SIX – 3

The heavy bass pulsed through the living room as I stepped to the beat of Nelly’s Cluck, Cluck. The blue lights in Derin’s living room gave the room a club-like feel. While Fara and Derin’s boyfriend, Vaughan cheered me on, I could feel a couple of eyes in the wide living room on me as my movement kept in time with the beat of the song. I had taken a little alcohol to help me loosen up, and truthfully, I was having fun. So much fun like I’d not had in a long time.

One would think I’m a little suave at heart but that isn’t really me. I was the doofus who normally would end up spilling drinks on somebody or inadvertently saying something that would make everyone awkward. Then it would be time for a quick getaway and a renewal of vows to never go out again. Until of course, Fara, Mundi and Derin forgot whatever social crime I’d committed before and force me out again.

Derin and Mundi were somewhere in the house. Between us four, we’d had planned a surprise birthday-cum-welcome-home party for Vaughan who had come in from the States to spend the week with Derin. Vaughan’s parents didn’t know their son was even in the country. It was a risk he’d taken – all in the name of love. Ptueh!

 The party was for a selected few; mutual friends who I had met only vaguely before. Food and iced drinks were out on the balcony. Some guests were sitting in cliques, some munching on food, and a few were in the spare rooms engaging in x-rated activities. Fara was here with two girlfriends, and her husband, Mundi, was here with his boyfriend.

And me, myself and I? I was here all alone.

After the song changed, I was tired and thirsty. I flopped on the sofa in between Fara and Vaughan, put on my glasses and had my arms out over their shoulders, grinning sheepishly like a kid high on sugar.

“I’m impressed, Peka. Who knew you had it in you.” Vaughan let out a laugh.

“Azzin ehn, I’m shook sef,” Fara intoned. “A pity these your moves haven’t landed you a man.”

I smacked their heads simultaneously, satisfied when they protested in mock anger. “You both better leave my matter for Matthias and enjoy the party.”

“Me, I won’t o. If you like, don’t snag someone at this party. You’ll just die an old maid.” Fara wiggled her shoulder free from my hold.

“How it is affecting you now, you will tell me.”

“Bitch!”

“I’ve been called worse.”

“Oh, really? Like what?” Fara asked with a sneer.

From across the room, I saw Derin giving me a signal for me to come over to him.

“Your best friend,” I sallied back at Fara. With that, I got up and headed to the balcony to chug down a glass of iced water before leaving to meet Derin in the master bedroom. I could still hear Vaughan laughing at Faramade from across the room.

“Why’s that one laughing like a hyena?” Derin asked as soon as we were ensconced in the bedroom.

“Is it not your friend that is feeling like one smart aleck?”

“It’s only God that will settle una fight one day,” Derin said with a chuckle as we put stuff away.

“Let that day come first. Until then, we shall break all our heads with comebacks and sarcasm.”

“No be me and una.”

“Yeye.” After some moments, I said, “I can’t believe we won’t be working together anymore.” I picked up a shirt and threw it into the laundry basket in the left corner of the room. “It won’t be the same around there without you.”

Derin had gotten me my job at the radio station six months ago.

“Hey, we’ll be working side by side again in no time. Just dey pray make vacancy sha dey.”

“Oh, I shall pray without ceasing.” I lifted my hands upwards as if praying to a deity.

We both chuckled.

After clearing and putting things away, Derin stood up straight and turned towards me.

Uh-oh! He had his serious face on.

“You need to live a little, Peka,” he said solemnly. “Have some fun.”

“I have my job, my dad and you guys. You don’t think that is fun enough?” First, it had been my father, then Mundi and Faramade some days back. Now Derin? All in one week?

His face softened. “You know what I mean.” It wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation and probably would not be the last. But no matter how many times I explained it, my friends couldn’t seem to understand that I liked my life the way it was.

I sighed.

“I do know. But I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. You all should understand that.”

He rolled his eyes. “I don’t know if I can. I mean, you almost didn’t show up for this party.”

“But I’m here now, aren’t I? I even had the courage to down some alcohol and made a fool of myself on the dance floor to boot.”

He rolled his eyes again. “Just live a little, that’s my own. All these good child semantics you’re doing isn’t doing any of us proud. Be bad. Embrace your inner bad bitch and be the bad child you were meant to be. It really isn’t that hard.”

I pushed up my glasses and chuckled. “Yes, sir! I promise to be a very bad man tonight.”

Derin rolled his eyes again. Really, another roll and those eyeballs may just continue the roll to Ouagadougou.

“I’m going to hold you to that,” he said.

We left the room and he linked his arms with mine, practically dragging me out into the middle of the large living room. Diana King’s l-l-l-lies was just fading out. The DJ, one of Derin’s friends, had switched from the ’90s hit songs to something more recent. DJ Khalid’s Wild Thoughts came on as Derin let go of my hand and I found an open spot under one of the low lights shining down from the ceiling, very close to where our friends were seated.

And I started moving. Boy, did I move! Tilting my head back and closing my eyes, I enjoyed the moment. The bass was so strong, I could feel the vibrations through my entire body. I’d made a promise and I intended to keep it.

How I’d drifted away from my friends to the middle of the dance floor remains a mystery to me. Several bodies brushed against mine, but that was inevitable. Not with the ten guests all on the dance floor. And while getting pawed at by someone I didn’t really know didn’t really go down well with me, I understood the allure of finding someone random to rub up on also. I knew my friends meant well and they wanted to see me happy, but I preferred to be alone most of the time. Right then, I wanted to simply dance alone.

Just when I was about to leave the small throng of people to find a less crowded spot, I felt someone come up behind me. Hands mildly grasped my upper arms and I tensed. I was about to turn and politely pull myself away when a husky voice spoke next to my ear. “Can I dance with you?”

The feel of his breath caused goosebumps to breakout all over my skin instantly.

Why I said yes, I still don’t know. Probably because he asked for permission or maybe because his touch was tingling. I found myself nodding and felt his hands slide down to my waist. Turning my head to the side, I caught a glimpse of a clean shaven face. His toned arms encased my body. And I felt something I had not felt in ages – longing.

There is a difference between knowing you’re wanted and feeling wanted. I felt these two things. Things that were long buried. He held my hips gently and pressed his front to my back as we moved to the rhythm of the music. I felt the heat from his skin on my back. I also felt his unmistakable hard-on poking my right butt-cheek. I let out a moan. And what did I do? I relaxed my body, leaning into his chest and let my head fall back against his shoulder with my eyes closed. He was a few inches taller than my 5’9″.

Then the song changed to Luv by Tory Lanez. The DJ slowed the tempo, increased the bass which made everything more sensual and arousing. The man behind me dug his fingers into the dips of my waist and I felt him curl all over me. I knew I had the power with the way I was affecting him. Then he buried his face into that spot between my neck and ear and I knew he was inhaling my scent. What did I do next? I tilted my head to the side, offering him my neck to taste.

He didn’t disappoint.

His tongue licked my skin before sucking on it. Both of us moaned simultaneously. Although I didn’t hear him, I felt the vibrations of his carnal sound against my skin.

I opened my eyes and I caught Derin, Faramade, Mundi and Vaughan gawking as they witnessed my slutty situation with my unknown dance partner. I noticed a few other people staring at us. I didn’t give a damn. I was living it up.

After about three more songs and some more x-rated dance moves, I turned in his arms to see who it was that was making me feel so alive.

Our eyes landed on each other and our gazes connected.

He gasped.

I gasped.

We both did at the same time.

Here he was again!

The guy from the smoothie shop!

The one I snubbed at the cinema!

The one my boss had told me I’d be working with.

The international football star himself – Kareem Wihu!

Written by Vhar