BURNT (EPISODE 10)

Mila tried getting up from the bed and realized that she was stuck. She tried reaching for her bedside alarm clock but it wasn't there. She tried reaching for her phone as well but it wasn't there. She almost panicked when she felt warm breath on the back of her neck, strong arms and legs wrapped around her and she had to turn around to figure out her environment. She sighed with relief when she saw the familiar handsome face of Tunji sleeping peacefully. Then she recalled the events of the previous night and felt her face go hot. She raised her hand and touched his face, trailing his rich full arched brows to his eyes, his straight nose, and then his peach colored lips. She leaned in, planted a light kiss on his lips and then gently untangled herself from his embrace.

She removed her phone from her hand bag to check the time. It was 7 am. They had slept late cos they couldn't have enough of each other. She smiled at the thought of the things they had done. Tunji had exposed her to some parts of her body she never knew had existing nerves that could be triggered into ecstasy. She saw 10 missed calls from her parents and immediately sent a text saying that she took a night cap at a friend's place then she took Tunji's shirt from the couch where he had dropped it, put it to her nose and inhaled his sent. She felt intoxicated by his scent then she wore it and left the room to tour the house. She moved towards the window which started from the floor and went all the way up, opened the curtains slightly so as not to wake Tunji, then she took in the beautiful view of her environment. Does this place really exist in Nigeria? she asked herself. Where were they? she wondered as she left the room.

She went into the hall way and was struck by the 3D wall designs. They looked like tall trees and when she traced the designs down the stairs, she discovered that it was the concept of a garden except that everything was white. The living room was spacious like a dance studio save for the massive 170 inch flat screen TV that looked like it was built into the wall, a red and white 7 sitter sectional sofa with some comfy foot rests in front of the TV, a glossy gold chandelier hanging high from the ceiling, there were so many other black and golden little ornaments that were placed here and there, giving the room the feel of sophistication.

Mila stared open mouthed. She hadn't noticed all of these the previous night. There were two doors on each side of the room. She opened the first and saw that it led to a pool side. Gosh! the pool was massive with about 4 white curtained tents like those she had seen in one of those Dubai pictures. Then she went back inside to look for the kitchen. She found it and was amazed by the simplicity that defined the richness of it. It was white as well but everything from the the cooker to the cabinets, the huge standing refrigerator and the appliances, were a golden brown. How did he do all these? she wondered aloud. Everything looked so classy and neat.

She left the kitchen and went back to the living room but then, something shiny caught her attention from one of the fancy half wall shelves. She moved towards it and saw that it was a gold plated photo album with Tunji's name inscribed on the cover. She opened it and saw a brief note about the owner written in italics, on the first page. The contents of the note made her smile. It read;

"Although, Tj doesn't like photos, I'm sure that's because he knows that he's a handsome devil" 😉

Mila was about flipping to the next page of the album when she felt Tunji's hands come up to her breasts from behind. She was startled at first but smiled when he kissed one of her ears. 

"Good morning" she said shyly as she put her hands on her neck.

"Good morning my Mila. Did you sleep well?" he asked with his rich baritone voice while nuzzling her neck.

"Yes" she managed a whisper cos his lips on her neck was sending delicious tingles all over her. She threw back her head to rest on his chest so she could feel him more but then, she remembered she still had questions. She just couldn't let him off the hook that easily. So she gently detached herself from him and because she was still standing by the half wall shelf with Tunji really close, there was little room for her to make more space between them so instead, she turned and faced him. He had on just his little boxer with the rest of him bare. She looked away not to be distracted before asking;

"Tunji, I really need to know why you left for that long without contacting me"

Still surprised that she had detached herself from him, he sighed before answering,

"I've called my cook to come over and prepare breakfast. What would you like to drink first?"

Mila was dumbfounded. Did he just openly ignore her question? She tried again,

"Tunji, I asked a question. Please answer me"

Seeing that she wouldn't let it go, he answered "Mila, I'm sorry I left for that long and didn't contact you. I was caught in the middle of a work crisis. I thought I could resolve it in a week but it took that long"

Mila didn't understand how such a crisis could prevent someone from calling. She wasn't satisfied with that and she probed on.

"First of, you told me you were into finance and I discovered that you are the CEO of an oil and gas company with branches in Lagos, Abuja and America. You should have mentioned that Tunji. And second, I don't see how a crisis could have prevented you from calling or texting me for the whole three months and one week"

Tunji looked trapped but he hid it by going on his knees and looking up to her submissively. That weakened Mila's resolve and she felt defeated. She couldn't win this she admitted to herself. Tunji however made another attempt to redeem himself.

"Mila, remember I told you of how guarded I was with people, especially women coming too close to me. I'm a very private person that's why I didn't mention my occupation in details. If we had had several more dates, I would have mentioned it eventually. As for not calling you, I'm sorry. Thoughts of you tormented me but , circumstances wouldn't allow me contact you. I had to come look for you immediately I returned yesterday"

"hmm...I was wondering how you knew where I would be at that time" Mila said already giving in to his plea

"I had gone to your place straight from the airport but your mom told me you hadn't returned from work. I decided to check you at work. I'm so sorry Mila. Please, punish me as you wish for my crime" he pleaded

Mila looked down at his face and smiled. Oh Tunji, what do I do with you now. She tried pulling him up but he got up himself and gave her a look that said that he was awaiting her instructions. That cracked her up and she started laughing. He smiled and said with a mischievous look; 

"I'm waiting Mademoiselle Mila. Anything, just name it" 

Coyly, Mila tiptoed and whispered in his ears

Tunji smiled knowingly and lifted her from the floor. She giggled happily as he carried her up the stairs and into the bedroom. He put her on the couch and winked at her before disappearing into the bathroom. It was a huge bathroom with a large tub. He turned on the heater and the tap, added some drops of Jo Malone Orange Blossom bath oil and one ball of lush sex bomb bath bomb for bubbles and to set the mood. When he saw that all was set, he went back into the room and gently undressed Mila. He led her into the bathroom and into the tub. The aromatic fragrance that had filled the bathroom had a strong effect on her senses and she found herself dizzy with want. Tunji seeing that he had successfully executed her request for a soothing bath, undressed and joined her in the tub for the twist she had requested to go with the bath.

He got in behind her and using circular motions with a foam sponge, he washed her body. Mila had rested her head on his chest with her eyes closed and was enjoying every touch. Then she felt something in between her thighs, something she had come to grow familiar with. She let out a soft cry of pleasure as she felt Tunji's fully hard maleness slip into her slowly. She held on to the sides of the tub for support as she felt a first thrust that shook her entire being. Tunji too, lost in the moment and the wetness of her female, held her close to him and slowly continued his trip to discovering her essence. Together, they found their release but stayed on in the tub, whispering sweet nothings to each other and forgetting about their growling stomachs.

.........................

That weekend was the best weekend in Mila's adult life. They had gone out later for breakfast, movies, shopping, and then the beach. In the evening, they had gone to Radisson Blu hotel to eat at the water side and listen to the live band play. Sunday was better as they had stayed indoors, cooked together with Tunji's chef around, they had done a make shift cinema in the house and then danced to some cool jazz music.

She still left the album open on the shelve in the living room as they had been too occupied with each other for her to remember going back to close it. Thus,  Tunji dropped her off at work on Monday morning. He had bought her work clothes and shoes to change into as he didn't want her to leave that weekend. And so, Mila kept thanking her stars for bringing Tunji back to her.

BURNT (EPISODE 9) 18+

In the morning,  Mila's eyes were swollen. She checked her bedside clock and realized that it was only 4 am. However, she got up from her bed and walked to the mirror on her dressing table. Her room was quite spacious, with a built in wardrobe that came with a separate shoe rack, a medium sized bed with a fancy head post, and then her toilet and bathroom. She stood in front of her mirror staring at herself in her one piece nightie, then she turned on her little stereo to listen to Birdy's "Skinny Love" which she put on replay. The melancholic feel of the song engulfed her and she didn't realize when her feet buckled under the weight of her sadness and she found herself on the floor of her room, weeping heavily and shaking with grief. She felt cheated. Kumbi had lied about being pregnant again cos her baby would only be about 5 or 6 months old. She had lied to cause Mila more pain and it had worked. She wept more, allowing the music to purge her drenched soul of all it's grief. When she had had her fill of crying, she checked the time again. It was 5 am now so she stood up, went to the kitchen, took some ice from the fridge and wrapped it in a face towel for her swollen eyes, went back to her room and laid back again in bed with the towel to her eye lids. "Thank God it's Friday" she thought as she promised herself a sleep filled weekend ahead.

...................

Work was the same as usual. The pressure was the same, Mr. Duke was breathing fire on everyone's neck, and lunch was fifteen minutes instead of thirty minutes. Simi had noticed Mila's gloom the moment she settled into her seat to resume work. She had hugged Mila from behind without saying anything else before going back to her own task. That touched Mila so much that she looked over at Simi, gave her a warm smile and mouthed a "Thanks" to her. Simi reciprocated with "You'll be alright Mila" before turning back to her work.

After the close of work, Mila as usual stayed till about 8 pm with Beyonce's "Disappear" playing through her speakers. She decided to stay late again so she wouldn't have to come during the weekend. The company's security unit were already accustomed to her staying late and thus ensured she left before they locked up the building.

.....................

Mila was walking to the bustop to catch a public bus. She had decided not to take any chances again by waiting for a cab outside the office building. Then she saw a car, a white range rover. It stopped in front of her; then the driver came out and started walking towards her with brisk steps. She stood still in shock. It couldn't be! It was Tunji Jacobs and he looked athletic and as handsome as ever in a white polo T shirt, brown combat shorts and red sneakers. Mila couldn't move and she didn't realize she had held her breath until he seized her into a suffocating hug.

They stood that way for a while and when Mila gently pushed him away to look at him and bombard him with the millions of questions that had been plaguing her, he covered her mouth with his. It wasn't a deep kiss, it wasn't a french kiss either. It was just enough to swallow her doubts of the moment. Then Tunji pulled away slowly and then taking her by the hand, he said to her,

"Please, come with me"

Wordlessly, Mila obeyed not because he had commanded her but because his eyes which had become cloudy with emotion, beckoned to her soul and who was she to refuse a long awaited yearning? She followed him to his car and silently, they drove off. No need for words, each knew what was needed to seal the void of the past three months and one week.

................

They arrived his apartment after having to pass through security. Tunji got out of the car first and then took swift steps to open her door for her before she did it herself. He swiped his key card over the security lock of the door and led her into his mansion before shutting the door again. The house was so huge, Mila was again shocked. It almost looked like Christian Grey's apartment in the "Fifty Shades of Grey" movie. This was a complete glass house and because it was night time, the view was breath taking.

Tunji led her up the stairs and opened the door to a dimly lit room of the five different rooms she was able to quickly count. Mila watched as if in a trance, as he took her hand bag from her, dropped it on a couch in the room, then led her to the king sized bed with white sheets to sit. He went on one knee and gently removed her kitten heels. Still in the same position, he unbuttoned her jean and carefully pulled it down her waist till he removed it, then he stood again taking her with him. Slowly, he removed her nude v necked cotton top over her head. Suddenly, she felt exposed and raised her hands to cover her chest but he gently removed them and stood staring at her with heated eyes, taking in the details of her body. She couldn't meet his eyes so she looked down at her feet but he touched her face softly and raised her face to look at him.

Through the soft light in the room, Mila could see that his eyes were focused on her body. She couldn't understand his fascination with her body cos she wasn't big in any ramification. She was in fact a size 32B cup with a 32 hip width . She wasn't really curvy or voluptuous; though, her slim frame made her look tall.

Tunji moved back a bit and with his unwavering gaze still on her, he began to undress in his usual relaxed manner, leaving his boxer on. Her mouth watered as she stared at his perfectly sculpted body, fresh and hard. 'This is a real man made by the Creator himself!" she said in her head. Finally, he offed his shoes and moved close to her again, staring down at her for he was at least an inch taller than her. This time, Mila raised her lips to his and kissed him in a slow and lazy way cos she was weak from all the emotions of the previous day. She tasted his lips first, then loving the taste, she went ahead to explore the strange depths of his passion for her. Tunji allowed her to search, find and drink in his feelings for her then when he felt her hands on his neck and his face, he drew her to him and then lifted her off the floor.

His mouth not leaving hers, he carried her to the bed, placed her gently on the soft welcoming tides of the sheets,  then he lay beside her before pulling the cool soft duvet over them. He gently stopped the kiss. They lay facing each other, trying to control their breaths none saying anything but Mila had a pleading expression on her face that said she wanted more. Tunji understood but instead; he hugged her, allowing his fingers to caress her back while whispering,

"Oh God Mila! I missed you. Not seeing you these past months has been hell"

"You left. You said one week and then you were gone for three months and a week. You never called or texted." Mila whispered with a voice filled with pent up emotions as well cos she was overwhelmed by the moment and she had so much to say, to be angry about but she just couldn't say them all. Her face was pressed to his neck, so she kept inhaling the sweet scent of him

"I'm so sorry. A lot of things happened that made me stay back. With time, you'll know."

With that, he released her from his hold and kissed her, deeply this time, taking and giving. He left her mouth and with his tongue, explored her body like it was a sacred ground to be worshiped. Her ears weren't left out. He moved to one of them and slid his tongue around the crevices and then her lobe. This sent maddening currents of sensation to her brain, making her run her hands over his head and his back.With her soft moans spurring him on, he unhooked her bra and using his fingers, his tongue and his lips, he pleasured her already taut nipples in ways she had never experienced before. Because her eyes were closed, Mila was shocked when she felt his warm fingers travel lazily from her legs up to her waist, removing her panties. She felt Tunji's wet slippery tongue sliding up the inside of her thighs, licking and kissing sensitive areas she never knew existed before and then her female. She felt shock waves around her waist that shot up through her spine and then straight to her brains when Tunji's tongue found harmony with her wet moistness. She squirmed and turned and panted for air like she was drowning in ecstasy, digging her nails into the soft pillows cushioning her head for anchor, but Tunji didn't let go. He held her in place and continued, enjoying her breathless moans and when he tasted the sweet nectar of her female and felt her go weak, he moved up to her mouth again fanning the embers of her desires.

He skillfully wore his second skin and when he tried going through her she gave a small cry of pain. He tried again and the same thing happened then he decided to stop but Mila held on intertwining her legs around his waist. He gave a questioning look if she was sure she wanted to continue and she nodded. He stretched towards the side drawers for a lubricant and once applied, they both moaned and groaned with contentment at their union. They held on to each other like each might fall if they let go and then in sync, they started the ride. Looking deep into her eyes as if trying to read the look of wonder and amazement there with both their fingers locked, Tunji rode deeper as if trying to touch her essence. They continued; slowly at first and then Tunji increased the tempo of his thrusts and when he felt his eruption coming, he gave a loud groan before burying his face in Mila's hair gasping for air and Mila felt her own release like an earth quake, causing her to tremble all over.

They both held on like that and as realization of the just concluded consummation dawned on them, they hugged their thoughts close to their heart just as they hugged each other, jelled as one.

BURNT (EPISODE 8)

It had been three months since Mila last saw Tunji Jacobs. He had sent her a message that he had to go to the States for an urgent business trip for a week and one week had turned into three months. She had mixed feelings about the whole thing. Had he lied to her about travelling for a trip? Why hadn't he called or sent her a message? Had he forgotten about her? or was his status too high for her own average standard? she wondered. The night after their date, she had googled him and found out that he was from a royal family and asides that, he owned an oil and gas company with branches in Lagos and Abuja and the US. She was confused at first because, he had mentioned that he was more of a finance guy.

Work had gotten intense during this period and it was already November. The last quarter of the year was usually filled with a lot of work and deadlines to be met at the ACE Group because, companies would come up with Christmas and New Year themes for adverts that would run through into January of the next year. So, Mila found herself spending more time in the office and working later than usual. On some occasions, she would even work on Sundays after church. She loved the stress cos it took her mind off her worries. She missed Tunji and his absence grew her fondness for him. Why hadn't he called? she kept wondering.

.....................

It was the close of work and Mila was still at her desk. She still had to proof read the script she had finished working on in the morning and the current one she was working on. They were to be used the next day so she had to get it done. The office was almost deserted. Everyone was exhausted including Simi who had been drawn into the pressure. She had left immediately after work as she had been complaining of a migraine all day. Mila connected her little speakers to her laptop and then played Alicia Keys "Butterflyz". She loved the song and the way Keys sang the lyrics as if she was in pain; the same overwhelming ache she was feeling from working late with a migraine and missing Tunji as well. And so, she reduced the volume to 50, put the song on replay and it became her melancholic companion till she finished off by 9 pm. By that time, she was the only one left in the office. The other offices too were deserted so she shut down her system, switched off the lights, packed her bag and then left. Leaving with her and enveloping her was her cloak of sadness and fatigue.

.....................

She stood outside the company gate, waiting for her cab which was to arrive in fifteen minutes. Usually, she would walk to the bustop and board any bus or cab going her way but this time, she was too exhausted to walk. So she waited there for the cab she had ordered online. Then she noticed that  a car was pulling over and reversing towards her. She felt a wave of relief wash all over her and started walking towards the car. "This is my ride, now I can go home and rest" she thought. But something else stopped her in her tracks. She saw the familiar silhouette of a woman coming out from the driver's side of the car. Mila turned around to flee but she was too late. The woman was fast as she shouted Mila's full name and that shocked Mila even more, rooting her to the spot.

"Emila Bassey!"She said calmly this time

Mila could only say in a small voice "How did you know my full name and what do you want Mrs. Nathan?"

Mrs. Nathan gave a wicked laugh and as usual took her time to have a proper look at Mila like she was cross checking a specimen before answering.

"Well well well. Lagos is such a small place isn't it Mila? And it's funny how you can open your filthy mouth and refer to me by that name"

Mila was too tired to respond to the insult so she asked as politely as she could.

"What do you want from me Kumbi, haven't you tormented me enough?"

"Why were you fucking my husband? You knew he was soon to be married and you went ahead to have your flings with him!"  Kumbi said angrily

"Look Kumbi, I'm really sorry it seemed that way. First off, I wasn't sleeping with your husband. We actually dated for 6 months and all through, he never mentioned you. What we had wasn't a fling. But again, I'm sorry" Mila said and tried to reign in her raging emotions.

"You know what, I'm already exhausted from all this. But stay clear off my family. We've got a baby boy now and he looks exactly like his father, Nate. And oh! I'm expecting another one. So don't you dare come near us with your adulterous self again. Back off!" with that, Kumbi stormed off, got into her car and zoomed off.

Mila stood there staring into the streets. At that point, her cab pulled up and she got in then, the tears started flowing freely. She was shaking with rage as she remember all that had happened.

.......................

She was in the 6th month of her service year when she had met Nathan. He was a regional manager at one of the network service providing company in Abuja where she served. She had met him on one of those occasions when she  was stranded at Maitama and Nathan had been kind enough to give a lift to her lodge and also left her with some money for upkeep. From then on, they had become friends and then lovers. When she returned back to Lagos after service, Nathan had been transferred too to Lagos and that made her feel like they were actually meant for each other.

The problem started when one weekend, she was at Nathan's and Kumbi had walked in wearing a ring and carrying lots of luggage. Mila was scantily dressed and so wasn't prepared for what had happened next. Kumbi had thrown her out the way she was, and had given instructions to the security guard never to allow Mila into the compound again. Nathan wasn't around at the time to save her and Mila didn't understand what was happening. She had been too shocked to even protest. A good Samaritan in the estate had helped her with full clothes for cover.

The following months had been hell for her as Nathan never called to explain anything to her and Kumbi had ensured that she tormented Mila in every way possible. She had traced Mila to her parent's home and told them that Mila was sleeping with her husband. She had embarrassed Mila in public places severally and not once did Nathan show up.

When she finally saw Nathan in the fourth month, she had asked him just one question; "Why?" and all he could say was "I'm sorry".  Before then he had stopped taking her calls or replying her messages, had even given instructions to his secretary not to allow her into his office if she came around. Then he finally blocked her.  She had to go to and wait for him at his company gate after work one day before she could talk to him.

Then she had found out that, he had been engaged to Kumbi who was studying for her Masters abroad and their wedding had taken place a month after she returned back to Nigeria. She had asked him if he was aware of what had happened at his house and he had said yes. She had gone back home that day with her shattered heart in her hands. She had cried her eyes out and cursed the day she met Nathan. She changed her line, and stopped going out for fear of running into him or Kumbi. When she got the job at the ACE Group, she had spent her first two months salary in moving out of her neighborhood in Festac to Surulere. Though it was an expensive move, she was lucky to find an affordable two bedroom self contained apartment which she shared with her parents  in one of the best estates. Her other 3 siblings were older, married and with their families so, she was happy sharing the space with her parents. That was over a year ago.

..............

She got home, laid on her bed and cried more until she slept off.

BURNT (EPISODE 7)

"Hey! you look great" was the first statement Tunji made the moment she entered the car. Mila felt her face go warm. She smiled and replied not being able to hide her surprise at the fact that he really looked handsome in his black short sleeved native outfit, that had a sliver brooch on the breast pocket. He looked so clean as usual with his skin glowing and creating a sharp contrast with his outfit. The interiors of the car seemed to have the same tone with his skin making him look like he was manufactured together with the sleek car.

"Thanks. You look great yourself" she said before quickly turning away and removing her phone from her purse to fidget with.

Tunji  didn't stop looking at her; he took his time and that made her feel hot even in the cool air conditioned car. She wasn't used to open assessments like this especially with the awkward silence that followed.  Then he started talking again like he never stopped before.

"Now, first things first. I'll just dash in there to get our tickets and then we move. Would you come with me?" he said 

"Sure.'' Mila replied, grateful that the conversation was back. She was about opening the door and going out when Tunji quickly said,

"No. Just stay put, I'll get the door" 

Then he came out of the car first, walked around to her side and opened the door for her. Mila was amazed. "Who are you?" she asked in her head. Nobody had ever opened any door for her. Not until now. She got out and was again surprised when he took her hand in his and they crossed to the other side of the street into Terra Kulture. They got the tickets almost immediately as it was almost sold out and were lucky to arrive Muson Center by exactly 5:30pm. 

Mila was thrilled. She had so many firsts in her life and this was another one of them. She had seen a lot of plays advertised on TV and online, but had never attended any. Now, thanks to Tunji, she's here. She wasn't sure if on her own, she could have mustered up the courage to explore places like this cos she would rather stay at home and read her novels, do some writing or just do a plain stroll along her street .

.....................

The movie didn't start until 6pm so they both spent the 30 minutes in waiting, gossiping about the other people who had come to see the play. Apparently, Tunji knew a lot of people as he kept pointing stylishly to each and giving a brief description about their lifestyle. This cracked her up so much for he looked so relaxed doing it. Then the organizers announced the opening of the doors of the theater for the play to begin and they went into the theater. Tunji again, led her in.

During the play, Mila explained to Tunji, the arrangement of the cast on the stage. She told him the name of the group of seven singers on the left part of the stage was called the "Chorus" in Literature and that usually, they should be a group of fifteen but this version was the modernized version that came with a full musical band. She explained the frequent use of "Aside" by some of the actors to converse with the audience and their use of "Soliloquy" too to think aloud about their issues. 

Tunji was really impressed and leaned closer to her to learn more as she whispered into his ears in the dimly lit theater. During a sad moment in the play, she unconsciously held on to his arm and left it there until the end of the play.

....................

The drive home was deliberately unhurried. Tunji wasn't in a haste and Mila; as if reading his mind, enjoyed every moment of it. They had stopped for drinks somewhere she couldn't remember and they had had fish soup to go with their drinks. There, she had told him she was originally known as Emilia Bassey but her parents were used to calling her "Mila" so the name stuck. Tunji totally loved her name and they had talked more about her job, his move to Nigeria and some funny happenings around. She had discovered that Tunji was more of a listener. He would sit quietly, with his palm resting on one side of his cheek and his drink in the other hand, drinking her in as she talked. He laughed at all the jokes she attempted even though she felt they weren't funny and he in turn did same. She also got to know that Tunji was a strong believer of "less is more" as he pointed out a group of girls dressed like they were going for a red carpet event at a casual hangout. Her thoughts at the end of the evening was "this guy is just so unusual". She felt Tunji's palm on her hand as he told her,"

"Thanks for coming out with me. Your company was really enlightening"

"I should be saying that. I've never really been to those places you took me. I'm the one that got enlightened. Thank you"

He smiled as he looked at her surprised 

"Really?"

"Yeah" she answered.

"A beautiful lady like you should be able to go anywhere she wants to go, whenever she wishes" he said matter of factly

"I wish it were so. You could say that for someone like Simi but not me" she said and smiled fondly when she mentioned Simi.

"Well, I'm glad you walked up to me and not some other girl cos usually, the kind of girls that walk up to me when I go out are girls with a lot of make up, long blonde hair that obviously don't belong to them and of course, light skinned" he paused then added, "I love your color; you're like rich coffee"

"But, I thought that's what most men want. Girls with all what you just listed'' she said not believing him

"I don't know about most men but, I like what I see in you. You look natural and your makeup suits you. And, you're not just beautiful, you're intelligent" 

Mila was flattered and baffled. Most guys like Tunji usually preferred light skinned and flashy girls. Why was he an exception? They were silent for a bit and then he asked her an unexpected question.

"Tell me Mila, why did you walk up to me. I mean, Simi could have come to me herself" he gave her a harmless smile to assure her that his question was borne out of curiosity and nothing else.

Mila sighed and answered "Well, asides Simi's dilema, I liked your countenance and I felt that you'd be friendly if I talked to you. Why do you ask?"

Tunji gave a slight smile and said, "Nothing serious, it's just that, since moving back to Nigeria earlier this year, that's been the case whenever I go out so I get suspicious when random strangers walk up to me like that"

"Well, it's your fault. You're just too cute!" Mila said giggling and Tunji could't help but join in laughing as well.

They got to the gate of her home with directions from the car navigator and Tunji stopped the car. He turned fully to face Mila before saying, 

"I had an awesome time with you Mila and please, don't change who you are for anything in the world"

With that, he leaned in and kissed her on her fore head. Mila was too stunned to move. All she could say was "Thanks" before coming out of the car. He watched her go in and shut the gate before driving off.

...............

That night, Mila didn't sleep early. She mused for a while the entire episode of the day and was glad that her evening with Tunji had completely erased the moment of distress she had encountered with the woman. She refused to even mention that woman's name in her head, what's in the past stays in the past she reminded herself.  Afterwards, she spent some time on her laptop searching the internet for Tunji Jacobs and what she found shocked her to the core.

BURNT (EPISODE 6)

Mila reached for her phone under the fourth pillow on her bed. Yes, she had four pillows she used as props for a relaxing sleep; especially to ward off the occasional feel of loneliness she felt most nights. She checked the time and saw that it was 10 am. She was almost going to jump off the bed but then remembered that it was the weekend. She laid back into the soft pillows again and started scrolling through the contacts list on her phone. There, she found the number and then dialed. She held her breath as the phone dialed and on the fourth ring, it connected. She slowly released her breath as she heard his voice.

"Hello?'' Brian Femi said sleepily

"Hello. Good morning. This is Mila"

"Mila..." he said sounding uncertain of who she was "Good morning and how are you?" he asked

"I'm fine, thanks. I hope it's not too early? you sound like you're still in bed" she said uncertainly as well and pursed her lips, hoping he would say it was fine she called at that time.

"Yes, I'm still in bed but, it's okay. I was out last night so, I'm trying to catch up on my sleep. Sorry, could you remind me again how we met?"

Mila almost bit her lip as she heard the question she had been dreading. She took a second before answering,

"uh, we met at Zenbah on thursday evening and I came up to you to ask for Leo's number for my friend Simi. You gave me yours in the process" she finished and waited

"Yeah! I remember talking to a pretty girl with the most beautiful and genuine smile I had ever seen but what I can't seem to believe is me giving you Leo's number. He'll skin me alive if he finds out. ugh!" he said dramatically

Mila tried picturing his face as he said this and laughed but felt warmed up all over cos he had called her pretty.

"I'm sorry about that" she said quickly

"Naaa! don't worry about that. I'm glad you called. Been actually looking forward to your call" he replied

And so, the conversation continued and they talked on and on, sharing bits and pieces of information like long lost friends. Mila found herself laughing a lot about his narration of how his dad would always quarrel with him whenever he took his mom out on dinner dates. She found him to be really funny as he described his father's reaction. She found him adorable when he referred to himself as a mommy's boy cos the mom was always calling him to check up on him. She told him about her Dad, who wouldn't always allow her go out cos he felt she was still 18. That cracked him up and they both laughed hard when she narrated occasions when she had had to go out after work before getting home. Mila also got to find out that his real name was Tunji Jacobs and not Brian Femi.

They spoke for over 30 minutes like they could see each other on the other end of the phone but, the conversation was brought to an end by the familiar voice of Mila's  network provider, warning her of having just one minute remaining. She couldn't believe she had finished her airtime talking to Tunji but she was happy they had talked. It set her on a good start for the day as she found herself smiling as she did her chores. Her parents had engagements to attend but she didn't really miss their absence cos she found company with thoughts of her conversation with Tunji.

..................

It was about 3 pm before Mila had time to rest. She decided to do so with her  novel, "Pillars of the Earth". She was at the part where curiosity and infatuation led Jack to trace Aliena to her house on the wealthy parts of Kingsbridge. She was deeply engrossed in the novel when she noticed the red notification light blinking from her phone. She picked up her phone to check which of the messaging apps had the notification. Then, she saw messages from Tunji on Whatsapp and she responded.

Tunji: Hi. Do you have any plans for this evening? I've got two tickets for a stage play on the Island. Would you mind joining me?

Mila: Hello. 👩 No plans for the evening. I'd love to.

Tunji: OK. Where do you live so that I can come pick you?

Mila: You could pick me from Terra Kulture

Tunji: Alright then. The play's for 5 pm . I'll pick you up by 4:30. Is that okay?

Mila: Yes

Tunji: Cool. See you then.

"That was fast!" She thought to herself. She wasn't expecting him to contact her so soon. When she checked the time and saw that it was already 3:30 pm, she jumped off the couch and ran into the bathroom. She wore her favorite navy blue pencil jeans, a transparent gray colored off shoulder lace top that went below her waist and her blue ankle strap heel. She brushed out the straight human hair weave she was using for the fifth time cos it still looked new, wore on some nude makeup, wore on some perfume and then left the house. She would call her parents later to inform them of her whereabouts.

................

Mila took a cab and stopped at Terra Kulture. She had only seen this place online; she had never visited so today was a first for her. She was about walking through the gate when a red spots car pulled up beside her and she heard her name. She turned around to see the familiar face of a light skinned woman in her late thirties, hidden by perfect sun shades. Mila was shocked to see this face again after a year of complete disappearance. She quickly turned to leave but the woman called her again, this time loudly. Mila stopped and stood rooted to the spot. She tried looking relaxed but it was obvious she wasn't. The woman deliberately took her time and then spoke only when she noticed that people were approaching the gate from inside the compound.

"Hello Mila. Are you still screwing him?" she paused, shook her head dramatically slowly and then said "Hmm, I guess not. Bitch." then she drove off.

Mila was shaken to her bones. She stood there struggling with her senses that were almost giving up on her suddenly weak body. She thought she was done. She thought that phase was over but it wasn't. How did she reemerge from no where all of a sudden? Mila kept asking herself.

At that point, she saw another car pull up on the other side of the narrow street. It was a white range rover car. The driver wound down the window; then she saw Tunji's smiling face as he waved at her. The effect of that smile, immediately soothed her ruffled nerves as she recalled the fun of talking to him earlier. She decided to look forward to an interesting evening with him and to lay aside her troubles for another day.

MUSIC PRODUCER DPLUS IS SET TO CHANGE THE GAME WITH HIS NEW EP

Adedayo Ajayi DPLUS

Nigerian musicians popularly referred to as instrumentalists are beginning to carve out a niche for themselves in the fast growing Nigerian entertainment industry.

Popular keyboard player and producer Adedayo AjayiDPLUS is one of them. He is unarguably one of the most sought after keyboard player and producer in Nigeria today.

Adedayo Ajayi started playing the piano at the age of five (5). He is a graduate of Sociology and Anthropology from the Ekiti State University.

‎Adedayo Ajayi AKA DPLUS has been able to carve a niche for himself as result of this; he is currently one of ‎Nigeria's most influential music producer,music arranger and music director. He has worked with a lot of Artist both secular and gospel amongst who are Lagbaja, Banky W, MI, Wizboy, Humble Smith, Ruby Gyang, Isaiah Samson,Frank Edwards,Dare art alade,capital Femi and many others. He played in Nigerian idols session 5, Mama Awards in France, love world festival of music and arts Johannesburg with Pastor Chris Oyakilome, loud and clear Cameroon and Ghana, Europe tour with Lagbaja 2015 and others.

Adedayo Ajayi is currently working on his E.P of 6 tracks featuring lots of great artist in Nigeria and abroad..The E.P titled HEART comprises of different genres of music from Afrobeat, Neo soul ,Gospel,jazz and many more.

DPLUS was inspired to name the EP HEART. The album is an expressesion of pure art with the African sound polished with his long years of experience and expertise put together in this masterpiece.

More updates coming your way soonest.
You can check him out on his social media handles

twitter: @_dplus1
Instagram:@_dplus

8 SOCIAL STRUGGLES OF BEING A SINGLE FEMALE IN LAGOS.

So, I think I was about 11 years old before I fully realized that I was FEMALE. My naivete knew no bounds and try as my family might to educate me about that fact, I was just too much of a free soul reveling in the fun of just existing without the burdens of understanding my gender. I didn't grow my hair while growing up; I was on a low cut till after secondary school. I wasn't really a tom boy but I just didn't wear much skirts, I never did makeup until my sister's wedding in 2013 after which I never did anymore until late 2014. I was in the university when I started noticing the mannerisms of most of the girls on campus. Not like I was too special or different but I noticed that I was almost acting like a guy, completely different from how the other girls would act.

For instance, the way I walked then was deemed manly cos I walked fast, I carried my weaves for at least one month before removing it unlike other girls who would hurry to have theirs changed after a week or two. I never tweezed my brows cos I just didn't care while most girls made it a point of duty to trim theirs every week. I found a guy's unnecessary flirting with me irritating and for that, I was labelled a "Lebanese" if you know what I mean. lol. I had 4 jean trousers which I wore with many tops while my roommates thought I was weird as they had so many trousers and skirts to change into at different times of the day. I was really ebony dark in complexion and I loved it that way but most of the girls then started buying goat milk for bath wash so that they could whiten up.

The list is endless.

I've adjusted a bit to the role of being female however, the struggles are real more especially because, society has always had this expectation of us to be in a certain kind of way and we have unconsciously bought into that role and even gone ahead to create more higher expectations for ourselves. And since returning to Lagos since schooling and serving elsewhere, I've observed so many more struggles. How stressful can it get? Well, before I start sounding like a radical feminist, here are 8 out of the numerous social struggles of being a single female in Lagos.

• You're expected to always smile, be nice, be cheerful, never pick offence but just smile. 

Seriously though, must it always be so? What if I just want to wear my poker face and not worry about who's looking? What if I'm not in the mood to be cheerful cos it could be quite exhausting sometimes? and what if I'm sick and tired of being nice all the time cos a lot of people have taken my niceness for stupidity and gotten away with it.  What if a guy spanks my behind in public? If I react, people'll be like, " Wooo, she's got a temper". If I don't react but just smile at the guy they go like, "she's a cheap one". Really?! 

• Slay all the time. 

Thanks to social media, we keep getting the same impression everyday that we have to slay with our make up and outfit even in the toilet, bathroom, market, gym, spa, closet, kitchen, pool, and all the awkward places in this life. What if I love my face natural and without makeup? what if I love to dress down and feel relaxed in those places without looking too serious like I'm going for a photo shoot? And my sisters on Instagram are not helping matters at all so the pressure to always kit up could burn down your sense of just being you. Jeez!

• To be light complexioned 

The expectation of most single females to be light in complexion hasn't been an easy feat to conquer as everyday, there is an increase in the population of converts from the dark skinned club to the white chicks club. Some call it, "just a little bit of toning to make me glow" and then, before you know it, the process begins from toning to looking like a burnt plantain and then the full blown whiteness. Although, there's a slang on Instagram called  "Melanin" that tries to promote dark skinned girls but the reality of it is that, when you go out to the hot spots in Lagos at any time, the percentage of light skinned girls supersedes that of dark skinned girls and most of the time, the light ones get most of the men's attention. What a life!

• Have at least 3 different human hair weaves or more handy 
  

Apparently, everyone knows it as a fact that most single females in Lagos have human hair weaves and the rich display of it all is seen at gatherings. Gone are those days when as a single female, you can comfortably and confidently rock your shuku/ Ghana weaving to a top notch event and be admired by almost everyone on how cultured you look. Now, it's the other way round. Even those who claim to be doing the natural hair thingy too find themselves wearing a human hair wig for an event. 

What if I'm tired of spending too much on other human's hair to look good, does it really reduce my wife material from a million yards to nothing? ugh!

• Live on the Island 

As a single female in Lagos, this one particularly is major. Gosh! you've got no idea. Every hustling guy or babe expects you to live at Lekki (note, there's  a HUGE difference between Lekki phase 1 and lekki. Those who know knows), VI or Oniru. Surulere can be considered if you have a car. It doesn't seem to matter if you're a tenant paying rent or  a squatter patching up with friends, just live on the Island and you'll earn some level of attention. Most girls will attest to this fact. I once visited a male friend with a female friend of mine and we met his relatives at home. Then one of them started a conversation with us in this manner;

Him: (to my friend) where do you live?

My Friend:  Lekki phase 1 

Him: (to me) do you also live here at Lekki phase 1?

Me: no. I live on the Mainland

Him: ( swiftly changes focus to my friend) so, which street is it?

And thus, the conversation continued in that light about Lekki for a while before the topic changed to a general one. I was shook. lol. I thought, " Uncle, you don't even know Mainland!". Well, I wasn't bothered as long as I have a roof over my head and my laptop to write.

• To use an Iphone 

I don't know how I notice these things but I do and I think it's because I'm a writer so I tend to observe a lot. This is so true cos I actually did an opinion poll with friends and they confirmed it. In this regard, even the Samsung Galaxy S8 doesn't stand a chance of being regarded as a high budget gadget. How sad. Some of the ladies I questioned lamented almost the same thing;

"Babe, that money for Iphone 6s or 7s would really go a long way in supporting my career but I just need to have it for packaging. Babes need to belong too now."

See what I mean?

• Know someone who knows someone.

This one happens a lot at hang outs. As a single female in Lagos, you are expected to know at least someone that knows anyone in a high position. If you don't know anyone, then what the hell are you doing being single in Lagos? I've hung out with some friends a couple of times before and usually, it amazes me when I realize that I'm probably the only person at the table who doesn't know the owner of the place or the cute sophisticated looking male or high class babe that walked in. See job of knowing! Not like it's wrong to know people but this one is serious. Sisters, you gotta know someone so that your journey to the alter will be quicker. lol

• "Asides Uber and Taxify, always have a cab man's number handy". 
  

A friend once asked me how I was getting home after work and I answered that I was taking my usual route where I would board a public bus. She looked surprised and started a lecture on the need for me to have the Uber and Taxify apps on my phone. She told me that from the office to my home, they'll simply charge me #2000. She went ahead to explain that, I should also have a cab man's number on my phone to always be available should any of those taxi companies mess up. According to her, it only cost her #150,000 on transportation for a month and more so, it maintains her standard as a high class single babe living on the Island. I thanked her for her advice and then started my calculations.

So, at that time, my salary wasn't up to #200,000. I calculated 2000 by 30 days and I came up with 60,000. Then I calculated my office feeding expenses for the month, excluding feeding at home  and it ran into 15,000 . At the end of it all, I wasn't left with much to cater for other miscellaneous expenses not to talk of saving.  I decided that for that time being, public transport was okay for me except on occasions where I have to go out to events or hang out with friends. Biko, I cannot come and die.

Sisters; truth is, it could be really tough keeping up this standard and then you might end up finding yourself in unnecessary competition with yourself, thereby neglecting your priorities (that's if they're really important to you). My way of handling these struggles; I just do me and of course maintain my dark complexion.

There're still so many other struggles but I'll leave you all to comment on them below in the comments section.  Guys!, what are your own struggles? Feel free to also share your experiences too.

Cheers!

BURNT (EPISODE 5)

Friday was another fast day at work. The day had started with a presentation that Mila had completely forgotten about. Of course, she had been proactive enough to have prepared her slides since the previous week on Mr. Duke's instruction. She knew everything she wrote and had pulled it off successfully.  Just like their name implied, the ACE Group had always been known for their excellent ideas and presentations, which mostly results in them getting the biggest contracts in the industry from multinational organisations.  Mr. Duke had succeeded in building a formidable force for a team that he had highhandedly selected by himself to always represent the company and he had wasted no time in planting Mila in that team immediately she was employed.

Mila had been intimidated at first after attending her first presentation as a passive team mate. She had seen and heard other organisations give really good pitches but then, she had learnt that to overcome her fear of going head on with their competitors, she needed to do more research and think not just local, but global. It didn't take her long to learn the rubrics of not just knowing how to draft a presentation, but to own it and sell it like a last resort to their clients. She had done the usual that morning and as she sat in her lone corner at the cafeteria during lunch break, enjoying her lemonade, she allowed her mind to drift beyond the walls of ACE Group.

She allowed her thoughts to steal a peak into the dark corners of her memory.  That was a chapter in her life she had deliberately locked away because, the memories just won't go away. She had never stopped beating herself mentally whenever she remembered what had happened and how it had all ended. She wasn't even sure if it really was the end of that phase of her life yet so, she had locked away the memories instead.

"Not today" Mila told herself.

She was in a better place now with a better purpose. Maybe, maybe not but she would rather not go down that lane today. She finished off her drink, stood up and left the cafeteria for the office.

..............

Simi was busy. The moment the company had won the contract, Mr. Duke had declared a TGIF celebration to take place at the company's open air lounge upstairs and she was part of the impromptu organizers. She loved that role and she was busy playing the part to the fullest. She had immediately used her contacts to get a mixologist, a DJ, and a grill master. Everything was set already by 4pm and everyone was moving to the Lounge excitedly as Mr. Duke had permitted work to end for the day by that time. Most people had used the opportunity to invite friends and loved ones to join the celebration. So by the time it was 6 pm, the spacious lounge was bubbling with life, drinks and good music.

Mila was leaning against one of the rails that surrounded the space. Though, there were canopies and couches that people could sit like those in a regular public lounge, she choose to stand facing the seaside with her drink. She didn't know why but the sight of the sea side always had a soothing effect on her raging nerves. The thoughts of that afternoon had somehow cast a gloom on her mood  so, as she stood there looking out to the wide expanse of water, she began to regain sanity.

At that point, Simi was by her side with a glass of cocktail drink and a plate of assorted meats. She looked really excited for she had been receiving a lot of compliments from her senior colleagues for a job well done. Mr. Duke had sent her to fetch Mila for the toast to their victory and it had taken Simi a while to find her there. She sighed with relief when she confirmed that it really was Mila standing there in her black jean, Juliet sleeved white boyfriend shirt and her brown kitten heels. She was dressed according to the company's "corporate casual Fridays" tradition save for the fact that, she had removed the  blazer she wore for the presentation.

" Hey! Are you alright? I've been looking for you" Simi said concerned as she had met Mila with her eyes closed

"Yeah, I'm alright. Thanks" Mila answered with a weak smile

"Are you sure?" Simi asked

"Yes Simi. Now, why were you looking for me again?"

"Okay. If you say so then. The Boss needs you for the toast. You know, as the goal scorer concerned" Simi said excitedly. This made Mila laugh. Simi always knew how to exaggerate things but it helped her return to reality again.

................

After the toast, the cheers, the pats on the back and an exciting evening, Mila returned home at about 9pm exhausted, both mentally and emotionally. However, she knew there was one person she needed to call but she wasn't sure she was ready for any soft or hard talk at that moment. So she decided to leave it till the next day.

Tomorrow will be a great day, she assured herself. Tomorrow, she'll make that call and see what surprises the future's keeping for her.

She dozed off with these thoughts and slept soundly.

BURNT (EPISODE 4)

She had been staring at his perfectly manicured hand that was holding his drink. They looked neat, soft and well structured. Mila still couldn't understand her fascination with people's hands. His was what had gotten her tongue tied for seconds. She noticed that he was moving away and followed him.

Leo's friend on the other hand was moving to the bar, leading Mila towards the same direction. They were in the way of more people coming in. Mila quickly snapped out of staring and apologized for going tongue tied on him. She started the conversation thus;

"Hi. Sorry about that. I'm Mila, Simi's friend"

"Who's Simi?" he asked

She was worried this man would become impatient with her so she hurriedly continued.

"Simi Coker, Leo's friend. That's her over there" 

He looked towards the direction Mila had pointed and gave a cool smile of recognition before continuing. "Oh! Simi. I know her. So, what's up with her?"

Mila, also smiling from relief that at last, they were on the same page answered

"She lost Leo's number with her old phone so she needs it so she can call him later. Please, could you help with it?"

"No" he answered with suspicion written all over his face then he added as an after thought "Why didn't she come get it herself?"

"Well...we came with people who actually invited us for drinks so, she thinks it would be lack of curtsy to just leave them like that to go sit with Leo." Mila explained hoping this would be enough to get the number already.

"So, you decided to be the good friend that comes to her rescue huh?" he said smiling

Mila couldn't help but smile too. She shrugged in a "What can I say" kinda way. He brought out his phone, clicked on his contacts icon and scrolled to Leo's name before giving her the phone to copy out the number. She did and thanked him. She was about turning to leave when he said,

"So, how come Leo gets to have two beautiful ladies taking risks to get his contact while nobody's asking for mine" he sipped his drink, waiting for her response

Mila laughed at this before replying. She was amused that he called her beautiful. For Simi, she totally agreed but for herself, oh well.

"I'm so sorry" she said amidst laughter. "You didn't tell me your name''

"You can call me Brian tonight but by tomorrow, my name will be Femi."

Mila was confused but couldn't control the laughter that still escaped her mouth. "But how can you have different names for different times of the day?" 

"Well," he said laughing as well "I'm slightly tipsy right now. So, I'll leave you with my number and then you can call me in the morning to find out which is my permanent name. What do you do Mila?"

That cracked her up more. This dude is strange Mila thought but answered his question anyways.

"I'm a Copy Writer" she said

"What does that mean? Sorry, I'm more of a finance guy"

"Well, I write for adverts"

"That's cool. Okay Mila, here's my number. I'll be expecting your call" he said and started calling out his digits which she typed into her phone. They said their byes and went their separate ways.

................

Mila felt like she was walking on the clouds as she walked back to her spot. Had she really done that? she kept asking herself. That was the first time she would walk up to a man and initiate a conversation in a public bar. She had been scared at first of the impression she would be giving him but it had turned out great. He was funny, smart, cool and too good looking for a man. He looked too clean like he never played with dirt even as a child. He wasn't dark or fair in complexion; he was caramel. Like the neutral color of chocolate. He had a perfect face and a perfect physique hidden by the perfectly tailored navy blue native outfit he wore. He didn't wear a suit like the other men at the bar and that made him look really relaxed. 

She liked the way he talked. He had an American accent. The real one; not the fake BritAmerican accent used by every tom dick and harry of Lagos that has ventured to travel to Dubai or Ghana. Everything about him was relaxed like he had all the time in the world to blink, smile, laugh, talk and even sip his drink. Even his tongue took it's time to taste the drink on his lips. Yes, his lips. She couldn't forget those. If there had ever been a more peach colored pair on a mouth, it would be his. They were a perfect pair without any undertones of darkness that showed signs of a smoker; just perfect.  Mila thought, those lips didn't look like anyone's lips cos they were created solely for him. She sighed.

...................

Simi was surprised. She still couldn't believe it. "Really Mila, you're unbelievable! I mean, how did you do it?! This is amazing!" she screamed and threw her hands up in the air.

"Hey Simi! Please, the steering. I'm not ready to die yet" she said fearfully but was also basking in the euphoria of having done "a first" that evening. She was glad she had helped Simi. Simi had given her the full gist of how she met Leo. She had gone clubbing  with some friends on a Friday night and had gotten tipsy. So while the so called friends had abandoned her in her car, Leo who had been at the same spot with his friends as well and had been eyeing her all evening,  had driven her to an hotel, lodged her in a room he paid for, and had left instructions with room service to serve her breakfast in bed by morning with some aspirin. She had woken up to a note on the bed side table from him about the incident and had left his number for her to call him if she liked. She would have called him but then, she realized that her phone was missing and ever since, whenever she went out, she would pay more attention to the crowd, looking for him.

"Now, who wouldn't comb the earth for such a man's phone number?" Simi asked looking love drunk

"Wow!" was the first thing Mila could say "I would!" she exclaimed after wards and they both laughed out loud into the evening as they drove off.

......

That night, Mila lay on her bed with her favorite book of the moment, "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. She was on the part where young Jack had burnt down the cathedral of Kingsbridge so that his mother's lover, Tom Bulider could have a job in the town. She paused and reflected on the evening's event and smiled as she realized that she had displayed the same act of chivalry for Simi who wasn't really a bosom friend but a friend all the same.

She picked up her phone, clicked on her contacts icon and then scrolled to letter B where she had saved a name as Brian Femi. She smiled to herself and switched off the lights of the room.

CHATTING ETIQUETTES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

This post is prompted by the annoying chats I receive everyday on Facebook and Instagram. If you've been following my YouTube channel, you'll notice that I've done a video addressing social media already thus, you'll perceive that I'm really passionate about those platforms. Why? you may ask. I'll list my reasons.

1.  Social media is the new media (with just one click, you can reach the world away)
2. Social media has come to stay
3. In as much as it's a fun platform, it's also a business zone if used rightly
4. You could make your first millions on social media (not 419 money o!)
5. Social media is like my temporary mobile office (I move with it every where)

For these major reasons, I don't joke with social media. However, it saddens me to see that a lot of people don't know how to utilize these social media platforms especially in initiating conversations. For instance, on Facebook, I get messages like " Hi" almost everyday, from the same set of people and numerous others. Other times, it could be "What's up babe?" (seriously dude?!). Another set of people could go like, "I love you" (I die a thousand deaths when I get these). Others could take the rude and arrogant path after sending hundreds of HIs and HELLOs for months or a year without getting any response from me. They'll be like, "You're a bitch!", "you're forming for me abi?" and I'll be like WTF? you don't even know me nigger or bitch or whatever you are. Truth is, when I then finally attend to one of the Hi somebody, the conversation usually goes thus, 

Me: Hello! you've been hitting me up. What's up?

Them: cool. U?

Me: I'm alright. So, how may I be of assistance?

Them: Where do you live? Are you based in Lagos?

Me: Lagos yes.

Them: I'll like to be your friend. I like you.

Me: Okay... but we're friends already on Facebook here.

Them: Yes but I love you. Can we see?

Me:  BLOCK. 

End of story.

Someone on one occasion sent me a nude picture. Who does that on a first chat?! I clicked delete and block immediately. I'm not a chat snob but here's what I'll rather do if I wanted to chat with someone I admired on social media. I'll send a polite message first in this nature and wait for their reply.

Me: Hello Sir/ Ma'am. My name is Glory Elijah, a blogger and a YouTuber at Frankly Speaking with Glory. I've been following your updates on this platform for a while now. I must admit, you're really an amazing personality and great at what you do too. I totally admire you for that. I hope to get to meet you in person in the nearest future and hopefully do a few projects with you. Keep up the good work. I wish you all the very best. Cheers!

I bet you, messages of goodwill like this to people we admire on social media will be received with heartfelt gratitude Though, some people could be naturally terrible but who doesn't love some dose of cheerfulness?. More so, you'll be seen as a responsible and serious minded individual who is ready for business and networking not as a leech but as one who hopes to be an added value to another's career. Even if you need help/assistance, a message like that won't imply that you're begging for money or to join the person's circle of friends, but would rather imply that, you've got something to offer. That way, you've caught your idol's attention!

So, here are some tips on how to chat on social media with strangers.

1. Never leave a "hi, or hello". Send a greeting and a brief introduction first.
2. Politely state your reason for initiating the conversation
3. Don't be too forward by asking the person questions
4. Allow the person to absorb your own information first
5. When the person replies, make the tone of your messages harmless and not forceful cos everyone's security conscious these days.
6. Allow them express themselves too if they're willing to chat. Don't be too controlling of the conversation.
7. Go straight to the point. Keep it short and simple instead of beating around the bush. Everyone's too busy for unnecessary chit chats.
8. Make reference to the person's work or service or activity on that platform that caught your interest (if any) and throw in some compliments
9. End the chat on a hopeful note for more future conversations and you might likely get to be in that person's network.
10. NEVER beg for anything on a first chat. That'll create a wrong impression of you except that person doesn't mind but that happens on rare occasions. 
11. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

I hope this helps all ye senders of Hello and hi on social media. God bless you as you change your chat strategy with this and hopefully, we could meet in person in the nearest future. LOL

Click on the link below to check out my video on "Emotional Intelligence on Social Media" on my YouTube Channel       http://bit.ly/2id7PoF

Don't forget to comment, share and subscribe.

Cheers!

BURNT (EPISODE 3)

Mila was amazed at the numbers and brands of cars she saw all lined up from the beginning of Akin Adesola street to the spot they finally parked. She saw a red Ferrari parked discreetly at a corner, there was also a wine colored Porsche car parked neatly somewhere. Although, she didn't know what model it was, but she could see the name "Porsche"" clearly written on it's sleek behind. Another thing that shocked her the most was the fact that, there were so many G-Wagon cars parked neatly and arranged as if set for a convoy. And then, varieties of car brands that she had no knowledge of but they looked so new and expensive and black like all the owners had planned a show of black sophistication that evening. 

She got out of the car and stood looking across the road to see more cars and a simple gate with beautiful details and at least four mean looking "bouncers" inspecting people before they were allowed access into the place.

"What is this place?" she thought out loud

Simi who was adjusting her skirt and her hair  as well as surveying the entire environment answered with a satisfied smile and nod of of approval.

"This my friend, is ZENBAH the hub of all the freshest and wealthiest professionals in Lagos" 

"Professionals?" Mila couldn't believe it. How could Professionals pull off this show of wealth and sophistication all in one night?

"I tell you dear. We might even run into Mr. Duke here"

Mila was taken aback "Oh no! What would he think?"

"Haba? Can't somebody have fun again? Abeg come, let's go in and please, walk with class else, they'll think you're cheap"

Mila didn't understand what that meant so she asked "And why should I try so hard to not look cheap?"

"Wait until you see the class of girls we'll meet inside and by the way, they only allow babes with tush dudes access but don't worry, I've got you covered"

They were allowed in after Simi had had a brief chat with the "bouncers" and true to her words , ZENBAH wasn't a baby's playroom. The energy in the room was thick with smoke from the shisha smokers, cool foreign hip hop music, coded dance moves that looked like nobody was dancing while in fact they were, light conversations that sent people's heads rolling back with heavy laughter, the bright red and nude lipsticks gracing the perfectly shaped lips of the ladies Snap Chatting and the rich scent of the perfumes that oozed from the sharply tailored suits hugging and revealing the tight muscles ( some of the men looked soft though) of the men they walked past. Everyone looked so sophisticated and they looked like they had come directly from the office to breathe even if it meant breathing in the thick aroma clouding the atmosphere from the shisha pots.  Most people knew most people. It was a small community of friends, associates and believers of  "all work and no play, makes me a dullard". 

Simi was in her elements. She had hugged and greeted five people already and each time, she introduced Mila who smiled politely but couldn't pretend to be as excited as she was still too dazed by the entire scene of glamour displayed before her eyes. They found their way to a table without chairs but with three men; one being Simi's date as she put it and so they had to stand whilst exchanging pleasantries. Simi and Chris, her date excused themselves to go get their drinks while Mila stood, feeding her eyes and wondering if she was going to die standing in her heels that evening. She tried engaging in the conversation ongoing between the other men about football. God knows she hated that sport with a passion so she feigned interest and smiled when she should but she couldn't help moving her head to the familiar sound of Ja Rule and Ashanti's "Always on Time".  She loved that song.

Simi and Chris returned with their drinks in what looked like an  angry Zuma beer mug but  the details of the sculpting perfectly enhanced the features of the Zuma monster on the mug making it's tightly shut eyes and clenched fists look so cute. They cheered to the evening and Mila lifted the mug and took a long swing of the drink for she had become thirsty. It sent sparks down her spine and she had to close her eyes to savor the bitter sweet taste. 

"You like?" Simi who had been watching her all along to see her reaction asked

"Yeah! this is really good!" Mila exclaimed "It's like rockets shooting through my veins" she continued feeling excited all of a sudden

"I knew you'd like it" Simi responded with the same fervor.

They were both now swaying to the music and taking turns to sing each line like it was karaoke then Simi suddenly stopped and was staring at someone on the other side of the room. Mila couldn't see who it was but she could tell from the way the person stood that it was a man. She looked back at Simi and asked,

"Someone you know?"

"Yeah. I've been looking for that dude's contact like forever after I misplaced my old phone and now, there he is with his friends and here I am and I can't seem to go get it"  she finished and turned away from staring.  

Mila took a closer look at the person she was refering to and realized that the dude was really a fine man wearing transparent glasses. 

"But why can't you go and get it?" Mila asked looking puzzled

"Well, Chris will be pissed cos he actually invited me here and I wouldn't want to seem ungrateful" she replied trying to keep her voice low above the loud music.

"What's his name" Mila asked

"Leo" Simi answered and then turned her attention back to Chris who was now beside her to dance.

Mila thought of what could possibly happen if she tried being the hero of the evening to rescue Simi from her plight and decided that nothing could go wrong. She scanned the area where the said gentleman was with his friends and and noticed that he had left but there was a lady and another man there. Then she shocked herself by walking up to them. She didn't know why but she was shivering as she moved. She felt self conscious about what she was wearing and tried walking more gracefully in her Lemon colored chiffon shirt dress that stopped just above her knees. Even if the dress was buttoned up to her neck like a bishop's collar, she still felt cold and tried to walk straight in her black heels.

She got to the spot and gently tapped Leo's friend on shoulder saying "Excuse me''

He turned around and looked at her with a slight frown of curiosity on his forehead, waiting for her to talk. Mila on the other hand couldn't talk. She stood there looking and almost forgetting her reason for calling his attention.

"Yes?" He asked politely with a glass of Hennessy drink in his well manicured hand

Mila wasn't talking. She was looking at something else. Something else that really did subtly call for her attention and she gladly gave it all the attention it was beguiling her to give.