Miguel held Star tightly as they walked through the wide compound toward the garage. The cool morning breeze whispered across her skin, yet all she could feel was the warmth of his hand wrapped securely around hers.
The compound was large, much larger than Chike's family home, which she used to think was impressive. But this... this felt like something out of a dream. The driveway stretched elegantly, bordered by sculpted shrubs and trees that framed the polished concrete like royalty flanked by their guards.
They reached the garage, and Star's eyes widened in wonder. A fleet of cars. Sleek, modern, luxurious, each one in pristine condition, painted in a kaleidoscope of rich colours. Her breath caught in her throat.
"Miguel... all these cars?" she whispered, barely believing what she saw.
He didn't answer. He just smiled, gently tugging her toward the last car parked beneath a shadowed corner of the garage.
It was a black Toyota Camry, regal and modern, and unlike the others, it was beautifully adorned with satin red ribbons that shimmered slightly in the sunlight filtering through the garage windows.
Miguel stopped in front of it and faced her. Holding both her hands now, his eyes searched hers.
"Happy birthday, my love," he said, placing a small key into her hand. Star froze, hoping it's not a dream.
For a moment, everything around her faded, the cars, the air, the sounds. Just the key, the man, and the heart beating wildly in her chest.
She opened her mouth, but words failed her. A silent gasp escaped her lips, and tears welled up in her eyes. It was too much. No one had ever given her something this significant.
The last time she witnessed someone receiving a car as a birthday gift, it was in her SS2 class. Purple had burst into the compound, beaming, as her father handed her the keys to a cherry-red SUV. Star remembered how Purple screamed in joy, how she hugged her father so tightly, and couldn't eat that night from the excitement. The next day, Purple threw a lavish party for her rich friends, complete with fireworks, cocktails, and a live DJ.
Back then, Star had silently sat in a corner, smiling politely, trying to be happy for her sister while wishing, just once, someone would make her feel that special.
"Star, you don't have a car yet, but learn how to drive. It's a skill", Chike had said to Star.
Star swallowed hard, her thoughts shifting to her stepdad. Although Purple has a driver, Chike enrolled her in a driving school on weekends. Chike also enrolled her in driving school years ago during one of the holidays.
"You may not own a car yet, but driving is a skill every lady should have," he had said to her a day before she began her driving lesson, but little did she know she would be a car owner someday.
She had learned diligently, never once imagining she'd one day have a car to call her own.
Still wordless, she looked at Miguel, her lips trembling. Overwhelmed with emotion, she stepped forward and threw herself into his arms.
He held her close, his hand stroking her back as her silent tears soaked into his shirt.
"It's okay," he whispered gently, pressing a kiss into her hair. "You deserve this. Now get in, you've mentioned that you can drive, and I want to watch you drive it."
She laughed through the tears, brushing her cheeks and nodding. With trembling fingers, she opened the door, slid into the driver's seat, and inserted the key.
The engine roared to life.
Slowly, carefully, she drove the car around the compound in a wide circle. Every inch, every turn felt surreal. Her smile stretched wide as excess joy pumped through her chest. Even the day she got her scholarship, she hadn't felt this joyful; her mother's death had stolen that happiness.
But today? Today was hers, pure, undiluted happiness, with no black shadows. No grief. Just her, her man, and this moment. She parked the car and rushed back to Miguel, practically leaping into his arms again.
"Thank you," she whispered, resting her head against his strong chest. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome, my love," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. "Anything for the mother of my future children."
Hearing that, she pulled back and lightly hit his shoulder, blushing. "Stop it!" she said, feigning annoyance.
But he just laughed and caught her hand, raising it to his lips.
Miguel led her inside the house, up the stairs, and down a corridor, his hands gently dragging her, as her eyes were covered with a silk ribbon.
"You better not let me trip," Star joked, nervously laughing as she took slow, cautious steps.
"I got you. Just trust me," he whispered into her ear.
He opened the door to his room and guided her in, still holding her tightly.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Please take this thing off before I go blind," she pleaded.
He chuckled. "Alright. One... two... go."
He untied the ribbon. Her vision adjusted slowly, and then she saw it.
Hanging on the wall was a life-size portrait of her, rendered in charcoal and pastels. The softness of her eyes, the curves of her lips, even the strands of her hair, it was stunning. She looked ethereal.
Star stepped closer, speechless.
"Wow," she whispered. "This... this is me?"
"I'm glad you love it," he said.
"You drew this?" she turned to him, eyes wide.
Miguel nodded. "Yeah. I've been drawing since I was a child, cups, tables, comic stuff. But I didn't draw people. Not until... not until my mom died."
His voice grew quiet.
"She died when I was twelve. I was shattered. Every night, I cried myself to sleep. I thought if I could just draw her perfectly, if I could capture her face, I might bring her back. Like magic. I was just a kid with a broken heart."
Star looked toward the second frame he was pointing at, an older, black-and-white sketch of a woman with kind eyes.
"I see her in my dreams sometimes," he continued.
"But drawing her gave me comfort. I stopped after that. I didn't want to feel that kind of pain again. My dad encouraged me to keep going, to even study visual arts, but I chose Mass Communication instead. I thought the pain had killed the passion forever."
He looked back at Star, eyes full of quiet strength.
"Then I met you."
Star's chest tightened.
"You brought colour back into my world, Star. You made me open that dusty old box of art supplies. Most of it was ruined with time, but I bought new ones... and I knew exactly what I wanted to draw."
"My dad saw the finished piece when he got back from a trip. He loved it."
"He did?" Star asked, stunned.
Miguel nodded. "He even said I should take a one-year visual arts course in the States after I graduate."
"You should!" she said, eyes lighting up.
"I will. For you. For me. For her. I want to create again."
Star stepped into his arms, overwhelmed again.
"Thank you for sharing this with me," she said softly.
"I also told him about you," Miguel added, a sly smile creeping in.
"What about me?"
"That I plan to marry you after graduation."
Star's mouth dropped open. "You're serious?"
He grinned. "Very. He was thrilled. He said he can't wait to meet you properly... and also mentioned he wants a grandchild soon."
"Ewo! Miguel, leave me oo! I need to do my master's degree first!" she laughed, trying to hide her blush.
"You can do both," he argued. "We'll raise the baby together, and I'll sponsor your master's when you're ready."
"I don't need your sponsorship," she said proudly.
"The school sponsors five top students to Cambridge University, to further their Master's, if they get a 5.0 Grade Point Average."
Miguel raised his eyebrows. "You think you'll cut?"
"I know I will," she said confidently.
"We'll see. Just don't get cocky."
She turned back to the portrait, smiling.
"Am I really this beautiful?"
He stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. His voice was low, tender.
"You're more beautiful. Your eyes shine with grace. Your lips, like a scarlet thread, speak kindness and power. Your smile has captured me entirely. And the curve of your body? God crafted you with artful care."
She turned and narrowed her eyes, laughing. "Wait, wait... those lines sound familiar."
He smirked. "Do they?"
"Yes! That's from the Bible! Song of Solomon?"
"Maybe," he chuckled. "You're the one who taught me to open the Bible, remember? I just started with the spicy stuff."
Star burst into laughter. "No wonder you sound like a poetic prophet!"
"Whatever. It's still scripture."
He pulled her close, his hands firm around her waist. And in that embrace, it felt like all the pain of their pasts, all the uncertainties of their future, could rest just for a while in that warm, beautiful present.
***********************************
HYMEN BROKEN;
Two Souls in One Silence
***********************************
"Can I make love to you?" he asked slowly
"I have never done that."
"I know."
'You know?"
"Yes," Miguel whispered, his voice barely audible,
"the first time I kissed you in the car, you were nervous. Shy. But I knew I was the first to taste those lips… and I'll never forget it."
Star smiled. "Oh, I remember."
Before she could say more, Miguel leaned in again, his lips brushing hers gently, then more firmly. His hand moved to the curve of her waist, drawing her closer until their bodies met.
The kiss deepened. His touch, warm and deliberate, moved to the small of her back, then slowly down. Star felt her breath catch, and her heart racing.
No one had ever touched her like this before, not tenderly, not with such reverence. It felt foreign, and she didn't want him to stop, but suddenly, he did.
He pulled away, eyes searching hers, and walked slowly to the bed. Confused, her voice was soft.
"Why did you stop?"
Miguel exhaled, his chest rising with effort.
"Star… I need to control myself. I don't want to hurt you."
She walked toward him and sat beside him. Her hand found his, fingers lacing with his gently.
"Hurt me?" she asked, puzzled.
He turned to face her fully.
"You're the strongest woman I've ever met. Beautiful, focused, and pure. You've held yourself with so much dignity, and I admire you for it. I don't ever want you to regret anything we do. I want your trust to be safe with me."
Star felt her heart swell. Growing up, she was left with the responsibility of taking care of her mother, and all through the years she spent on campus, she didn't have time for any affair. Many had mistaken her self-discipline for coldness, or worse, thought she was disinterested in men, and was a lesbian, especially as she kept turning down every guy's offer and was only seen with Lizzy.
The truth is that she was married to her book. Determined and focused to come out as the best and selected student of the year. She craves that because she wants the opportunity to study her Master's Degree at Cambridge University, England, her dream school. Because of her infamous desire, she didn't leave any stone unturned in studying and making a good grade. Her GPA was already high, and she knows that the sky is her starting point. She had guarded her body and soul all through university. But the truth was, she wanted more than empty romance.
And Miguel wasn't like the others.
For once, she didn't want to overthink. She wanted to feel. To be held. To surrender the weight of always having to be strong.
"I trust you," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "I'm ready, Miguel."
He looked at her, gently, reverently, and touched her cheek.
"I love you," he said, pressing his forehead to hers.
He kissed her dry lips softly. Gently, he pulled her top, dragging it upwards. She raised her two hands, and he removed the fabric. He took both his hands backward, with her in her chest, he reached for her bra, and unhooked it. Exposing the two fleshy, well-rounded apples, with the black nipples standing erect. Miguel couldn't resist what his eyes were seeing.
He bent slowly to the firm rounded breast, rolled his tongue on each of the nipples and suck her gently, but hungrily. Star has never been this excited, while touching his well-barbed head, she moaned out with pleasure.
Miguel unzipped her jeans, and she was quietly watching him pull them out of her long legs. She made to kiss him, but Miguel pushed her slowly to the bed, and she lay down facing him. Looking at her pink coloured G-String pants, Miguel couldn't resist her anymore, he pulled the weightless pants down, rubbed his fingers on the shaved pussy and he tickled the clitoris hard that he could hear her moaning slowly.
He removed the pants entirely, and she covered her eyes with her hands. Miguel smiled and left her. He carefully placed the pants beside the bed and removed his top and pants.
Star loved the sight of the six packs and the broad shoulder in front of her and down there she craves for the God knows length of a dick.
Miguel rubbed her pussy again but this time he slide a finger inside her hole and fingered her gently. He doubled the middle finger and fingered her harder this time. The girl was quiet, but no doubt, she was enjoying every bit of the foreplay, as Miguel kept teasing her.
Soon, she became wet, but he wouldn't stop; he reached back for those apples and rolled his tongue around them continuously. He removed his tongue, gently pulled away the hands she had used to cover her face again, and kissed her passionately. Slowly, reaching for her right ear, he peeked at her,
"Mark my words, it's a forever thing, baby.",
He whispered in her ear and pulled away as he moved down to the glory-pot. He kissed the fat, shaved meat, rolled his tongue on her clitoris, and Star couldn't hold it anymore. Miguel could hear her speaking in tongues, which he only understood to be excitement, but then he refused to stop. The both were in another world of pleasure, and pure love, as he strokes his already hard dick gently, while licking her ice cream.
He had became horny and gently, he spread her legs more wider, drawing her a little bit back, so that her body could fit in to his, he put his dick slowly and made to stroke but it removed.
"Aaaah…." Star cried out in pain. Everything was perfect, but why was the cassava making her feel like they just inserted a long stick inside of her?
He rubbed her clitoris a little and put back the dick and she let out a cry again. But he didn't pull out again; he stroked and rode her slowly. Gently, as if handling a fragile egg, knowing it was her first time, but the girl was in tears.
Miguel wasn't comfortable seeing the woman he loves so much shedding tears, he then increased his speed a little more harder, so he could cum quicker and let her be. But that seemed the worst as she cried out loud, he stopped riding but didn't pull out, he hugged her deeply and buried his tongue in hers, both lay quietly with no movement but just sincere and powerful love.
Two hearts finally broke down the walls between them. Miguel was not in a hurry, as every moment and every touch was a conversation he would forever remember. As he lie ontop of her, with his dick buried in her glory-pot, their soul felt close and both were on an intense heat, and just then, he ejaculated.
Star made to stand up as she felt the liquid sperm all over her laps, but he held her tight to himself on the bed.
"Miguel, you didn't use a condom?"
"Nope, I don't have any condoms here."
"What?"
"I don't bring girls home unless they came uninvited but I have never touch any girl in my house, I prefer fucking them in the hotel and I buy condom there"
"Why?"
"I only want to make love in my bed with my ideal woman, and you're the first I have ever had raw sex with on my virgin bed."
"With your virgin girlfriend, Star added, and he laughed.
"I'm sorry for making you cry, my love", he said, touching her sweaty face
"I never knew it's painful like this."
"I'm sorry, dear, and I think there is a little bloodshed shed."
"Seriously?", Star asked and got up from the bed "oh shit!", she said noticing the blood and the sperms on her.
"I'm sorry but I gotta clean this,, she said to him, but Miguel was slowly dozing off. She went inside the toilet and took the soft tissue paper there, she rolled out a big quantity and went back to the room. She tried wiping the bed sheets with the soft tissue paper, but there were still stains there.
"Miguel, hey, big nose, wake up. I need a new soap and a sponge, I have to take my bath," she said, tapping him. Miguel opened his eyes, rose, and followed her to the bathroom.
"Why do you want to bathe now?"
"I'm feeling kind of messed up", she replied
"Mind if we bathe together?" he asked, raising his elbow
"Aww!" she exclaimed and added, "That sounds lovely, permission granted", she said, and both laughed.
"You're such a naughty girl", Miguel told her, and entered the bathtub together with her.
"And you love the naughty girl?"
"Fated to be, I have no option", he said to her, drew close to her, and kissed her. She felt goosebumps, and he noticed. He tried to stop, but she kissed him back.
"Should I wash the stained bedsheets?" she asked him
"Nope, I will take it to the laundry tomorrow. Today I'm having you all to myself", he said and kissed her again, and in the bathtub, they made love again.