Ziyah

SM Management,Writer,Book Lover,Data Analyst,Web Developer

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

3AM CONVERSATIONS
CHAPTER 13 — When Presence Becomes Proof

Zuri didn’t expect her heart to race, but it did. Not because Femi said he was coming, but because this time she didn’t know which version of him would show up.

She checked the time. 12:18 PM. Too early for emotions this heavy and too late to pretend she didn’t care.

Her room was quiet, but her thoughts weren’t. Don’t expect too much. Don’t fall too fast again. Don’t forget what he’s done before. But underneath all that was a softer voice. What if he means it this time?

The knock came sooner than she expected. Not soft like before, not hesitant, just firm and certain.

Zuri froze for half a second before walking to the door. Her hand rested on the handle, same position as before but with a completely different feeling. She opened it.

Femi stood there.

No speech prepared, no nervous half smile, just him. Present.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. This wasn’t 3AM. There were no shadows to hide behind, no distance to soften the truth.

“You came,” she said.

“I said I would,” he replied.

Zuri stepped aside and he walked in slowly, like being there meant something now, like it wasn’t casual anymore. The door closed behind them and just like that, it was real. No phone screens, no typing dots, no delays, just them.

Zuri crossed her arms slightly, not defensive, just holding herself together. “So… show me.”

Femi nodded once like he expected that.

“I don’t have a speech,” he started.

“Good. I don’t want one.”

He took a breath. “I’ve been inconsistent. I’ve been in and out. I’ve made you question things you shouldn’t have to question.”

Zuri didn’t interrupt.

“I kept telling myself I needed to be ready, but all that did was push you away while I was trying to figure myself out.”

He stepped closer, slow and careful.

“I don’t want to keep doing that.”

Zuri’s eyes stayed on him, searching. “So what’s different now?”

“I’m not waiting to feel ready,” he said. “I’m choosing to show up anyway.”

That landed quietly but deeply.

Zuri’s expression softened, just a little. “Choosing once isn’t enough.”

“I know.”

“Choosing me today doesn’t fix yesterday.”

“I know,” he said again. “But it can start something different.”

Silence filled the room, but it wasn’t empty or tense. It felt… possible.

Zuri walked past him, then turned back. “Then start it.”

No big moment. No perfect words. No dramatic ending.

Just a beginning.

Again.

Because sometimes love doesn’t need grand gestures.

It just needs someone who finally stays.

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

3AM CONVERSATIONS
CHAPTER 12 — Show Me

“Then don’t.”

Zuri’s message stayed on Femi’s screen long after he read it.

Short.

Simple.

But heavier than everything they had said at 3AM.

Because there was no emotion to hide behind this time.

No late-night vulnerability.

No soft tone.

Just expectation.

Femi dropped his phone beside him and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

Then don’t.

It sounded easy.

Too easy.

But he knew it wasn’t.

Because not losing her meant changing something.

And not just temporarily.

Not just when it was convenient.

But consistently.

Across town, Zuri had already moved on with her morning.

Not emotionally.

But mentally.

She wasn’t going to sit around waiting for a response that might not come the way she wanted.

Not anymore.

Still…

She checked her phone.

Once.

Twice.

Then forced herself to stop.

“I’m not doing this again,” she muttered under her breath.

And for the first time, it didn’t sound like a promise she’d break.

Back in his room, Femi finally sat up.

Ran his hands over his face.

Then reached for his phone again.

This time, no deleting.

No second-guessing.

Femi: “Can I see you today?”

Zuri stared at the message when it came in.

Her heart reacted first.

Of course it did.

But she didn’t let it control her fingers this time.

Zuri: “Why?”

Femi read it.

Paused.

Then typed:

Femi: “Because I don’t want to keep talking about this over the phone like it’s just words.”

A second message came in right after

Femi: “I want to show you.”

Zuri’s chest tightened slightly.

Show me.

That was new.

She sat down slowly on her bed again.

Reading the message over.

And over.

And over.

Because this… this was different from “I don’t want to lose you.”

This required effort.

Presence.

Action.

Zuri: “Show me what?”

Femi didn’t take long this time.

Femi: “That I’m here. For real this time.”

She closed her eyes briefly.

Because she wanted to believe that.

God… she did.

But wanting and trusting weren’t the same thing anymore.

Zuri typed.

Paused.

Deleted.

Then typed again

Zuri: “Okay.”

A pause.

Then she added

Zuri: “But don’t come here if it’s the same version of you.”

Femi stared at that line.

And for once…

He didn’t feel defensive.

He felt challenged.

“Fair,” he whispered to himself.

Because Zuri wasn’t asking for perfection.

She wasn’t asking for grand gestures.

She was asking for consistency.

For presence.

For effort that didn’t disappear when things got real.

And now…

For the first time since all of this started

Femi had a chance to prove it.

Not at 3AM.

Not through words

But in daylight.

Face to face.

Where everything real either grows…

Or ends.

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@FirdaousIsiaq Our own international influencer 🤭

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@Sarki_sultan Your barely see any blogger post it ,which is very bad why can’t we celebrate the positive wins of our country.

Gaskiya ka faɗa. Ya daukaka sunan Nigeria a duniya. Muna taya shi murna sosai.

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@FirdaousIsiaq Cupcake🥰

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@JMNewsNetwork_ Subhanallah not even Nigeria
Mashallah

[NoBadPhoto📸 @nobadphoto]

Tomorrow is my jersey day. I tried saving up for a Snugworld jersey, but life happens 🤧. I wish a Godsend could come through before 10am tomorrow.

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@FirdaousIsiaq I’ll be there 😉

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@lollypeezle @Wizarab10 Na small thing na 😂😭

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@Unusual_hijabi @heisnissi_ Na umar olodo

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

Burning lamp 🪔

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@_Faridat The girl was like e pain me oo but I’ll not change 😂😭😭

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@official_QV They’re not okay o because what the heck?
Starch trouserssssss
Subhanallah 😭😂😂

[Cecilia Adeyemo @AdeyemoCecilia1]

School of Nursing (RN)
School of Midwifery (RM)
Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGCert)
BSc in Nursing
MSc Healthcare Management and Leadership
PhD in Nursing
Lecturer, Nursing Education and Administration
Associate Professor of Nursing
Dean, College of Nursing Science

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

Are we supposed to come and carry the baby for you?

You didn't think about all this before you rushed into pregnancy, abi?

[F E E Z @Feeztm]

I’m jealous of my husband freedom…. We both have this child but he’s living a normal life.

- Nigerian woman complains. 😳

[Jannatān🇯🇵🫧 @FirdaousIsiaq]

Served myself
Thank God for today🙏

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

I've noticed that when people finally get a job after a long time, they tend to underprice themselves or accept being underpaid. Maybe it's to get more work, but I believe your skills shouldn't lose value just because jobs have been scarce.

What do you think?

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

I've noticed that when people finally get a job after a long time, they tend to underprice themselves or accept being underpaid. Maybe it's to get more work, but I believe your skills shouldn't lose value just because jobs have been scarce.

What do you think?

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@FirdaousIsiaq @DJPAPAH 😂

[Ziyah @Success_Ziyah]

@Unusual_hijabi 🫩

[Jannatān🇯🇵🫧 @FirdaousIsiaq]

I wanna take a big financial risk this year
I want to travel with all my savings😂
Catch me on the next flight guyssss
Starting a new series…..😂