Chapter 9

NICOLE

"Is that Marcus Russell?" Darla exclaimed with such excitement that her loud voice startled Damian from his slumber.

"Shh, Darla!" I cautioned her, trying not to wake Damian any further.

As Marcus rose to his feet and wiped his face, I couldn't help but notice his tousled hair, likely a result of sleeping on the couch.

"Wow, it really is Marcus!" Darla exclaimed, her bags falling to the ground in her excitement.

"Hello Marcus, I'm Darla Zachary and I'm a huge fan of yours," she gushed, her eyes wide and shining as she looked at him in awe.

Marcus reached out and took her hands, shaking them warmly as a smile spread across his face.

“I'm always excited to see you on the red carpet and in your photoshoots, and I used to be a big fan of your music as well," Darla expressed.

"Thank you, Darla," Marcus replied with a grin. "It seems like you have a lot of admiration for me."

Darla blushed and looked away. "Please, just call me Darla."

As the conversation continued, I cleared my thr