Chapter 10: Secrets Under the Sun
865 Words
The sun was soft that afternoon...warm enough to be comforting, but not too harsh to chase people indoors. Zora had just finished her lectures and was walking across the school courtyard with a book clutched to her chest when she noticed a familiar figure leaning casually against a tree. Her heart skipped.
Kamari.
He looked different his eyes a bit distant, his smile absent. Something wasn’t right. She walked slowly towards him, her shoes brushing the sand gently.
“You okay?” she asked, tilting her head.
He looked up, startled for a second, then smiled weakly. “Zora…”
That smile didn’t reach his eyes.
She stepped closer. “Is something wrong?”
He sighed, then glanced around. “Wanna take a walk?”
She nodded.
They walked through the side path that led to the open school field. The wind played gently with Zora’s braids, and Kamari slid his hands into his pockets, his jaw clenching and unclenching like he was struggling to find the right words.
“It’s family stuff,” he finally said. “Complicated things.”
Zora glanced at him. “Wanna talk about it?”
He chuckled, not in amusement, but in frustration. “It’s just… my dad. Mr. Donalds. CEO of Domino Core International, a multi-million-dollar conglomerate dealing in tech, oil, and global logistics.” He paused to let that sink in. “He wants to control everything. Even who I marry.”
Zora blinked. “Wait… marry?”
“Yeah. There’s this girl, Jenny. His friend’s daughter. Apparently, they’ve been planning this since we were kids. And now, it’s suddenly urgent.”
“Oh.”
“She’s… not my type. Not even close. We barely talk. I can’t even stand being in the same room with her for too long.”
They both sat on the short grass of the open field. It was quiet, peaceful. The sun kissed their skin, and far-off sounds of laughter echoed faintly.
Kamari looked at her. “He even sent someone to follow me. Like I’m a project. A puppet.”
Zora’s eyes widened. “He what?”
“I know. I found out a few days ago. That’s partly why I came here today. I just needed to breathe. See someone who doesn’t wear a mask around me.”
Her heart swelled.
“I’m sorry, Kamari,” she said softly.
He looked at her again. “What about you? Any family drama?”
Zora hesitated for a second, then nodded. “I’m the first daughter. Out of four girls. My mom’s a lecturer. My dad’s a businessman. We’re not rich or anything. We’re just… trying.”
He listened, quiet, present.
“My younger sister is studying Law in a Federal University. The others are still in secondary school. I’m always feeling like I have to be strong, like I have to lead the way. But honestly? I don’t have it all figured out. I get anxious. Crowds scare me. Noise drains me.”
Kamari leaned in a little, not interrupting.
“I always wanted to matter. To do something meaningful. But sometimes, it feels like I’m invisible. Or that I’m trying too hard to prove I’m enough.”
He reached for her hand.
Their fingers laced slowly. Gently. Like a silent promise.
“You’re not invisible, Zora,” he said, his voice deep, low. “You’re everything someone like me needs to keep going.”
Her breath hitched.
“Even if I’m messy?” she asked.
“I’m messy too,” he said. “You’re just better at hiding it.”
They sat like that for a moment two different worlds colliding in stillness. And somehow, that chaos made sense.
They talked more, laughing at silly things. He told her about how he once failed a math test on purpose to skip a business trip. She told him about the time she snuck out of a family party just to read poetry on the roof.
He looked at her like she was the most fascinating person he’d ever met.
They stood up after a while, brushing grass from their clothes. Kamari bought suya and cold drinks from a stand nearby, and they sat under a shade to eat, teasing each other over who could eat the spiciest piece.
When he drove her back to the hostel, the sky was already blushing into evening.
“I had fun,” she said quietly.
“Me too,” he replied. “Even with my storm, you still calmed me.”
She turned to open the door, but he touched her wrist.
She looked back.
Kamari leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Not rushed. Not bold. Just soft.
She froze.
He whispered, “Thanks for being my peace.”
Zora blinked as he opened the door for her, still slightly dazed. Her heart was doing Olympic flips.
She stepped down from the car, cheeks warm.
“Goodnight, Zora.”
“Goodnight, Kamari.”
As she walked back into the hostel, she touched the spot where his lips had brushed her cheek.
She didn’t know what would happen next, but one thing was sure:
Something had changed between them.
Something real.
- Writer
