“Mide, have you seen Everybody Loves Jenifa?” he asked over the phone that evening. She shook her head instinctively before realizing he couldn’t see her.
“No! Have you seen it?” she replied, her tone light but curious.
He didn’t hesitate. “Should we go and see it together?” His voice dipped into that playful, cheesy tone she couldn’t resist, and she imagined the way he might look at her if they were face-to-face, his tender, mischievous gaze that always made her heart race.
She chuckled softly, nodding again as though he were right in front of her. “Okay, we can go tomorrow if you’re free.”
For a moment, there was silence on the line, and her mind spiraled. Maybe he already has plans, with his girlfriend, with work, or even family. What if I’m intruding? The thought tugged at her, and she hurriedly tried to salvage the moment.
“Or whenever we’re both available is fine too,” she added quickly, trying to sound casual.
“No, tomorrow works, Mide,” he reassured her. “I was just thinking about the reward for the first person to get there. Maybe… a kiss on the cheek?”
She exhaled in relief, unable to stifle her laughter. “You’re such a fraud. A kiss on the cheek is still a win-win for both parties.”
“That’s the point, baby,” he teased.
And just like that, there it was again… baby. A single word, spoken so casually, yet it stirred something deep within her. Did he know how much power his words held over her? How carelessly they ignited the butterflies in her belly?
But no, she reminded herself. She couldn’t fall too far. This felt like dangerous territory. He has a woman, her mind warned sternly.
Sensing her hesitation, his voice softened. “What should I get for you tomorrow?”
“Chocolates,” she replied with a grin.
He laughed. “You this girl, you just like bad things. You know sneaking junk food into the cinema is against the rules, right?”
She wanted to retort with a cheeky, But you asked me! but stopped herself. Maybe the forbidden was her strong suit now. After all, here she was flirting with a man who wasn’t hers to claim.
Instead, she said, “Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, Mide,” he responded, his voice warm and familiar.
After the call ended, Mide settled into bed, her thoughts racing. Would she be able to contain her excitement tomorrow? She had been longing to see him for so long, and now it was finally happening.
The last time they met, she had done a terrible job of keeping her hands to herself. She’d touched him in every place her eyes could see. Tomorrow, would she dare touch the places her eyes hadn’t yet explored?
The thought alone sent a shiver down her spine, making the butterflies in her stomach flutter wildly. She hugged her pillow tightly and whispered into the quiet of her room, “Tomorrow, I’ll finally see him. The man who troubles my heart.”
With that, her restless thoughts gave way to sleep.
*
With popcorn in one hand and a drink in the other, she carefully followed behind him into the dark cinema room, stepping precisely where he stepped. He had chosen the last row, and, even with his hands full, managed to hold her seat down for her.
She looked at him with grateful eyes as she sat down, placing her drink in the cup holder. She watched as he settled into his seat, and her heart raced. Should she move closer to him or stay where she is? Would leaning in make her look desperate? She decided to stay rigid, leaving the first move to him.
Just as she was about to pop a piece of popcorn into her mouth, she felt his breath on her face. Her body froze. Her mind raced once again. If I just lean in a little… would our lips touch? The thought was too tempting to ignore and she didn’t want to miss a chance. Without hesitation, she turned toward him.
“What a shameless girl,” her inner voice scolded, but it was too late. She had already made her move, only to find there was still too much space between them. Her plan had failed, but her eyes lingered on his lips, unable to look away. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered again.
“When do I get my kiss on the cheek?” he whispered, his voice smooth and teasing.
She forced herself to drag her eyes away from his lips and meet his gaze. Only then did she notice his eyes were fixed on her lips too. Heat flushed through her, and she smiled sheepishly, retreating back into her seat.
“Later,” she whispered back with a grin, tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth. She caught the faintest smile on his face before he leaned back in his seat as well.
Minutes passed. She tried to focus on the movie, but curiosity got the best of her. She stole a glance at him, only to find him slouched in his seat, throwing popcorn into his mouth carelessly. He didn’t seem interested in the movie.
Is he not enjoying this? she wondered, turning back to the screen. A funny scene played out, and the room erupted with laughter. She glanced at him again, hoping to catch his laugh, only to find him already looking at her.
Her breath hitched. If it weren’t for her dark skin, her cheeks would’ve turned pink. She quickly turned back to the screen, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. Warmth spread through her, a feeling she had tried so hard to suppress.
He shifted closer. She felt the weight of his gaze on her but refused to look his way, keeping her eyes glued to the screen. Heck, she wasn’t even breathing anymore. How could a simple look from him rob her of air?
In a panic, she shifted slightly away, not because she wanted to but because she feared what she might do if she didn’t.
“Mide,” he said, her name so soft it was barely a whisper. For a moment, she thought she’d imagined it. Slowly, she turned her head toward him, and that’s when she realized just how close his face was to hers.
If she moved just a little closer, their lips would meet.
Her heart pounded against her chest, loud and frantic. Her face burned, and he hadn’t even done anything yet. She tried to turn back to the screen, to compose herself, but he stopped her.
His hand was gentle yet firm as he cupped her chin, holding her in place. Her breath caught again, not that she was trying to breathe anymore.
“You’re beautiful, Mide,” he whispered.
The words were soft and deliberate, and they shattered the last bit of composure she had left. His words hung in the air, wrapping around her like a warm blanket. She swallowed hard, her throat dry, her mind racing. Say something, Mide. Don’t just sit there.
But how could she? His hand still held her chin, his thumb barely brushing her skin, leaving a trail of fire where it touched. The air between them grew heavier, charged with something unsaid but deeply felt.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling. She wanted to look away but she couldn’t.
Her eyes searched his face, looking for something, anything, that would break the moment. But all she found was the intensity of his gaze, soft yet deliberate, like he could see straight through her.
He tilted his head slightly, his eyes flicking back down to her lips. The corner of his mouth lifted in a small, knowing smile.
“Why do you always do that?” he asked, his voice low, almost teasing.
“Do what?” she managed to reply, barely above a whisper.
“Act like you don’t know how I feel about you”
Her breath caught again. She wanted to tell him she didn’t know what he meant. Because she genuinely didn’t. She has heard him tell her he liked her a lot of times but she didn’t see it. He hides away his emotions more than she does. He had made her doubt several times if truly he felt something for her like he claimed.
Deep down, she knew she wanted him to be genuine. She wanted him to feel all of what she felt. She wanted his words to be more than promises.
Her lips parted to speak, but she didn’t want to speak. She didn’t want to feel the big emotions she was feeling. She didn’t want him to know that he shattered the walls she fought so hard to build. She just hates when she cannot boldly express her emotions. The endless games they play weaken her, and she doesn’t want him to know how much she’s been holding back.
Then, his thumb moved. It traced the curve of her lips, the faintest of touches, distracting her from her thoughts.
“You’re doing it again,” he murmured, his voice dipping lower.
“Doing what?” she asked, her voice barely audible now.
“Running away from me.”
Her heart hammered in her chest, each beat louder than the last. She should stop this, should lean back, should say something to diffuse the tension. But instead, she stayed frozen, caught in his web.
He leaned in closer, his lips just a breath away from hers. She could feel the heat of his body, and smell the faint cologne that clung to his skin. Her head spun, and for a moment, she thought she might faint. ‘Don’t do this’ her brain warned.
“Tell me to stop,” he said softly. His words were a challenge, a dare, but also a plea.
Her lips parted, and for a moment, she thought she might say it, might tell him to stop, to pull away, to leave before they crossed a line. But the words wouldn’t come.
Instead, she whispered, “Don’t.”
It was all the invitation he needed.
His lips brushed hers, a featherlight touch that sent sparks shooting through her body. He didn’t press, didn’t rush. He lingered, testing, waiting for her to pull away. But she didn’t.
She leaned in, closing the distance between them, her hands finding their way to his chest. His heartbeat was as frantic as hers, this sent a wave of warmth through her and settled in between her legs.
The kiss deepened, slow and unhurried, each movement deliberate. His hand moved from her chin to her neck, and his fingers tightened around her small neck lightly, as his other hand played with her hair. She liked it so much she moaned his name into his mouth.
Her soft moan of his name made something inside him snap. His fingers tightened just slightly on her neck, not enough to hurt, but enough to show her what she was doing to him.
“God, Mide,” he murmured against her lips, his voice low and rough.
Her body betrayed her, pressing closer to him as if the space between them was unbearable. His other hand slid from her hair, trailing down her shoulder and resting on her waist. His grip was firm, and possessive, gripping her in a way she didn’t know she needed.
She couldn’t think anymore. Her mind was a haze of sensation, the heat of his touch, the taste of him, the warm pool gathering in between her thighs, she could almost feel it dripping. Her hands gripped his shirt tighter, pulling him closer, wanting more, needing more.
The kiss grew deeper, hungrier, yet still restrained, as if both of them were treading lightly on the edge of something they couldn’t take back. His teeth grazed her lower lip, and she gasped softly, giving him the opening to explore her.
Her heart raced so fast it felt like it might burst. She couldn’t believe the way her body responded to him like it had been waiting for this moment all along.
His hand moved from her neck, his fingers tracing a path down her collarbone, igniting a trail of fire on her skin. She felt her pulse quicken even more as he dipped his head, his lips brushing against the corner of her mouth, her jawline, and her neck.
“Mide,” he whispered again, his breath hot against her skin.
She shivered, her name sounding like a prayer on his lips. She tilted her head back slightly, giving him better access, her lips parting as she tried to steady her breathing.
Her fingers loosened on his shirt and slid upward, hesitantly at first, before finding their way to the nape of his neck. She felt the softness of his hair under her fingertips and gently tugged, earning a soft groan from him that made her knees feel weak even though she was sitting.
Every touch, every sound, every moment felt like a spark fueling a growing fire, threatening to consume them both. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold herself back, and from the way his hands gripped her waist tighter, she could tell he was struggling too.
But then, somewhere in the haze of their shared desire, a voice whispered in the back of her mind, one she couldn’t ignore. A warning, a reminder of the delicate line they were crossing, the risk of what this could mean.
She froze, her fingers stilling, her breath catching in her throat.
He must have felt it too, because he pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against hers, his breaths uneven and warm against her lips.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly, his voice tinged with concern and restraint.
Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his. The intensity in his gaze was still there, but so was something else, an unspoken question, a willingness to stop if she asked him to.
She nodded slowly, though her heart was still pounding, her body still aching for more.
The tension between them didn’t dissipate, it lingered, heavy and undeniable. But his hands loosened their grip, his thumbs brushing soothingly against her waist.
She held his gaze, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Her eyes burned, and she felt her tears threatening to spill. Could he see it too? The longing, the fear, the vulnerability that was all over her face?
Her throat tightened as she realized the truth she had been avoiding all this time. She wasn’t just drawn to him, she was terrified of losing him. The thought clawed at her, raw and painful. She blinked rapidly, willing the tears away, not wanting him to see her like this.
“Mide,” he said softly, his voice laced with concern as his hand reached for hers. But she slipped from his grasp, settling back into her seat as if the space between them would shield her from her own emotions.
“What’s wrong?” he asked again, edging closer, his tone gentle but insistent.
“Nothing,” she muttered, her voice barely audible. She kept her eyes fixed on the screen, refusing to meet his gaze.
She felt him hesitate, his presence lingering before he slowly leaned back into his seat. From the corner of her eye, she could see him watching her, his brows furrowed in confusion or maybe something deeper. She bit her lip, the ache in her chest almost unbearable.
She wondered what was going through his mind. Did he feel it too, that gnawing fear of losing her? Did he sense the vulnerability she had been trying so hard to hide?
Part of her wished he did. She wanted him to feel the weight of what they could lose. She wanted him to crave her the way she craved him, not just in her body but maybe his heart could open up to her the way hers did.
Her fingers gripped the edge of her seat as she fought the urge to reach for him again. The air between them was heavy with unspoken words, a silence that seemed louder than the movie playing on the screen.
She didn’t know how long she could hold herself together, but right then, she realized that if there was going to be more between them, the decision was his. She didn’t have to wait long for her answer. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and when he pulled it out, she caught the name flashing across the screen… “My Shayla” with a love emoji.
He looked at her briefly, then back at the phone. There was an apology in his eyes before he stood up to take the call outside.
If hurt had a face, it was the look on Mide’s at that exact moment. Right then, she knew. Whatever they were, it would never grow into anything more. Just two people suspended in a “something” that was never going to become anything real.
