Love In The Details

As I peruse the dessert menu, my eyes widen at the array of options: puff-puff, coconut rice pudding, groundnut cake... I opt for the coconut rice pudding, as the other dishes seem pricey.

Plus, I'm definitely not the one footing the bill!

I set the menu down on the table and notice Kendrick across from me, frowning at his own menu as if perplexed.

I raise an eyebrow and ask, "What's wrong?"

He looks up, his frown fading, "Just debating between the fufu and pounded yam," he says.

I smile, "It's fufu, not foufou."

He raises an eyebrow and places his elbows on the table, "Yeah, it's fufu."

I roll my eyes, "However you want to pronounce it, it's fufu!"

He shakes his head with a smile and repeats, "Yeah, fufu."

"But I'm not sure if I should get it," he continues, "I've seen a lot of people talking about it on TikTok. Which one do you think is better, fufu or pounded yam?"

"Uh, I don't know, but I think you should go with fufu and egusi soup, that's a great combo!"

He nods thoughtfully, takes his arms off the table, and grabs his menu. "Hmm, I'll go with that then.

Then we place our orders, and soon, our dishes arrive. My coconut rice pudding and Kendrick's fufu and egusi soup sit steaming on the table.

"You decided to go with dessert?" Kendrick asks suddenly, eyeing my plate with a hint of surprise.

"Uh, yeah," I respond, and he shifts his gaze to me.

"Why?"

"Cause it's cheap," I respond with a shrug.

Kendrick's brows furrow slightly, even as he smiles. "I don't care if it's cheap," he says.

"But I do care," I respond.

"The main dishes are too expensive, and in this economy, money shouldn't just be wasted on food."

Kendrick leans in, his eyes locked on mine. "I don't give a damn about the economy. I took you out on a date, so you should just ignore the prices and pick whatever you want."

"Huh?!" I exclaim softly, my brow furrowed in confusion.

"Date?" I repeat.

Kendrick's smile widens as he nods. "Yeah, what did you think this was, a normal dinner?"

I frown, my lips pursed. "Well yeah, I thought I was just coming to dinner with you to show my appreciation."

Kendrick lets out a low, husky laugh. "Perfect atmosphere, perfect time, it's a date, baby!"

My frown deepens, and my lips tremble with unspoken words.

"You can think of it as a date if you want, but it's just a simple dinner, Kendrick."

He smirks, "Hmph."

"let's think what we want then."

I huff, "Well, whatever."

Then I begin eating, scooping a spoonful of coconut rice pudding into my mouth to ease my hunger.

But then I notice something that makes me pause with my empty spoon hanging mid-air.

"Kendrick, what are you doing?" I ask as I slowly drop my spoon.

Kendrick looks up at me, his expression reminiscent of a kid who got caught doing something mischievous.

"I'm eating, what does it look like?" he asks.

I dart my gaze from his face to his plate repeatedly, indirectly questioning his actions.

Then I pause at his face, my eyes narrowing slightly. "Why are you using a fork and knife to eat your fufu?"

His expression turns innocent and he asks, "Ain't that how I'm supposed to eat it?"

I quickly shake my head, a small laugh escaping my lips. "No, Kendrick, you're supposed to use your hands!"

"Just take a look around, see how everyone else is eating theirs," I say, nodding towards the other diners.

Kendrick turns his head sideways, scanning the room before glancing back at me.

"So I'm supposed to use my hands?" he asks, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Of course!" I exclaim.

"Who uses forks to eat fufu? This isn't pasta or salad, this is fufu, Nigerian fufu! What do you think the bowl of water the waitress kept next to you is for?"

Kendrick shrugs, looking sheepish. "Uhm, I don't know," he admits.

I let out a short laugh. "You wash your hands in it, or maybe you could use one of their sinks if you need it cleaner."

Kendrick's frown disappears, replaced by a look of understanding.

"Oh," he says, and then he glances back down at his plate.

He drops the fork and knife he's holding and washes his hands in the bowl of water next to him.

I watch attentively as he attempts to eat the fufu, pinching off a small piece and dipping it into the soup.

But it slips from his fingers and falls back in.

"Hey!" he complains, laughing.

I chuckle and shake my head, amused by his struggles.

As he tries to pick it up, he ends up dropping it back into the soup, splashing the liquid onto his cheeks.

"Fuck!" he exclaims, looking frustrated.

I can't help but laugh at his misadventures. "Kendrick," I say, calling him out, and he pauses, looking up at me with expectant eyes.

"I'll show you how to do it," I offer.

Then, I slightly raise my butt from my seat, wash my hands in his water, and demonstrate how to pinch off a small piece of fufu.

I mold the fufu into a ball, dip it into the soup, and grab some vegetables.

Then, I raise it up to his mouth, feeling a bit flustered. "Open up," I tell him.

Kendrick's lips curve into a smile, and he takes hold of my hand, directing the food into his mouth while keeping his gaze fixed intensely on mine.

His eyes seem to bore into my soul, making my heart race.

But then, he surprises me by licking my fingers, one by one, slowly and deliberately.

I feel a shiver run down my spine as his tongue makes contact with my skin. It's soft, ticklish, and unexpectedly intimate.

I pull away sharply, settling back into my seat, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze and the sensation of his tongue on my skin.

Then I quickly start eating again, trying to ignore the fact that his saliva is still on my fingers and avoiding his gaze.

He can be so...intimate!

I focus intently on my food, eating without sparing a glance in his direction.

"I like that," he says suddenly, but I refuse to acknowledge him, continuing to eat in silence.

Soon enough, we're both done, and Kendrick pays for both of us.

We step back out into the evening air, and that's when I realize I have a math assignment to do before tomorrow.

As we get into his car and begin moving, I turn to him and ask, "Uh, thanks for today, can you please drop me off at my room? I have an assignment to do."

"Assignment?" he repeats, his eyes still on the road.

"Yeah," I respond.

He gives me a quick glance before saying, "You guys are getting assignments already? It's not even a week yet."

"Uhh, yeah, but I got to do it either way."

"What's the assignment?"

"Math."

"Oh, math?"

"Yeah," I respond.

"We could stop by my place, and I'll help you out?"

"Huh?!" I exclaim, taken aback.

"But why?"

Kendrick shrugs. "Or do you want to do it at your place? Well, Kelly's there, and she'll freak out when she sees me," he says with a chuckle.

But then I remember the question that's been on my mind concerning Kelly.

"Uh, Kendrick, can I ask you something?" I say, my tone turning serious.

Kendrick notices the change in my tone and looks at me curiously. "Uhm okay," he says.

"Why did you break up with Kelly?"

Kendrick's expression changes, and he pulls up abruptly, causing me to jerk forward.

I nearly hit my head on the car's interior, but I quickly regain my balance and steady myself.

Then he glances at me, his smile gone and replaced with an impassive look.

"I told you, I didn't like her," he says flatly.

"I know, but it isn't fair to her," I say softly, sitting properly.

"You only played with her, and that's not right."

Kendrick shrugs, his expression unyielding. "I was upfront with her - no feelings. She wanted to date me, not the other way around. I just went along with it for the time being."

I raise an eyebrow, skeptical. "Oh really? How do you expect me to believe you?"

"What if I decide to be with you, and you go back to her? Would you tell her the same thing?"

Kendrick exhales through his nose and rests his head against the headrest, staring at the car's ceiling.

"Let's not start with assumptions, okay? I'm here with you now, and that's what matters," he says.

"I deserve to know the truth," I press on, my frown deepening.

"You guys were pretty serious, and now you're just done with her? How can you switch your feelings on and off like that? Or are you trying to play me too?"

"No, Mandy, I'm not trying to do that," Kendrick responds, but I'm still skeptical.

"Then explain it to me," I demand.

"How can you just leave Kelly and say you like me after you saw me? You didn't say you liked me over the phone; you just stopped talking to me. And then, after you saw me, you confessed your feelings."

I smirk. "Now it makes sense. You want to have sex with me and then dump me and go back to Kelly, right? You're doing all this so I'll like you, to make your plan easier, right?"

My voice rises, my emotions boiling over. "You called me dumb, boring, and other names, and yesterday you said you didn't mean any of it. How can I believe you? Am I some kind of bet?"

Despite everything I said, he still remains mute.

"Answer me, Kendrick. What's going on?!" I yell, but he doesn't respond.

"You're just like all the others, aren't you? You use innocent girls for your own pleasure, take their virginity, and then discard them like trash. I should have known better than to trust you."

I shake my head in disgust. "I can't believe I let you kiss me yesterday. It all makes sense now."

Kendrick's gaze remains fixed on the headlining, his expression unreadable. Why isn't he saying anything?

"I see right through you kenderick. You're a player, and I'm not going to let you play me," I continue.

Then I cross my arms. "Take me back home or drop me off at my faculty building. I know my way from there."

"Why are you doing this, Mandy?" Kendrick asks, his gaze piercing as he suddenly glances at me.

"Why do you keep jumping to conclusions and making wrong assumptions?"

"How many times do I need to tell you that I don't like Kelly?"

"I couldn't continue dating her because I simply didn't have feelings for her. She knew this was coming already."

I try to interject, but Kendrick cuts me off, his eyes locked intensely on mine.

"I gave you your chance to speak, now it's my turn. Listen to me, Mandy. I'm trying to explain myself to you."

I pause, taking a deep breath.

"I didn't lead Kelly on, and I'm not trying to play you either. I'm just trying to be honest with you, Mandy. Can you please hear me out?"

I reluctantly nod. "Hmm okay."

And then he continues, "I'll repeat it for the last time: I do not like Kelly. It's you I like. Don't you get it?"

I raise an eyebrow, skeptical. "It's not easy to believe you, Kendrick, especially when there are obvious reasons why you're trying to play me."

Kendrick folds his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Obvious reasons?" he repeats.

"Mention them."

I take a deep breath before responding.

"Well, Kelly is more extroverted, and she has all the curves that drive men crazy. She's indeed really beautiful. Who wouldn't want her?" I ask, my gaze drifting away from his.

"I wouldn't," his response is immediate, sending my heart racing.

"What do you mean?" I ask, my voice barely audible.

Kendrick leans in, his gaze intense. "I mean that I don't want Kelly. I want you, Mandy. You're the one I'm interested in, not her."

His words are like a gentle caress,  sending shivers down my spine and making my heart skip a beat.

Maybe, just maybe, Kendrick is telling the truth.

But then I glance down, unable to stare at him anymore.

"But she's prettier," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You are prettier!" Kendrick exclaims, causing me to let out a gasp. But I refuse to meet his gaze, feeling my face grows hot.

"She has really big boobs and ass," I continue, my voice still barely above a whisper.

"You don't need any of those things to make you prettier, you're perfect just the way you are," Kendrick says.

"Really?" I ask in a whisper, my heart racing.

"Listen, Mandy," Kendrick says.

He takes hold of my face in his hands and lifts my gaze to meet his, our faces mere inches apart.

"You're beautiful inside and out. Don't ever compare yourself to others, because you're one of a kind."

I feel a flutter in my chest as Kendrick's words pour into me, his gaze burning with intensity yet radiating kindness, and I'm helpless to doubt him.

"You're the one I want to be with, not Kelly. Let's focus on us and what makes us happy together."

He pauses, his eyes searching mine. "I apologize again for everything I said and did to you in the past. I'm really sorry for that."

"But please, don't compare yourself to her or say anything like that again, okay?"

"But kel—"

"Kelly isn't the right one for me, Mandy. You are."

I search his eyes, seeing how sincere they look, meaning kendrick really has feelings for me.

"And I'm really sure I would have made her feel extremely bad if we had continued dating. So, why don't you give me a chance?" He asks.

"Uhm..."

"Take all the time you need to think about us, hmm?"

I gulp the lump that had formed in my throat, my eyes darting nervously about his face.

"I'll wait for you to respond, but please don't say no," he says, his eyes pleading.

"Hmm," I manage to respond.

Kendrick's face lights up with a warm smile. "That's all I can ask for."

Without warning, Kendrick's lips crash into mine in a sharp, swift kiss, leaving me surprised.

"That's for what you said earlier about me kissing you," he says with a sly grin.

"If you say that again, I'll kiss you so hard that you'll beg me to stop."

Before I can respond, he kisses me again, this time more intensely than the last.

His lips linger on mine, sending shivers down my spine. And then he pulls away with a smile on his face, leaving me dazed and wanting more.

"Let's go," he says, helping me put on my seat belt and starting the car once more.

As we drive, my heart races with anticipation. Should I give him a chance? I wonder, my mind a whirlwind of emotions.

Before I can make up my mind, the evening wears on, and the darkness deepens.

We come to a stop in front of a large, bright building that seems to stretch up to the sky.

I'm not sure how many stories it has, but it's huge, with a few people milling about outside.

"We're here," Kendrick says, and I glance at him.

"Is this where you live?" I ask.

Kendrick nods. "Yeah. Come on, Let's go"

"Uhm, okay," I say, unbuckling my seat belt and stepping out of the car alongside Kendrick.

As I take in the surroundings, I notice the immaculately manicured compound, and my gaze is drawn to the sleek glass door ahead, which eerily reminds me of home - it's a identical replica of the one in our entrance hall.

"Let's go in," Kendrick says suddenly, his voice breaking the silence, and I follow him towards the building.

We ascend the stairs to the entrance hall, our footsteps echoing off the walls, and then step inside.

After a few strides, we find ourselves in the elevator, me standing in front of Kendrick while he rests against the wall behind me, his proximity making my heart race.

Soon, the doors slide open with a soft "Ting!", and Kendrick's shoulder brushes against mine as he steps out before me, sending a shiver down my spine.

I follow closely, trying to ignore my racing heart, until we halt in front of a door marked "50".

And I watch as Kendrick inserts his room key and pushes open the door before gesturing for me to enter.

As I step into the room, my eyes widen in amazement, and my mouth drops open in awe.

I turn around in circles, taking in the sheer scale of the space.

The room is surprisingly large, bathed in a soft blue light that seems to dance across the walls, casting an ethereal glow.

The air is filled with a sweet, intoxicating elegant scent that I can't quite describe, but it's similar to the scent that clings to Kendrick. It's as if the room is infused with his essence.

As I continue to gaze around the room, the light suddenly flickers and shifts to a warm cream color, revealing the true aesthetic of the space.

I gasp in wonder, my eyes feasting on the opulent decor.

Everything about this room screams luxury, from the plush furniture to the intricate patterns on the walls.

This must be some kind of high-end student hotel!

"So, let's get to work," Kendrick says, pulling my attention to him.

He then proceeds to remove his bag and places it on his bed, the deliberate action sending a flutter through my chest.

Then he approaches me and gently pulls me towards a plush, red, C-shaped sofa on the side of the room, which has a sleek glass table in front of it.

As we reach the sofa, he releases his grip and settles in, and I do the same, removing my bag and placing it beside me.

"Your room is really beautiful," I compliment, pulling out my textbook, notebook, and writing materials and arranging them on the table.

"All thanks to my aunt," Kendrick responds with a smile. "She's really taking good care of me."

"I wish I had an aunt who worked in a university," I say with a chuckle. "You're so lucky!"

"Consider my aunt yours when you say yes to me," Kendrick says, and I quickly look away, feeling flustered.

"Let's start now," I say softly, trying to compose myself.

I focus on opening my book and point to the exercise I was assigned.

"Let's start with this one," I say, glancing back at Kendrick.

But as our eyes meet, I feel a sudden flutter in my chest.

His gaze is intense, and I get lost in his eyes. They seem to capture me every time we meet.

I try to shake off the feeling, but it's no use. Kendrick's gaze is like a magnet, drawing me in.

Then, he smirks, and I feel my heart skip a beat.

My pulse races as he leans in closer, his voice barely audible.

"Do you want us to start with something else first?" he asks, his words sending shivers down my spine.

Start with what?