OPERATION:FIRST LOVE

LESSON FOUR-THE WARNING

#### [KADE POV]

00:04 AM. Safehouse. Lagos.

The cut on my temple was stitched. No hospital. No records.

Commander Bello’s voice was still ringing in my earpiece.

"You took down 2 SSS agents in a public mall, 07. Do you know how much cleanup that cost us?"

"They found me," I said. Voice flat. "They found her."

"Then extract. Now. Mission’s compromised."

My hand tightened on the phone. "I’m 80% into her father’s files. 3 more weeks."

"And if they kill the girl? What then?"

"They won’t."

Lie.

Click.

I sat in the dark for an hour. Replaying the mall.

Zara’s face when she saw the blood.

"Who are you?"

I couldn’t answer.

Protocol says: burn the asset. Start over.

But the asset had dimples. And she bought me ice cream.

My phone buzzed. Unknown number again.

`Chief Cardoso wants to meet the new boy. Tomorrow. 3PM. His office.`

`Come alone.`

SSS. Using her to get to me.

I texted back from a burner: `Understood.`

Then I deleted the number.

I wasn’t going to let them touch her.

But to protect her, I’d have to lie to her face. Again.

---

07:30 AM. Cardoso Academy.

Zara was already at my desk. Eyes red. Like she didn’t sleep.

"You look worse," she said. Dropped a plaster and painkillers on my notebook. "For your head."

I didn’t touch them. "You shouldn’t be talking to me."

"Why? Because of the men in the mall?" She leaned in. Voice low. "Because my dad called me at 1AM asking if I know anyone new?"

My blood froze. "What did you say?"

"The truth." She swallowed. "That you’re my friend."

Friend.

The word felt like a knife.

"Zara, listen to me." I turned fully to her. "Stay away from me. For the next few weeks. Don’t text. Don’t sit here."

Her face fell. "Are you in trouble?"

"Yes."

"Is it because of me?"

"Yes."

She nodded slowly. Like she expected it. "My dad wants to meet you. Today. 3PM."

Of course he did.

"I can’t," I said.

"You have to." Her eyes were wet now. "If you don’t, he’ll think you’re hiding something. And he’s right."

I looked at her. Yellow ribbon in her hair. The same one from day 1.

She didn’t deserve to be in the middle of this.

"Fine," I said. "I’ll come. But after that, you forget me."

"Don’t say that." She grabbed my wrist. Her hand was cold. "Please."

I pulled away. "Lesson 4, Zara. Sometimes protecting someone means walking away."

#### [ZARA POV]

3:00 PM. Chief Cardoso’s Office.

Dad’s office smelled like whiskey and leather. Two SSS officers stood by the door. Guns visible.

And Kade.

He looked different here. Back straight. Eyes scanning everything.

Like he was in enemy territory.

Because he probably was.

"Kade Bello," Dad said. "Transfer student. No digital footprint. Interesting."

Kade didn’t flinch. "Sir."

"Sit." Dad gestured to the chair across from his desk.

I sat next to Kade. My knee was bouncing.

Dad slid a folder across. Photos. The mall. Kade fighting. Me watching.

"Care to explain?" Dad’s voice was calm. That was bad.

Kade was silent for 3 seconds. Then: "I was jumped. I defended myself. The girl was with me."

"And who were the men?"

"I don’t know."

Lie.

Dad leaned back. "Zara, wait outside."

"No." I said it before I could stop myself. "I’m staying."

Dad looked at me. Then at Kade. "Fine."

The room went quiet.

Kade’s hand brushed mine under the table. Once. Quick.

It wasn’t romantic. It was a warning.

`Don’t talk.`

My chest hurt.

"Son," Dad said finally. "I don’t care who you are. Or who you work for.

If you hurt my daughter, I will end you. Understood?"

Kade met his eyes. "Understood, sir."

But his hand was still touching mine.

After, in the hallway, I turned to him. "Who are you really?"

Kade looked exhausted. "Someone who shouldn’t have gotten close to you."

"Then why did you?"

"Because you smiled at me on day 1." He said it so quiet I almost missed it. "And I forgot what that felt like."

He walked away before I could answer.

My phone buzzed. Unknown number.

`Stop seeing him. Or the next photo won’t be from the mall.`

`It’ll be from your bedroom.`

I deleted it. And cried in the bathroom.

The new boy was dangerous.

And someone was watching both of us.