What lies within... Chapter two

Michael and Grace had both been dating for seven months, during which there was love. It was a relationship not made public for fear of what their parents would do. Michael had always been over restricted by his parents with no freedom of his own, no allowance or space, no privacy of liberty, he wasn't even allowed to have friends over or visit them, such was the training system of many Nigerian parents and he was no exception. Grace on the other hand received a lot of freedom as her parents were rarely at home, although they were just as strict as Michael's, they knew so little of their daughter's whereabouts. When the pandemic struck, Michael's restrictions grew even worse leaving him no chance of being with his beloved. This didn't stop him from longing for his heartbeat, the one he would love to live the rest of his life with. After several months, Michael began to feel a rift in their relationship as he often saw Grace with another person, and even when he confronted her, she would say he was just a friend. After the call two nights before, Michael had begun to realise that he had been a fool for taking her word for it.

"Knock! Knock!" Michael tapped his knuckles on the door of Grace's home, his thoughts all scattered around in his brain.

"Coming!" Grace answered approaching the door. She opened it and greeted him with a smile, her hands were wet from doing the dishes, she had on an apron which was also wet.

"Can I come in?" Michael asked

"Sure" she answered stepping aside to let him in.

Michael offed his shoes and went into the house, not saying a word as examined the home he had only been to once before.

"So what's up?" she asked

Michael had always hated those words, not because they were impolite but because he had no answer for them. He didn't understand their concept and so he only gave her a smile.

"She is asking you what's up like she doesn't know why we are here" the voice said.

"Please seat here, I'll be back" she said offering him a chair in the dinning room before taking her leave.

"Hello princess" Michael said with a smile as he had only just noticed Grace's little sister sitting in the living room.

In a few minutes, Grace was out with a meal and a smile. She placed it on the table saying, "Enjoy yourself", and then took a seat next to him.

"I don't eat potato" Michael said staring at the mixed dish of potato and beans. He had never had a liking for boiled potatoes and yam, they always ended up making him feel nausea.

"But you eat beans" she said

"Yes but-"

"You can't refuse my food" Grace insisted looking rather serious than before.

Michael knew not to refuse her when she got serious, "Okay, but only if you would feed me"

Grace picked up the spoon and began to feed him like a mother to her child. Michael began feeling rather upset with himself for doubting her in the first place.

"This is all a false play, don't be deceived by this" the voice said trying to convince him, but Michael couldn't help feeling guilty.

"Wouldn't you eat as well?" Michael asked

Grace smiled and then took a bite of the meal.

"So what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"She is doing it again!" the voice yelled

"After the meal, we'll deal with it" Michael said not wanting to spoil the mood just yet.

"How did you get them to let you out of the house?"

"I had to tell a little lie" Michael said lowering his face to the ground, he had always hated being lied to and hated telling them to people even more especially to his parents, and Grace knew this.

"Okay" she said fitting the spoon into his mouth, "What would happen to us if your parents found out about our relationship?" she asked.

Michael swallowed and then said, "well they'll get angry, probably yell a lot and then order me to end our relationship".

"Would you?" she asked looking him in the eye.

"Actually I won't, why are you asking me this?" Michael asked.

"Because if mine told me to, then I would" Grace said, these words drove chills down Michael spine and his heart began beating faster.