"I don't know what will become of me the moment my parents set eyes on my GPA." "I know right," Ace responded to Mike whose head leaned on the side window in frustration. It wasn't the first time nor will it be the last to see Mike basking in a-matter-of-hours regrets. He hadn't set his eyes on his results yet and didn't wish to. He knew his fate already. The result tension that always existed in students was something he had never experienced before as he created the slightest thing to capture his body, mind, and soul. That explained why he was currently driving to the beach and decided to take Mike along. A relaxed spirit was what they needed. "No, you know nothing," he rubbed his temples. "For someone who always gets perfect results, you know nothing." "It's fine, bro. They're just gonna scold you for a day or two and that is that." He changed gear and took a turn. "That's what you think. If you do not see me enroll next year know your man's somewhere dragging a wheelbarrow a
After thinking about all that Ace had said, Nora finally believed she needed someone to pour out to. She had carried the burden for way too long that she couldn't think, walk, and talk properly and dawn wasn't the convenient time for that. That day she listened to him talk meticulously even though she never really found a reason to or why, she realized that it required a lot of trust to air out personal information to someone you barely knew, to someone who kept pushing you away and sometimes, even to one you knew so well. If he could do that to her, then she definitely could do so to him too. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. There were possibilities that he would use it against her. He was that type of person, but then, what did she fear if he ever did so or what would he gain for making a laughing stock out of her, for she already was one even without advertisement. "Akwara. It's 4 am and you're still sleeping? Come on, get—get up from that place before I do it myself
She had the perfect triangular figure. Even though his mouth was too thick to admit, his mind wasn't. 'She'd make a perfect model with that unique shape and pretty face.' He imagined his sister commenting. 'But then, Ace, you disappoint both me and the fashion industry by marrying that gruesome footwear to that great dress.' He shrugged. He wasn't to be blamed for he found the combination rather cool with the pink pair of leather sandals complementing the navy blue dress. Weren't pink and blue girl's favorite hues? Ace had spent the entire class hours admiring a rare beauty that once was hidden beneath filth and still hadn't stopped even though he knew how uncomfortable she felt. He loved the Chinese-eyes effect her afro bun inflicted, her thick eyelashes and tender baby lips. They probably would taste different from those he'd had. "Staring is rude." She paused her fork from picking a piece of meat. "Did you enjoy the lectures?" He diverted. She nodded her head with a mouth f
She hadn't been able to seduce sleep half of the night. She wondered about Martha's next action; what she would tell her father, the number of whips she must have fetched from the nearby mango tree, the days of starvation and jackass work ahead. She didn't plan on returning but she didn't plan on being an inconvenience either. "What's wrong with you?" Ace kicked her into reality. To say she didn't feel uncomfortable with him walking around half-naked. He was alright physically hot and penetrating like the blazing sawdust fireside at the same time emotionally cold as the midnight concrete floor she slept on. But then, did he see her an inch attractive like he did Rose? Could he ever want her like he did other girls? She wanted him to even though there were no chances ever. "I'm leaving." She avoided his gaze but sensed his drilling holes into her system as he abruptly refrained from drying his hair with a towel. Nora knew not whether to return home or join the street kids in combat
Things were getting much more complicated than he had imagined; his dad had called. That was very rare. And he never expected an agreeable conversation as both fell into fits of word exchange. He couldn't blame him for whatever is going on in the company, it was not like he was the only son. He couldn't blame him for acting like a kid all the time when they were the reason behind it. He couldn't blame him either for his decision on staying in Cameroon until he had had enough when they were the ones who sent him there in the first place. His dad couldn't blame him for any fucking thing, yet, he did. "Are you asleep already?" Nora's voice lurked in the dark. She was something. The good kind of something. For some reason, he wished he had known her all his life. She managed to make him feel things he had never felt before, regret decisions he had made, see life in many ways, and above all, she thought him how to care and nurture. It was funny even to him how he'd gotten so attached a
"You're happy," Ace remarked. "Yeah," without thinking, she rushed to hug him. "Thank you. Thank you so much for being there," He didn't hug her back but she didn't care so much about it. The most essential thing is, he was there with her and cared. "We're going out today." "Where to?" He didn't answer back. He just grabbed his towel and walked to the bathroom. It felt like she was in paradise with nothing to worry about. Ace was a little temperamental sometimes but he made her happy. Now, what had life to offer them? Will they keep living together till further notice or will he have enough of her at some point in time and kick her out? Ace's phone began to ring. She knew not which button to press or whether to touch it at all so she simply called out for him but he seemed to not have heard. The phone stopped for a while and only when she wanted to thank God did it set on blowing her ears again. Nora held up the sophisticated gadget, battling on whether to tap on the green or r
"I hope it's the last time I ever ask you this, what.the.hell is wrong with her?" The doctor eyed him above his rimmed lenses before taking them off with a long sigh as he leaned forward. "Mr. Woods, you left this place last time with three only important things to ameliorate her situation, one of which was to simply open up her field of communication which I must admit wasn't of success. Well, I'm very sorry but I can't tell you anything if she couldn't. In as much as I want to. I hope you understand that it is against my career rules." Ace's head spun. If anything, the man was succeeding in flaring a boiling turmoil in him, totally contrary to what his career compelled him to exhibit to people like him: impatient and Paranoid. "I was giving her time ok? You didn't expect me to coerce her into the topic like a rapist!" The doctor swiftly jerked his brows at his choice of words. "On the contrary Mr. Woods. But you see, I still can't tell you anything without family or her consent
They had left the hospital in a hurry, without any word exchange and she didn't understand why. She was now obediently seated on the bed as he earlier ordered her to, watching him furiously pack up his luggage. His smooth tawny face now a canvas of hostility. Did he consider returning home as mentioned in their last conversation? If so, then what will become of her after he left? "Where're you going?" She dared to quiz. Just to make sure he really was leaving for home. "We're having a little vacation." He bitterly retorted, dumping a bunch of unfolded tees and shirts from his closet into his suitcase. "We? Why?" She further interrogated but was ignored. Once done, he instructed she waited in the car while he spoke to the receptionist. No eye contact thus far. "At least, tell me where we're going." She spoke again only when she realized they were heading in the direction which led out of the region. He was hesitant for a good while before saying, "Yaoundé." Her eyes almost b
Inspired by Emma Bale--All I want. "Hey," Ace turned to a brunette with ear-level short hair whose eyes reflected those of the rustling leaves. She was in a pair of sneakers and skinny damp jeans beneath a purple turtle-neck. A pang of familiarity immediately hit him but his mind was too foggy to think clearly. The girl slightly tilted her head concurrently with a faint smile. "Didn't know the wind would go as far as disrupting serene moments." "Huh?" She tilted her chin to the piece of paper in Ace's hold, "That's a piece of my journal." "Oh, trust me it didn't disrupt anything." She smiled and walked closer, "glad to hear that," she eyed the name inscribed on the tombstone, "Death is really something else, huh? Losing someone dear feels like losing a big part of you and your life you never knew existed. She was a good person, wasn't she?" She quickly turned to Ace who nodded sadly. "Funny how the world is: the bad prevail and the good perish." From the way she spoke, she mu
Lord Huron-- In the wind. "Mr. Woods, do you mind doing the outro?" Ace stared at nothing in particular for as long as he could remember before uttering, "My name is Ace," he said, his voice almost inaudible, "and that is the story of how I lost my fiancée exactly one year ago." April 19th, marked Nora exactly a year in the land of the dead, a year without the view of her pretty face, a year without her smile and placid nature of her voice, a year without her sweetly nagging attitude, a year since he last set eyes on her before shutting the hospital door, a year since he had avoided everyone and everything besides a visit to her grave which owned nothing but her clothes. On the day she left, it rained cats and dogs like it presently did. Even I will be mad at myself if I died. She had said. Was that a sign? "Thank you for sharing your story with us Mr. Woods," Mrs. Sterns, the fellowship coordinator appreciated. His mum had forced him to join the fellowship eight months ago
Zoe weez-- control. "Nora," Ace jogged to the frailty whose head was blanketed with thick layers of bandages. Her abdomen was concealed beneath a thin white hospital sheet. "How do you feel?" She smiled. The most genuine smile she'd offered since the gruesome incident. "A lot better." Ace reflected her grin, "I'm glad. Really," he kissed her lip, "the doctor said they weren't abl—" A knock on the door cut him off and in protruded his mother's head. "Can we come in?" He almost forgot about their presence. A nod was enough to have them beelining in. "Oh, and this is your...friend?" His mum quizzed, skepticism clearly donning her voice. "Uh...Yeah, her name is Nora," Ace nervously rubbed his neck. "Oh, Nora. Nice to meet you, deary," Zaphrina cheerfully grinned. "I mean it from the infinity depth of my heart. We don't see 'friends' like you every day." "Mum!" "I'm Zaphrina by the way, you can call me Zaph." "Nice to meet you too, mum." Zaphrina who was taken aback by the way
Lauren Daigle-- you say. "Mr. Woods," the doctor called an anticipating and pacing Ace who rushed to him in two strides instead of six on a normal occasion. It's been one frustrating hour since they'd arrived at the hospital with no bit of news on Nora's well-being. That alone chopped him to the core. "How's she doing?" He persistently grabbed the man's arms tightly. "She's fine, isn't she?" "She's conscious," the understanding doctor reassured. "You must be informed that she has a-" "I know that." Ace cut in, not wanting to hear the term which has been making his life a living hell of recent. "Ok. She has to be operated upon as soon-" "I know that too. That's why we're here...I mean," he sighed and ruffled his hair. "Just do everything you can to save her. Please." The man unnoticeably nodded in sympathy. "In the meantime, can I see her?" "Sure, Room 4. I'll send a team in a bit." Ace scurried down the hallway and halted in front of the door where he peeked through the squ
Chord Overstreet- Hold on. "Are you ok?" Ace asked after observing how nauseous Nora looked as the plane took off. She skeptically nodded yet, he embedded her hand in his. "I forgot to ask; how long will it take to arrive?" "Forty-eight hours." "Oh, God!" She shut her eyes in exasperation. Barely thirty minutes into the flight, Nora had fallen asleep while Ace rounded up on the magazine he was skimming through after which he drifted his attention to the white masses out of the window. No one knew he was returning home. Not even his closest member of the family who was Eloïse. But he was going to get to that as soon as they alighted the plane. He then wondered how things would turn out after Nora's operation; would she want to return or stay with him in his hometown? Would they be more than what they were or was it going to be the end of them? He sighed. How he feared to get devoted. It would probably be best if they parted ways. Nora's ruffle made him turn to his right, where
Lea Michelle -- Run to you. Watch out! Explicit scene. She loved the way he played with her folds and clitoris. It proved he was expertise in the domain. He repeatedly trailed kisses on her mouth, nipples, and belly. What could feel any better? He unfastened his belt and hurried out of his trousers so fast that she hadn't noticed. Ace hovered over her body, his eyes locked hers while he slowly slid her pant. The way she fought to hide her tunnel amused him and turned him on the more. A new aspect of his sexual life he just excavated since the majority of the girls he slept around with were connoisseurs. He plunged on her lips to loosen her up and when that happened, he rubbed her clit one more time along her wetland causing her back to curve as she let out a placid gasp when he slid a finger in. He thrust gently and smoothly while admiring the bomb of facial expressions she had in store. She bit on her thumb nail, a very seductive and boner-breaking gesture. She began releasin
"Go on, throw 'em stones." She wished she could. Fortunately for him, delight suppressed anger, and the urge to see his head hang on the mango tree quickly disappeared. Nora simply took a slow unexpected step towards him and engulfed his waist. She felt lightened since her confession. Even though that wasn't the end of the talk between her and her father, there still was that feeling of freedom somehow. At least she learned she was still cherished, that someone still needed her alive, and because of that, she had to fight. "Thank you." "That's it? Thought you were going to bring down this town on me." When she didn't reply as she enjoyed the moment, Ace who surprisingly stood stiff slacked and then returned the hug. "I seriously don't know how to thank you enough," she detached from him. "I know how," he smirked. "You'll have to fight for dear life first before I tell you." "I will. I have a reason to fight now," she faintly smiled. "I'll be leaving tonight for the embassy
"Finally!" she heard the voice say. "What are you doing here?" She scanned her environment to make sure Martha wasn't lurking around. "Waiting for you of course. I saw you hurry down the roadside. What's in your hand?" "I don't have time. I have to go," she walked away only to be followed. "What are you doing?" "Following you," he nonchalantly stated the obvious. "I want to know where you live, why you left that way, and what is wrong with you?" He already knew what was wrong with her as far as health was concerned so she presumed the question had to do with her behavior. Her decision. He already made it clear to her that he didn't see her the way she saw him. Action speaks louder than words, they say. What else did he want or better still, what will he gain from saving a life which wasn't cherished? "You see, that's why I said I do not have time," she examined her surroundings again. "I haven't denied explaining to you but now's just not right. Go back. I'll see you in the even
"Nora, No!" "It's a dare like any other. Just do it and get it over with." She drew closer, so close that her breast grazed his chest. "No need to make a big deal about it. Unless you're thinking of something more out of thi..." She narrowed her eyes. Ace's brow jerked. With the speed of light, Nora's lips were enclosed in a sea of warmth. Her eyes widened in shock, slacked, and then shut. He wanted to prove her wrong, that he wasn't thinking of anything but instead, he proved himself wrong. It was new, sweet, and magical. His lips felt soft, whiskey intoxicated, and desirable. It was supposed to be a kiss-and-go but turned out to be more when he began thrusting his tongue into her mouth. At first, she knew not how to respond to his penetration. It was all so new nonetheless, not a hard shell to crack. Her body began tingling in an unusually demanding way. It felt oddly good and she loved it. She yearned for his touch. As if reading her mind, he engulfed her waist to pull her cl