WHEN THE SPOTLIGHT FINDS YOU

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Chapter 6: When the Spotlight Finds You

Zackary couldn't take the silence anymore.

It had been days. Days without a word from Nifemi. Days of missed calls, unanswered texts, and constant guilt pressing down on his chest. He couldn't just sit around waiting—he had to see her.

So that Monday morning, dressed in simple jeans and a hoodie to avoid attention (which, of course, didn't work), he pulled up at Nifemi's school gate.

Within seconds, the air buzzed.

Students stared, gasped, and whispered like wildfire spreading through dry grass.

"Oh. My. God. Is that—Zackary? Like, THE Zackary?"

A girl's voice squealed from behind a tree.

"What is he doing here? In this school?"

Another leaned against the wall, nearly dropping her books from shock.

"I don't know, but I'm taking a picture. This is literally the best Monday of my life!"

A boy held his phone high like it was breaking news.

Zackary, as usual, kept his eyes on his goal.

---

Meanwhile, Nifemi was just walking to school, headphones in, her mind still a mess from the chaos of the internet. Her heart was still bruised, her name still trending—for the wrong reasons.

Suddenly, a voice popped behind her with playful energy.

"I saw a deranged lizard walking down the street and I thought… yep, that's my best friend."

Nifemi snorted, lowering her hoodie slightly. "Really, Priscilla? That's how you say good morning?"

"Girl, come on. You know I missed annoying you."

Priscilla grinned, looping her arm around Nifemi's.

"So how are you feeling today?"

Nifemi gave a small shrug. "I'm good. I just finished—"

"You know that's not what I'm talking about," Priscilla cut in.

"I mean the whole internet drama. The party, the fall, the picture. You okay?"

Nifemi sighed. "Honestly? I don't know. I just want to take a break. From everything. From Zackary. We don't belong together, Priscilla. That world? It's not mine."

"Says who?" Priscilla raised a brow.

"Have you two even talked since then?"

"Nope. His fans talk enough for both of us. And I don't want to hear anything he has to say."

"Girl, listen." Priscilla stopped walking and looked Nifemi dead in the eye.

"This might just be the opportunity your dreams need. You always talked about acting, the spotlight, the stage. What if love and your dream came knocking at once?"

Nifemi laughed, bitter and soft. "No, no, no. When the time is right, God will make a way. This? This isn't it."

"Hmm." Priscilla folded her arms. "You never value what you have until you lose it."

Nifemi glanced at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what it means."

"Alright, that's enough deep talk. Let's just get to class," Nifemi muttered.

---

As they entered the school gate, the energy shifted. Students were crowded, phones raised, gasps flying through the air.

"What's going on?" Nifemi asked, eyes narrowing.

Priscilla froze. "Nifemi… is that… is that Zackary?"

He turned. Their eyes met.

Without hesitation, Zackary made his way through the crowd like the world had slowed down.

"Nifemi." His voice was low, but full of longing.

"It's good to see you again."

Nifemi blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"That's not the answer to my question." He stepped closer.

"Why haven't you been picking my calls? Why haven't you answered my texts?"

She crossed her arms. "Maybe because I didn't feel like talking to someone who turned my life into a circus."

He winced but nodded. "I get it. I really do. And I came here because I can't let it end like that. I planned that night to be magical. I had something special in mind." He paused, voice thick with emotion.

"I was going to ask you… to be my girl."

Nifemi's eyes widened. She wasn't expecting that.

"Zackary..."

"I like you, Nifemi. A lot. I can't stop thinking about you. Your smile, your fire, the way you stood up for yourself… You're not just some girl to me. You're the girl. The only one I see."

That part of her heart she was trying so hard to protect… started to melt.

"Really?"

"I meant every word."

Phones were out. Videos recording. Students murmuring.

"They're so cute!"

"This is better than a movie!"

"They're going to break the internet again—but in a good way!"

And right there, in the middle of the school compound, surrounded by cameras and wide eyes, Zackary took her hand.

"Will you give us a chance?"

Nifemi looked at him… then slowly nodded.

A cheer broke out from a few students. Others clapped. It felt like a scene from a teen drama—and it was all real.

---

Zackary smiled. "I have to go now—I'm already late for set. But I'll see you soon, yeah?"

"Yeah," she said softly.

He squeezed her hand and walked off, and just like that, Nifemi stood frozen, still trying to understand what just happened.

Priscilla rushed up beside her, squealing.

"OHHH MYYY GOSHHH! My best friend is the main character! Did you SEE that? I've never seen Zackary that romantic before! Girl, you're LIVING the dream!"

---

An hour later, the internet exploded.

#Zifemi trended instantly.

Some fans were obsessed:

"They're so cute together!"

"Power couple alert!"

"She brought out a side of Zackary we've never seen!"

Others? Not so kind:

"She's not even famous. Why her?"

"This won't last."

---

Far away, Amelia's jaw clenched as she scrolled through the news. Post after post. Picture after picture.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Zackary... romantic? With her?"

A bitter flame rose in her chest.

She had known him for years—and yet he never looked at her like that. Never fought for her. Never showed up at her school.

The jealousy burned. The spotlight had shifted. And Amelia wasn't ready to be in the shadows.