The moment Daniel slid into the seat across from Ada, the world outside the café seemed to fade away. The distant chatter of customers, the clink of cups, and the hum of traffic on the streets of Lagos—none of it mattered. All that existed in that moment was the man sitting in front of her, the one she had once shared so much with, now a stranger in her eyes.
"How have you been, Ada?" His voice was warm, but there was an undercurrent of something she couldn't place. The confident, polished man in front of her was so different from the carefree boy she remembered.
"I've been good," Ada replied, forcing a smile. "Busy, you know, life and all that." She took a slow sip of her coffee, trying to keep her voice steady.
Daniel studied her for a moment, his dark eyes scanning her face, searching for something. Ada could feel the weight of his gaze, but she kept her expression neutral. What was he thinking? What had he become in those years apart?
"I heard you've been working at that restaurant. The one on Victoria Island?" He leaned back in his seat, his fingers tapping lightly on the edge of his cup.
Ada nodded. "Yeah, it's been... a dream come true, honestly." She smiled, but it felt like a mask. She wanted to ask about his life, his success, but the words didn't come. Something in her stomach tightened at the thought of him being so far removed from the person she once knew.
There was a pause, a silence that stretched longer than either of them was comfortable with. Then, finally, Daniel spoke again, his voice quieter this time.
"You know, I've thought about you a lot over the years," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "Not just because of everything that happened, but because of the kind of person you were. I think I always knew you had something special."
Ada's heart skipped a beat. The past—the years of friendship, the moments they had shared—flooded her mind in an overwhelming rush. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him until now, how much those words from him meant.
But there was something off about the way he said it. Something unfinished.
"And what happened after we lost touch?" she asked, her voice laced with the curiosity she could no longer suppress. "What's been going on with you, Daniel? Why come back now?"
Daniel shifted in his seat, his smile faltering for just a second. "I guess you could say I came back to... find closure." His eyes dropped to his coffee cup, his fingers tightening around it. "There's a lot I didn't tell you before. A lot I've kept hidden."
Ada's breath caught. She leaned forward slightly, her pulse quickening. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"
He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked away, his gaze drifting out the window, as if the answer he was searching for was beyond the glass. For a long moment, there was silence—heavy, thick, filled with unspoken words.
Ada's mind raced. What had he been hiding? What was this secret he couldn't bring himself to share?
Then, just as she was about to speak again, a young man entered the café. He was wearing a worn jacket, his face marked by the stress of the city. He glanced around, eyes landing on their table, and for a brief second, their gazes locked.
Ada felt an unfamiliar chill. There was something unsettling about the way he looked at her—like he knew something, like he was waiting for something to happen.
But before she could react, the man quickly turned away and left the café, disappearing into the crowd outside.
Daniel's expression had hardened, and he seemed to shrink back into himself. "I should go," he said, standing abruptly. "There's something I need to take care of."
Ada was stunned. "Wait, Daniel—" But he was already walking toward the door.
Just as he reached the threshold, he paused, his back to her. "I'll explain everything soon, I promise. But for now, just know that there's more to the story. More than you ever knew."
With that, he was gone, leaving Ada sitting in the quiet aftermath of the conversation. She could still feel the weight of his words, still see the glint of something unreadable in his eyes.
Closure.
But Ada couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else—something dark and hidden beneath the surface.
And she would find out what it was, no matter what it took.