SOTERIA’S POV
I did not even remember how I got home.
One minute I was in his office, standing there smiling like someone who had just been given free money, and the next minute I was parking in our compound with my heart doing something strange in my chest.
I switched off the engine and just sat there.
What just happened?
He offered me a ride.
AkilaHyel.
The same man that barely says more than five words to me at a time. The same one that nods like conversation is a luxury. The same one that looks at me like he is measuring my spiritual temperature.
He said, “If you need a ride, feel free to tag along with us.”
And I lit up like a generator.
I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel and groaned.
“Why am I like this?”
I stepped out of the car and walked into the house. Everything looked normal. The living room was quiet. The air conditioner hummed softly. The house help greeted me, and I answered absentmindedly.
I climbed the stairs to my room slowly, my mind already racing.
The boat cruise.
A whole week of real fun.
Amanda had painted it so beautifully. I could already see the outfits in my head. Flowing dresses. Sunglasses. Soft life.
I dropped my bag on my bed and kicked off my heels.
Should I disappoint Amanda?
Or should I disappoint Akila?
I sat down slowly.
I have never disappointed Amanda before. Not once. If she calls, I show up. If she plans something, I am there. We have been through too much for me to suddenly say I am not available.
But Akila…
He has never asked me to do anything.
He has never directly invited me anywhere.
Today was the first time he spoke to me like that.
Personal.
“I look forward to seeing you in church.”
Why did that sentence refuse to leave my head?
I lay back on my bed and stared at the ceiling.
If I cancel on Amanda, she will be upset. She will talk. She might even shout. But she will forgive me eventually.
If I cancel on Akila?
I do not know why, but it feels heavier.
And Naya invited me too.
I sighed loudly.
“Why is this even hard?”
Just as I was about to sit up, my phone rang.
Amanda.
I froze.
The phone kept ringing.
I inhaled deeply before answering.
“Baby girl,” she said immediately, her voice bright and dramatic as usual. “What’s up? Where are you?”
“I just got home,” I replied, trying to sound normal.
“You will not believe what just happened,” she said excitedly. “My guy called. He is sending his private jet to Abuja to pick up a few of his friends before heading to Lagos. You can tag along. You and your man can join. Direct private jet to Lagos. No stress.”
My heart skipped.
I swallowed.
“Oh my God,” I said weakly.
Inside, I was panicking.
What kind of temptation is this?
Amanda kept talking. “I have already secured your room on the cruise. You people will enjoy yourselves.”
I closed my eyes.
Say it.
Just say it.
Something inside me whispered,
Do not lie.
“Amanda,” I began slowly.
“Yes?”
“I am so sorry. I do not think I will be able to make it.”
There was silence.
Then her voice changed.
“What?”
“I mean… I have something important. An appointment I cannot cancel.”
“An appointment?” she repeated. “You will not make what? The trip? I have made reservations. Everything is set.”
“It is not like I want to cancel,” I said quickly. “It is just… this is something I need to do now. If I do not do it now, I will not have the chance again.”
“So my own you can cancel,” she said sharply.
“No, that is not what I am saying,” I replied, sitting upright. “It is just really important. The person involved is someone I deeply respect. I cannot disappoint him.”
There was a pause.
“Oh,” she said slowly. “So now you no rate me abi??.”
My chest tightened.
“That is not fair.”
“After everything? Even with the private jet and the enjoyment? You are choosing somebody I don’t know over me?”
I did not have strength for drama.
“Amanda, please,” I said softly. “It is not about rating anybody. I just need to do this.”
She exhaled loudly.
“Wow.”
I stayed quiet.
“Fine,” she said eventually, her tone cool. “It is your choice.”
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Guilt washed over me.
I immediately typed a message.
I am really sorry. I did not mean to hurt you. I just need to be there for this. I hope you understand.
I stared at the message for a few seconds before pressing send.
Then I dropped my phone on the bed.
I felt bad.
Really bad.
Lagos would have been fun.
The cruise would have been unforgettable.
The private jet would have been an experience.
But something inside me felt… settled.
I said I would go to church.
And I will go.
Because Akila asked.
Because Naya invited me.
Because for the first time, I feel like maybe I should choose something different.
I lay back down and stared at the ceiling again.
“Midweek service,” I whispered to myself.
Then I laughed softly.
If anybody told me last month that I would cancel a boat cruise for a Wednesday service, I would have said they were dreaming.
But here I am.
And strangely enough…
I am not regretting it.
Not yet.
Wednesday came quicker than I expected.
All through the day, I could not sit still. I tried to act normal. I answered clients, took calls, reviewed a proposal for the outreach in Benue but my mind kept drifting.
By evening, I was ready far too early.
I stood in front of my mirror longer than necessary, adjusting my earrings, smoothing down my top, stepping back to look at myself again.
“It’s just midweek service,” I whispered.
Just midweek service.
So why was my heart beating like this?
When I heard the gate downstairs open and the sound of a car pulling into the compound, my stomach tightened. I didn’t even try to pretend I wasn’t waiting. I grabbed my bag and hurried downstairs before I could overthink anything.
Akila was driving.
Of course he was.
He stepped out first. He was wearing dark jeans with a crisp sky blue shirt. Sleeves rolled just enough to show his wristwatch. Clean.
He saw me and for one suspended second, our eyes locked.
“Soteria,” he said, nodding once.
His voice was steady as always.
“Hi,” I replied, hoping my voice did not betray how suddenly warm my chest felt.
Naya came around from the passenger side, smiling brightly. “See you! Fine girl! Are you ready for service?”
“I hope so,” I laughed.
“You’ll enjoy it,” she assured me. “Midweek service feels more intimate.”
Akila had already walked to open the back door for me.
Wait!! He’s opening the car door for me??
Wow!!
Wow!!!
“Thank you,” I said softly as I got in.
He only hummed in response.
Why does one hum feel like a full sentence?
We drove off.
Naya talked easily, filling the car with her energy. I responded, but my awareness kept slipping forward to the driver’s seat. To the way his hands rested confidently on the steering wheel. To the quiet concentration in his expression.
“Are you comfortable back there?” he asked suddenly.
I blinked, caught.
“Yes. Very.”
“Okay.”
Just that.
And yet my heart reacted like he had said something profound.
When we arrived at the church, I hesitated at the entrance.
The atmosphere was different from what I was used to. It was calm and reverent. No noise. Soft worship playing in the background. People seated quietly, some praying, some reading their Bibles.
It felt serious.
Naya gently nudged me. “Babes, relax.”
Akila slowed his pace slightly so we could walk beside him.
We found seats and Naya sat first.
I sat next to her.
Akila took the seat on the other end.
The service began.
After worship, The Pastor stepped up.
“This is Pastor Uzo” Naya whispered to me.
He stood steady and said, “Tonight’s topic is The Power of Focus.”
My spine straightened immediately.
“Many believers are not weak,” he continued. “They are just distracted.”
The word hit me before I could guard myself.
“Jesus,” he said, opening his Bible, “is our greatest example of focus.”
He read Hebrews 12:2.
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”
He paused.
“Looking unto. Not glancing at. Not checking occasionally. But constantly looking unto him.”
The church was quiet.
“Peter walked on water,” he continued. “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid. The moment he shifted focus, he began to sink.”
My fingers tightened around my bag.
“When you focus on the storm, you sink. When you focus on Jesus, you stand.”
He moved on.
“Luke 10:41–42. Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed. Mary chose that good part.”
He looked up.
“Activity is not focus. Busyness is not focus.”
My throat felt dry.
“Philippians 3:13–14,” he read. “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal…”
“Press,” he emphasized. “Focus requires pressing.”
Then his voice grew firmer.
“In this generation, distraction is digital.”
“The first thing many of you touch in the morning is your phone.”
My stomach dropped. That was me.
“Before prayer. Before scripture. Before gratitude.”
“Do not be tossed to and fro,” he said, referencing Ephesians 4:14. “Do not let people drag you left and right. Do not let opportunities pull you away from purpose.”
I felt exposed.
“Social media, some events, noise. They are not evil,” he continued. “But they are weights and can become dangerous when they steal your focus.”
My heart started beating harder.
Was he talking about me?
“Let us read together,” Pastor Uzo said.
He called out Hebrews 12:2 again, and the entire congregation read in one voice.
“Looking unto Jesus…”
I found myself reading too.
And as I did, something inside me softened.
For once, I was not checking my phone.
Not thinking about outfits.
Not planning anything.
I was just there.
Listening and receiving.
My heart felt strangely heavy and light at the same time.
Heavy with realization.
Light with relief.
When Pastor Uzo asked everyone to bow their heads and pray for grace to focus again, I closed my eyes fully.
“God,” I whispered silently, “help me not be distracted.”
The words surprised me.
Because I meant them.
I felt a warmth spread slowly through my chest.
A quiet steadiness.
When the service ended, I didn’t even realize how much time had passed.
Akila turned slightly toward me.
“Did you enjoy the service?”
“Oh my God,” I said honestly. “Yes. It was amazing.”
His brows lifted subtly.
“I didn’t expect that.”
“I didn’t expect it either,” I laughed. “I actually want to come back.”
He nodded once.
“That’s good.”
Then Naya added, “Pastor Olive is around. She would like to see you now.”
My heart skipped.
“Now?”
“Yes. If you’re okay with that.”
Why did that make me nervous? I already knew I was meant to see her today. I was just… I don’t know.
“Yes,” I said quickly. “I’m comfortable.”
We began walking toward where Pastor Olive stood speaking to a few people.
When we reached Pastor Olive, she turned toward us.
Her eyes rested on me in a way that felt intentional.
And suddenly, standing there, I felt small.
Like something important was about to happen.
Like this was not random.
And for the first time that night, my heart wasn’t racing because of Akila.
It was racing because I sensed that this moment — this conversation — might shift something deeper inside me.
And I wasn’t sure if I was fully ready for that.
AkilaHyel’s POV
The message unsettled me.
Not in a condemning way but in a revealing way.
When Pastor Uzo began speaking about focus, I felt it immediately. At first, I thought it was just another good sermon— structured, intelligent, practical. But as he continued, something in me tightened.
“Do not be tossed to and fro.”
That line lingered.
Because if I was honest, I had been.
Not outwardly.
No one would notice.
I still showed up to work. Still prayed. Still functioned.
But inwardly?
My attention had been scattered.
My quiet time had reduced.
My conversations with God had become shorter.
My thoughts wandered more than they used to.
And I knew it.
When Pastor Uzo spoke about subtle distractions, not even sinful things, just shifts of attention. I felt exposed.
Then he said, “The first thing many of you touch in the morning is your phone.”
I lowered my eyes.
That one was accurate.
When he asked everyone to bow their heads and pray, I didn’t hesitate.
“Lord,” I prayed quietly, “help my heart.”
“Help me focus again. Help me not drift. Help me not be distracted.”
I paused.
“Whatever is trying to compete for space in my heart, remove it.”
The words came slowly and carefully.
I meant them.
I opened my eyes slightly before I realized I had.
Soteria was seated, her head bowed too.
Her expression was serious.
For someone who always seemed loud and carefree, she looked deeply still.
I studied her for a moment.
The way her fingers were intertwined.
The way her brows were slightly drawn together.
The way her lips moved faintly as she prayed.
My chest tightened unexpectedly.
Oh.
She actually came with her heart.
For a second, I felt something close to admiration.
Something I did not immediately name.
When Pastor Uzo ended the prayer, I leaned back slowly and exhaled.
And in that same quiet moment, I made a mental note.
Call Mum tonight.
It had been too long.
Work had swallowed my time.
I needed to check in on my family properly.
Focus is not only spiritual.
It’s relational too.
When service ended and people began to move around, I turned to her.
“Did you enjoy the service?”
I was just being polite.
Instead, her face lit up.
“Oh my God, yes. It was amazing.”
I found myself nodding slowly.
I did not expect that. I really didn’t expect her to enjoy it that much.
Pastor Olive had mentioned earlier in the week that she wanted to meet her, so Naya told her.
She looked a little nervous.
But she agreed.
As they walked toward where Pastor Olive stood, I stayed slightly behind.
When Pastor Olive greeted her, I watched.
Soteria began speaking.
At first, she seemed unsure.
Then she relaxed.
Her hands started moving as she explained something.
One hand lifted slightly when she emphasized a point.
Her fingers curved when she was searching for the right word.
Her eyes…
That was the part that caught me.
They twinkled at the corners when she was inquisitive. She seemed very curious about a lot of things.
She would tilt her head slightly when listening.
Then nod quickly.
Then speak again.
There was something unguarded about her in that moment.
Not the loud, carefree Soteria that teased and argued.
This one was thoughtful.
Almost soft.
I felt myself smiling before I could stop it.
Why am I smiling?
I looked away quickly.
This is the same Soteria you’ve always known.
The same one that talks too much.
The same one that irritates you sometimes.
So why does she look… different?
Or has she always been this way and I just never paid attention?
I shook my head slightly.
Focus.
I told myself.
Focus.
But even as I tried to redirect my thoughts, my eyes drifted back to her.
She laughed lightly at something Pastor Olive said.
Her shoulders relaxed.
Her expression brightened again.
And for reasons I could not fully explain, that brightness affected me.
It did something to my chest.
Something subtle and unsettling.
I cleared my throat and walked toward Naya.
“I’ll be in the car,” I told her quietly. “When you’re done.”
She looked at me knowingly but didn’t say anything.
I turned and walked out before I could overthink it.
The night air hit me immediately.
I unlocked the car and sat inside.
For a few seconds, I just stared ahead.
What is happening to you?
I leaned my head back against the seat.
Why are you so intrigued?
It wasn’t as if she had changed overnight.
She had always been expressive.
Always been vibrant.
Always been… Soteria.
Yet tonight, something felt different.
Or maybe I was seeing her differently.
And that thought unsettled me more than anything.
I sighed quietly.
“Lord,” I muttered under my breath, “please.”
I didn’t even know what I was asking for.
Clarity?
Distance?
Understanding?
I didn’t know.
All I knew was that something had shifted.
And I wasn’t sure if I liked how aware I was becoming of her presence.
When the church doors opened and I saw her step out beside Naya, laughing softly at something Pastor Olive had said, my heart responded before my mind could reason.
And that bothered me.
Because I had just prayed about focus.
And here I was…
Feeling distracted.
What jusss appen right now??😂😂
AkilaHyel!!
Wetin dey sup??
Holy Ghost thank you for Naya’s life oo.
Thank you for this seed that has been planted in her heart….
We might get another bonus chapter today if the engagements are encouraging😍😍. Kindly like, restack and comment.
On your mark!! Get set!! Ready???
Go!!!!!!!!
Naya and Akila are doing the Lord’s work.