The warm glow of Saturday's setting sun spilled gently across the campus skyline as Bella stood in front of her mirror for one final check. Her gown wasn't too extra, just the perfect balance of elegance and simplicity. A sleek wine-toned dinner dress with a subtle slit, paired with a gold clutch. Her curls framed her face softly. She looked beautiful… and a little nervous.
"You sure I don't look too serious?" Bella asked, adjusting her earring as Kathy peeked in.
Kathy smiled, "Nope. You look like a 10. Just be yourself , you're going to have a great time. Besides, I'm sure he already likes you."
Bella chuckled shyly. "It's just… weird. I mean, we've been texting for weeks and now… I'm finally meeting him."
Kathy waved her off. "Girl, go enjoy it. You deserve this."
With that, Bella grabbed her car keys and drove off to The Vibe Lounge on Marlowe crescent , upscale spot just thirty minutes from Lifetime College. The drive was smooth, but her mind was swirling, anticipation, curiosity… and something she couldn't quite name.
When she arrived, she immediately spotted him. Austin was already there, sitting on the outdoor patio section beneath fairy lights. He stood as she parked, tall and relaxed in a cream shirt and dark slacks, a clean wristwatch glinting subtly.
Bella stepped out of the car, her heels clicking softly on the pavement.
"Star girl Bella," Austin greeted with a smile, his eyes lighting up as he opened his arms. "Nice to finally meet you."
She smiled back, walking into the warm hug. "Likewise. You look different in person. Not in a bad way though."
"Oh? Taller or shorter?"
"Cooler," she said, laughing as they both took their seats.
Austin called a waiter over and placed the order they'd casually agreed on during texts, spaghetti, grilled chicken, and chilled mocktails.
As the meal arrived, their conversation flowed effortlessly.
"You look really good, by the way," Austin said, casually sipping his drink. "This color suits you."
"Thank you," Bella blushed slightly. "You clean up nice too."
"So… how's school been? Exams around the corner?"
Bella nodded. "Stressful, but manageable. I've been trying not to burn out."
"I feel you. Work's been crazy too," he said, stretching a little. "A lot of client meetings and some travel coming up."
Austin took a sip of his drink, his eyes still fixed on Bella with a calm smile.
"So… I finally get to sit with the star girl, Bella Adedayo herself," he teased.
Bella chuckled shyly. "Oh please, I'm not a star."
"Nah, don't even play modest. You've been all over the news for weeks. Mr. Stephen Adedayo's daughter? The whole campus practically paused during matriculation just to watch you walk in," he said, shaking his head.
Bella laughed. "You're exaggerating."
He raised a brow. "Am I though? By the way, Adedayo... what does it mean?"
Bella blinked for a second, then tilted her head with a thoughtful smile.
"I actually don't know exactly. I think it's Yoruba, a Nigerian language… I think it means something like 'the crown has turned to joy' or something close to that."
Austin nodded slowly. "That's beautiful. I'd love to visit Nigeria one day. Seems like a place with rich stories."
"You should," Bella said, smiling faintly.
Austin leaned in, lowering his tone a little. "But you… honestly, you don't even look Nigerian. What's the story there?"
Bella exhaled softly, staring at her glass for a second. "Well… my mom's British. Gave birth to me in London. I was raised here , but my dad's Nigerian, actually."
Austin blinked. "So Mr. Adedayo is a Nigerian, and your mom is white?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Growing up, I didn't really have either of them around much. My mom was always working… different cities, even when we were in the same country, we were like… far. And my dad, he's mostly in Nigeria. Politics, meetings, media, everything."
Austin's expression softened. "Damn… that must've been tough."
Bella gave a small shrug. "I got used to it. I had Kathy. We basically raised each other."
Austin smiled. "Still… that must've been something, seeing your dad again during matric."
Bella's eyes glimmered slightly. "Yeah… it was. I hadn't seen him in years before that. He came all the way just to be there. It meant more than I expected."
Austin leaned back, nodding. "That's deep. Respect to him."
"You've carried yourself well. All that attention… I know people in school probably stare like crazy."
"They do," Bella admitted, rolling her eyes. "Sometimes it gets uncomfortable. Like, I can't even walk to class without someone whispering or taking pictures."
Austin raised a brow. "Seriously? That bad?"
"Yeah. Some people are nice about it, but others…" she shrugged. "You can tell when it's fake smiles or just… envy."
They sat for a moment in silence, just sharing the weight of her words before moving on to lighter conversation.
Bella leaned forward slightly. "You still haven't told me, when are you finally visiting Lifetime College? You said you'd come see your brother sometime."
Austin paused slightly, then smiled. "Yeah, I've been meaning to. But weekends are just packed lately. I didn't want to drop by without having enough time."
she smiled and said, "Well, when you do come, I'll give you a proper tour."
He raised his glass slightly. "Deal."
As the afternoon deepened, the soft lounge music in the background set a calm rhythm. Laughter was shared. Glances lingered a little longer. But underneath it all, a quiet tension buzzed, one Bella couldn't quite name.
"You know," Bella said, twirling her fork into the spaghetti, "you text like someone who's super serious… but in person, you're kind of chill."
Austin grinned. "That's because work drains most of my 'serious.' In real life, I just want to vibe and enjoy peace."
"You should come vibe with us at school sometime," she teased, taking a bite. "Plenty of chaos to go around."
He laughed, leaning back. "I'll think about it. Lifetime College has its reputation, trust me."
"Good or bad?"
He tilted his head, playful. "A little bit of both. I hear it's full of drama queens and kings, secret relationships, and mysterious friendships."
Bella raised a brow. "Sounds exaggerated."
Austin shrugged. "Maybe. But hey, I do know someone personally there. So I hear things…"
"Like who?" she asked, curious.
He paused briefly, . "Just… a couple of people I've met through my brother. He's always talking about Lifetime"
She laughed again, completely unaware of the sidestep. "Must be nice."
"Yeah. Sometimes I feel left out when he talks about his people and all the stuff happening in college."
"You could join the chaos for a day," she joked.
Austin nodded slowly, his eyes soft. "Maybe I will , if you promise to be my tour guide."
Bella smiled. "Done."
They paused as the waiter came to refill their glasses.
After he left, Austin turned back to her. "You and Kathy seem really close, by the way."
"Oh yeah. She's like my sister. I don't even call her my friend at this point, we've been through so much."
"She seemed cool the day I heard her in the background."
"She's the best. And she says hi, by the way," Bella added, sipping her drink.
Austin chuckled. "Tell her I said hey back. I need to meet this famous Kathy one of these days."
"You should," Bella said, cheeks glowing just a little. "She'd be surprised you're real. You're like the mystery man I always smile at my phone for."
Austin smirked. "Then I better live up to the name."
Bella giggled. "So… how's work?"
He ran a hand through his hair. "Crazy. We're expanding the project I manage, so my calendar is basically allergic to free time. Meetings, deadlines, calls , adulting is a trap."
Bella nodded. "I feel that. Sometimes I just want to pause everything and sleep for a week."
"You and me both," he said with a small smile. "But tonight? No work, no stress. Just good vibes and food."
"And chicken," she added, grinning.
They both burst into laughter again, sinking further into the comfort of the night.
The food slowly disappeared, but the connection only grew. Bella was relaxed now, her shoulders loose, her eyes bright.
Because, for the first time in weeks, she was just… smiling again genuinely
They continued talking, about random things, work, music, and Bella's favorite type of movies. The conversation flowed easily, and the time passed quicker than either of them realized.
As the waiter cleared their plates, Austin checked the time and sighed.
"You should probably get going… its getting late, a beautiful star girl should not be driving late at night," he said, then looked at Bella with a small smile. "But I really hope we get to see again. I enjoyed this."
Bella nodded, smiling too. "Same here. You're cool to talk to. Really."
He grinned. "I try."
Just as the waiter returned with the bill, Austin added, "Oh, and one more thing, can I get a takeaway pack for Kathy?"
Bella's brow lifted slightly. "Aww, that's sweet."
"Yeah, I mean…. Plus, I owe her for stealing you away for the evening," he said playfully.
Bella laughed. "She'll love this. Thank you."
Austin paid the bill and stood up, taking the takeaway bag from the waiter. They walked out of the lounge together.
The evening breeze was cool as they stepped into the night. He walked her to her car, still casually chatting, then handed her the food.
"Tell her I said hi again," he said.
"I will. She'll be excited," Bella replied, resting her hand on her car door.
Austin gave a warm nod, then stepped back. "Drive safe,Bella."
"You too, Austin…"
They exchanged one last look, warm, unspoken understanding, and waved as they each got into their cars. Engines started, headlights flared, and they both drove off to their separate destinations, the night wrapping around them gently.
****
Bella pulled up to the apartment gate, and before she could even honk, it swung open. Kathy stood there, beaming, practically bouncing on her feet.
As Bella drove in and parked, Kathy jogged over and flung the door open.
"You're back!!" she squealed, pulling Bella into a big hug. "I missed you, babe!"
Bella laughed as she hugged her back tightly. "I was gone for just a few hours!"
"That's enough to miss my gist partner," Kathy grinned, grabbing the bag from the backseat as they headed inside.
"So?" Kathy raised a brow the moment they stepped in. "How was it? Your first time seeing Austin in person… don't even try to skip details."
Bella smiled, slipping off her shoes. "It was cool, really. He's softspoken… funny, understanding. We talked about a lot of things."
Kathy plopped onto the couch, eyes shining with curiosity. "Ouu softspoken? You like that, don't you?"
Bella tossed a pillow at her playfully. "He's just... easy to be around."
"Hmmmm…" Kathy sang, teasing. "Sounds like someone had fun."
Bella chuckled, then reached into the takeaway bag Austin had given her. "Oh, and by the way, he got this for you."
Kathy's eyes widened. "Wait, what? For me?"
"Yup," Bella nodded, handing it over. "He said this was his way of saying thanks… and sorry for stealing me for the night."
Kathy gasped in dramatic joy. "A man with manners! Please, Bella, don't joke with this guy !"
They both burst into laughter, the night melting into soft giggles, food, and stories, like always.