On his turn, Obiora mentioned a picnic inside a hot air balloon. It had actually been one of the many items on Ada’s bucket list, and had been one of the first things they’d wanted to tick off after they’d started their life together. Obiora still planned to do it at some point, but he’d imagined he’d probably have to do it alone because there was no way he could do it with someone else without them knowing what it had meant to him and his lost love. And once they knew what it meant, they probably wouldn’t like it.
But when his eyes met Ejiro’s across the room, he could picture it easily, suddenly—so easily he could almost taste wine on his lips, feel the breeze in his hair, hear Ejiro’s voice as he said a toast to honour Ada and Obiora’s past, then, more importantly, a toast to honour them and their future.
And Obiora burned.
So, when Sophia said, in that bright mischievous voice of hers, that, “What if I told you, that every single scenario you’ve mentioned today, Ameri is going to make come true for us?”, Obiora had felt himself crash back down to earth.
“Yup!” Sophia laughed, delighted at the stunned look on the men’s faces. She clapped her hands with glee. “After last week, I thought it would be nice if we all did something a little extravagant this time around, but still light-hearted and fun—something that would actually strengthen the bonds I have with each of you that isn’t as traumatising as surprise therapy.”
The men laughed. Obiora tried to, but he knew he probably looked constipated instead.
When Sophia left, Ameri had remained behind to plan their “perfect” dates with more detail, and they’d used the opportunity to film their cutaways for the day. Ejiro had eyed Obiora with concern, but Obiora had forced a smile and waved him off, even though the small kernel that had taken root in his chest had burst into a weed.
THE WEED GREW AND GREW until his date with Sophia arrived, and Obiora had to laugh and tease and pretend to be having the time of his life, because if he didn’t, he’d get eliminated, and if he was eliminated, then that would be the end of him and Ejiro.
Or would it?
“Okay, I’ve had it.”
Obiora blinked. The date was over, and they were standing in front of the mansion, after having strolled down the long driveway, their path lit with the bright lights lining the road, and those of the cameras surrounding them.
Sophia had her hands on her hips, a frown on her face. “Obiora, what’s going on? This was supposed to be a date to make us finally connect, but you’ve been spaced out all day. Are you all right?”
The weed in his chest grew into a forest, and Obiora realised he couldn’t do this anymore.
He wanted Ejiro so fucking badly. He loved him so fucking fiercely. He couldn’t do this anymore.
“Sophia,” he began, his voice heavy with finality.
“What?” She looked wary.
The words spilled from his mouth like vomit. “When Sasha said I was holding back from making a deeper connection with you, she was right, she just wasn’t right about why. It isn’t because of my late girlfriend, though I will never stop loving her. It’s because—”
The lights from the cameras suddenly felt too bright. The microphone pack taped to his back, under his shirt, felt hot and heavy, a damning weight.
“I—” He swallowed. “I’ve fallen in love with one of the bachelors.” For a brief moment, Obiora was filled with euphoria—that he’d finally been able to say it out loud seemed to release something in him that had been coiled tight.
Then the sudden hush brought him back to earth.
Obiora expected Ameri to yell cut, expected Sophia to slap him, something—instead, the world went deadly quiet.
“I’m sorry,” Obiora began profusely when the silence stretched on for too long, even though he really, truly wasn’t. “I’m so sorry, Sophia. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t mean to hurt you, or lead you on—”
“Who is it?” Sophia asked, sounding just a little bit excited.
Obiora felt his heartbeat start to race. Was she serious? Was she really not disappointed?
Slowly, he shook his head. “I can’t say.”
At that moment, like a dart landing right on his forehead, it hit Obiora.
What if Ejiro’s hesitance had nothing to do with Sophia or the competition at all? What if his hesitance was because all this was probably new for him, and he felt a little overwhelmed?
If Obiora made them leave the competition, or tell Sophia the truth, then that would mean Ejiro coming out when he probably wasn’t ready; hell, Ejiro probably hadn’t even had the time nor the space to even address his feelings, yet Obiora had wanted him make a decision, just like that.
For the first time since Ejiro had stopped things between them on that fateful night in Venice, Obiora felt his shoulders relax, and his chest filled with warmth. Oh, Ejiro.
Sophia laughed a little, though it didn’t hold any malice.
