Munachi Odumba...

"Signature lounge?" I gasped in disbelief.

Arthur's hand was tightly gripping mine, he let go and rolled his eyes at my reaction and we both walked towards an empty table.

He dropped his phone in front of me and kicked my black leather heels.. On purpose, "Any problem?"

Pulling out a seat, he nudged his head at it until I took the hint and sat down while he sat opposite me.

"Yes. Its too expensive, 5thousand naira per ticket and drinks. You can't spend 10thousand in one day." I told him, already feeling awkward here.

I don't think I've ever gone on a date before...

Rooney wasn't the going out type and neither was I. Our 'dates' consisted of me traveling for the holiday—strictly chaperoned by his mother and eldest brother and him ordering fast food and if we wanted to watch a movie we used their home theater—chaperoned by Darrel or Darren.

This was my first time out on a date. It was a nerve racking experience.

Being out in public during the daytime was nerve racking.

We weren't the only people waiting here in this lobby, it was crowded and it felt like everyone was staring at us.

They're looking at only Arthur and not you. He looks drop dead gorgeous.

DDG is an understatement.

He was styled in all black, black jacket that was longer than his black golden stripped shirt-Silvana's observations was a 100% right because it applied in all his shirts, the black shirt he was donning was sorta split into two just like his school uniform T-shirt, but in a way that made it seem like he walked out of a modeling magazine and not like he lacked fashion sense, very creative and very much on brand with his Instagram account @KvngArthur, his gold and diamond crusted watch also looked too extravagant to be ignored, black skinny jeans and black and gold Nike shoes.

He had a bold fashion sense. Like he was comfortable with capturing attention.

His outfit wasn't even why he was getting this much attention.

Before, he had his black hair in an afro style, but he must have visited some magician barber or something related to that, because now his hair was perfect.

The afro was still there but perfectly styled and they dropped down in finger coils like he was black American.

He had a piercing on his left eyebrow; a tiny star so small it was hardly noticeable, his signature slashed eyebrow had regrown back in school, but now they were freshly slashed and carved, his red lips looked smaller than usual and his complexion was a tone fairer now as an after effect of not having to walk around Emerald Academy's hot sun every afternoon.

Arthur looked drop dead gorgeous.

Why won't anyone look at that?

You should probably shift so they'll see him properly.

"Nana, what are you doing?" His voice snapped me out of my haze and I shook my head slowly.

Yes, what am I doing?

Why did I actually shift?

He continued. "Why'd you bend your body that way?"

"Nothing." I replied and he rolled his eyes then took my palm.

"If it's about the money Muna, I'm not going to spend 10 thousand naira on you. Can you calm down now? " He asked and I nodded, his lips tugged up.

I know I've never been on a date in public and I didn't know what was regarded as spending a lot of money on just a date before but still, I wanted him to save as much money as he possibly could.

"Besides, 10 thousand is way too little for our first date, after our movie we'll go back to your house, you'll pick up your swimming suit because heaven knows how long I've been waiting to see you in them and maybe then we can start talking about spending excessively. "

"Swimming suit? " I felt my cheeks heat up after his sentence, he smirked at me then stood up.

When we'd walked in here, the queue for concessions and tickets were massively long and Arthur decided he couldn't stand there waiting even though I'd told him that we'd both be standing and time would pass by quickly, he ended up paying-well winking at this group of girls who'd agreed to help him purchase our tickets.

They were following him on Instagram and all they wanted was a follow back which he did and I truthfully didn't blame them.

I don't have an Instagram account but I'd want the people I follow to follow me back when I do, so I understood.

What I didn't understand was why he sudden stood up because he already has people bu-

"-See him there self. Awn, he's so cute while standing up." A babyish voice interrupted my thoughts and I turned to find the three girls walking towards us.

Cute while standing up?

"King Arthur. Hey. " One of them said politely, she handed him this big plastic bag and I wondered how many tickets he purchased that made him get a bag like that.

She was tall, dark and her outfit was not cute. It'd be something I'd define as courageous.

Something that'd take a lot of courage to wear in Nigeria.

It was revealing and short and I admired her bold audacity because I could never wear that.

The other girls gathered round Arthur and requested to take selfies with him. Arthur's eyes met mine and I nodded, he rolled his eyes angrily like he was mad at me for giving him permission and gave them a fake smile.

It felt odd being with him because none of them were acknowledging my existence, not even a hey, not a hi, not a how are you.

Just King Arthur, King Arthur, King Arthur.

Even if I was a nobody on Instagram!

Courtesy demandsssss!

Minutes later they were gone, after they'd all saved Arthur's number and called it in his presence to be sure.

He finally sat down and smiled at me, I surprisingly forced a smile.

It wasn't natural, I felt annoyed.

Arthur laughed and picked up his phone to probably check the time because he dropped it a second after. His eyes moved to plastic bag and I watched in awe as he brought out a pizza box.

Pizza?

And two large sized ice cream plates, then the two tickets he was originally meant to just get, the plastic bag still looked like plastic bottles were in there.

"Pizza? Arthur you really bought Pizza?" I sounded angry.

Why?

I don't want him spending much on me.

Why?

I...

... Exactly, now shut up and be appreciative.

"And ice cream. " He winked at me. My stomach growled

I haven't eaten all day, thanks to aunty Philo. She found out about the date yesterday and made sure I'd left the house with some appetite just so I

'go fit chop watin him go buy' me, she didn't want me forming for him by replying with 'No, I'm not hungry. I ate at home'

And it worked.

I no fit form for him.

"Thank you. " I smiled at him and opened the box, I was greeted by a steaming aroma that intensified my hunger.

"You're welcome. Don't be so price cautious Munachi, this is really the cheapest date I've ever gone to and I have already customized it to be as cheap as you'd be comfortable with. I didn't get flowers, I didn't hire a band, I didn't get you an outfit. Please just be comfortable okay?" He smiled at me.

The cheapest?

Cheapest!?

This is his idea of cheap?

Is this what people do on dates? Actually is this just a normal amount?

Maybe I'm overreacting and I should just chill a bit.

I stared at the cutlery in front of me weirdly, pushed it aside and quickly picked up a slice with my hand and that slice went straight into my mouth.

Yes he's right, there's no need to be so price cautious.

Oh my.... God.

"Mmm, Arthur this is so delic-I stopped talking once my eyes met his phone's back camera.

Why is he videoing me?

"Why are you videoing me?" I asked cheekily and he laughed.

Then mimicked my voice. I rolled my eyes and took another bite of this delicious, heaven sent pizza slice.

Pizza this good doesn't deserve to be just 300-

"-Extra cost Dike. A box of pizza is 3000 Naira. The two ice cream combined is over 4000, the tickets 5000 naira each. Now you've spent over 17,000 naira in less than an hour and you plan o-" He interrupted me.

"-Girl, shut up. " and threw his head back to laugh, "When did you become a talkative? Yen yen yen yen yen yen yen yen. Cut off communication with Jasmine and Silvana cause now you yap as much as they do, you.now.talk.a.lot, when'd you change? " He teased me and I decided to tease him also.

I picked up another pizza slice and tried to feed him so I could take it back when his mouth tried to touch it.

He didn't let my plan work;

"Eew. I hate that shit. " He moved away from my hand.

Whyy?!!

"You hate pizza?" I asked then popped that slice into my mouth.

He nodded. "Yes, shit's disgusting. I'm really trying hard not to puke right now. Why'd you think I bought just one box?"

"So we could share it?" I answered honestly, placed the top of my right palm under my chin and smiled and he laughed.

He didn't stop until he was almost panting, "You're so cute but fuck no and I doubt that you Munachi Odumba could get full on just one box of Pizza, I've watched you eat since 9th grade so sharing it is out of the equation." I felt a stab at my growing weight insecurity.

I dropped the slice in my hand and moved my chair backward.

"Noo, no. No no. Don't get mad at me. I'm sorry, you can get full on a box of pizza, please don't get mad. "

"I'm not mad at you. " I whispered and looked away.

"Know how I can't lie to your face? You're doing something similar. "

He was right, partially right.

Because I wasn't mad. Just sad.

"Do you think I'm fat because I eat too much? " His eyes widened.

"Oh. "

"Now I really understand. 1, Munachi you're not fat, I doubt you even have a stomach because it's always so flat-Trust me, we've tried to find out."

We?

"2, you're still thin in some ways, your face didn't change at all, you don't have a double chin incase you don't know, your cheeks is just a little bit fuller and it's so cute, you just added more to that ass and thighs but they're super sexy and right now in that leopard print high denims and that sexy crop top and matching leopard print jacket, you're the subject and not object of attraction. 3, your waist is perfect. So no, fuck you if you think you're fat."

Okayyyy?

Arthur was always so extra, he was like a movie character, so lively so animated..

I liked that.

"Everyone's just surprised by how no one noticed you were getting thick. And that's just it, I'd actually make more effort to tease you a bit less because I genuinely don't think you're fat but has anyone ever called you fat to your face? " He was getting angry, his voice got deeper and lower and his sitting posture changed from the moment he said 'anyone'

I felt my body burn up and I decided to avoid his eyes again.

Well, Chiamaka gave me a gym membership flier the day we went home and whispered, 'Really good place' to me.

It was in my neighborhood and it made me wonder how she even knew where I lived.

"And I'll get them glasses. Nothing more. I'm not beating up Chiamaka just because she called you fat." He kicked my foot again and I smiled.

Wait what? I didn't say she called me fat.

Did I?

She actually hasn't explicitly called me fat, she just strongly implies that I should lose weight and because I still have that memory of Chiamaka being nice to me the day Nonso and Silvana got back together I'd even say that this was some weird... way of showing concern.

It didn't feel like an insult when she whispered really good place in fact it felt like a recommendation— like she was being nice to me, again!

But still, she was always there somehow to imply that I was fat.

"Now can you eat? The Ice cream is melting. " He told me and then picked up an ice cream spoon.

And opened his tub of ice cream.

••

"Arthur the movie started minutes ago, let's go. " I shook his hand.

"And stand in that queue with other people? Never. I don't do that. We'll stand behind the last person when it's time. Let's just get the popcorns now. The mixed queue is way shorter now. " Arthur said and I stood up first and walked towards the concession stand where tickets were also sold.

I really didn't like this mixed stand thing. It was time consuming.

Arthur was suddenly right behind me.

"One large and one medium. " He said behind my back and I turned to look at him, he slowly winked at me and turned me over so he could be in front of me... Well, besides me. Sort of.

He pulled out his black and gold studded ATM card and passed it to the teenager who looked younger than Arthur but older than me.

He wasn't bad looking, he was donning a black beanie and oddly had a pencil behind his left ear.

Oddly.

"So what movie are you watching, little mama" the teenager asked me as he swiped Arthur's card against the machine.

I smiled at him and raised up my ticket and he slowly smirked while nodding.

"isn't it too raw for you? You're beautiful and I wouldn't want a cutie like you watching R rated content, you have to be at least 18 years old before you can purchase that ticket and you don't look like you're 18, little mama, how'd you get one of 'em? " He asked and I quirked stupidly at Arthur.

Almost lost my eyeballs with the way I even squinted at him.

I was practically screaming, 'Because the guy who's right in front of both of us paid for it?' with my eyes.

He turned 20 yesterday. He didn't celebrate his birthday.

He came over and stayed all day and that was how aunty Philo found out about our date.

I turn 18 in a few months from now.

Arthur murmured something incoherent and passed the large popcorn to me.

We both turn to leave, then Arthur stilled and turned.

If I know Arthur Dike very well that wasn't a good sign.

"Oh, and one more order?" He said politely with his slashed teeth in perfect view.

That's a dangerous smile.

"How much does it cost for you know.. All those kind of tiny drinks. Sorry, I don't know what it's called. " Arthur chuckled awkwardly.

Probably in embarrassment, I'd be embarrassed if I were in his shoes.

It's so difficult explaining something you don't know it's name.

False alarm. He wasn't going to blare at him for doing his work.

"A mini Pepsi bottle? A Coke or a Fanta bottle? Which is it? " The employee asked with this unexplainable attitude and Arthur scoffed.

"Naa, it's something along the line of I flirt with anything on a skirt cola? I could've asked for a mind your fucking business nex'time sprite, but I know you, you're a I got no game fanta type of guy and you don't have it in stock, so I'll tell you this. You shouldn't rely on those eyes of yours to tell you a person's age-Hell, you couldn't even see that she's clearly with me. They're useless. Pluck 'em out."

Oh. Kay.

Wow. False false alarm.

"I don't know, do you get paid extra to hit on anything with boobs or is her beauty a special case?" Arthur blared hard and I wished the ground would swallow me whole.

Now people are staring at us.

I hate it so much. I really want to hide.

The teenager glared at Arthur then softened his gaze when his eyes met mine.

"Of course, the rich kid who's never had to work a day in his entire life. You can do better than him" he told me.

Arthur chuckled sarcastically, "And she can certainly do better than you—" I looked away quickly not wanting any part of this any more and walked away from the queue and into the movie line.

I'd just act like I don't know you two.

Arthur appeared seconds later.

"That was childishly immature. " I scolded him in a stern voice, he was behind me so I couldn't see his facial expression.

I handed my ticket to the man in uniform standing directly beside the movie screen's door and Arthur did the same.

••

Twenty minutes into the movie and I still hadn't said a word to Arthur, I barely even ate my popcorn.

No way was I going to finish this.

It wasn't a romance movie, neither was it an action movie, it was a teen fiction movie. A Nigerian teen fiction movie. Rugged to the core.

According to Williams and Jasmine, the writer started on a self publishing app named Wattpad and somehow gained recognition.

I do not know how that is possible in Nigeria, but Arthur surprisingly knows the Wattpad book, I didn't even know what that app was all about till weeks ago.

From the trailers I'd seen about the book, I really anticipated it's movie and so did Arthur, Abel was his favorite character.

Shockingly.

20 minutes into this movie I wished they could double the movie ticket price because this movie was underrated.

And so were the actors.

"Come on, you can't still be angry at me. He had it coming, flirting with you like I was invisible and unimportant. " Arthur interrupted my thoughts and I turned to smile at him.

"I'm not angry. What you did was childish, simple. You almost acted like Abe-"

He started laughing. Really loudly till we got shh-ed by a whole lot of people in the movie theater.

Again, I wish the ground would open up and just swallow me whole.

The agony of an introvert out in public with an extrovert because Arthur is joking if he really believes he's some ambivert

"Fuck. Exactly, why didn't I think of it? " His question was clearly a rhetoric one.

"Think of what?"

"You're Lucky. Best is obviously Williams and Nonso is clearly T-"

"-Okay! I get it. But, no, no we're not. We're not book characters in a movie okay. Nobody is currently reading about our lives like they read about theirs. And I doubt if my story is book worthy, let's not even talk about movie worthy. "I told him flat out and he raised up the arm rest separating our seats in response and leaned closer to my body.

"Babe, your story isn't just worthy. Your story is beautifully unique okay? See, if anyone wrote about you or about anything you've gone through I'd clearly read it and so would the rest of the world. Besides, I doubt anyone wouldn't read a story with me in it. I'm drop dead gorgeous, little mama. "

Oh no he didn't.

I turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised up, "1, what did you just call me?"

"Little mama. What? Oh, so he can call you that weird nickname and I can't? " Even in the dark I saw him smirk.

I rolled my eyes as a reply and continued my short list, "And 2. You're drop dead gorgeous? "

"Exactly baby, D.D.G like Jasmine says it, little mama. " He joked and I chuckled.

He moved closer to me and I looked upwards, I was trying to shy out of the weird mood our convo had taken up.

I was melting in this freezing Hall. My eyes met the moving pictures and I froze.

Abel and Lucky were kissing.

Oh kay! Thank you universe!

"Muna." Arthur whispered my name and I slowly turned to look at him.

"I bet I could kiss you better than that. " He whispered and I looked around.

We were at the last row.

In the dark with a couple, a couple of years older than us, seats away from us.

They were the only ones on this row with us and they were snuggling too.

No, I was sure she had her hand in his jeans.

I squinted my eyes at them to see better.

Oh my God! She did!

I guess that's what gave me the courage to say my next words.

The fact that we were practically alone and the few people in here were all seated rows ahead of us.

Gave me the courage to say my next words.

"I dare you. " I whispered, he chuckled and placed his hand on my cheek and his lips on my lips.

Slow and steady wins the race.

But with his pace, he'd already won the race.

۰۪۫G۪۫۰۰۪۫l۪۫۰۰۪۫o۪۫۰۰۪۫s۪۫۰۰۪۫s۪۫۰۰۪۫a۪۫۰۰۪۫r۪۫۰۰۪۫y۪۫۰
۰۪۫N۪۫۰۰۪۫o۪۫۰ ۰۪۫n۪۫۰۰۪۫e۪۫۰۰۪۫w۪۫۰ ۰۪۫w۪۫۰۰۪۫o۪۫۰۰۪۫r۪۫۰۰۪۫d۪۫۰۰۪۫s۪۫۰.

A/N

😅Yes, RTTC by crankychris appeared in °•Numb•°, so did the word Wattpad, I've been meaning to somehow edit my FAVORITE book of all time into my OWN book for quite a while now. And also talk about Wattpad in my book too.

And I finally did it. You all should check RTTC out, it'll quickly become your favorite too!

💛First dates are always so romantic.💛