My lips formed an 'O' shape as I exclaimed in amazement. "That was cool" I pointed to the laptop screen.
"Right? You could see my eyes go wide when he did that flip" he said and went back ten seconds in the video. "Right there" he pointed at the screen.
I nodded. "Yeah"
We were reacting to the new music video, more like I was reacting it to it for the first time. The remix dropped four days ago and I hadn't gotten to see it yet. Yinka specifically instructed that I wait so he could catch my genuine reaction to the video on camera for YouTube.
I wasn't sure I had much to say or reactions to give. I've seen a couple reaction videos and how they notice the tiniest of details that I wouldn't even have thought much of. I watch videos for the fun of it, not to observe and identify some kind of iconic detail but I was going to try for hm.
"Wait, did you see that hand movement?" Yinka leaned in to pause the video before turning to me.
"What hand movement?"
He took the video ten seconds back and stayed leaned in, waiting for the aforementioned part to come on. "There," he pointed to one of the dancers in the crowd.
"Oh," I said, nodding my head unsure of what my reaction should be.
He glanced at me and snickered. "You don't get, do you? That move is not as easy as it looks" he then proceeded to wobble his arms around in replication of the move.
"Oh... okay" I nodded slowly in understanding
Arms still in the air, mid-motion, he side-eyed me and cocked up his eyebrow about half a millimetre then moved his lips to the side. It was such a subtle and swift facial morphing that wouldn't have been caught if I didn't look just in time.
"Why did you—" I burst out laughing, flopping back unto the bed.
"What?" he feigned ignorance but the amusement in his face gave him away.
I came back up with a straight face and smoothened out my black blunt cut wig. "Nothing. Let's continue"
"What the—" his eyebrows knitted with confusion.
"What? Let's continue" I said with a soft tone as I leaned forward to tap on the laptop.
I could feel his gaze on the side of my face as I sat up straight. I tried my best to keep a straight face but underneath the surface, I was bubbling with laughter. I ended up exploding with laughter and flying back unto the bed after two seconds.
"What is wrong with you?" he said, amidst his laughter and paused the music video.
I don't know myself.
"Sorry. Let me be serious now" I said, clearing my throat as I sat up
Yinka looked at me sideways, shook his head and snickered but then graduated into laughter.
I lightly hit him behind the shoulder. "Stop now. If you laugh, I'll start laughing"
He leaned away from my reach. "See this girl, how is that my fault?"
I chuckled and bit my inner cheeks to prevent it from progressing. "Let's be serious and watch this thing. In fact, I'm watching it without you"
I tapped on the space bar of the laptop and felt him move back to my side. We watched the rest of the three minutes fifty-six seconds video without any interruptions with the exception of a few commentaries.
"So... what do you think about the whole video?" Yinka asked as the video came to an end.
"It was really good. The costumes, cinematography, the dancers, everything was perfect. I mean for the first time, I noticed all the subtle details in a video. Well, maybe it's because I had to react to it and not watch leisurely but still..." I looked from the camera to Yinka to find him intensively watching me.
I averted my eyes quickly and focused on the camera. "I'd probably watch it again. You know, to enjoy it properly"
"So what about me?" he said
"What about you?" I asked, my eyes not leaving the camera as I ran my fingers through my hair
"How did I look in the video?"
"Are you fishing for compliments?" I said, turning to him.
He had his hands placed behind him, supporting his weight as he leaned back. He lowered his lids at me and held that action for a second before slowly looking back then cocked his head to the side and softly uttered. "Maybe"
My brain stopped working for about twenty seconds. I opened my mouth to utter a smart comeback but nothing instead I just gaped like a fish out of water. I turned back to the camera and my eyes flickered around the room. Everywhere but in his direction.
See your life. Small up and down looking, you don already malfunction.
"I think, we're done, right?" I spoke up to douse the heated environment.
"Your hair thing" he stated, still in his laid back position
"Huh?" I turned and noticed the sly smirk at the corner of his lips. He was clearly enjoying his self.
He sat up straight and pointed to my hair. "The hair"
"Oh, yeah," I said as I registered what he was talking about. I clapped my hands in front of me and faced the camera. "Yeah so... guys, if you notice this is the first time I'm ever wearing a wig on here. And that's because I just can be bothered with the whole process it takes to get wigs looking good. BUT, this wig from Izzyhair is really good an—"
"She's an influencer now" Yinka commented
"Who is influencing who?" I gave him a stink eye and turned back to the camera. "As I was saying... this hair is really lovely and you don't need to do too much on it. I literally just brushed it and it turned out this way. It's super straight and soft" I said, swaying my head from side to side as I ran my hands through it.
"You can also place an order on the type of wig you want, straight, curled, coloured. However you want it, they got yo—" my voice faltered as Yinka began to run his fingers through my hair and toss it lightly around.
"Uhm—Yeah. If you're interested, just head over to her Instagram page. They're legit— Stop" I swatted Yinka's hand away when he tugged on the hair.
"Okay, sorry," he said with a boyish grin and motioned to smoothen it out.
I moved my head away from his reach and held out my hand to stop him. "Don't touch it. I'll do it myself"
"No" he held unto my outstretched lower arm and pulled closer to him. Then he began to smoothen out the hair, gently running the palm of his hand up and down the hair in a meticulous manner like it was his source of livelihood.
I just stayed there letting him basically pet my hair and just inhaling his scent. I almost got carried away by how relaxing it felt but I remembered that we were recording and I also needed to get home really soon.
I pulled away from him and ran my palm over the hair. "Thanks"
He cleared his throat and focused on the camera. "Thanks for watching this video. If you aren't already subscribed, please do that. Also, make sure to turn on your post notifica—"
I tuned out. You really need to get a hold of yourself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A week after the song was released, it ranked No. 1 trending music on Nigerian YouTube and No. 7 trending on Nigerian and U.K Twitter. It was doing really great. Like every proud Yoruba mother, Mrs. Coker insisted she throw a small party to celebrate her son's success.
It was a Sunday evening. Earlier that afternoon, after giving an elaborate thanksgiving at their family church, Mrs Coker invited people from church to join her after thanksgiving party at her house.
The 'small' party was filled with their friends and family, mostly distant family members, Mrs. Coker's church friends and a couple of Yinka's friends. They were a large family but not large enough to incur an outdoor party to contain them. Besides, Yinka was against the idea of the party since he was already going to celebrate his 'own' way.
Due to the fact that it was an indoor event, there was no need to hire waiters and the likes, meaning that we, the housekeepers had to work overtime: serving, clearing up and just being of help in any way possible. For the sake of the party, we were allowed to dress casually instead of in our regular work outfits. We all settled for any shirt or tops and a pair of blue jeans.
I managed to slip out of the living room without being grabbed by any demanding aunty or uncle and headed upstairs after seeing Yinka heading up to his room. I found the door ajar and I gently pushed it open to reveal him on the phone.
The room was dark. The reflection of the moon and the outdoor security light provided a faint source of light making it possible to tell objects apart. He held out his hand signalling for me to hold on while he spoke on the phone.
I nodded and quietly walked over to the corner beside the door frame. I lifted the small gift bag in my hand and twirled the rope around my fingers as I leaned against the wall, waiting for him.
"Yeah, thanks bro," he said into the phone and then laughed, throwing his head back. "Of course. You don't even need to tell me. I've got it covered... yeah, thank you. Bye"
He strutted over to me, lifting the hem of his grey Agbada and stuffing his phone into the pockets of his matching trousers. "What's up?"
"Uh... Here" I held out the gift bag, shyly.
He took the bag from and the corner of his lips went up in a subtle lopsided smile. "What's this?"
I didn't reply instead I gestured that he find out for himself.
He narrowed his eyes at me still holding that cocky smile then reached into the bag pulled out the black packet of a sports smartwatch. "Did you get this for me?"
Before nkor, who else?
"Yeah, I thought I should get you something," I said, my voice maintaining a timidly low tone. I cleared my throat to get my original voice back then chuckled at the end to cover up my action. "You know, it was really figuring out what to get you. Then I remembered you wanted to get one of these watches but never really got around to buying it. It's not much but it's the little I could do" I rambled
He took a step, coming dangerously close to me. "You really didn't have to"
I leaned further into the wall. I was basically plastered against the wall. "I wanted to"
He lifted the watch box and shook it lightly. "I'm sure it was expensive. I've seen the price range". The 'for you' behind the word expensive was silent but it was there.
I shrugged my shoulder. "It was not that bad"
I mean I was getting a few endorsement deals from small brands just by doing YouTube videos with him. I think I could spare a few naira notes to get him something. I knew for sure that if it was the other way around, he would go all out to get something for me. Why wouldn't I do the same for him?
"Thank you," He said in the lowest baritone I've ever heard his voice take.
He eyed the box and then fixated his gaze on me. The intensity of his gaze on me made me lower mine to the ground. The intoxicating scent of his cologne mixed with the song 'skintight by Mr Eazi' coming from downstairs was messing with my emotions.
If I didn't make a move to escape from this heated environment, I might end up doing something I'd later question. I pulled my lips back into my mouth and looked up at him to make up some excuse but as soon as our eyes met, all my thoughts flew out the window.
I slowly released my lips from my mouth and followed his free hand as he placed it on the wall beside me, partially caging me. I looked back at him and watched as his eyes flickered between my eyes and my lips. I could feel my insides warm up just seeing that little action.
Lord. I was slowly losing every iota of self-control and my voice of reasoning was lost somewhere deep inside my mind. I wanted him to kiss me, badly.
Without looking back to ensure where it landed, Yinka threw the smartwatch box behind him. Luckily, it landed on the edge of his bed. He used his now free hand to pull me closer against his body by my waist, making me gasp out in surprise.
As he leaned in, the shrill sound of my phone ringing sounded throughout the room. I looked down immediately as I pulled out my phone from my back pocket. Emeka's name was bold across my phone screen.
I tucked my hair behind my ear as I looked back up at Yinka. "Uhm... I have to ta—"
I didn't get to finish that sentence as Yinka sealed my lips with his, pushing my phone out of the way. He pulled me in by the nape of my neck and encircled his other arm around my waist. I was stunned for a second but didn't waste time responding to him.
Heat spread over my body as I rested both palms at the mid of his sturdy back and gripped unto his agbada for support. My leg felt like noodles as he deepened the kiss. One of my hands travelled to the back of his neck and the other remained behind him.
I could hear my ringtone in the background but I didn't care. Let it ring.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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