OPERATION:FIRST LOVE

LESSON THREE-THE DATE

#### [ZARA POV]

"Field trip," Zara announced at 7:30 AM, sliding into the seat next to Kade before first period. "Mandatory."

Kade didn’t look up from his notebook. He was drawing grids. Exits. Probably. "No."

"Yes." She grabbed his pen. "Lesson 3 of Project: Make The New Boy Human. Social interaction outside of school."

He finally looked at her. Dark eyes. Tired. "Zara."

"Kade." She grinned. "The mall. 4 PM. Ice cream is involved. You’re buying."

"I don’t have money."

"I do." She dropped 2k naira on his desk. "Consider it a bribe."

He stared at the money like it was a weapon. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you looked at me like I was going to die yesterday." She lowered her voice. "And I need to know you’re okay."

Kade picked up the money. Tucked it into his pocket. "Fine. But we leave at 5."

"Deal."

---

By 4:15 PM, they were at Ikeja City Mall.

Zara had never been so nervous taking someone shopping.

"Okay rule 1," she said, linking her arm through his. "Act normal."

Kade stiffened. "I don’t know what that is."

"Like this." She pointed at a couple taking selfies. "See? Happy. Dumb. In love."

"We’re not—"

"I know." She cut him off quick. Too quick. "Just pretend."

They walked past Zara’s favorite stores. She made him try on sunglasses. He looked ridiculous and hot at the same time.

She made him get ice cream. Cookies and cream. His first bite, he actually closed his eyes.

"You like it," she said, victorious.

"It’s cold."

"That’s a yes in Kade language." She bumped his shoulder.

For 2 hours, it was almost normal.

He laughed once at a meme she showed him.

He held her bag while she tried on earrings.

He didn’t scan the room every 30 seconds.

Almost normal.

Until she saw them.

Two men. Black suits. Earpieces. Standing by the exit, looking around like they were searching for someone.

Her stomach dropped. "Kade."

He followed her gaze. And everything in him changed.

His body went rigid. His eyes went flat. The Kade from day 1 was back.

"Stay here," he said. Voice low.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing." Lie. "Wait 5 minutes. If I don’t come back, go home."

"Kade—"

He was already walking away.

Zara watched him disappear into a store. Her hands were shaking.

5 minutes passed. 10.

Then screaming.

A crash. Glass breaking.

Zara ran.

She found him in the back hallway by the service exit.

Bleeding from his temple. Breathing hard.

And two men on the ground, unconscious.

"Kade!" She grabbed his arm. "You’re hurt!"

"Don’t touch me." He pulled away, but he was swaying. "We have to go. Now."

"Who were they?"

"Not here." He looked at her. Really looked. Guilt and something else in his eyes. "I’m sorry you saw that."

They slipped out through the staff exit. Into an alley. Into a cab.

In the backseat, Zara stared at the cut on his head. "You need a hospital."

"I need you to forget this happened."

"I can’t."

Kade leaned his head back. Closed his eyes. "Then don’t tell anyone. Please."

"Why?"

"Because if you do, they’ll come for you too."

The cab went silent.

Zara looked at his profile. Blood on his collar. Hands shaking slightly.

The new boy wasn’t just broken.

He was dangerous.

And she still didn’t want to let go of his hand.

#### [KADE POV]

Abort. Abort. Abort.

The moment he saw the SSS badges, his training kicked in.

Get the target out. Neutralize threats. Leave no trace.

He pulled Zara into H&M. "Stay here. Behind the racks. Don’t come out."

"But—"

"Zara." He gripped her shoulders. "Trust me."

Her eyes were wide. Scared. "Okay."

He walked out.

Two agents. Rookies. Probably.

"Agent 07," one said. "You’re out of line. Contacting civilians—"

Kade didn’t let him finish.

9 years of training. 3 seconds.

Disarm. Strike. Down.

The second one pulled a taser. Kade caught his wrist, twisted.

Glass broke. An alarm went off somewhere.

When it was over, his temple was bleeding. Adrenaline was crashing.

He went back for Zara.

She was standing there. Pale. Staring at the blood on his shirt.

"Kade?" Her voice was small.

"Don’t tell anyone," he said. The words came out rough. "About this. About me."

"Who are you?"

He couldn’t answer.

In the cab, he kept his eyes closed. Pretending he wasn’t listening to her breathing. Pretending his chest didn’t hurt seeing her scared because of him.

His phone buzzed. Unknown number.

`We saw the cameras. Explain.`

He deleted it.

26 days left.

And he just blew his cover to protect her.

Protocol said: eliminate loose ends.

But Zara wasn’t a loose end.

She was the reason he was failing the mission.

And he didn’t regret it.