Chapter 16: Chapter 16

It was Saturday and Precious was getting prepared for her outing with Bethel. He had called this morning to tell her to prepare.

She didn't know why she wanted to look good and why she put so much effort in her dressing because she wasn't one to never find any of her outfits not suitable.

She borrowed her mother's baggy pink cotton hoody and wore her black leggings. She packed her hair in an afro style and used edge control to style the front of her hair.

She admires herself as she matched her outfit with a white canvas, she didn't know what to tell her mother concerning her outfit.

"Where are you going to Precious?" Her mother asked her to arrange her iron clothings into her bag.

"Uhm..." She swallowed the lump in her throat thinking of a good lie. "Amanda asked me to visit her." She spoke, getting a nod from her mother.

"It's been a long time since I saw chimamanda oo, hope she's doing fine?" Grace asked Precious.

"Yes ma."

Precious walked out of the mansion gate. She walked a very far distance to wait for Bethel as she had told him she wouldn't risk being seen together with him.

For some reason she felt giddy and nervous. Her heart always beat faster than normal whenever she was with Bethel, unlike before when she just wanted to slap him back to back.

Precious was surprised to see Jeremiah, Daniel and Amanda at the conservation center as soon as they got into the center. It's been a long time since she saw Amanda, her stomach erupted with butterflies as she rushed to wrap her arm around her best friend.

"Prechi!" She squealed as they both found each other in each other's embrace. "I miss you so so much!" Precious exhaled, taking a good look at her friend.

"You have added skin?" Precious asked, stating the obvious. Amanda sighed, "I don't even wanna get fat, Jeremiah has been using to to mock me since," she spat out narrowing her eyes to look at Jeremiah who had a smile on his face.

"I told you I like you that way, won't you let it be," he asked, making her giggle.

"You called me fat when you saw me!" She spoke feigning hurt.

He shook his head. Bethel kept his eyes on Precious as he couldn't help but admire her and her features. It was like everything about her was wonderful, the way she talked to the way she laughed to the way she talked, all were admirable and he couldn't wait until he could wrap his arms around her.

"Keep admiring, better make a move!" Jeremiah teased.

"I'm not going to advise you to move on, you better dey like me, no feelings, no drama and besides sebi u dey engaged self?!" Daniel asked.

It dawned to Bethel he was engaged and the engagement ceremony was coming soon, there was no way he'd get engaged to Beauty.

"isn't this the famous giant tortoise?" Precious asked Bethel who had his arms wrapped around her shoulder as they walked.

"Hmm." Bethel hummed. "The oldest so far, it's ninety five year old." He added.

The turtle roamed freely at it's very slow pace, Precious squatted to touch it's hard shell and smiled. Everything she did amazed him. He brought out his phone from his pocket and took a picture of her which she didn't know of.

It was awkward being this close to Bethel for Precious, it was as if they were in a relationship and as much as she loved the feeling, she wasn't comfortable.

Bethel entwined his fingers with Precious as they walked on the longest canopy walkway in Africa. Precious turned to look at him from shock that their fingers were laced together but he wasn't looking at her.

She decided to take a good look at him. He was dressed in a green chinos pants, a multicolored Hawaiian T shirt with white canvas. How can someone be this fine? Precious thought shrugging the thought away.

Bethel was light skinned and had pouty pink lips. She suddenly found his lips attractive and that made her remember their kiss in the bathroom.

It wasn't a kiss thought but she'd love to feel his lips on her. What are you thinking Precious?! She asked herself.

Bethel was slowly crowding her mind and she wasn't liking it.

"Take a picture of us," Jeremiah spoke, stretching his phone for Daniel to take a picture of him and Amanda.

With his arms around her waist and his head in the crook of her neck, the picture was taken. "Do you have to rub it on my face that I am single?!" Daniel muttered.

"Bethel is single too and he is not complaining," Jeremiah shrugged.

"Take a picture of Precious and I," Bethel said, getting attention from all. Precious looked at him as if he was crazy. "Us?!" She scoffed.

"In your wildest dreams!" She spoke.

"Is it a crime to take a picture with you?" Bethel asked.

She raised her brows looking at him. "I don't wanna take a picture with Bethel the great!" She deadpanned.

She didn't want a picture with him because she knew he'd use it to insult her sooner or later and he was rude to her last night too.

She was a sensitive type and she doesn't easily forget. "Take a picture with someone, the same class as you."

Her words hurt him like a knife chopping an onion, piercing deep into his soul. She was using his words against him and he wanted to give her the satisfaction.

He signaled Jeremiah with his eyes and in a nanosecond a picture was taken as soon as he wrapped his arms around her. Although the picture came out weird, it was worth keeping as it looked hilarious.

"Jerk!" She shouted.

"Your jerk!" He retorted.

"Thank you very much for today, " Precious told Bethel as soon as he dropped her off where he picked up this afternoon.

"You could tell me thank you in better ways!" He smirked.

"And how?" She asked.

Bethel leaned in, he moved his mouth to her ear, "Dream about this," he whispered in her ear and kissed her close to the lips before entering his car, telling his driver to take off not without looking at the lost Precious.

Precious heart skipped, she froze when his lips came in contact with her skin, what is he doing to me?!