I was frozen, my eyes wide with wonder, my breath caught in my throat.
The kiss had left me speechless, and Damola's question, "Friends?" hung in the air, unanswered.
Damola's gaze pierced mine, searching for a response.
"How did it feel?" he asked, his voice low and gentle. I remained mute, my mind reeling from the intensity of the moment.
Damola's hands cradled mine, his touch sending shivers down my spine.
"You feel it too, right?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with hope.
My heart skipped a beat. Was this really happening? My crush, the one person I'd been drawn to from the start, felt the same way? I managed a nod, a smile spreading across my face as I struggled to process the surreal moment.
I was lost for words, and Damola's question, "Friends?" hung in the air. He asked again, "How did it feel?" and I remained speechless. Damola's eyes sparkled with amusement as he caressed my hands.
"You feel it too, right?" he asked, and I managed a nod and a smile.
Damola's next question caught me off guard.
"You ready for it now?" he asked, and I replied, "Ready for what?" He chuckled and said, "The stuff that happens between two people who like each other.
" I was taken aback, thinking he was suggesting something more intimate. "What, no!" I exclaimed, and Damola burst out laughing.
I was taken aback by Damola's suggestion, my mind racing with indignation. How could he think I'd be ready for something so intimate after just one kiss? I thought to myself, "Is he for real?"
"Babe, what's going on in that head of yours?" he asked, chuckling.
I scratched my head, feeling a bit silly. "I don't know, what did you mean?" I asked, trying to play it cool.
Damola's laughter subsided, and he looked at me with a mischievous grin. "A relationship, Sandra! A relationship," he said, chuckling again.
I rolled my eyes, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Oh," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Damola's laughter was infectious, and soon we were both cracking up, the tension between us dissipating. It was as if nothing had happened, and we were back to our usual banter.
As we sat on the floor, Damola shared stories about trying to get my attention. My stomach growled loudly, and we both laughed.
"You've got a beast of an appetite, princess," Damola teased. I nodded, covering my face with my hands.
"You haven't had lunch, have you?" he asked, concern etched in his voice. I let out a deep sigh, dropping my hands.
"And breakfast," I admitted, closing my eyes in anticipation of his reaction.
Damola's voice rose in alarm. "What?! Are you insane?!" I knew he was going to scold me.
"Are you fasting or something?" he asked, his tone incredulous. I almost laughed at the absurdity of the question.
"No," I replied, trying to stifle a grin. "Are you on a hunger strike?" he asked, his voice laced with sarcasm. I couldn't help but laugh this time.
Damola's expression turned serious. "Stop laughing, it's annoying," he said, his voice firm but gentle. I composed myself, letting out a sigh. "It's been a tough day, okay?" I explained.
"I was about to eat lunch, but then I found my phone and saw all the calls you'd left." Damola's eyes narrowed.
"So I'm the reason you haven't eaten?" he asked, his hands dropping from my shoulders. I hesitated, about to reveal the real reason for my skipped meals.
Damola scolded me for skipping breakfast and lunch, and I explained that I had a rough day.
"What are you still doing here?" the other sales boy asked, eyeing us as we sat on the floor chatting. "The boss will be back soon, so you'd better get up and bring out the phones," he said before hurrying off. I stood up, dusting myself off.
"I'm so sorry," I apologized, picking up my bag. "What for?" Damola asked, chuckling and he took my hands in his.
"You've always been my distraction, princess," he said, his eyes locked on mine.
"Even when you're not around, you're still on my mind." He leaned in close, his breath whispering against my ear.
"I love you," he whispered. I felt my knees weaken, my heart soaring.
Love? Damola loves me? This beautiful, charming guy loves me?
Damola's smirk told me he knew exactly what he was doing. He took my left hand, leading me out of the storeroom.
"Wait here," he said, guiding me to a chair behind the counter in the phone store.
Just then, one of the sales boys, Ebuka, approached me, flirting shamelessly, stealing glances at me and giving inappropriate smirks. I ignored him, but he persisted.
"You're playing hard to get, aren't you?" Ebuka said, his tone laced with irritation. "You're just another one of his conquests" he added, his words dripping with disdain, clearly upset that I had been ignoring him.
Damola intervened, and Ebuka's boss reprimanded him for his behavior.
Damola offered me food and we sat down to eat. As we ate, Ebuka apologized for his earlier behavior, and Damola revealed that Ebuka had a history of flirting with female customers.
Throughout the conversation, Damola's affection for me was evident. He had confessed his love, and I was still reeling from the revelation. As we finished our meal, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for us, but I was taken aback by what Ebuka had said.
James sat in his dimly lit room, his eyes fixed on a photo of Sandra on his nightstand. He couldn't help but feel a pang of possessiveness wash over him. He was deeply in love with her, and the thought of anyone else being with her made his blood boil.
Damola's face flashed in his mind, and James's jaw clenched. He had plans for him, plans that would ensure he stayed away from Sandra for good. A sly smile spread across James's face as he thought about the ways he could sabotage Damola's chances with Sandra.
"I'll do whatever it takes to keep her mine," James whispered to himself, his eyes gleaming with determination. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was willing to do whatever it took to make Sandra his.