Hey, fammm!♥️
Work has been crazy but I had more time on my hands today and I knew I had to update. So yeah, I am here and I think you guys are going to love this chapter...or not.😂
Oh and before I forget, happy belated birthday, B.♥️ OdiaJanet
The song for this chapter is Spell by Chike ft Oxlade.
So, shall we?
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"𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜
𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝑡
𝑏𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚,
𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡?
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~𝚂𝙷𝙰𝙺𝙸𝚁𝙰 𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙰 𝙼𝙰𝙻𝙸𝙺~
I stared at my note, clicking my pen while my eyes skimmed through the contents of my note, unable to come up with anything. It wasn't like I didn't know the answers to the question. Of course, I did but it was hard to concentrate when my mind was divided. I wouldn't even say divided because in a sense, it means I am paying attention partly to what I am doing but in this case, I wasn't doing shit.
I was sitting here, clicking my pen while the core of my distraction was seated a few feets away from me with his phone in his hands, probably tapping away on it. I know he shouldn't be my focus right now, the questions wouldn't solve themselves but it was hard to do when just his smell that filled the room was shattering my resolve and yanking me off my defences.
I was struggling so hard not to look his way but the harder I tried, the stronger the urge got that I couldn't help but succumb to it a few times, stealing glances at him. Whenever it feels like he was going to look up from his phone, the walls of the old art studio would suddenly become the most fascinating thing in the world.
"Fuck," I cursed under my breath, dropping my pen on my book. I groaned softly, bringing my hands to my temples and massaging them lightly. I looked up to face him and this time, I didn't look away. I examined his stiff features and I furrowed my brows, not liking the vibe that oozed off him. He had stopped using his phone and was…basically just staring into space.
His aura was so off today.
Too off.
There was something about Stefan today. I didn't know exactly how to pinpoint but there was something so off about him. For a guy with his personality and the eeriness that surrounded him today…it just didn't align. He wasn't being his Stefanish self. He was very quiet. When in truth, he was everything but quiet and that didn't sit well with me.
I knew damn well that Stefan was the chatterbox between us and as annoying as it could be, it could also be very cute. If there was one thing I had come to understand about him, it was the fact that he might not notice it whenever other people stared at him but with me? I wouldn't even get to check him out for a few seconds before he catches me staring at him. The thought of it made my lips twitch in a light smile.
His observance was cute and I could feel myself turning crimson at the thought of it. But then, the smile was soon dissolving as quickly as it came because it was different today. I practically had my eyes boring holes into his body and he didn't notice a thing. That bubbly, positive energy, that vivaciousness, that warmth that radiated off him without having to try too hard was barely in sight.
That aura was so…dim.
And God, I was so worried about him. He was just sitting there and I didn't even know what was going on in his mind, or even in his head. Not like it was possible. I wasn't a mind reader but still, it set me on some kind of edge I didn't like. He has barely said more than five words and the little to nothing he said was practically when he was putting me through the topic he set questions on me for.
Maybe you should ask him what's wrong...
I exhaled, closing my book.
"Stefan?" I called, my eyes fixed on his frame. I repeated the action, arching my brow when he didn't respond. I frowned, getting up from the stool I was seated on. It sounded with a slight scrape but it didn't do the trick, until I walked up to him where he sat on the desk, snapping my fingers in his face, sporting a frown on mine.
He blinked, groaning softly and looked up to face me. He couldn't hide the fact that he was caught off guard by my presence. He probably didn't notice when I stood up and came to his front. I didn't miss the dullness of his eyes and the subtle lifelessness they held. Somehow, it made my chest constrict in pain because I was so used to seeing them at their brightest and seeing them this dull was enough to leave sadness washing over me.
"Reina, what's wrong? Is it the questions? You don't understand?" I couldn't resist the urge to chuckle mirthlessly at the bunch of questions he threw at me when in truth, I was the one that should be asking him what was wrong.
"Can you stop? Geez!" My voice rose a notch and I hissed through my teeth.
"I have been calling you. You didn't hear me, Stefan. You just sat there, staring into space. You didn't even notice me get up from my chair!" I said sharply, jabbing him in the chest with my index finger, a frown etched on my face.
He was so quiet, his eyes examining my tense features.
"You are acting so weird. I mean, I know you are weird but not this shade of weird. What's wrong with you? Do you want us to go back to class? Or you…am I boring you? We don't even have to do this…I mean…God!" The confidence that oozed off my voice was slowly breaking and I was beginning to ramble, stuttering like an idiot.
I might have expected anything else but nothing could prepare me for the impact of his warm hand finding their way to the small of my back and then, with his eyes fixed on my face, he pulled me to himself and I was now standing between his legs. I swallowed, audibly. Heck, I could hear the sound in my ears.
His eyes scanned my face, not in the least looking like he wanted to break off the eye contact. Then, they lit up slowly, a smile creeping onto his face. He had this amusing look in his eyes in no time, gazing at me with utter intrigue like he was fascinated by the way I rambled to him.
There was nothing worth smiling about! It was embarrassing!
"Heyy," He spoke up, his voice was warm and appealing, contrary to the lifeless look his grey eyes beheld a few seconds ago. And just that one word was enough to have my worry dissolving, keeping it on a much lighter note. I was still worried but it felt like the bundle of nerves that hung upon me was taken away and replaced with something warmer.
"I am alright." He assured me. I wanted to believe him, heck, his tone was so compelling that it almost had me succumbing to the seemingly smooth lie he just told me but I struggled not to. What happened a few seconds ago wasn't just nothing.
"And how many times have I told you to stop putting words in my mouth, huh?" He demanded, his voice low and airy with a smirk tugging at his lips.
I scoffed.
"Stefan, how many times do I have to tell you that you are so terrible at this lying thing? You are saying something but your eyes are telling a different story." I frowned, speaking without mincing words. It was honestly how he thought he sounded so convincing but it was far from it.
Something was going on with him and he didn't want to talk to me about it. I know I wasn't supposed to be mad and insisting but I couldn't help it. A rich deep chuckle tumbled out of his mouth and I felt my cheeks grow warm, which made me blink and avert my gaze from him.
But then, it was far from Stefan to allow me to break off eye contact with him whenever he was conversing with me. Instead, he pulled me closer to himself, his hands resting firmly on my waist. His scent grew potent, invading my senses and I sucked in a breath, meeting his eyes. An ardent smile overtook his features and my eyes strayed to his lips which he tucked in between his teeth, a breathy laughter erupting from his mouth.
Fuck…
I didn't understand how he expected me to stay sane when he was holding me and staring at me the way he was doing right now. My brain couldn't pick up on what I wanted to say. I had forgotten it and it was almost like a distant memory I was struggling to reach.
The confidence that was engraved in his eyes while he had them anchored on me, gazing at me unabashedly was so scary. He was staring at me and he wasn't hiding the fact that he was checking me out. He wanted me to see it. He stared at me like he could see right through me. Like he could read every one of my thoughts and feel every bit of what I was feeling.
The thought of him having to figure me out scared the crap out of me and shook me to the core. It rattled me and terrified me. I felt a light shaky breath evade me and I found my eyes straying to his lips. Again.
"Reina, my eyes are up here." His voice was filled with taunts and I jabbed him an elbow, eliciting a soft chuckle from him.
"Weren't you going to say something?" I queried, trying to suppress the feeling of embarrassment that wanted to swallow me whole.
"Listen," He began, massaging my waist softly.
"You don't have to worry about me. I am fine. School stress just gets to me at times. It gets exhausting but it's nothing I can't handle, so I don't want you worrying about me. If anything is going on with me, you would be the first to know, Reina." He said softly and I stared at him tenderly, for a moment before nodding my head slowly, choosing to believe the lies that were oozing off his words.
There was just this strong conviction that convinced me that he was looking me in the eye and lying to me...but then...
I was choosing to trust him.
If anything, he has always done that for me and it was my turn to do that now. I was going to trust him and hope that he would open up to me, sooner than later. My hands moved from where they were on the table, coming up to his collar.
I stared at him with a coy smile on my face, helping him to straighten it. He totally gave off that 'classroom bad boy' look with his unbuttoned blazers that were draped over his shirt he wore without his tie, leaving a few buttons undone. I leaned in even more, releasing a soft breath and I felt him freeze up, his hands growing a tad bit tighter where they were on my waist.
"Shakira,"
His voice came out so low and I knew I wouldn't have heard it if I wasn't standing so close to him. I froze, my brain undergoing a sudden shutdown. I mean, I didn't think he has ever called me that before. Hearing him call me Reina sounded so good but the way my name sounded so foreign on his lips was enough to render me breathless.
I would be lying if I said that wasn't hands down the sexiest thing I have heard.
I barely had the chance to conjure my thoughts when he leaned in, his nose brushing my neck in the process. My eyes snapped shut and my knees grew weak, almost giving me away but he held me in place with his hands, squeezing my waist softly and a soft sound left my lips, unconsciously. His breath fanned the hollow of my neck, causing a tingling sensation to spread to my body. A compelling effect of the dizzying warmth that left him.
"Say it again," Those three words were the only thing my brain could comprehend, my voice coming out so small and breathy.
I WANTED to hear him call me that again. No, fuck that. I NEEDED to hear him call me that again. He understood the assignment and boy, did he deliver.
"Shakira," He repeated, his voice thick with confidence, coming off as overly smoky. My mind went blank, shutting down on its own as though it was programmed that way. Then he stunned me further, pressing a soft kiss to my neck and I couldn't suppress the soft moan that exited my lips. It sounded so foreign and I could barely bring myself to admit that I was the one sounding that way.
I brought my hands to the back of his head, my mind growing faint with each kiss he left on my neck. I couldn't control the sounds that emitted from me. It was like the harder I tried, the stronger the urge got for me to just let everything go, to let loose and allow myself to explore these sizzling emotions. My senses were far away from me, fading into oblivion and escaping my grasp when I struggled to get a hold of them.
I wasn't in control anymore.
It's supposed to feel so wrong but fuck, it felt so good...so right...
I heard him murmur strings of cuss words under his breath, words I could barely decode before he stopped, his breathing came out so ragged and shredded, almost as though he was struggling with his restraint. His face didn't leave my neck and he didn't stop holding me. I took in some air, then exhaled slowly.
The air between us was thick with so much tension and my heart wouldn't stop pounding furiously against my chest. My hands were still on his head and I stroked it softly, eliciting a soft sigh from him. We just stayed that way, in silence while he held onto me like his life depended on it. I shifted closer, almost as though I wanted to fuse my body with his but he didn't protest against it, instead, he welcomed the body contact.
My heart was thumping wildly, my thoughts running haywire, leaving me unable to decipher what was going on with me. This vulnerability was uncomfortably comfortable. I felt so safe like I could just allow myself to drop my guard and it scared me so much the kind of control this boy was beginning to have over me. I could feel my eyes stinging with tears I was fighting back.
Nothing has changed.
We are just friends, right?
Yes, that's what we are. Just friends.
•••••
~𝙾𝙼𝙾𝙳𝚄𝙽𝙼𝙰𝙳𝙴 𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙸𝙰 𝙶𝙾𝙼𝙴𝚉~
My eyes surveyed the lot, looking for a perfect parking spot and I brought my bike to a stop, turning off the ignition. I groaned, taking off my helmet. I dug my fingers into my curly orange weave, trying to detangle the knots that must have formed while I had my helmet on my head.
I alighted from the bike, tucking my hands into the pocket of my shorts and whipped out my phone to send him a quick text. I hit the send button and exhaled, walking a distance away from my bike, allowing my eyes to take in the rowdiness of the parking lot. Students were trooping in and out of the entrance that led to the lot, in twos and threes.
I didn't think there was a time any of the parking lots that were in this school was quiet. It was always looking like a mad house, crawling with people that would rather stick around than go to their various dorms or go home. It was home to so many things. I spun around only to ram into a lean figure, the harsh fragrance that filled my nose almost had me choking. I took a step backwards, massaging my shoulders and I looked up, my gaze clashing with fiery brown orbs.
"Bitch, watch it!" She fired at me and I squint my eyes at her tall frame, scoffing afterwards. I didn't even have the energy to keep up with her, so I resorted to keeping quiet not because I didn't know what to say but because I was willing to let this go. She glared at me and flipped her braids over her shoulders, walking away from me, muttering strings of insults under her breath.
I had my eyes fixed on her frame as she sashayed over to the black Bentley that was on the other side of the parking lot. The frown on my face grew potent as I watched her fling herself into the arms of a tall figure and those short black curls came into view, eliciting a mocking chuckle from me. Of course, they were just perfect for each other. He dropped a kiss on her lips and looked away from her, our eyes locking in the process.
Kiitan.
His lips twitched in a smirk as his eyes swept over my frame unabashedly, and then I watched him bite his lips and that made me cringe so hard, bile rising to my throat. My skin crawled with disgust and I couldn't hide how repulsed I was at him. The lust that glittered in his eyes had me flipping him off with my middle finger.
When his plaything noticed he wasn't staring at her anymore, her eyes drifted away from his frame, resting on mine and her face which looked like it was dipped in a bowl of foundation with the heavy makeup she had on, was scrunched in a deep frown as she sized me up with eyes, glaring at me. What she did was enough to leave my lips curling in amusement. She brought her hand to the back of his head, pulling him to herself and locked lips with him.
I rolled my eyes at how stupid they looked, averting my gaze away from them and on cue, my phone chimed in my hands. A message from him popped up on my screen. I looked up from my phone with a smile on my face, my wandering eyes anchoring on his frame that was just stepping out of his car.
His broad back graced my view and then, he shut the door spinning around to face me. I tried to control the large grin that was tugging at my lips but I couldn't and at some point, I gave up and felt it widen even more. He told me he had a presentation at school today, I knew that but I still wasn't prepared for the sight of his sexy ass self donning a black button-up shirt.
The crisp material felt like a second skin pressed firmly against his muscular frame. It was tucked in matching black slacks and I wasn't even going to lie, it was like the colour black was specifically made for him. The thought of other girls checking him out the way I was openly gawking at him felt like a hard pill to swallow because the guy ate and left no fucking crumbs.
How he managed to crawl into my personal space was what I didn't even understand. It's roughly been weeks since our paths crossed and things have changed so much since then. I never let anyone in this much. I sometimes keep them at arm's length and mostly cut them off before the whole thing spiralled out of control but with him, the thought of letting everything go and losing control didn't seem so bad.
I…wanted it.
Something was changing and I could feel it too. I didn't even want to let myself think about what it could mean, so instead, I did what I have always done, shut it out until I couldn't feel it niggling at me anymore.
"Hey," He spoke, his voice soothing and soft with affection, causing my lips to twitch in a complaisant smile. My heart skipped in its confines when his eyes lingered on me, my cheeks turning crimson at that action. I tucked my hair behind my ear, taking a step backwards to create a distance between me and the soft yet intense smell that oozed off him in waves.
"What took you so long? This is your department, not mine and I got here before you." I sassed, keeping my tone dry but I wasn't mad, I just wanted to put up a front and mess around with him a little and boy was it fun to see him all rattled.
"Crap, I am sorry…I was…I would have been here before you but Ola and Kamsi…wanted to go check something out and they needed me to accompany them…you know what? I am sorry." He exhaled, his shoulders sagging in defeat and then he chuckled when he realised that he was rambling. A teasing grin made its way to my face and I rolled my eyes.
"Come on, let's go," I told him, nudging my head in the direction of where I parked my bike. He nodded with a light smile on his face and we proceeded to leave. I was already a few steps ahead of him before I noticed that he wasn't following me.
I turned around slowly and saw him rooted to a spot. He stood frozen in his spot like a statue with his eyes fixated on something or rather, someone…I furrowed my brows at his stillness, surveying his unwavering gaze and when my eyes followed it, they zeroed in on a guy who was on a phone call.
He looked so frustrated as he raked his fingers through his black locks, his mouth was moving but I could barely make out what he was saying as he kept pacing around in circles. My eyes reverted to Khalil's frame and my brows drew together in confusion. What the hell was going on? Heck, that was a question I had no answer to. My feet developed a mind of their own and started moving towards him.
"Khalil?" I called out to him softly, once I got to him, taking a hold of his hand. Then his gaze faltered and he turned to me. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach, shock overwhelming me and I let him go, veering backwards without being shoved by anything. The look in his eyes threw me off balance. I didn't even see it coming. Those brown eyes that were full of life and warmth just now had darkened with rage.
They were so stormy.
It felt like I didn't know the guy that was standing in front of me and that realisation was like a hard jam in my guts. His eyes flamed up with fury, a sizzling rage brewing in them. His jaw was tightly locked, his hands balled into fists and an overwhelming fear filled every inch of my being, causing my heart to race so hard.
He legit look like he was on edge and I knew that just one tick would completely set him off. Engulfing everything into flames and burning it to the ground.
"Khalil?" I called, my voice barely audible.
And God, he snapped.
The ties that held his self-control together broke, his rage flooding. I didn't even know what was going on after that moment, everything became so blurry, my breath eluding me. One minute, he was with me, those terrific eyes boring into me and the next minute…he was a different person, charging towards the light-skinned boy with a speed of light that I could barely decipher.
His clenched fists collided with the face of the boy, which sent his phone flying out of his hands.
FUCK!
The screams of the students that were hanging around were what I heard next. The guy staggered backwards, his head swinging to the side and he wiped his bloody nose that looked broken, raising his hands in surrender.
He didn't even…he didn't even throw a punch back.
"Kha__"
"Keep my name out of your mouth, Horsfall!" He barked ferociously, the resonance of his voice was thick, dark and vengeful, spiking up my anxiety dangerously high.
I just stood there, utterly glued to my spot as nerves shot through me, rendering me so immobilised that I could barely move from where I stood. It took his friends running towards him, deafening yells emitting from them, for me to snap out of my dazed state and when I did, it felt like I was drenched in water that made my entire body freeze up as realisation dawned on me, hitting me so hard.
"Khalil!" I screamed, my voice breaking as I bolted towards him. He probably turned everything else off because he lunged at the body like he was his prey, tackling him to the ground, raining heavy blows on him and GOD, it got so fucking bloody! He grabbed him by his shirt, bashing his face with his fists. It felt like my whole being was shattering into pieces with each terrific sound the blows produced.
"Someone should separate them now!"
"He'll kill this guy!"
"What are you guys looking at?!"
"Khalil! Guy, stop! You are better than this! Khalil!" Kamsi fired, trying to pull him off the guy that probably didn't look like he was still breathing.
"Khalil, that's enough! You'll kill him!" Ola yelled and managed to get him off the guy on the floor. The light-skinned boy's face was bloody, and violent coughs emitted from him. My eyes were brimming with unshed tears, and my lungs tightened up, making it so hard for me to breathe.
"LET ME GO!" He bellowed, his eyes set dead on the weak boy that was on the floor, trying to pry his way out of Ola's tight grip.
"Khalil!" Kamsi called sternly. His tone was so sharp and had an edge to it. He freed himself from Ola's grip, which seems to have gotten lax, and then his eyes met mine and I watched them soften, absorbed with heart-wrenching guilt that had my lips quivering. My heart broke at the sight of him and the tears I was struggling to hold back suddenly spilt.
"This is not over, Horsfall. It's all your fault and if beating you up is the only way I get to remind you of that, so be it." He sneered, snatching his hands out of Ola's grip and he walked out on us, striding to his car and yanking the door open. The speed at which he drove out of the parking lot had me jumping out of my skin.
I turned to his friends, my eyes anchoring on Ola's stiff frame. Yes, he looked shaken up but there was something more fragile in his eyes, it clouded his entire features, leaving him so unsettled. it was unmistakable and I knew that look so well.
Fear.
My brows snapped together, my eyes examining him as I watched him, but then his eyes clashed with mine and I looked away before he caught me staring at him.
"Dunmade__" Kamsi tried to speak but I cut him off.
"I am fine," I said curtly.
"Just get the guy to a hospital or something," I told them and with that, I spun on my heels, my knees wobbling a little as I made my way to where I parked my bike with just one question ringing in my ears.
What the fuck was that?
A/N
Hehehehe😂😂😂
But fr, wasn't it Ola who said he had it all under control? Why is he scared na?😭😭 By the way, y'all should call an ambulance for Alvin, abeg.😂🤲 Make e no die. Na bad e bad, e no kill person.😂🤲
Bullets are just flying!
Is it just me or it feels like Shakira and Stefan are playing a dangerous game?😂 Toor, make everybody dey lie dey go. The past few chapters have been choked with so many lies. We no even sabi who dey talk truth again, oga o.😒
Omo, I don't want to stuff this author's note because laugh wan wound me like this!😂 Y'all should leave your thoughts in the comments section and don't forget to vote, comment and share. I really hope I am able to update by the weekend but if I don't, na nextweek be that.
Adiós ✨
Love, Didi!♥️