16

Two weeks came by pretty fast and I wasn't going to deny it. The semester was moving so well.

We finally had our interim assessment over these past two weeks, which means we could breathe for a while.

Darien and Cheryl became friends pretty quickly to my surprise.

After their banter on Darien's fame, they made up with an ice cream from the cafeteria and now they considered themselves friends.

Although I was happy to see Darien and my friends close, it hurted in a silly way every time he laughed with them.

Don't get me wrong I was ecstatic to have a fourth person in the group but I felt he should be with me only, mainly because of what we shared as kids.

My jealousy was getting the best of me and I shamelessly loved it.

Ever since I scrolled through his page on the gram, I haven't had the guts to ask him for the picture I really liked. Not because I was scared, but I felt things would be awkward if I did. So I've been trying to catch him with his phone elsewhere but I haven't had the chance lately.

What will I even use the picture for? I snickered at my thought.

I might have it framed or make it a big one and put in my room. I laughed lightly shaking my head.

Probably not. Someone may think I have a crush on him.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I raised my head from my laptop to see the person I was thinking about.

"Hey what's up?" I smiled at him and went back to my laptop.

I was starting a new feature and didn't want any distractions. I didn't want to procrastinate like the one I did some weeks ago.

"I've been looking for you all over campus and a little birdy told me I'd find you here." My mouth twitched at his words.

"And who's this little birdy?" I asked shutting down  my laptop to look at him.

"You'd be surprised." He smirked with so much mischief in his eyes.

"Oh don't even bother." I scrunched my face after connecting the dots.

He laughed running his hands through his curls.

"It's not that bad though." He laughed louder at my face which looked utterly disgusted.

"It's true. I'd die to have people fantasizing me".

"Gross." I gagged and he scooted his chair a bit closer to me.

"Come to think of it, you know a lot of girls do daydream about you a lot. It's getting kinda disgusting lately believe me."

I thought he'd wince at my remarks but he shrugged.

"I'm used to it."

He smirked and slurped on my drink. My hands reached out to take it from him but he turned and slurped on it harder.

"That's not yours." I scolded trying to get over his broad back.

He got up running away with my laptop in hand leaving me no choice but to take my bag and run after him.

"Darien, if you don't give it back I'm gonna whoop your ass." He guffawed at my words running faster.

At this point, I was panting and sweating profusely running around campus for my drink and my laptop but specifically the drink.

A lot of people on campus knew I didn't play with my food and now he was going to get it from me.

I stopped when I couldn't find my breath and looked around but couldn't find him. I groaned and run to our school park.

He was there talking to a girl with my drink in his mouth. I walked quietly, slowly behind him and smacked him on his butt.

"Ouch!" He winced and received another for making me run so hard.

"Shit K, when you said that I didn't think you were serious." He moaned in pain receiving a hard glare from me. I turned to the lady he was talking to, to see her already gone.

"Oh no did I ruin that for you?" I said gesturing to the lady who had already left.

"I wish." He murmured, loudly enough for me to hear.

"And why is that, I mean anyone would love to go out with you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah why not." He sighed and took my bag as we walked towards the parking lot.

"They all want me for the money and fame. I want someone who overlooks that and want me for who I am.

Last year, my parents and I were invited to this function and I mistakenly got drunk. The next day, I woke up with a huge hangover and a girl on my bed who honestly wasn't my type.

Would you believe me if I told you she came back after a month to tell me she was pregnant?" I gasped at his words.

"But fortunately for me, my father helped into getting a pregnancy and paternity test. She was pregnant for another and wanted to frame me."

"Whoa!" was all I could say. I mean can someone stoop so low just for that?

I shook my head and smiled, "Your life is basically drama but we are glad you are father free." He chuckled taking my hand in his.

"Since then, I'm so conscious of what I take in when I go out." He added swaying our hands.

"You know funny enough I used to fear that I'd be alone all the days of my life. That I wouldn't get to have someone beside me, someone I'd love wholeheartedly.

I used to think it will get to a time, I'd have to marry for children only because all the women after me want me not because they sincerely love me, but because I'm the sole heir to Walls properties." Darien spoke breaking the silence with a distant look in his eyes.

"But now I don't need that you know why?" I shook my head at his question.

"I have someone now and I think-no I know I love that person." I grinned and clapped my hands, so happy that he wouldn't be burdened by love.

"That's the spirit, make sure I get an invitation to the wedding, I want the first seat, I mean after your parents." He chuckled stopping us infront of his car.

"Trust me, you'd be the first person to get an invitation." I grinned hard so happy for him.

He deserved it, I knew he's had a tough life these past few years but, I didn't want to pry.

We got into the car and I performed my designated role by picking a song for us to sing to.

"Do you mind if we stayed at my place for a while, I was thinking we still had time since it's only afternoon."

"On one condition." I smirked finally having the nerves to ask him.

"Name it." he said waiting for my response but I couldn't say it.

My brain stopped functioning for a second and, my lips kept on opening and closing not knowing how to even start the sentence.

I couldn't start with, can I have your pictures or hey I went through your page and you looked really good in this picture I like so much so can I have it?That would sound weird.

You are the one making this weird, my subconscious teased making me shy.

"Earth to K." I snapped out of my thoughts looking at him.

"You know what, let's forget it. It's silly." I gave him a small smile trying to convince him.

I might get a chance to do that at his house. I took out my laptop from my bag and took of where I left with the feature.

"Hey." he called leaving me no choice but to look at him.

"What did you want?" I shook my head insisting that it was nothing but he kept on pushing.

"It's nothing really oh and thanks for blessing me with another tons of followers." He shrugged and focused on getting us to his house.

"And thank you too for liking almost all of my pictures." I smiled and gave him a shrug.

"Who knew you would be this handsome." I chortled.

"Are you saying I'm ugly?" He feigned hurt with his right hand on his chest. I rolled my eyes at his silliness.

"I didn't mean it that way you know that." I grinned and he gasped more, his level of exaggeration making me chortle again.

"Then what did you mean?" He faked a whimper looking at me as if he was hurt but I knew better.

I bit my lips from laughing, "You've bloomed out pretty well I'll give you that, what I meant was the photos looked really good and brought out some of your...features so well." He stared at me bemused.

I took out my phone and typed in his name going through his page again. He took out his keys after stopping the car infront of his house.

"Ain't we going inside?" I asked confused as to why he stopped infront of the gate.

"Something is off, my car is supposed to respond to the gate but it's not opening. Anyways, you were saying?" I showed him his pictures.

"Look at this, your eyes came out perfectly well." I went on to his teeth, brows and other unnoticeable things you wouldn't see from a mere mirror.

"Now look at yourself in the mirror, do you look the same there?" I asked and he shook his head smiling.

"Should I send them to you?" He asked nonchalantly.

"That is if you want it, it's no big deal I was just asking, you know what it's silly I-" We both chuckled at his rant.

"Mmm one will do."

"Which one" he licked his lips putting his phone in my hands. We went through his pictures and I selected the one-okay six I wanted.

"This is also my favorite. I wasn't groomed and my hair looked natural." He ran his hands through his curls again.

"Where was this taken?" I asked airdropping the pictures to my phone.

"Just outside my dad's company, I went for a surprise visit." He laughed reminiscing that day.

"He dared me, I'd never entered his building in anything casual so I went there in my sweats when I was bored at home and one photographer took it." I smiled looking at the picture.

"Come on let's go inside." I packed my laptop and got out.

"What about your car?"

"Louis will come for it." He said.

I followed him with no idea of who Louis was. We entered greeting the man behind the gates and groaned when I looked at the distance between the gate and the house.

The place was nice, really nice with scented colorful flowers showing off the mansion on the slight hill. He took my hand in his and we walked chatting nonchalantly.

We got to the door and he opened it ready to give me a tour but an elderly man appeared with a huge frown on his face.

"Louis." Darien called him and he paled.

"Louis, the gate is not working can you please get my car in for me?" He asked politely.

"And this is Keturah, K meet Louis." I waved at the man but he stood there immobile with his face still pale.

"Is everything alright?" Darien took Louis' hand bringing the man's mind back to us.

"I uh Mr. Walls you're here early." Louis opened his mouth to speak but didn't get the chance when we heard people yelling in the house.

I looked at Darien and for the first time, saw a lot of  emotions running through his eyes. He looked back at Louis with pain, hurt and fear in his eyes with his legs rooted to the ground.

His grip on my hand tightened pulling me further into the house.

Louis was behind us telling Darien he can't go in there but he held my hand tighter, with his jaw clenching hard and painfully.

I wanted to ask him what was going on but I was scared, I hadn't seen him like this before.

With his long legs, we got there faster but I wish I didn't. I wasn't supposed to be here, it looked like a small family gathering.

"Look who's here after so many years?" He yelled causing his parents and the woman beside them to stop talking.

The woman gasped with relief looking at Darien but he growled with disgust all over his face.

"Mother."