BELLA'S MEMOIRS (ENTRY #3)

ROLLER COASTER RIDE

You know the feeling you get when you are on a Ferris wheel? It’s moving so fast, your heart is pounding, everything around you passes by in a blur, there’s only one point of focus for you…the ground beneath. You look at the ground because you know that no matter how exciting the ride is, crashing would be fatal…falling would be fatal. That was how I felt with Okechukwu.

Within the first one month of meeting him, my otherwise quiet and triangular life which consisted of going to work, going to my parents’ house and being with my grandmother at The Villa had somehow become this grand adventure. We had become inseparable, and I had discovered the sights and sounds of Lagos I never knew existed before him. He would take me to the most exclusive lounge today and the next day we would be at some dinghy “buka” having pounded yam and banga soup…his favourite meal.

I had met some of his friends and they had kept trying to make me come out with them on a night out but I was nervous about it. Don’t get me wrong; I had been to Nightclubs with my friends but the thought of going out all night with Okechukwu was scary for me. I wasn’t sure I’d be strong enough to resist him if he tried to put the moves on me. He had been the perfect gentleman so far, he had never tried to kiss me or touch me inappropriately…yet I was scared. I hadn’t admitted this to myself or anybody not even Vanessa my closest female friend in Nigeria – we had met at our NYSC Orientation camp and had become good friends. It was Saturday morning, Vanessa had spent the night at The Villa and I was trying to convince her to stay one more night.

Me: What are you rushing back home for? Your parents aren’t even in town. Just spend the night here. You can go back tomorrow morning.

Vanessa: Yeah, right! As soon as Okechukwu calls, you will forget my existence and go flying out through the door.

Me: We don’t have plans today so that’s not happening.

Vanessa: You guys never have plans. He just calls you and you drop everything and go running. That’s not the way to make him commit.

Vanessa had a point. Okechukwu and I were in an undefined ‘friendship’ and I knew it was a matter of time before someone got hurt and from the looks of things that someone would definitely be me. In all fairness to Okechukwu all he had promised me was fun and adventure not romance, not marriage, not love, just adventure and so far he was holding up his own end of the bargain.

Me: You are the one always telling me to live a little and let my hair down. Now I am doing just that and you don’t like the idea. What’s the problem now?

Vanessa: The problem is that you are clearly falling for him and you need to be sure you guys are both on the same page so you don’t build up expectations that will not be met.

Me: What expectations? We are just friends.

Vanessa: Just friends? Really? You spend six days out of seven with this guy. You don’t go out with anyone else anymore not even me. You have no chance of meeting new guys and he has not made any moves to commit. He hasn’t even asked to meet your friends!

This was the part where I should have told her he had already said ‘no promises’ but I knew she would talk me out of spending time with him if I did. Vanessa was right – I was falling for Okechukwu and at the back of my mind, I was hoping at some point he would realize he wanted to define our relationship.

Me: You are overanalyzing this whole thing!

Vanessa: Am I? Ok I want to meet him.

Me: Why?

Vanessa: You are my best friend and I need to meet the guy you have been spending time with.

This was dangerous territory. Okechukwu is not the most agreeable or polite person and Vanessa is also very stubborn and opinionated, I knew they would not get along and so I had been postponing the day of reckoning. Before I could respond, my phone beeped, it was a message from Okechukwu. It read:

“Club opening tonight, wear something sexy. Pick you at 10”.

Me: You know what? Stay here tonight and you get to meet him later. Deal?

Vanessa: Deal!

I told The Duchess that Vanessa and I were going to see a movie and we were spending the night at her house. She asked for her house address, I gave it to her and went to get ready for our outing. Vanessa was so excited, she kept asking questions about Okechukwu…questions I couldn’t answer and here is why.

Okechukwu is 25 years old, he moved to Lagos from Owerri to live with his older brother Senator Okonkwo (Aunt Linda’s husband) immediately he finished secondary school at seventeen. A year later, he gained admission into the University of Benin. For reasons he couldn’t really explain, he had to leave after two years obviously not completing his Computer Science degree there. He was home, idle for two years so he eventually started a business with his friend Dapo Smith. It had become a Public Relations and Marketing company now but initially they had started out by organizing parties and promoting nightclubs and shows. They began making really good money and so he wasn’t very particular about going back to school.

Eventually, he had decided to go abroad for a few months to get a Diploma in Business Administration and another in Marketing. In short, he was not a University graduate and did not have a regular 9am – 5pm job.

The business, Suave Marketing had evolved and they now had about twelve staff in their employment, an office in Dolphin Estate and they were thinking of starting another arm of the company that would concentrate on Social Media activation for brands.

He was doing well but he obviously had a colourful past he was hiding and I was really scared about how everyone would react to the fact that he was not a graduate…everyone especially my dad. I just figured if we ever got to that bridge, we would cross it.

Okechukwu turned up at 10pm on the dot…that’s the thing about him. He is never late and never early, always just on time.

I was wearing a backless black dress with sequins all over it and a pair of black Louboutins. Vanessa was wearing a pale pink tube dress made out of chiffon and a pair of nude sandals. When we came out, I saw a funny look on Okechukwu’s face and realized I hadn’t told him my friend was coming with us.

Me: Hey

Okechukwu: Hey. Who’s that?

He asked looking in Vanessa’s direction.

Vanessa: Hello to you too.

Vanessa said to him. I could already tell it was going to be a long night.

Me: I’m sorry I didn’t give you a heads up. This is Vanessa…the Vanessa I always talk about. She’s coming out with us tonight. Vanessa, this is Okechukwu.

Vanessa: Nice to meet you Okechukwu.

Okechukwu: Cool. So let’s roll. I thought it would be just you and me so I brought my two door convertible. I’m going to have to call Dapo to come pick Victoria up.

Vanessa: It’s Vanessa! And I don’t need Dapo picking me up, I would just drive behind you.

Okechukwu: Perfect.

As Vanessa walked to her car, she gave me a look that said “I don’t like him” and I gave her a look that said “Please be nice”. She rolled her eyes at me in response.

When we got into the car, I let him have it.

Me: You weren’t very nice to my friend.

Okechukwu: What did I do?

Me: Her name is Vanessa and you know. Why did you do that?

Okechukwu: Why was she sarcastic? “Hello to you too”.

He said mimicking Vanessa’s voice.

Me: She was sarcastic because you were rude. You are always rude!

Okechukwu: So you finally agree to come with me on a night out and you want to fight?

Me: I don’t want to fight, I just wish you would be a little more civil, that’s all.

Okechukwu: Ok I will be a little more civil. Is that all? Or anymore demands tonight?

Me: Yes I demand to have a good time.

Okechukwu: Oh but you know you will.

I smiled, he was right. I knew I would.

——————————————————————————————————————————————We had a great time, Okechukwu had a whole section of the VIP section at the new club reserved for him. I saw him in his element for the first time. Everybody seemed to know him, especially the girls. We were sitting with some celebrities and artists, most of whom I didn’t even recognize until he introduced me to them simply as ‘Bella’. It was like every time he said my name I felt a sting. No title, just ‘Bella’. I knew I wasn’t his girlfriend so I didn’t know exactly what I was expecting him to say. It hurt anyways.

I decided to ignore him after that and went to the dance floor with Vanessa to enjoy the music…plus I had had a little too much Champagne and I needed to dance the alcohol away.

He put his hand on my lower back and ushered me out of the crowded club. The feel of his hand on my bare skin sent shivers down my spine.

Okechukwu:  Are you cold?

I shook my head.

Okechukwu: So why do you have goose pimples all over your body?

I shrugged, I wasn’t admitting to him that the goose pimples were as a result of his hand on my bare skin.

Okechukwu: Why did you disappear like that?

Me: It’s not like you care! Look how long it took you to notice I was gone. You were too busy posing for the cameras and looking at every single girl that passed.

Okechukwu: What is this about Bella? Talk to me.

Me: Nothing!

Okechukwu: Are you jealous that I was talking to other girls?

I shook my head.

Okechukwu: So what is this about?

Me: Nothing! I want to go home.

Okechukwu: It’s 2am and you are tipsy. What would The Duchess say?

He had a point. I wasn’t about to upset The Duchess.

Me: I’ll go home with Vanessa.

Okechukwu: Vanessa is too wasted to drive. I am taking Vanessa home and you are coming with me.

Me: Coming with you… where?

Okechukwu: My house.

We dropped Vanessa off at home in Victoria Island, she was really tipsy. Thankfully her parents weren’t at home to see her that way.  Okechukwu took her car keys from her and promised her car would be in her house by the time she woke up later in the day.

We drove in silence to his house in Oniru. It was a really nice duplex.

Me: How can you afford this place by yourself?

Okechukwu: There is a lot you don’t know about me Bella.

I tried to get out of the car on my own but it wasn’t working. The ground just wouldn’t stand still for me to walk…it kept moving. I felt like I was falling, then I realized that Okechukwu had scooped me into his arms and was carrying me into his house. I put my arms around his neck.

Me: I am not sleeping with you.

Okechukwu: Why would I want to sleep with you in this state? Besides I want you to remember every detail when it happens because it would be your first time.

I had never told him I was a virgin.

Me: How did you know?

He laughed out loud.

Okechukwu: It’s pretty easy to tell Cupcakes.

Me: Don’t call me cupcakes…I don’t like it.

Okechukwu: Good. That’s what I’ll call you from now on.

We entered a bedroom and he put me down on the bed gently. I could tell it was his room, the sheets smelt exactly like him. My arms were still around his neck, I tried to draw his head closer so I could kiss him.

Okechukwu: I am not kissing you tonight Bella. Sweet dreams.

That was the last thing I remember of that night. I must have passed out immediately my head hit the pillow.

I woke up to a loud pounding in my head. Okechukwu was asleep beside me and he sat up with a jolt. That was when I realized the pounding was not in my head but at Okechukwu’s front door.

He muttered a four letter word under his breath.

Okechukwu: Wait here. I’ll be right back.

I looked at the bedside clock it was 6am.

Me: Who is at the door?

Okechukwu: My girlfriend.