group messages that everyone planned on visiting Christopher at the mansion after hearing about the incident. Daniella decided we met there as well to discuss my progress.
Chioma was going to be there too just because she couldn't sit her butt at home. We talked better last night and I was glad to hear she got the role after the interview. We arrived at the white house together but I'd be leaving first to clock in at the restaurant for my regular shift.
The living room was crowded today. I found Richard and Charlie playing a video game, Paul and Kelvin busy having a banter and the twins set out to pester the irritated half-caste.
"Where's Suzan?" Chioma inquired and Adam answered her.
"She's on her way."
Chioma went to Kelvin and joined in on their conversation while the twins came up to me, standing side by side.
"Everyone keep quiet okay?" Michael said, "Over to you, Tracy. Can you do us the honor of failing to tell us apart?"
I noticed they had tried their best to look the same. Adam made his hair slightly curly to match Michael's and they both tried to pull the same expression.
"Sup." Adam made a peace sign with his two fingers and tried to look swag.
Did they really think I couldn't tell them apart? The moment I knew Michael as a shameless flirt and Adam, a reticent introvert, I could tell who was who from that day onward.
"You're Mike and you're Adam." I said, pointing them out without stress.
"Oh come on!" Michael whined while Adam returned to his seat, "You too? Do we really look that different? We're identical twins!"
"Where's Ella?"
"The lounge." he answered gruffly, "They're waiting for you."
I looked to Christopher and wondered why he hadn't acknowledged my presence and if he was having a personality swing again. On cue, he looked up and raised his middle finger to me when we locked gaze. Smiling, I rolled my eyes and left to meet Daniella.
I found her in the room with a stranger and they were discussing something seemingly important until I entered.
"Oh, she's here." Daniella piped and waved me over.
I walked up to them and said hi, scrupulously eying the mid twenties adult. I sat down next to Daniella and she introduced us. The man went by Nicole and he gave me a girly wave. Even his appearance looked funny. He wore a tight pair of pants with his shirt neatly tucked in. On his feet were multicolored socks and brown shoes, his legs crossed out like a lady's.
Daniella had to whisper to me of his sexuality before I stopped looking at him warily. We carried on with our meeting and a lot was said in an hour. Nicole happened to come across the video of me performing at Aunty Lydia's wedding, which went viral on Instagram. He then decided to meet with me to discuss my management.
Singing at the wedding really made me popular on its own. The wedding was considered a classy case study as it appeared on magazines, newspapers and a wedding Tv show. Mr. Thompson was a family doctor to Daniella's mom and her presence at the wedding made it a talk of the town.
Nicole saw me as a potential and he wanted nothing more than to be my manager. I was a bit sceptical but Daniella assured me he was good at his job and he was literally begging for the opportunity anyway. Once I agreed, he clapped and squealed like a girl and I found that hypocritically weird. If I do say so myself, I dress and act more like the opposite gender too.
He took over to explain what being signed by a major record meant and how his role as my manager would come about. The record label would own me and my singing career for an agreed period of time and it was a win-win situation because as I made fame and money, they got to have their own bigger bucks rolling in.
As an independent artist at the moment, I had to develop and promote myself too. Daniella offered to get me a skilled photographer for a photo shoot and the well edited pictures would be used to set up my social media accounts. Daniella insisted she handled my accounts with all the connection she had to get me followers and my new manager would handle the other aspects.
With the way everything was moving fast, I stepped on the brakes and told Nicole I intended to study music with the hope that getting signed this early would not interfere with it.
"Girl, why would you want to study?" he grimaced and gestured on with polished nails, "You don't need to study, honey. You're getting signed. Like the moment you sign the contract, you're getting paid and getting a house and a car. This is a big deal, sweetie."
"My mom wants that degree and she won't support any of this if we rule it out." I told him.
Nicole got my point and explained it would only work both ways if I studied part-time while focusing on being an artiste as well. The meeting ended and he collected my phone number, incessantly promising he would make me famous and manage me to the best of his abilities. Once he left, I hugged Daniella really tight and thanked her for everything she's done for me. She shrugged it off as nothing but she had no idea how much all these meant to me.
"I have to go to work now." I told her and slung my little bag over my shoulder, "I'll see you later."
"You're still working? Girl, bear it in mind that you're quitting soon 'cause you've found a better job. I just can't wait for you to release your first track, and your first EP, and single and album and–"
"Yeah yeah." I cut her off, "I can't wait either. I literally can't wait or I'll be late. Bye!"
"See yah!"
Bidding everyone else in the living room a goodbye, I rushed out when Christopher called me back and I turned around to see him walking up to his car.
"Come over. I'll give you a lift."
"You keep moving a lot. Doesn't it hurt anymore?"
"I've handled worse. Besides, those guys have nothing better to do than to disturb my peace. I'll just drop you at the restaurant to get away from them for a bit." he said and I gave in and slid into his car.
During the drive, Christopher asked how everything was going and I told him all that was said at the meeting.
"It's official." I pouted, "My mom would find every means to end my career before it even begins."
"Forget what your mom thinks. What do you want?" he asked with a hand on the wheel as we glided up the freeway.
"Well," I began, "I really want to get into it already. I want to build a name for myself and I want people to hear my music. It won't happen if I have to take a full-time course."
"I'll talk to my stepmom and have her speak to your mom about it. I'm sure she'll reason with you and us all on this." he told me and I beamed.
"Thanks."
He returned the smile and spoke again after a slight pause, "Decided on your stage name, yet?"
"Yeah, I have."
"Well? What is it?"
"Promise not to laugh."
"You must take me for a clown, huh? Fine, I promise."
"It's Tee Willy."
The moment it left my lips, Christopher held on to his chest and laughed hard.
"Hey! You promised not to laugh."
"Come on, Tracy. Tee Willy? How about water lilly for a start?" he laughed again and I glared at him.
"Jerk."
"Tee Willy. Tee Willy. Tee Willy. It's catchy though."
"You bet it is." I retorted and he pulled up beside the road as we got to Denver's.
Seeing it was time to part ways, I sighed and stared at him.
"What? What's with the weird look?"
"Just thinking."
"About?"
"How I'm going to repay you." I replied, "You've done a lot for me, Chris. I'm so indebted to you. You helped me with studying, helped me with a producer, you made my life more fun than it's ever been the past few years. I never thought I'd see this day of fulfilling my dream and I really owe it you."
"You don't have to thank me, Tracy. I never had the chance to care for others. I got used to being the only child with very few trusted friends. If anything, I'm glad I could render help to someone else for once. I'm glad I could also be burdened with someone else's worries after years of lading others with mine."
"Because of you," he went on, "I got rescued from the shackles of depression and suicidal thoughts. I got to live life like a freeborn and mess around like every other normal teenager. You have no idea how grateful I am that you ran into my life."
"I ran into your life or you ran into mine?"
"You ran into mine."
This time we had gone off topic.
"No," I maintained, "you ran into me. You still won't admit it after all these while?"
"You didn't watch where you were going. It was all your fault."
"Me!? I have permanent bruise marks to prove you shoved me to the ground. How's that an accident!?"
"Fine." he sighed, "You ran into my life."
"Better." I faked a smile and rolled my eyes.
"Keep on rolling your eyes." he muttered, "Perhaps you'll find a brain back there."
Then I processed his admission again in my head and laced him a glare at his trickery.
"You're a jerk. Do you know that?"
"Fine." he put up his hands and smiled, "I ran into you. Happy?"
"Well..." I chewed on my bottom lip and purred out loud in my sincerest tone, "I'm glad you ran into my life too."
Christopher gazed at me and I met it, watching his goofy expression turn grim. The tension was thick as haze with his eyes trained on my lips and I pressed them together and swallowed. The temperature seemed to drop a notch and I scrunched up my clammy palms in my laps.
Finally, he averted his lustful gaze. But then he breathed a fuck it and unexpectedly leaned into me. A gasp escaped me as he crashed his lips on mine. His kiss was hungry and needy and it reminded me of a ravenous barbarian wolfing on his feast but I was in too much shock to feed his thirst.
he's... he's kissing me!
Christopher slowed his pace, now tugging, desperately seeking and pleading for entrance. I recovered from my shock and finally parted my lips for him.
I'd never kissed a boy. Well, I practised kissing my pillow some weird time ago but the real deal was exciting and scary at the same time. He had his thick arms caging me in place as if stopping me from making an escape and his cologne was the most beautiful thing that filled my sense in this moment. I slowly got the hang of it and went with his pace. He slid his tongue into my mouth and the alien felt strange at first until it brought the goosebumps and I was electrified.
My back pressed to the door and he killed the tiniest space between us, a low growl rumbling at the back of his throat and my vagina pulsating to the sound. I pressed my thighs together and continued to kiss him back with my grip on his arms beside me. I always thought of kisses as a disgusting exchange of saliva but this was different. It was magical.
He pulled away to catch his breath but his face hung close to mine. I opened my eyes and inhaled to still find his eyes closed as though he was savoring the moment. Then he opened them and stared through me with his dilated pupils that drew me into their oceanic hue. His face cracked into a smile and he was about to say something when his phone began to ring.
"Shit." he leaned back to get his phone from the compartment and barked at the caller, "What?"
"I'm busy, okay? I'll be back soon–" I blushed as he said busy.
busy locking lips with you... oh, shut up subbie.
"Kev, I'm not in the mood for pranks. If this is a joke,–"
Kelvin seemed to cut him off on the other end and not long, Christopher was putting on the brightest smile ever.
"Yes! Fuck yes!" he shouted for joy and jumped in his seat while I smiled uncertainly.
"What?" I inquired, What is it?"
"Fuck!" he held a hand up to his forehead in disbelief, "Anne. She's awake. She woke up from coma. I can't believe this. She-"
Christopher paused when he saw my blank look. He looked confused at first and then realized we had just kissed as his face morphed in instant regret.
"Tracy-"
"I know." I quickly cut in. "It was a mistake and it never happened. I won't tell anyone about it, promise. I'm sorry for... kissing you back. I should have been the one to stop you, I-"
"Tracy! Fuck, just listen to me. I didn't-"
"You didn't mean to, I swear I understand. You should go see her, okay? I'll see you later. Bye." I said in a rush and alighted the car.
Keeping my head down and emotions in check, I hurtled towards the restaurant but the dreaded tears found their way out.
My first kiss... How dare he steal my first kiss and get so excited to reunite with his ex.
Cue fan screams here~~
That concludes chapter fifty and the second part of this book.
See you in the next chapter ✌🏾.
Toodles.
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