The drums beat faster.
Charlotte and Adam drifted into the crowd with everyone else. The hall was full of color and movement.
Girls spinning in wrappers. Boys clapping to the rhythm.
Adam didn't take her hand. He just walked beside her, close enough that their arms brushed.
"You look good in that," he said, loud enough for her to hear over the music.
Charlotte glanced at him. "Thanks."
"I mean it," Adam said. "The red and gold. It looks perfectely on you."
Charlotte felt her face go warm. She looked away.
Across the floor, Caleb and Vivian were already dancing.
Caleb's hand was light on Vivian's back. Vivian was laughing, her coral beads catching the light every time she moved.
She looked relaxed. Happy.
Caleb kept looking at her like he didn't care who was watching.
Charlotte smiled to herself. _They look good._
Then her eyes caught movement near the food stalls.
Princess.
Princess stood there in a yellow and purple Ankara dress. Gele tied high. Lipstick perfect.
But her face wasn't smiling.
Her eyes were fixed on Adam.
On Adam and her. Their eyes met each other and Princess gripped her plastic cup tighter.
_That's her,_ she thought. _The one who ruined everything._
She had started the rumor. She thought if Charlotte and Vivian fought, Adam would stop paying attention to Charlotte.
But here they were. Together.
And Adam was looking at Charlotte like she didn't even exist.
Princess turned away, jaw tight. Her eyes were red for anger.
---
The music slowed.
Adam stopped moving and looked at Charlotte.
"Can I tell you something Charl?"
Charlotte blinked. "What?"
Adam sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I've been trying not to say it. But today… seeing you like this."
"Like what?" Charlotte asked quietly. Her heart pounding
"Like this," Adam said. "Happy. In that aso-oke."
He paused.
"I like you, Charlotte."
The words hung between them.
Charlotte's heart jumped. "Adam—"
"You don't have to say anything," Adam cut in quickly. "I just needed to say it out loud. I'm tired of pretending I don't."
Charlotte didn't know what to say.
The dance ended. People clapped.
Vivian and Caleb walked over, both smiling.
"That was fun," Vivian said.
"Yeah," Adam said quickly, too quickly. "It was."
Charlotte nodded. "Yeah. Fun."
But her voice sounded small.
Christie 🤍 *Got you* 💛
Editing from right after the dance. Adding MC, the performances, them winning, food, selfies, and that last look from Adam.
Here's the *revised continuation*:
---
### *Chapter 5: Cultural Day — Continued*
The dance ended. People clapped.
Vivian and Caleb walked over, both smiling.
"That was fun," Vivian said.
"Yeah," Adam said quickly, too quickly. "It was."
Charlotte nodded. "Yeah. Fun."
Her voice sounded small.
Before anyone could say anything else, the MC's voice came over the speakers.
"Alright everyone! Time for tribal performances! Come to the front stage!"
The crowd moved toward the stage.
"First up: Igbo!" Everyone clapped happily.
A group in red caps and white shirts danced first. Drums, energy, beautiful steps.
"Next: Edo!"
Vivian squeezed Charlotte's arm. "That's my people."
"Won't you join them Viv?"asked Charlotte surprised
"Nah, I didn't practice. Did you?"she said grinning
"Yeah just little."replied Charlotte smiled
The Edo dancers came out with strong, proud movements. Vivian clapped the loudest.
"Next: Hausa!"
Flowing robes and rhythmic drumming.
"Last but not least: Yoruba!"
Charlotte's heart jumped.
She, Adam, and the rest of the Yoruba students walked to the front. Charlotte was in her red and gold aso-oke. Adam was in his navy blue agbada.
The music started. Talking drums and gangan.
They danced.
Charlotte focused on the steps her mom had taught her. Adam was beside her, matching her energy. The crowd cheered.
When it was over, the MC came back.
"And the winner for best tribal performance is… Yoruba!"
The Yoruba group screamed and clapped.
Adam turned to Charlotte with a grin. "We won."
Charlotte laughed, breathless. "We did."
Vivian and Caleb ran up to them.
"That was amazing!" Vivian said, hugging Charlotte. "You killed it."
Caleb nodded at Adam. "Good job, man."
Vivian bumped shoulders with Charlotte. "I'm so proud of us."
---
After the performances.They all sat together under the big tent with plates of food.
Jollof, fried rice, suya, small chops, moi moi.
They ate and gisted and laughed.
But Charlotte kept glancing at Adam.
Carefully. Quietly.
Because of what he said during the dance.
_I like you._
He wasn't acting weird. He was joking with Caleb, teasing Vivian about her dancing.
But every time his eyes met hers, he held them a second too long.
Vivian didn't notice. She was too busy showing Caleb pictures on her phone.
At the School Gate.
The event was over. The sun was low and gold over the compound. Cabs and parents' cars lined the road.
As they walked out, Adam stopped.
"Wait," he said. "Let's take a picture."
He pulled out his phone and turned toward Charlotte.
Charlotte's breath caught.
Before she could answer, Vivian stepped in and linked arms with her.
"No," Vivian said, smiling. "All of us."
She pulled Caleb in too.
They squeezed together.
Adam was right beside Charlotte. She could feel the warmth of his agbada against her arm.
"Smile," Vivian said.
The camera flashed.
"Okay bye guys," Vivian said, hugging everyone. "Text me."
Caleb waved. "See you tomorrow."
Charlotte turned toward her cab.
"Charlotte."
Adam's voice made her stop.
She turned back.
He was standing there in his navy agbada, hands in his pockets.
He didn't smile. He didn't joke.
He just looked at her. Soft. Steady.
Like he was memorizing her in that red and gold aso-oke.
"Good night," Adam said quietly.
Charlotte swallowed. "Good night, Adam."
For a second neither of them moved.
Then Adam gave her one last look. A look that said everything he hadn't said out loud. _Love._
And Charlotte got into the cab quickly before her heart gave her away.
---
In the cab on the way home.The red and gold fabric pooled around her on the seat.
The gele was slightly loose now. The beads on her wrists clicked softly every time she moved.
The city lights passed by the window. Music from the event was still faint in her ears.
Vivian's laugh. Caleb's smile. The cheering when Yoruba won.
And Adam.
Charlotte closed her eyes.
She remembered the dance. His hand brushing hers.
She remembered under the hall. The way his eyes kept finding hers.
She remembered at the gate. _Good night, Charlotte._ That look.
_I like you, Charlotte._
His words echoed in her head again.
She pressed her fingers to her lips and stared out the window.
Her heart was beating too fast.
And for the first time all day, she felt something different and couldn't know if it's love or something deeper.