BELLA'S MEMOIRS (ENTRY #9)

DECISIONS... DECISIONS...

My new dress was now soaked in the champagne that Yinka had gone to get from the bar, pieces of shattered glass from the champagne flutes lay at my feet. It was a good thing we were outside so only a handful of people witnessed what I could only describe as an extremely unfortunate and highly unnecessary incident.

Yinka got back on his feet rather quickly and the two men stood there with their chests heaving. I waited to see who would make the first move not because I wanted a fight but because I needed a villain and at this point I didn’t have one. It was almost as though I needed one of them to throw another punch so he could be labelled the bad guy. Yinka shouldn’t have pushed Okechukwu and Okechukwu shouldn’t have punched Yinka.

Okechukwu made the first move but he didn’t throw a punch, he stared down at Yinka (Okechukwu was taller and better built so he would most likely have won if it had come to a full blown fight) and then he looked at me, adjusted his jacket and went back inside.
I went up to Yinka and put my hand on his shoulder.

Me: I am so sorry Yinka. I honestly didn’t see that coming.

Yinka: Its fine Bella. I’ll be right back I need to pay for the broken flutes, stay out of trouble.

He flashed me a wide smile and all I could say was “Wow”.

I consider myself as a bit of a goody two shoes and it didn’t even occur to me once that we should pay for the broken champagne flutes. Mr. Ayodeji was turning out to be quite the gentleman a huge contrast to what I had been exposed to for the last couple of months.
Me: Bella behave yourself!

I muttered under my breath. I was still standing in the midst of broken glass and I was already comparing Yinka and Okechukwu.

My phone started ringing, it was Vanessa calling.

Me: Vee, what’s up?
Vanessa: Where are you? Been looking all over for you?
Me: Really?
Last I saw of Vanessa was her talking to a guy and I knew she had probably only just realized she didn’t know where I was.
Vanessa: Yes now! I want to introduce you to my future husband. Bella he is so cute come jor we are on the dance floor.

I didn’t feel like dancing I just wanted to go home, but I knew Vanessa was having a good time and I didn’t want to be a party pooper. Yinka came back as promised.
Me: You see here I am…staying out of trouble. I’m a good girl.

Yinka: Yes you are Bella.
He came close and held my hand.
Yinka: Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?
I didn’t know if I was ready to start anything with another man. I didn’t even know the situation of things with Okechukwu. We were in limbo and Yinka seemed like a really nice guy. I didn’t want to involve him in the confusion that was me and Okechukwu.
Me: I don’t know Yinka. I mean you’re cool and all but…
Yinka: It’s complicated right?
I nodded.
Yinka: Does it have anything to do with the guy who throws a mean punch.
We both laughed and I nodded.
Yinka: Ok. I’m a patient guy Bella. I’m not going anywhere so consider me a new friend who is eagerly waiting to be upgraded.
I stuck out my hand for a handshake
Me: Hello new friend.

He looked at my hand, laughed and pulled me into a hug…gosh he smelt good!
Vanessa and I left the party shortly after and for reasons best known to her she decided to go home instead of coming home with me. I wanted to be alone so I didn’t insist. Infact, I asked my stepmom’s driver to take me to The Villa instead of back to my parent’s house.
When I got to The Villa, I got a big surprise. Okechukwu was parked outside sitting on the hood of his car. We drove past him, and I told the guards at the gate to tell him to come in. He drove in behind us. I asked the driver to take my dad’s Escalade back home and waited for Okechukwu at the entrance of the house.

He walked up to me slowly obviously feasting his eyes on my outfit, all of a sudden I was incredibly shy.

Okechukwu: You looked stunning tonight Bella. Never seen you look so beautiful.
Me: Why are you here?
Okechukwu: Thought you might be looking for this. He said stretching out his hand.

On his palm was an earring, my earring….sorry my step mum’s incredibly expensive earring. Her anniversary present from my dad which she had never worn and had loaned me for the event. I instinctively touched my earrings and of course one ear was bare. I hadn’t even realized it had fallen off.

Me: Wow! Thank you so much! Don’t know what I would have done if I had lost it! It’s not even mine.
Okechukwu: You’re welcome. I went back to the spot where you were with your boyfriend and you weren’t there but fortunately I spotted the earring.
Me: Why did you go back?
Okechukwu: I realized I should never have left. I should have claimed you and left with you.
Me: Claimed me? I am not a prize Okechukwu and you can’t waltz in and out of my life as you wish.

Okechukwu: I know Bella and I tried to stay away not because I don’t want to be with you but because you deserve better!

Me: Why do you keep saying that? It’s so annoying! You have no right to tell me what I deserve it’s my decision not yours!
Okechukwu: You don’t understand Bella. There is so much you don’t know.
I was tired of having this conversation and then “losing” him for a few weeks.
Me: Then tell me.
Okechukwu: I can’t tell you because I want you to keep looking at me like that.
Me: How do I look at you?
Okechukwu: Like I am superman. Like I am the best man in the world. You make me feel I can do anything, like I am the king of the world and I know I am not!
Me: Oh Okechukwu. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. There is nothing that you could do that could change how I feel about you. Don’t you know?
Okechukwu: Yes I know. That’s how come I know that I would keep hurting you and you would stay with me regardless and I can’t do that to you.
Me: Ok then. So I guess this is it right? We are never going to be together?
He didn’t answer. Instead he pulled me close and kissed me. A kiss that led us into the house and up to my bedroom. My dress was still wet with the champagne he helped me out of it and soon I was standing in nothing but my underwear. I was nervous we had never gone this far. I guess he saw the fear in my eyes.

Okechukwu: Bella I should go.
Me: No! Stay!
Okechukwu: You don’t know what you are asking for.
Me: I am asking the man I love to make love to me.
Okechukwu: Bella…
I went closer to him and put his hand on my beating heart.
Bella: Okechukwu Okonkwo this is what you do to me. You make my heart beat fast because I love you and I want you. Your kisses set me on fire and I want you more than I have ever wanted anything in my life. You said you’d make me beg for it…I am begging you. Make me a woman, make me your woman.

He removed his jacket and tossed it on the dresser, I couldn’t believe it was about to happen. I had imagined this moment for so long…of course I had heard some of my friends’ experiences…the pain, the weird feeling in the morning, the possibility of never hearing from him again and all of that but I didn’t care. All I cared about was the moment where I gave Okechukwu something I would never be able to give anyone else, I wanted it to be him…needed it to be him more than I needed air to breathe and it was finally happening.
In a matter of minutes, we were lying on the bed with nothing left to our imaginations.

Okechukwu: Do you have protection?
I shook my head.
Okechukwu: Of course you don’t. I think I have somein my wallet.

He got up and walked to the dresser to grab his jacket where his wallet was. He pulled the jacket off the dresser and something fell on the floor. I saw the expression on his face change and sat up to see what it was. It was the file my father had given me with the background information he had gathered on Okechukwu. The content of the file lay scattered on the floor. He picked up a few pieces of paper and waved them at me.

Okechukwu: What in the world is this?
Me: I can explain.

Okechukwu: I didn’t ask for an explanation. I asked what in the world this is?
I got off the bed with my duvet wrapped around my bare body and rushed towards him.
Okechukwu: Stop! Don’t move an inch closer. Just stay where you are.
Me: My dad gave it to me. He wanted me to know everything about you but I never opened it because I didn’t need to. I don’t care what’s in it, nothing can change the way I feel about you.

Okechukwu: Bella so you expect me to believe that you have had this here on your dresser and you didn’t open it?
Me: I swear I haven’t opened that file.
He laughed… it was a wicked sort of laughter. It sent chills down my spine.
Okechukwu: Listen to daddy…read the file and run little red riding hood because Okechukwu is the big bad wolf.
Me: Stop it Okechukwu!

He started putting on his clothes and I was tried everything to make him stop but he wouldn’t listen.
Okechukwu: Take care of yourself Bella.
With that he walked out of my room…and out of my life. This time I could tell it was final.
The content of the file were still on the floor, I picked them up and read all there was to read about Okechukwu.

I won’t say the content of the files didn’t affect me…it did and I stayed up for most of the night crying until I eventually fell asleep. I woke up the next morning to a phone call from Vanessa…she had called about six times. I was worried something was wrong.
Me: Vee what is it?

Vanessa; Hmmmm my best friend the celebrity. How are you this fine morning?
Me: What are you talking about?
Vanessa: Please I need all the details.
Me: Details of what?
Vanessa: You and your prince charming from last night.
Me: Nothing spectacular jor I am sure he doesn’t even remember my name right now.
Vanessa: I doubt that! Have you checked Lagosville this morning?
Lagosville was a lifestyle and gossip blog Vanessa was addicted to.
Me: No. Why?
Vanessa: Please check it out…I am on my way to yours.

I was about to tell her it wasn’t a good time for her to come over but she hung up. I reluctantly typed in the Lagosville address into my phone browser and that was when it happened… my mini heart attack. There was a post with a picture of Yinka and me from the event the night before. The picture looked so intimate…he was leaning against the bar counter and I was leaning in towards him with a wide smile on my face. It wasn’t the picture that knocked the wind out of my sails, it was the header of the post. It read:
First son of the Vice President Yinka Ayodeji and…his new leading lady???