Amara tried to disappear into her own world.
She kept her phone on silent, to ignore notifications, and threw herself into anything that would keep her hands busy she started cleaning, cooking, rearranging her closet and watching random YouTube videos that didn't even hold her attention.
But when her room gets quiet, the heart gets loud.
No matter how busy she kept herself, the memories kept coming back her thoughts became more heavier,
Dapo's smile.
Dapo's warmth.
Dapo holding her like she was his entire reason for breathing…
By the third day, the silence felt suffocating.
She sat on her bed with her knees pulled up, staring at her ceiling. Her heart full of thoughts. She told herself she needed peace, but what she really needed was clarity her heart became too confused to choose what was good for her.
Her phone buzzed.
She almost ignored it, but something made her look
It wasn't Dapo.
It was Ifeanyi.
Ifeanyi: "I'm checking on you. But you don't reply. I just want you to know that I care."
Her chest warmed.
It was simple.
Gentle.
Respectful.
She immediately responded before she could forget.
"I'm okay. Just resting."
He replied back
"If you need fresh air, I'm around."
She smiled without meaning to.
Later that afternoon, she was unable to breathe inside her room anymore, Amara stepped out for a walk. She didn't tell anyone.
She just need The soft breeze and the calm sky for a moment, A place that felt big enough to hold her confusion.
She walked toward a quiet street near her estate where the noise of the main road faded. She stopped near a small tree, take a deep breath.
She became froze.
She saw Dapo standing here,
As if the universe had pushed him into her path.
He looked tired. His eyes carried the weight of someone who hadn't slept properly. His beard was unshaven, and the moment his gaze found hers, something in him softened pain, longing, and desperation all mixed together.
Amara," he said gently.
She replied . "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you."
His voice cracked. "I've been waiting… hoping you'd talk to me."
She didn't move closer. She didn't smile. She just stood there, guarded.
" we will talk later," she said quietly.
"I know." He exhaled shakily. "But 'later' feels like forever."
Her heart twisted painfully.
He took a step toward her. "Please… just hear me out."
She looked away, her throat tightening. "I don't know what to hear again, Dapo. I saw what I saw."
He swallowed hard. "That day… with Teni… it's not you think
"Then tell me what it was."
He hesitated too long.
Her chest tightened. "You see? You don't even know what to say."
"No," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I'm trying to find the right words because I don't want to lie anymore."
Her breath froze.
"Anymore?" she repeated.
His eyes filled with regret. "Amara… I messed up."
Her heart was beating.
He continued, his voice was shaking , "Teni and I… we've known each other since when we were kids.
And when things got rough between us when I felt you pulling away, or when we argued—I talked to her. I shouldn't have. I know that now. But I was confused, not cheating."
Amara's voice was barely a whisper. "You made her feel like she had a place in your life that belonged to me."
He closed his eyes. "I know. And it's killing me."
For a moment, the wind carried nothing but silence between them.
Then he spoke again. "I never stopped loving you. Not even for a second."
Her breath trembled. "Then why did I feel so alone?"
His voice broke. "Because I was stupid. Because I didn't realize how much I was hurting you until I saw your face that day."
A tear escaped her eye before she could stop it. She quickly wiped it away.
"Dapo… love isn't enough when I'm the only one fighting for it."
He moved closer, slowly, like he was afraid she'd disappear.
"I want to fix it," he whispered.
"Tell me how."
She took a step back. "I don't know yet."
The pain in his eyes became deepened, new and heavy.
"Amara, please don't give up on us."
"I'm not giving up," she said softly. "I just don't want to lose myself trying to keep someone who wasn't choosing me."
A sharp breath left him as though the words stabbed.
Before he could respond, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Ifeanyi.
Her stomach fluttered with confusion and guilt.
Dapo saw it.
Pain shot across his face—quick but unmistakable.
"Ifeanyi?" he asked quietly.
She didn't answer.
But her silence was enough.
Dapo's was shocked , his voice barely audible. "So… there's someone else."
"No," she said immediately. "There no one."
He looked at her, eyes searching. "But he's trying. And you're letting him."
Her heart skipped painfully. "Ifeanyi is just a friend."
"But I'm losing you," Dapo whispered. "I can feel it."
She looked away. "You started losing me the day you made me feel replaceable."
His eyes glistened with something broken. "And I've regretted it every second ."
The silence that followed felt heavy—too heavy to carry, too heavy to ignore.
Finally, Amara whispered, "I need time… and honesty. If we ever have a chance again, it can't be built on fear or secrets."
Dapo nodded slowly, tears gathering.
"I'll give you time," he said softly. "But please… don't let him take my place."
She didn't respond.
She couldn't promise what her heart wasn't sure of.
He stepped back, defeated but gentle.
"I'll wait," he whispered again. "Even if it hurts."
And then he walked away slowly, leaving her standing beneath the quiet sky, her heart torn in two directions—toward the man she loved.