The day I got my final secondary school results, my heart felt like it could burst. I had passed! Not perfectly, but I had done it. Every late-night study session, every struggle, every moment I doubted myself — it had all paid off.
I couldn't wait to tell Alfred. He had been my secret tutor, my motivator, my anchor through every challenge. The moment Naomi's house was free of adults, I slipped out, heart racing, and went straight to Alfred's apartment — my perfect secret hideaway.
"Splendour!" he greeted me as I arrived, eyes lighting up the moment he saw me. "You look nervous. What's the news?"
I handed him my results, shaking slightly. "I… I passed."
He took it, scanning the numbers quickly, then looked at me with wide eyes. "Splendour… this is amazing! I knew you could do it. I'm so proud of you!"
I laughed, my nerves melting under his praise. "I couldn't have done it without you."
He reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. "You did this. I just… guided you. The hard work was all yours."
That afternoon, our celebration began. We played games on his console, teasing and laughing until our sides hurt. We watched movies, sharing popcorn and leaning against each other, fingers intertwining every now and then.
Then, in the quiet moment after a particularly romantic scene, he looked at me with intensity. "Splendour… you know I'm proud of you in more ways than one, right?"
My heart skipped. "I know…" I whispered, cheeks burning.
He leaned closer, lips brushing mine, soft at first, then lingering longer. My chest raced, my entire body felt alive. Every touch, every kiss, felt like fireworks, igniting feelings I hadn't dared to admit.
"I've wanted this for so long," he murmured between kisses. "To celebrate you… your success… us."
I wrapped my arms around him, resting my head on his chest. "I'm happy… so happy," I whispered. "With you… it feels like nothing can touch me."
He chuckled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "And nothing will, Splendour. As long as I'm here, nothing will."
We spent the rest of the evening talking, laughing, and stealing quiet kisses. Between games, movies, and playful banter, I felt something shift. Love wasn't just stolen glances and whispered promises anymore. It was real, deep, grounding, and it made me feel stronger, braver, and alive.
Leaving his apartment that night, my chest still warm from his embrace, I realized: this secret love, dangerous and forbidden as it was, had become my anchor. And I would cherish it, protect it, and live it fully even if the world didn't approve.