Subdued (18+)✔️ [A Nigerian Romance]

16~Recognition

"Hmm. I'd take the yoghurt then." Kachi leaned back in his chair, his eyes still holding her gaze. Aria had never met anyone with this much intensity; he had the power to completely captivate her with his gaze.

She turned slowly, as if in a trance and made to walk away.

"You're not stripping tonight?" His voice stopped her in her tracks and she turned again.

"I wasn't stripping, I was dancing and it was a..." she paused, realizing that he'd somehow recognized her as Ria the dancer and not Aria his neighbor. "You recognize me?"

A grin slowly spread out on his face, starting from his eyes and then his entire face lightened. The flashing blue and red lights reflected in his eyes and they twinkled. If she felt joy the last time his eyes warmed towards her, imagine how she felt now that he was beaming the wide grin her way. She felt like they'd lit a thousand stars in her heart and she was so full with joyous energy.

"From the very first night you crashed into me," he finally said, the smile disappearing as suddenly as it came. Aria wanted to reach out and force his face into a smile, she missed it that much.

"But you didn't say anything. You saw me at the apartment and back here today but you didn't say. I even asked if you remembered me!" She remembered just how embarrassed she'd been when he'd pretended to not know her. Strangely enough, it didn't make her as furious. "Why now?"

"I guess I have an ulterior motive then?"

"Erm, I'll just go get your drink." Aria turned and hightailed it out of the VIP area. She took a few moments to stick her head in the fridge hoping it would somehow reduce the heat on her face and neck. When she'd calmed down sufficiently, she grabbed his yoghurt and glass.

Kachi was exactly where she left him, intense stare and slight scowl still intact. Somehow, she'd been worried that she'd come out and find him gone so she had hastened her steps and now felt instant relief to see him.

"Your drink sir," she muttered, placing the drink and the glass in front of him, then began arranging coasters on the table. She was looking for ways to spend more time at his table and she she knew it but couldn't find the heart to immediately pull away. What was it about this man that drew her so? She'd never been this attracted to anyone in her life. Even Ife that she'd dated for almost two years had never made her feel this way.

"Sit," he ordered. "I want to talk to you about something."

She immediately dropped into the seat opposite him and folded her hands in her lap. "Talk to me about what?"

"What's your name again?" His eyebrows drew together.

"Aria." She couldn't believe he'd forgotten her name so soon. It had just this afternoon.

"No, Aria is an abbreviation right? What's the full name?"

How did he know? Very few people knew Aria wasn't the full name. "It's Zariah."

"Zariah," he muttered. No one had ever called her name like that. His voice was so deep and did funny things to her stomach. She pressed her palms to her belly, wishing it to settle.

"Yes."

"I'm Kachi," he said as he leaned forward and placed his hands on the table.

"I know," she smiled. She wished they could go somewhere quiet to talk. The club music was making it hard to hear him. At least, it was the excuse she used to lean forward. Their heads were close now and bent towards each other. If she inhaled deeply enough, she could perceive his cologne over the smell of beer and sweat that was the club's signature smell.

"Do you have a boyfriend, Zariah?" The words flowed from his lips and washed over her body.

She shook her head as she wondered just why he was asking. Was it even slightly possible? Was there the possibility that Kachi felt this thing happening between them? Was this attraction somehow two-sided?

"Use words when talking to me," he said.

"No. I don't." She expected the typical Nigerian male response; something along the lines of Fine girl like you? How come?

"Good," was all he said. This man was so different from anything she'd ever known.

"Why did you ask?"

"What time do you close?" he asked in return.

She stared down at the leather watch on her wrists. "in about twenty minutes, why?"

"You ask a lot of whys, Zariah."

Was she supposed to not ask questions and just accept everything that came out of his mouth?

"I only ask because I'm curious."

"I want to talk to you about something, also that guy has been glaring at us since you sat down here. So he's either your boyfriend or your boss, either way, I had to confirm."

Aria turned to see Odogwu leaning on the far wall close to the bar with a deep frown. He narrowed his eyes when she caught his gaze and knew she was in trouble. "I have to get back to work." She stood up and slid out of the booth. "I'll get the POS so you can pay for the drink." She was lingering, waiting for him to ask to see after her shift ended.

"Ok."

When he didn't say anything else, she walked towards the bar and Odogwu followed.

"You spent ten minutes talking to him," he said immediately he reached her.

She powered on the POS as she made to go back to the VIP area. "I wasn't there for that long," she sighed.

"Madam, take your time. You're here to work not seduce my customers." He eyed her.

"I'll be closing in a few minutes."

"Don't waste the remaining seventeen minutes flirting please. Do the job I'm paying you to."

She nodded and made her way back to Kachi. He wordlessly handed her his card and she processed the transaction. It went so fast, the POS machine didn't even delay a bit. The one time she wished for a network error or something along that line, the machine disappointed her.

She handed him his receipt and noticed he hadn't even opened the drink. When she looked at his face, he was already staring again. "You didn't open the drink," she said dumbly.

"I didn't."

"Okay." She turned to leave.

"Can I see you when you close? I'll be waiting outside."

"Okay."

***

I think I'm falling for Kachi too. Imagine that smile directed at me, I'd swoon for sure 😂

How's their interaction? Does it need more?

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