The room was quiet, too quiet, the kind of silence that pressed against Amara's chest and made her restless. The only sound was the faint ticking of the wall clock and the lazy hum of the ceiling fan. She sat on the edge of her bed, elbows resting on her knees, her palms pressed tightly against her thighs as though they could hold her trembling body still.
Her lips still tingled; soft, swollen, aching; from the kiss Kelechi had stolen earlier. Every time she shut her eyes, she felt the heat of it again, the way his mouth had molded over hers, careful yet desperate, restrained yet hungry. It unsettled her, because beneath the warmth of that kiss, the shadow of another touch stirred; Tunde's touch.
That memory came rushing back like a wave: the intensity of his hands, the fire in his eyes, the way her body had once melted against his without thought, without reason. It was a flashback that gripped her even when she tried to push it away. And now, with Kelechi here, so close, it was like living between two worlds; caught between a tender present and a reckless past.
She drew in a shaky breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly. What was she doing? This wasn't just reckless; it was dangerous.
A soft knock at the door startled her, her whole body stiffening.
"Amara," came Kelechi's voice, deep and steady, though tinged with hesitation. "Are you awake?"
Her throat tightened. She thought about ignoring him, pretending to be asleep. But her lips betrayed her. "Yes," she said softly, her voice hoarse.
The door creaked open, and Kelechi stepped inside. Even in the dim light, he was impossible to ignore. He had changed into a plain white T-shirt and dark joggers, but the fabric stretched against the firm lines of his chest and arms. His presence filled the room, quiet yet commanding. His eyes-dark, searching-locked on hers.
"Can we talk?" he asked, his tone careful, like he was afraid one wrong word might send her running.
Amara nodded, though her heart thudded so loud it seemed to echo in the silence.
He sat beside her on the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. She caught the clean scent of his cologne, faint yet grounding, and it made her pulse race even more. His nearness was a flame licking at her resolve.
"I didn't mean to cross a line earlier," Kelechi said at last, voice low, words careful. "But I couldn't stop myself."
Amara lowered her gaze, twisting her fingers together. "Kelechi..." She wanted to tell him it was a mistake, to say they couldn't let it happen again. But her lips refused to form the words. Because, truthfully, part of her hadn't wanted it to stop either.
"I've liked you for a long time," he confessed, his words spilling now, as though a dam had finally broken. "Long before Tunde ever came into the picture. I tried to stay silent. I thought it was better that way. But tonight... when you looked at me like that, I couldn't pretend anymore."
Amara's heart clenched.
"You don't understand," she whispered.
"I understand enough," he countered, his hand brushing against hers with a feather-light touch. "I know how I feel when I'm with you. And I know I would do anything to make you happy."
His sincerity shook her. Unlike Tunde's touch; wild, consuming, almost dangerous; Kelechi's felt steady, grounding, like a warm light she could lean on. Yet even as she let the warmth sink into her, the memory of Tunde's fire burned hot in the corners of her mind.
She shot to her feet abruptly, unable to sit any longer. "I think...I think I need some air."
She walked quickly to the balcony, pulling open the sliding glass door. The humid night breeze rushed over her skin, cooling yet stifling. The city sprawled below, restless and alive, neon lights flickering like a thousand restless stars. She hugged her arms around herself, trying to quiet the storm in her chest.
Kelechi followed her, though he kept a careful distance. "I don't want to pressure you," he said softly. "I just needed you to know. I couldn't keep pretending to be your friend when I've always wanted more."
Amara turned, her eyes glistening in the glow of the balcony light. "Kelechi, you don't know what you're asking of me."
His brow furrowed. "This is because of him, isn't it?"
Her breath caught. "What?"
"Tunde," he said, the name sharp in the night air. "Even when you're standing here with me, I see it. He's still inside you, isn't he? Still haunting you."
Amara's silence was an answer in itself.
Kelechi's jaw tightened, pain flickering across his face. Yet instead of anger, he stepped closer, gently lifting her chin with his fingers. His touch trembled. "I don't want to lose you to him again," he whispered. "Not when I know he'll only hurt you."
Her lips parted, words hovering, but before she could say anything, he kissed her again.
This kiss was different from the first; slower, deeper, filled with pleading. His mouth moved against hers as if he was trying to pour every unspoken feeling into it. Amara's chest heaved, and against her will, her body leaned into him. Her hands clutched at his shirt, not pushing him away but pulling him closer.
The balcony light cast shadows across their entwined bodies. For a heartbeat, Amara let herself sink into it, let herself drown in the warmth.
But guilt struck like lightning. She broke the kiss abruptly, breathing hard, shaking her head.
"Kelechi...please. I need time."
He stepped back, his chest rising and falling sharply. His eyes glistened with something raw. "Take all the time you need," he said, though his voice cracked on the last word. "Just don't...don't shut me out."
Amara turned back toward the city, hiding the tears stinging her eyes.
A heavy silence stretched. Then, quietly, she heard him retreat into the room. The balcony door clicked shut behind him, leaving her alone with the night and her unraveling thoughts.
She gripped the railing tightly. "What am I doing?" she whispered into the wind.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand inside. The sound jolted her. She rushed in, wiping her eyes, and picked it up.
An unknown number.
Her stomach dropped. She unlocked it quickly, her hands trembling.
One message glared back at her in stark black letters:
"You can't hide forever. I remember everything."
Her breath hitched. The phone slipped from her grasp and landed on the bed with a dull thud. Her heart raced, panic clawing at her throat.
It had to be Tunde.
Her knees weakened, and she sat heavily on the mattress, clutching the phone as though it were both lifeline and weapon. Kelechi's kiss was still on her lips, but now another ghost had entered the room; Tunde's presence, dark and undeniable.
The walls seemed to close in, shadows stretching longer, pressing against her skin. She glanced around her room, suddenly hyperaware of every corner, every creak, as if he could be standing just out of sight.
Another buzz. Another message.
"Did you miss me, Amara?"
Her heart nearly stopped.
She pressed her hand over her mouth, tears spilling freely now. She wanted to scream, to run, but her body was frozen.
For the first time in years, she realized Tunde wasn't just a memory. He was watching. Waiting.
And he was coming back.