Chapter 1: The Bedmate Reveal

Good news: I sleep with one correct, top-tier oga on top.

Even better news: we don turn official bedmates.

Bad news: na my new boss be that.

My whole world don scatter.

Again.

That hot body dey press me from back again.

Again? I frown small.

My mouth dey talk say I no want, but my body no fit hide anything.

I just turn kiss am. E body dey warm, skin dey pepper me small. For outside, generator hum dey mix with distant okada horn. My mind dey toss left and right—body dey betray me, but na so e dey sweet reach. For Lagos, na wahala to find this kain balance. But see me here, dey melt under person hand like kilishi for sun. Small time, I gats just accept say my body get mind of e own.

Me and Fisayo no gree rest all weekend, morning and night. Till Sunday night reach. The guy still dey look like say e never do reach. I dey find my clothes for where e scatter for carpet, force myself talk: “No try, I get early meeting tomorrow. I no fit late.”

New boss dey come—I need make dem see me as correct person.

He sidon for bed, chest bare, face squeeze like person wey dem cheat. “Okay, see you next week.”

“Alright.”

E just dey look me with that soft eye. Me sef dey pretend say I no see, but as I dey wear shirt, I remember say na tomorrow ghen-ghen go start. My mind dey race, but I lock am. Man must hustle.

Monday morning, I show for office with my suit and tie, ID card for neck.

Kemi wey dey my side just lean come dey gossip: “I hear say the new MD fine die and e still young.”

Me, MD face no concern me. I just talk, “Abeg, make e just dey behave like human being.”

The last MD na wahala, e no dey even treat us like human beings. Finally dem transfer am. I just dey hope say this new one go better small.

Na so Kemi dey talk with her usual mouth sharpness, she dey turn head anyhow like market woman. Everybody for office dey set eyes for door, dey wait to see this our new oga. Me, na inside mind I dey pray make this new MD no be one kain wahala person wey go dey carry senior man shoulder like Aso Rock. Kemi con add, "You go see say all these Lagos babes go soon dey line up like suya for Lekki roundabout."

For meeting room, the new MD enter with style, everywhere burst clap. As I see the person wey stand for middle, my eyes nearly fall comot. Na Fisayo! My bedmate. How this world small like this? I just wan dig ground hide. Lucky say people plenty for the room, e no notice me first. My head nearly enter under table.

My leg weak, hand dey shake. I wipe sweat for forehead before I fit stand. Suddenly, person nudge my wrist. Kemi whisper, “Ifeanyi, MD dey call you make you talk.”

“Who be Ifeanyi?”

I quick come back to myself, hear Fisayo dey call my name. I draw breath, stand up, body stiff like wood. As e see me, e face show say e shock. Guilty dey catch me small. Because I tell am say my name na Chuka. He look me well for two seconds, then talk slow, “Team Lead Ifeanyi, na your team dey handle this project. Abeg, present.”

My chest dey drum, sweat dey prick my armpit even though AC dey blast. For my mind, na all the gist from Saturday dey run relay—God, see as wahala land for my domot! I gats package, at least make I no disgrace myself before all these office people.