Ace of Spades ✅

27; Partners for life.

Four Years Ago.

Random Apartment, Bauchi State.

The insistent, sleep depriving sound of a phone ringing had Inaya stirring from her sleep with a groan. Turning her head to the side, she extended her hand out in search for the device. The action went on for a few seconds before her fingers touched it, and in a swift action, she had picked it up and brought it to her ear.

"Hello?" She groggily answered, her heavy lids still shut. She could barely make sense of her surrounding, or even the call to be honest. It felt like a dream or something.

"Come out. I'm outside your apartment."

"Who is this..." She brought the phone away from her ear, and peeled her eyes open with great effort. When her eyes fell on the caller ID, she found herself springing to a sitting position instantly—sleep packing its Ghana must go and sprinting off. "Aadil?"

"You coming out or not?"

"Wait, are you seriously outside my apartment?" She pushed herself off the bed, using her free hand to try and tame her unruly, stubborn curls. It looks like some shrunk bird's nest. The night dress she has on, or more like a shirt that reached just a bit below her knee rumbled as she got on her feet.

She ignored it, and waddled all the way to the window, before pulling the curtains open slightly and peeking out. True to his words, Aadil stood outside his car, the same steel colored Toyota from the night before—looking ravishing might she add.

"You seriously are outside." She mumbled, her eyes giving his appearance a onceover. Sleep no longer was in her dictionary—in his stead, she was overly aware of the dashing man looking like he's ready for a commercial shoot.

"You know; I still haven't gotten my answer." He looked up, his eyes falling right where she stood as if knowing which exact one is her apartment. Holding her gaze through the slight curtain opening she was peeking from, he repeated. "You coming down or what?"

Inaya drew her lower lip between her teeth, to hold back her smile. "And what if I don't?" She teased.

He shrugged. "Then I'd take the information I come bearing back to where I came from." He stated simply. "Plus," His voice suddenly came again, his voice dropping slightly. "I'll make a mental note to not spare any time for you in the future."

She snorted, rolling her eyes in the process. "As if you'd dare, Lieutenant."

"Try me, Captain."

Instantly, her brow quirked, wondering whether she actually heard him right. She couldn't recall a single moment he addressed her with her title. And even though they weren't in the division or in uniform then, she would be lying if she said it didn't make her stomach flip.

Unable to help herself, her lips slanted into a wide smile; making the corner of her eyes squint slightly. Nonetheless, her gaze was still pinned on him when she voiced out in a low tone unknowingly. "Give me fifteen minutes." She declared, the excitement in her tone hard to miss. When she spoke, her voice came out a bit lower than earlier—her gaze never leaving his. "I'll be down asap."

He nodded slowly, and then emphasized. "Fifteen minutes it is." He gave a look that showed he doesn't exactly believe she will get ready in just fifteen minutes but well, whatever sails her boat.

With a slight giggle, Inaya ended the call and all but sprinted to the bathroom, after throwing her phone somewhere on the bed. She ended up taking a shower that lasted over seven minutes—already taking up half the time she just stated.