Hello, there. Before you start reading, tell me how your day has been going.❤️

~DABI~

Mama Acha stared at me and realization seemed to dawn on her, and she stepped back. Once. Twice. Three times. And took in a deep breath.

"You're not doing it on purpose, are you?" She asked, her eyes suddenly softened on me.

Doing what?

"Or, are you?" She raised a concerned brow, a very concerned brow, and her voice came softer with her next words, "Dabeluchi, are you okay?"

There was a sharp, striking pain that hit the side of my brain, nearly bursting the vein open with a splitting migraine, and I screamed out in pain.

The door slammed open immediately, but that was all I could note from my immediate surrounding, because the entire time, there was a screeching in my head that threatened to end me, and as that splitting, unbearable headache hit me with the force of a dagger.

I pressed my hands to my head like it was going to do much to stop the aching and there were hands all over me, and muffled voices, saying something my brain couldn't decode.

All the way, it's like I could see different flashes of things that didn't make much sense to me. Blood, fire, scissors, noting that made particular sense to me in context, and as each one came, it felt like  my head was splitting more and more in half, and it was beyond excruciating.

But it all happened in a second.

Or at least, that was what it felt like. One second was all it took, and like a magical spell was cast upon me, everything seized - The screeching, the aching in my head, everything.

And when I opened my eyes, Mama Acha wasn't even in the room.

It was just Marcus Acha.

It was just Marcus?

I suddenly was unsure of what the hell had actually been going on this morning. Starting from when I stained myself, the bed, and till when Mama Acha had helped me, and had that strange conversation with me about my Mum after I called Mum, I couldn't even decipher if that was real or not.... I wasn't sure.

However, I could still feel my cramps, and I was sure that I was wearing pads...

So, it probably wasn't all in my head, right?

"Hey, are you okay?" Marcus alerted me to him once more, and I turned to him, confused to hell as to how the hell he got here and what was really going on.

He was already quarter-dressed for School; Wearing a black Men's tank top with his school trousers and his feet were covered with black socks and some black croc slippers, and he sat comfortably, elbows resting on his knees as he crouched slightly, staring into my ears with brown, kind and concerned eyes.

I was so confused.

So many things seemed off about this morning already, and I didn't know how to even start to understand what was going on.

"Where's your Mum?" I asked him first, "She was just here, wasn't she?"

He looked confused. The furrowing of his eyebrows were enough to make me tell.

"No, she wasn't," He answered me, "She's been downstairs, making breakfast all morning. For us."

I looked at him.

"Don't shit me." I warned him.

"My Mum's been making breakfast all morning," He repeated, looked at me without wavering, an almost creepy steady look in his eyes as he seemed to monitor mine closely, "Are you confused, Aurora?"

I stared at him for a little longer and when neither of us said more for a while..

I just sighed.

I sighed tiredly.

"I'm sorry, I think I just have a headache," I started to massage my temples, wrapping my head around what Marcus was telling me.

"It's okay, though," Marcus waved it off with a smile, "After she left the room just seconds ago, she asked me to take care of you for a while."

"I'm fine, I promise, I-" I paused. Froze. Looked back up slowly to him like he was crazy, and my forehead creased in confusion, "What?" I looked at Marcus, stared right back at him the way he was moping at me, "What did you just say?"

He stared at me, looked like he had been asked a riddle.

"I thought you said your Mum has been making breakfast all morning, so how did she leave just a few seconds ago?" I questioned him.

"What?" He frowned in more confusion, shook his head, "That's not what I said."

"Then, what did you say?" I fired back.

"Aurora, I just asked if you were okay, that's all," He swore. He sincerely looked at me so I knew he wasn't lying.

But..

Ehh?

"And where is all these talk about Breakfast and my Mum coming from? Who gave you that idea? My mum doesn't even cook," He said to me. He laughed about it actually.

"But you're the one who said she was making breakfast all morning," I defended myself, "I didn't come up with the idea. That's what you told me."

"Yes, Aurora, and that's exactly what she's been up to all morning," He spoke softly, held my arm gently, and looked at me, "Relax, soon, she'll be done with breakfast, and we'll eat and be gone to School, okay?"

I had no idea what the fuck was going on.

"Okay." Was all I said, and Marcus held me in a warm, gentle embrace.

I remembered Mum and how she always had it at my throat to always take my anti-psychotics, and Lord knows, something was definitely off about this morning, but I couldn't pin my finger on it. 

However, staying there in Marc's arms had a way of calming me down. I mean, as cliché as it was to say it over and over, the fact was that this boy's presence was so wholesome to me, and he knew so well how to take away such a large weight of burden away from me. So, I stayed in his arms..

Until the door opened to reveal Mama Acha walking in on us.

"Oh, hey kids!" She sounded cheerful and random as she burst through the door, holding up something that looked like female Castron High Uniforms in a hanger.

She stopped short, noticing me and Marcus in each others arms, and her eyes lit up, practically glinted in amusement at the both of us, as she tossed the uniforms right on the bed we were sitting on. 

"Mad oo!" She chanted, "So, I just left you kids for how many seconds and you're already cuddling like this, ehh!" Marcus was already laughing at his Mum's wits and the woman mock scolded the both of us, "C'mon, will the two of you stand up from there! Do you know what the time is that you're still sitting around here and doing Love In Tokyo!"

Marcus was laughing, but he stood up with his Mum's orders, although looking like he wanted to protest.

"You're the one that asked me to make sure she was okay naw," He said.

"Oya, I can see she's fine, be going, uncu!" She pulled him away from my side, "Dabi, you're good now, abi?" She asked me.

"I think so," I shrugged. I honestly wasn't even sure.

"Good, now leave her alone, so she can dress up in peace," She drove Marcus out of the room.

I wanted to ask a lot of questions.

"Thanks for the uniforms," I grabbed them slowly, looked over them, "Whose are they?"

Mama Acha closed the door behind her, instead of leaving.

"It belongs to my oldest child and only daughter," She answered me, her voice was softer and filled with more meaningfulness,  "She used to go to Castron High, years back before Marcus could even spell his name."

That made me laugh.

"Oh." I responded, "That's cool."

"Yeah," She nodded, seemed to smile at some memories, "And she was about your size, so it should size you really well, you know."

"Thanks," I smiled.

Mama Acha nodded briefly, and looked away from me, a bit too quickly, a bit too wistfully, muttered something I didn't hear and made her way out.

"How is breakfast going?" I asked behind her.

She stopped walking, turned around and looked at me like she wasn't following, cocked her head slightly to the side, "Excuse me?"

"Breakfast," I repeated, "Marc told me you were making breakfast."

Mama Acha smiled, sort of laughed and shook her head at what I said.

"I don't cook, sweetheart," She winked at me, got her hands on the door knob, and sassed with style before leaving, "Tell that boyfriend of yours to stop spreading fallacies."

************

I wasn't sure what I felt about the uniforms Mama Acha gave me.

The shirt was much tighter than mine, and it was like I was literally been compressed by it. Worst still, it brought out the entire contours of my skinny frame, I was certain that everyone and anyone would be able to see my ribs through this shirt

And the skirt was too short, hanging well above my knee, and it felt extremely uncomfortable to even look at myself wearing this. I mean, just look at how pronounced my skinny legs are in this. My classmates would turn me into a laughing stock.

"Everyone in School will think I've lost my mind," I muttered to myself, as I looked at the mirror, and couldn't stop staring at a reflection of myself that didn't look like myself.

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

"The driver is still waiting downstairs though, but no pressure, love, take your time," Someone spoke, and I was reminded that Marcus had been in here, since the past thirty minutes that I had finished dressing up and was staring at this rubbish.

He had been waiting for me.

Marcus looked even more handsome this morning, with his skin glowing a bronze, gold beautiful colour under the candle lights of the room. His eyes,  lighting up with a brighter glint, and his full pink lips, curved into a smirk as he watched my little mental lashing session; He was already fully dressed in his complete school uniform - White long sleeved shirt, sangria red trousers, a well knotted tie, and the School's red blazer.

He looked good.

Very good.

In my opinion, he would have looked more 'school proper' if it weren't for the black socks I could clearly see he was wearing - something that was clearly breaking the uniform rule -  and instead of the regular men's shoes that most of our school scholars would rather come to School with, Marcus preferred to rock this neat, new-looking, black Nike shoes. I didn't know much about guys shoes, but I was certain that was the lastest kind and I was aware of it's ridiculously outrageous price.

And with a charming, yet considerate and calming smile on his face, along with that familiar glint in his brown eyes, he looked me up and down, from head to toe, seemingly decoding the cause of my problem.

"I assume that you don't like the look of my sister's uniform on you," He grabbed the gist quickly.

Not one bit.

The look on my face said it all, and he got his answer.

"I mean, I'm sure it looked great on her," I tried to sugar coat my words, "But, I'm not feeling it on me."

He smiled calmly at me, nodded in understanding.

"I grab," He sort of laughed softly under his breath, gave me one brief overall look, and folded his arms and I tried to ignore the way that simple action caused the muscles on his arms to bulge through the sleeves so I could focus on the matter at hand, "But would you like to hear my own opinion, Aurora?" He asked.

I swallowed, folded my arms too, and became nervous, "Go on."

"Of course, I won't force you to wear what you don't want to wear and all," He started, "But believe me when I tell you, you look absolutely gorgeous in that, and I think everyone else in school would think same."

I stared at myself in the mirror one more time to see if I would be convinced into thinking same, but...

"No," I shook my head, turned my body around to look at Marcus, "Mm hm, no."

"I would love to advice you to skip school today," Marc was saying,"Especially since my Mum kept saying that a girl in your situation deserves to be excused with at least a  few days holiday-"

He was talking about the fact that I was on my period.

And in a nutshell, his Mum believes that menstrual cramps should be a valid enough reason for a girl to get a day off.

So, he knew I was on my period all along?

"-But, unfortunately, Class C has Math today, and there's speculation going around in the Class group chat that Stoneface wants to do a pop-up test in your Class today," Marc finished, and I had a whip lash.

"Fuck that man!" I groaned in frustration.

Really? Pop-Up Math Test? Who does that!? Stupid man! Stupid, good for nothing, bratty, rubbish, pathetic, annoying-

"Hey," Marcus cut me off laughing at my sudden anger, "Hey, it's just a rumour, okay? No one knows if it's actually going to happen, Aurora, so chill and don't stress it. Skip if you want, nothing will happen."

"I really don't want to be forced to School, but if there's rumour about Math Test, then I'm going. Everyone knows how wicked that man can get, and my grades are already crying out in agony, I can't make it worse," I admitted to him.

"Your grades?" He raised a brow, "I can help with that."

"Says the guy whose advising me to skip my test. No thanks, I'll pass." I sucked my teeth at him and turned back to the mirror to try to adjust this damned uniform to my taste.

Marcus laughed. He really, really laughed. But that was it. He didn't argue with me.

Meanwhile, I was almost in tears at the hopelessness of this uniform.

"If you insist you have to go, you can just manage the uniform for today," Marc suggested, "After School, I could visit to the School Store and help get uniforms you'd like better for you. And don't worry, you don't have to be there. I can send pictures or something to you, is that okay?"

I thought about it for a second.

"Yeah," I nodded quietly, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," He said back, "You keep forgetting that I can and will do anything for you, Aurora."

"Then, godmother, please make me like myself in this uniform," I sassed him.

He laughed again, "I really don't understand why you hate it so much though. I don't grab."

I gave myself one thorough look in the mirror before deciding to break it down to him in details.

"I look like a mop stick in this," I started, "My hair is all over the place, and my head is too big."

Marcus' smile left his face immediately.

"And my arms and legs look like a single string of thread," I continued, "I can bet your whole hand can fit around my body, and my ribs are showing through this dress."

Let's not even start on how dead my eyes looked.

Marcus said nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. He just kept staring at me in utter disbelief for a long, long time.

"Yeah." I muttered in disappointment of his silence, "Of course, you don't have anything to say."

I turned around to look away from him, but was shocked when I felt a frame towering behind me and strong, yet tender loving arms, wrapping around me from behind, literally holding my entire frame into him in an embrace.

I stayed quiet. Let Marcus hold me, but didn't hold back. And that warm and loving gesture was closely bringing tears to my eyes.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly.

"I'm not quiet because I don't have anything to say," I heard Marcus voice behind me, I felt the vibration run through my body through him as he spoke so closely to my neck and it was all my entire system needed to dysfunction.

It was all it needed.

"I'm quiet because I have a lot to say, and believe me, I don't even know where to start," He confessed.

He was so close to me. This way. Being close to me this way was too much for me to take in. It was too much to handle. I wasn't sure I could handle it.

"But, Aurora," He whispered, "Words are overrated."

I swallowed, involuntarily brought my hands up to rest them gently on his arm around me.

"No matter what I say, if you don't believe it yourself, it may not mean too much," He said to me.

My senses are heightened, and it was like I seemed like I was feeling everything ten times more than I should. Every. Single. Thing.

He breathed so close to my neck and it seemed like it resonated through me, into me, and spread out through out my body like a wild fire. He held onto me, but my body felt detached, but in a good way. Every single thing that was happening right now was wrecking my system beyond repair. Every single thing. Every word he spoke to me hit in ways I couldn't explain. Every single word.

No. I believed he was wrong. Words were powerful.

And I was speaking from experience. Including right now.

He touched the band on my wrists and my breathing stopped for a while.

"You are nothing that you think you are, Aurora," Marcus whispered to me.

Immediately, the door burst open and Marcus and I, with the speed of light, jumped away from each other's arms on seeing Mama Acha.

"Chineke nna me! O gburu kwa ngini bu iha kwanu! What is all these!"

Too late. I think she already saw what we were doing.

And Jesus, that Igbo sounded STRONG!

"You people are here romancing when the driver has been waiting for the past one hour? You don't want to go to School today or what? Lekwa umu aka aa oo! See these children, my God!" 

Marcus was already laughing his head off and I wasn't, because his Mum looked very serious. It was only for a moment that I saw that tiny smile forming at her lips, that I was able to crack the tiniest laughter ever.

"Oya, see I've closed my eyes," She shut her eyes dramatically hard and moved from the door, "By the count of five, I don't want to see any of you here; One, two!"

We were probably going to stay there in that room and die of laughter if Marcus didn't hold my hand and pull me out himself.

Together, we ran down the stairs and out from the living room into the main compound to get into the car before his Mum had our head on a platter. And Mama Acha, being the woman full off goodness and courtesy, insisted that for my sake, she would make herself comfortable by the passengers seat and she would follow us, or me, to School.

It felt like my first day of Primary School.

And seeing just how far she was going to make me comfortable, acting as though nothing had happened between us during that phone call with my mother, it almost started to feel like....

It never happened?

I was so confused. I couldn't tell what really happened and what didn't. I couldn't even tell what was real and what was not this morning. Everything made sense, but didn't, at the same time.

However, all the way through the ride that I didn't even concentrate on, there was still one thing that plagued my mind. One person I couldn't stop thinking about.

"Can I see your phone?" I whispered to Marcus who sat with me at the back seat of the car.

"Sure," He quipped, easily passing his phone to me without a stress.

"Thank you," I whispered back, cleared my throat when his Mum had turned back to look at us, clearly picking up the noise from out little conversation.

The first thing I did with his phone was to check the class group chat. My goal was to see if there was any certain kind of news, any kind of news that may perhaps have to do with me.

I figured that if the news about what I did had already escalated, considering how prominent a business man my father was, it probably should have been everywhere on the