15/4/2024
Secrete lessons
Monday at School
Sunmi couldn't stop smiling.
All morning, she sat in class, staring out the window, lost in her thoughts. She had taken down Makinde, one of the most powerful tyrants in Lagos, with her own abilities. Her powers had awakened fully.
The thrill of it sent shivers down her spine.
She had won.
And yet, deep inside, a small part of her wondered—was it really her? That moment when her hair turned white, when she made people turn their own weapons against themselves… that hadn't felt like her.
But before she could think too much about it—
"Babe."
She blinked.
Eamon was leaning close, tapping her desk, a smirk on his face. "Babe. Babe. Baaabe."
Sunmi rolled her eyes, laughing. "What?"
"You've been sitting there grinning like an idiot. What's going on in that cute little head of yours?"
She leaned back in her chair, smirking. "Oh, you know… just thinking about the two of us in the future."
Eamon raised a brow. "Oh yeah?"
She nodded, leaning in slightly. "Alone. Married. Doing couple stuff."
He let out a mock gasp. "Sunmi! Are you saying you're finally admitting your undying love for me?"
She scoffed. "I never denied it."
Eamon grinned. "I knew it! You are obsessed with me!"
She shoved his arm playfully. "Keep dreaming."
They laughed, teasing each other back and forth as the school day carried on.
---
Meanwhile, across the schoolyard, Tolu and Moses sat on a bench, deep in conversation.
"She lost control," Moses muttered, tapping his fingers against his knee. "Sunmi went full-on psychic overload. She nearly killed everyone. If I hadn't stopped her—"
"But you did," Tolu said, arms crossed. "And besides, she stopped herself when she saw Omoba. That means there's still a part of her in control."
"Yeah, but why though . I mean she barely knows the dude. It was kinda weird.?" Moses sighed, before continuing."She had white hair, Tolu. White hair! That's not normal."
Tolu bit her lip. "Neither is killing your boyfriend or raising creating a zombie plague or almost incinerating the school with ancient fire magic, but here we are."
Moses groaned. "Point taken."
They sat in silence for a moment before Tolu spoke again.
"There's something else," she admitted.
Moses glanced at her. "What?"
She hesitated, then sighed. "I need to confess to the Council of Magic about killing Emeka."
Moses stiffened. "Are you insane?"
"If I don't," she continued, "the war between vampires and werewolves is only going to get worse. If they know the truth—that it was me, not some vampire ambush—it might stop the bloodshed."
Moses shook his head. "Tolu, that's suicide. The Council's punishments are brutal. Do you even know what they'd do to you?"
Tolu met his gaze, eyes firm. "I do. But I can't live with this secret anymore."
Moses exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "If you're really sure about this then I guess there's no stopping you then. But you have to tell Sunmi first."
Tolu sighed ." That's kinda the hard part."
The school bell rang, signaling the next class.
3:29pm
Sunmi adjusted her bag strap and looked up at Eamon. "I won't be going home after school. I have some errands to run."
Eamon narrowed his eyes. "What kind of errands?"
She smirked, stepping past him. "Girl stuff. You wouldn't understand."
He scoffed. "That's suspicious."
Sunmi just winked before walking away.
After school, she slid into the backseat of her driver's car.
"Take me to Ajegunle," she ordered.
The driver hesitated. "Ajegunle? But Miss Sunmi, your parents—"
"Just do it," she cut in, her voice firm.
The car ride was long, the smooth roads of the island fading into the rough, bustling streets of the mainland. When they arrived, she pulled the hood of her sweater over her head and stepped out, blending into the crowd.
The air smelled of roasted plantain, car exhaust, and sweat. People shouted at each other, street vendors haggled with customers, and music blasted from nearby shops.
She moved quickly, scanning the streets for Gift or Matthew.
Then she heard it—a scream.
Her head snapped toward the sound. A hooded figure sprinted out of an alley, clutching something in their hands.
Without thinking, Sunmi lifted her hand—
The figure shot into the air, their feet dangling above the ground.
The hood slipped off.
Sunmi's eyes widened.
Gift.
Gift grinned down at her. "Damn, Princess. That's one way to say hi."
Sunmi rolled her eyes, lowering her hand and letting Gift land smoothly on the ground. "What are you stealing this time?"
Gift held up a loaf of bread. "I was hungry."
Sunmi sighed. "You're impossible."
Gift smirked. "But seriously, what are you doing here, rich girl? Left the comfort of your fancy mansion just to see me?"
Sunmi crossed her arms. "I need to see Matthew."
Gift raised a brow, amused. "You really left the island to come all the way to the mainland just to see my brother?"
Sunmi hesitated, then nodded. "It's personal."
Gift stared at her for a moment, then grinned. "Alright, come on, Princess."
---
They walked for a while until Gift led her to a small house, hidden away from the main street.
Sunmi stepped inside and froze.
Matthew was shirtless, working out.
His muscles tensed as he did push-ups, his body glistening slightly with sweat.
She swallowed. Damn.
She quickly forced her eyes up before Gift caught her staring.
Matthew glanced at them and sat up, wiping his face with a towel. "What's she doing here?"
Sunmi straightened. "I need your help."
Matthew frowned. "With what?"
She took a deep breath. "I did some research. Turns out, vampires are part psychic."
Matthew raised a brow. "And?"
"And I need you to teach me how to use my powers."
Matthew snorted. "Not happening."
Sunmi stepped closer. "Please, Matthew. I lost control last time, and I don't even know how I did what I did. I need to learn."
He shook his head. "Psychic abilities aren't something you just pick up overnight, princess. They're dangerous."
Sunmi clenched her fists. "I know. That's why I need you."
Matthew leaned back against the wall, studying her. "Even if I agreed, why should I waste my time training you?"
She hesitated, then sighed. "I'll pay you."
Gift whistled. "Omo, she's serious."
Matthew smirked. "Rich girl wants training, huh?"
Sunmi met his gaze, determined. "Yes."
There was a moment of silence.
Then Matthew exhaled and stood up, walking toward her. He leaned in slightly, his piercing gaze locking onto hers.
"Fine," he said. "Training starts tomorrow."
16/4/2024
3:30pm
The next day, after school, Sunmi once again told her driver to take her to Ajegunle.
Before getting in, she turned to him and said, "Swear you won't tell anyone I've been going to the mainland."
The driver hesitated. "But Miss Sunmi, your parents—"
"Swear," she insisted, her gaze sharp.
He sighed. "I swear."
Satisfied, she got in, and soon, they were on their way.
---
When she arrived, Matthew was already waiting outside.
"You're late, princess," he said, crossing his arms.
Sunmi rolled her eyes. "You're not my teacher, don't act like one."
Matthew smirked. "Technically, I am. Now, tell me about your abilities. How far have you gone?"
Sunmi sighed. "Most of the time, I don't have control. And sometimes… I see the future."
Matthew raised a brow. "Premonitions?"
She nodded.
He studied her for a moment. "What exactly do you want to learn?"
"Anything," she said.
Matthew thought for a moment before deciding. "Alright. I'll teach you a head dive."
Sunmi blinked. "What's that?"
"It's the ability to access people's memories," Matthew explained. "Vampires do it when they suck blood."
Sunmi smirked. "That's a cool way to invade someone's privacy."
Matthew chuckled. "It's useful. But it's not easy."
She shrugged. "I can handle it."
He stepped forward. "Then try it on me."
Sunmi nodded, placing her hands on the sides of his head. She concentrated, trying to dive into his memories.
Nothing.
She frowned. "Am I doing something wrong?"
Matthew sighed. "You're trying too hard. Let me show you."
Before she could protest, he touched her forehead with two fingers.
The world faded.
---
Sunmi blinked.
They weren't in the training area anymore. They were in a dimly lit church, candles flickering along the walls.
"Where are we?" she asked.
Matthew stood beside her. "My head."
Sunmi's eyes widened.
Ahead of them, a memory began to play.
She saw Matthew—only younger—wearing the robes of an Anglican priest.
Sunmi's mouth fell open. "You were a priest?"
Matthew smirked. "More like a priest's rebellious son."
In the memory, young Matthew snuck out of the church, swapping his robes for street clothes before heading to a club.
Sunmi watched as the scene shifted to a crowded club with flashing lights. Matthew was drinking, dancing, and laughing—until suddenly, a fight broke out.
A flash of silver.
A knife.
It stabbed into Matthew's stomach.
Sunmi gasped. "Oh my God—"
The memory shifted again.
Matthew was lying in a dark alley, his wound healed, but something felt... wrong.
He woke up to an overwhelming hunger—for blood.
Confused and afraid, he staggered back home, only to stop at the entrance of his father's church.
He tried to step inside.
Pain shot through him.
Matthew winced, and in the memory, his father stood at the door, staring at him in horror.
"Monster," his father whispered.
Matthew took a step forward. "Dad, I—"
His father shut the door.
Sunmi felt her heart ache as she watched Matthew wander the streets alone, feeding on goats, chickens, and stray dogs just to survive.
Then, another memory surfaced.
A little girl sat in the rain, crying.
Sunmi recognized her immediately.
Gift.
Young Matthew stood over her, his expression softening. He hesitated, then knelt beside her.
"You got nowhere to go?" he asked.
Gift shook her head, sniffling.
Matthew sighed. "Me neither. Guess we're stuck together now."
The memory faded.
Sunmi snapped back to the present, stumbling slightly.
Matthew caught her before she fell.
She stared at him, speechless.
She never imagined Matthew's past was like that.
He let go of her and smirked. "Now you know my story."
Sunmi was quiet for a long moment before saying, "I'm sorry."
Matthew shrugged. "It was a long time ago."
They stood in silence until Matthew said, "That's enough training for today."
Sunmi nodded. "Yeah… right."
But as she turned to leave, something something felt wrong.
She glanced at Matthew—at the sharp angles of his face, the way his dark eyes studied her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She felt… drawn to him.
She didn't understand it.
She shook her head. No.
She loved Eamon.
But why, then, was she feeling this way?