By the time the sun was up, the hostel came alive again.
Doors slammed, kettles whistled, someone in Block C was shouting about a missing charger—just the usual Monday chaos.
Mope and the girls came back early, dragging their bags and their half-finished stories with them. Their makeup from the night before had become smudges, but their energy was louder than ever.
They pushed into the room Felicity shared with them, still laughing from whatever gossip they'd been holding on to since dawn.
"Felicity!" Bisola called dramatically, dropping onto her bed. "You missed the craziest night ever."
"That party was mad," Mope added, flinging her wig onto her pillow. "Actual madness. People were outside, inside, hanging from windows—everything."
Anjola burst into laughter. "And tell her how Charity disappeared. Abeg, tell her!"
Felicity sat up, tightening her satin bonnet. "What happened?"
"Oh!" Bisola slapped her thigh. "Your roommate left us like wind. One minute she was dancing, the next—'I have to go see Leon.' Just like that."
Anjola mimicked Charity's voice. "'I'll gist you people later.' Meanwhile, she's already tapping ride, sending location, doing panic girl."
Mope snorted. "She kuku lied that she was done with him. Only for small snap to shake her."
"She went to meet Leon?" Felicity asked, her voice flatter than she intended.
"Straight to his place," Mope confirmed, rolling her eyes. "The obsession is real. That girl will choose him over the whole world."
Felicity's stomach clenched. She tried to pretend she was casually listening, but the words hit her harder than she expected. She reached for her phone without thinking.
"And you should have seen how she embarrassed a guy," Bisola continued, already laughing. "The guy tried to flirt with her, gave her a little compliment but if he knew Charity he would have known that wasn't a great idea. The boy just walked off like a wet puppy."
"Poor thing," Mope sighed in fake sympathy. "He won't try his luck again."
The room erupted in giggles again, but Felicity wasn't laughing. She was already unlocking her phone, heat rising under her skin.
All this while Leon had been texting her back and forth, acting like everything had finally ended between him and Charity, like he had made things clear—but now she was hearing Charity went over to his?
She didn't even give it a second thought before sending a text.
Felicity:
So you had Charity over last night? And you didn't think I was going to find out or something?
She hit send before she could reconsider.
Mope leaned over. "Ah, you're suddenly quiet. What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Felicity said quickly, putting her phone face-down. "Just tired."
But inside, her thoughts were spiraling.
He really let her come over?
After everything he told me?
Her phone buzzed almost immediately, but she ignored it. She wasn't ready to see what excuse he would come up with.
Across town, Leon was sprawled on his bed, barely awake, rubbing a hand across his face. His phone pinged with Felicity's message, and he blinked at it, groaning.
Before he could even type a reply, another call came in—his father.
He sat up instantly.
"Dad?"
His father didn't waste time. His tone was clipped, business-like, the way he sounded when he was irritated but trying to stay controlled.
"Leon, we need you and Charity to come to the house this evening."
Leon frowned. "Why?"
"Because this situation can't drag on any longer," his father said sharply. "Do you understand? The pregnancy. The responsibility. The neighbors are already asking questions. And your mother thinks someone in the estate has started gossiping."
Leon's heart thudded. "Dad, wait—"
His father cut him off.
"You and Charity will come tonight. No excuses. There are decisions to make before this becomes bigger than it already is. Do you hear me?"
Behind Leon, unknown to him, Charity—who had slipped quietly into the hallway to take a call from Anjola—paused mid-step.
She wasn't close enough to hear the whole conversation, but she heard one thing clearly:
"…you and Charity will come tonight…"
She froze.
Her heart jumped.
They wanted both of them there?
A slow smile crept onto her lips.
They needed her.
They were expecting her.
The family was calling for her.
Meanwhile, Leon's pulse hammered in his ears.
"Yes, sir," he managed finally.
"Good," his father said. "Six o'clock. Don't be late."
The call ended.
Leon stared at the blank screen, stomach dropping.
He hadn't even told Felicity the truth.
He hadn't sorted out what the pregnancy even meant for his life.
And now his parents wanted a family meeting?
He ran a hand over his face and exhaled shakily.
Everything was spiraling again.
Back in the hostel, Felicity's phone buzzed for the third time.
Leon:
Felicity, can we talk? Please. It wasn't what you think.
She still didn't open it.
Mope was talking again, waving her hands dramatically. "I swear, Charity's own is spiritual. Let Leon cough once, she'll appear. Teleportation."
Bisola laughed. "She left that party like she was summoned."
Felicity didn't respond. Her mind running through everything she'd been trying to avoid thinking about.
She stood abruptly.
"I'm going to get food," she lied and stepped out before they could ask questions.
In the quiet hallway, she finally picked up her phone.
Leon:
Felicity, please pick up.
You're getting the wrong idea.
We need to talk before anything blows up.
She scoffed under her breath.
Before anything blows up?
It already has.
But even as she stood there, trying to be angry, her hands trembled.
At that exact moment, Leon's door creaked open.
Charity stepped back inside, humming softly, her face bright with a hope she hadn't felt in weeks.
"Leon," she called lightly, "your dad wants us?"
She grinned.
Leon's heart sank deeper.
This—this was the exact mess he had been terrified of.
And Felicity didn't even know half of it yet.