Chapter Four: The Truth He Wouldn't Tell

I barely slept that night.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the picture Great had sent me.

Him and Vanessa.

Standing close.

Too close.

Then her words came back.

You don't know what kind of person he is.

I turned over in bed and pulled my blanket over my head.

Why did I even care?

Great wasn't my boyfriend.

He wasn't even my friend.

At least, that's what I had told myself.

But somewhere along the line, he had become more than just the irritating guy who stole my seat.

He was the person I looked for whenever I entered a room.

The person whose messages I secretly waited for.

The person who could make me laugh when I was determined not to.

And that realization annoyed me more than anything Vanessa had said.

My phone lit up.

Great: Are you awake?

I stared at the message.

I didn't reply.

Another one came.

Great: Please.

I locked my phone.

If he wanted to explain, he could explain tomorrow.

I wasn't going to chase him for answers.

The next morning, I saw him before he saw me.

He was standing outside the lecture hall, leaning against the wall.

The moment his eyes found me, he straightened.

"Chisom."

I kept walking.

"Chisom, wait."

I stopped.

Slowly, I turned.

"What?"

He walked toward me.

"We need to talk."

"I know."

"Then let's talk."

I crossed my arms.

"Here?"

He glanced around.

"Somewhere private."

I hesitated.

"Fine."

We walked to a quiet corner behind the faculty building.

I stood several feet away from him.

"Talk."

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"The picture you saw..."

"Yes?"

"It's old."

"I figured."

"It was taken before Vanessa and I broke up."

"Okay."

He looked frustrated.

"You're not going to ask anything?"

"You said it was old. I'm listening."

He sighed.

"Vanessa and I dated for almost two years."

I nodded.

"I know."

"Things got complicated."

"How?"

He looked away.

"She became very controlling."

I raised an eyebrow.

"That's your explanation?"

"No."

He looked back at me.

"It's not the whole story."

"Then tell me the whole story."

Silence.

He didn't answer.

I laughed bitterly.

"Exactly."

"What?"

"You don't want to tell me."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Great looked at the ground.

"I promised someone I wouldn't."

I stared at him.

"Someone?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"I can't say."

I felt something inside me drop.

"Then why did you bring me here?"

"Because I don't want you believing Vanessa."

"And I don't want to believe you blindly either."

He looked at me.

For the first time, the confidence disappeared from his face.

"I'm not asking you to."

"Then what are you asking?"

"Just give me time."

I shook my head.

"Time doesn't make lies become truth, Great."

His jaw tightened.

"I haven't lied to you."

"You haven't told me the truth either."

He didn't respond.

I turned to leave.

"Chisom."

I stopped.

"I really like you."

My heart skipped.

I hated that it did.

He continued.

"I know we've only known each other for a short time. And maybe I'm moving too fast, but I don't want this thing between us to become something ugly because of something that happened before you."

I turned around.

"What thing?"

He stared at me.

"The thing neither of us is saying."

My breath caught.

He stepped closer.

I should have moved away.

I didn't.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then his phone rang.

He looked at the screen.

His expression changed immediately.

"Who is it?" I asked.

He ignored the question.

He answered.

"Hello?"

His face hardened.

"Where are you?"

A pause.

"I'll be there."

He hung up.

"What happened?"

"I have to go."

"Great—"

He was already walking away.

I stood there, confused.

Then I noticed something on the ground where he had been standing.

A folded piece of paper.

I picked it up.

There was no name on it.

Just one sentence written across the front.

You can't keep hiding what happened forever.

My stomach twisted.

I opened it.

Inside was a photograph.

Not of Great and Vanessa.

This one showed Great standing beside another man.

A man I had never seen before.

There was writing on the back.

Ask him about Daniel.

I stared at the name.

Daniel.

Who was Daniel?

And why did Great look terrified in the photograph?

---

By lunchtime, I had convinced myself not to confront him.

That lasted about thirty minutes.

I found Great behind the library.

He was talking to Michael.

The moment Michael saw me, he excused himself.

Great watched him leave.

"What do you want?"

I held up the photograph.

His face went completely blank.

"Where did you get that?"

"So you know him."

He didn't answer.

"Who is Daniel?"

"Chisom, you shouldn't have that."

"That wasn't my question."

He looked around.

"Where did you get it?"

"Someone left it for me."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

He took a step toward me.

"You need to give me that."

I pulled it away.

"No."

"Chisom."

"Tell me who Daniel is."

His eyes hardened.

"You don't understand what you're getting yourself into."

"Then explain it."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because it's not safe."

I stared at him.

"What isn't safe?"

He lowered his voice.

"Knowing too much."

I laughed nervously.

"You're making this worse."

"I know."

"Great, you're scaring me."

His expression softened.

"I'm sorry."

I looked at the photograph again.

"Was Daniel your friend?"

He didn't answer.

"Was he Vanessa's friend?"

Silence.

"Did you hurt him?"

His eyes widened.

"No."

The answer came too quickly.

I searched his face.

He looked genuinely offended.

"No, Chisom. Whatever you think this is, I didn't hurt him."

"Then what happened?"

He looked away.

"I can't tell you."

I felt my patience disappear.

"Then don't."

I shoved the photograph against his chest.

He caught it.

"From now on, if there's something you don't want to tell me, that's fine."

I stepped back.

"But don't expect me to stand here pretending everything is normal."

"Chisom—"

"I'm done."

I turned around.

"Wait."

I kept walking.

"Chisom!"

I didn't stop.

For the first time since I met Great, I didn't care if he followed me.

I just wanted distance.

Because whatever secret he was carrying had nothing to do with me.

At least, that was what I wanted to believe.

That evening, I returned to my hostel.

I opened my bag and pulled out my notebook.

Something fell from between the pages.

A small piece of paper.

My heart began pounding.

I unfolded it.

There were only six words.

Daniel didn't leave by himself.

I stared at the sentence.

Then my phone rang.

Unknown number.

I answered.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Hello?"

A man's voice finally came through.

"Stay away from Great."

My blood ran cold.

"Who is this?"

The call ended.

I stared at my phone.

Then I looked at the note in my hand.

For the first time, I realized something terrifying.

Maybe Great's secret wasn't just about his past.

Maybe it was coming for me too.