He breathes on my neck...I could feel his hands wonder as he plants a thousand and one kisses,I moaned softly...his expensive cologne was my weakness in this moment, the way he takes a pause to look into my eyes, bites his lips and traces my neck yet again made me even more vulnerable to him....I wanted him..........I didn't want it to end not even for a second...He takes off his clean white shirt in the most sexual-appealing manner...and of course he was such a big deal who could have gotten any girl he wanted;black,white,Asian, mixed,name it.And it wouldn't mean a thing to him.But something about his eyes made it feel special....My name is lade and this is how 24 hours with a person I would never had dreamed of changed my life forever.
"Lade?!!!" Esther yells out by 6:30am so early in the morning.."I really don't give a damn if she brings the house down"I responded at the top of my voice as I jumped out of bed in fear of my dad coming in to caution me along side some spanking...."What did you say?..what did you say?" Esther and dad yelled as they banged on my locked room door..I was in big trouble...........This was just like every other morning . Well I live with My dad and Esther my allegedly 26 years old step mom who technically is into my 50 years old dad for some reason best known to her and well my life is a living hell..Literally.
LADE:(IRRITATEDLY) ARRRGHH...If she calls my number one more time!!!i will walk out of this restaurant and...
TEMI:And do what?...Why do you hate esther so much?She's your dad's wife.
LADE:Hate is an understatement she drives me crazy temi....I've really had it! My plan for this year is to get a job that pays enough and get the hell out of that house I've had enough of it!
(TEMI AND MERCY BURST INTO
LAUGHTER)
LADE:What is so funny?
MERCY:You? A job?Abeg Abeg Abeg..Just get married.
TEMI:I don't see why esther is much of a problem isn't she literally our age group or something?Yo girl let her know her do's and don't's in that house speak to her it is your dad's house isn't it?
LADE:Temi?
TEMI:Yes??
LADE:(SARCASTICALLY)Leave this place
(MERCY BURSTS INTO LAUGHTER)
TEMI:I'm giving this one good advice naw oh.. Ehn na you know do anyone that suits you jare.
(LADE PHONE RINGS).
LADE:ARRRGHHH!!!...That's it!!!!
Esther always had her very peculiar ways of driving me crazy,it was as if she did these things intentionally..Of course she did she dedicated her whole life into frustrating all my efforts.
(LADE BARGES INTO THE HOUSE ANGRILY)
LADE:What do you want?!why the fuck do you keep bothering me?!
LADE'S DAD: Language.
LADE:What do you want?
ESTHER:You left the dishes untouched?
LADE:So??
ESTHER: Wash them.
(LADE BURSTS INTO LAUGHTER)
LADE:So what are you now?you are like the evil step mom or something?...Please don't call me again!
(LADE TURNS TO WALK AWAY)
LADE'S DAD:Lade go into the kitchen now!and do what Esther is asking you to do.
LADE:ARRRRRRGH!!!!!
(LADE WALKS ANGRILY INTO THE KITCHEN)
After doing the dishes I lost the interest to go check up on my best friends;Temi and mercy so I just stayed in my bedroom for the rest of the day watching MTV BASE and that's when his song popped up on the screen and 5 seconds later my phone rang ... "JOEBOY!!!!!" Temi screamed through the phone excitedly ..."You called me to scream some musician's name?"I asked her confused and right in the middle of that conversation there was a knock on the door..It was mercy looking like she just won a lottery or realized dangote was her biological father,"Guess!Guess" mercy at the top of her voice as she walks into my room looking for the remote..."How did mercy get there so fast Abeg?" Temi asked through my cell phone..I was definitely confused. What was going on? Why were they acting all weirdly excited...."Here look!" Mercy said after tuning to a different television station...
LADE:What is going on..
MERCY:Shhhhh..Keep quiet Ah.
TV PRESENTER:Yes Nija! You've heard it here today ladies..So as fast as you can send your first names as well as surnames,age and phone numbers to the number on the screen your names will be printed out placed in the picking glass and yes! Picked at random...Whoever's name is picked will be considered the winner and here comes the good part....The winner would be gifted 24hrs to spend with none other than every girl's dream guy,the most talked about,hottest kid in Nigeria ..JOEBOY!!!!!!!!Yes!Joeboy!good luck ladies!
(MERCY SCREAMS LOUDLY AND
EXCITEDLY)
MERCY:Do you know what this means lade?! I will get to spend 24 hours with Joeboy!!!
TEMI:You mean me?!..In fact I'm coming over right now!
(HANGS UP)
LADE:So you walked into my house mercy and noise polluted my room just because of mighty joe?
MERCY:Joe boy get it right....
Mercy texted as fast as she could while I sat on my mattress mockingly laughing at her attempt..."Temi is here!" Esther screams from the living room,"No one asked you she knows her way up here!" I responded..Everything esther Did was so arrogantly Rude............No one but I understood what I meant.. As Temi attempted to walk passed my door she falls to the ground not minding or caring that she did she laid down on the floor desperately texting to the number on the screen .."This is stupidly pathetic..No be only joeboy, it's a scam no one who sends their names will actually get to meet Joeboy" I said trying to revive them from madness. Since none of the girls felt the need to pay attention to me I decided to walk to the kitchen and get a glass of water.."Even you are trying to meet joeboy?" I asked Esther as I burst into laughter..She was on her cell-phone in front of the living room television screen...Even Esther was so busy with what she was doing that she barely heard any of what I said.
TV PRESENTER: And it is over'Please do not send anymore names because it wouldn't be valid anymore .,.Thank you.
As I walked up the stairs I could already hear the girls upstairs in my bedroom eagerly Anticipating their names being picked...."They better pick mercy"I said sarcastically as I took my slow steps...
TV PRESENTER:And now we welcome none other than Joeboy himself to the stage to pick out a name from the glass case!!!
(CROWD APPLAUD ON TV)
I was now half way into my bedroom ..
JOEBOY:Okay........Lade Jackson,twenty one years old?
MERCY:Who?
TEMI:Ehn?
TV PRESENTER: And there you have it!!The lucky girl who gets to spend 24hours with Joeboy is LADE JACKSON!!!!!!!!We will contact you shortly.
"WHAT!" I exclaimed as I stood in front of the door confused and more confused
...Temi passed out for few seconds as mercy and I tried to revive the dramatic girl.."Congratulations lade!"Esther said looking all excited and happy for me..But I could clearly see through her evil camouflage.."Oh,please.." I responded her and closed the door against her fake-smiling face...Temi jumps up from the floor soaked in water...
TEMI:What did the tv presenter just say?!!!Lade?!Lade?did lade even care?!..
MERCY: Lade did you even send your name?your cell phone was here the whole time!!!!!
LADE:I...I..What?
I was so dumbfounded and lost..As the girls questioned me at the top of their voices,everyone was so confused how in the name of all goodness did my name come out?i wasn't even interested in it as temi said.."But I really wanted to meet Joeboy..you both know this I've been his biggest fan,I attended a ton of his concerts lade." Mercy said dolefully I really felt so bad for mercy in particular she really has had a thing for Joeboy since forever and I really hoped it would have been her instead of anyone.."I have an idea!" I jumped up and said at the top of my voice as mercy moves closer to listen.
TEMI:What am I?Mallam suya? Am I not human I wanted to meet Joeboy too naw.
LADE: Oh please you were at it for the fame, and we both know mercy is the real lover of Joeboy. So here's what we're gonna do ..
MERCY: Okay?
LADE:You will pretend to be me!when the media comes to my house you will pretend to be lade Jackson ..Infact you'd say you are lade Jackson and we'd be there to confirm it.
TEMI:Oh come on...That's absurdity in the highest,there is no way mercy is going to put aside her true identity just to meet....
MERCY:....I will do it!
LADE:Great!
TEMI: What?!
"The Tv people are here!!!"Esther screams from the living room.."Who asked that one?"I said with absolute disgust..."Abegi" Temi responded as she dragged me out of the room,Mercy looking beautiful paused and doubted herself "Wait...what if he doesn't like me?"....Temi burst into laughter as she replied with "Can somebody tell this one that it isn't a marriage?"......Temi can be insensitive at times but she's absolutely a darling."Are you kidding?Joeboy will love you I promise,I mean see drip naw"
I replied her erupting a smile from her face. We got to the living room and my dad and the evil witch esther stood in front of the Tv crew's neat camera as they filmed live in my house..On seeing us the Tv crew walked towards us with the camera and lightening on our faces as the Famous Tv presenter asked who lade Jackson was I pushed mercy forward as I replied him "Here! Here she is !" ....
TV PRESENTER:Well there you have it folks.. we've just found our beautiful queen of luck lade Jackson!!
ESTHER:What?..Hold on.
LADE:Hold on what?Please stay out of this one
(LADE CUTS ESTHER...TRYING TO PUSH ESTHER AWAY LIGHTLY)
ESTHER:Don't touch me lade!I am sorry sir but this girl here isn't lade Jackson.
TV PRESENTER:What?
ESTHER:I am lade's step mom and this is my husband MR Jackson and I'm quite certain neither of us have Amnesia...We vividly remember lade Jackson to be this rude looking one standing next to me am I right baby?
LADE'S DAD:(CLEARS THROAT) yes of course this naughty looking brat right here is my daughter lade Jackson.
LADE:No I am not lade mercy is lade!i mean no she is lade!Temi say something
(TEMI LOST POUTING AT THE CAMERA BURSTS INTO LAUGHTER)
TEMI:Lade?Look around naww..Even your dad has identified you I told you guys this wouldn't work at all.
"lade?" a sudden tender and pitiable voice,it was mercy...she called out my name in the most soft and pitiable manner.."It was worth the try lade, really..But it's alright I guess,maybe I'm not meant to meet Joeboy after all go for it" mercy said as she held onto both my hands."I'm not interested in this and you know it Mercy don't do this to yourself" I replied as I let go of her hands disappointed on how easily she would give up on something she wanted more than anyone;to meet Joeboy.I said to her at the top of my voice that if she wasn't spending the 24hours I wasn't either she looked rolled her eyes at me as she urges me to do it...
TV PRESENTER: Who is lade for Christ sake?!
ESTHER:Isn't that obvious?
TEMI:(SARCASTICALLY) I am lade Jackson .
(TEMI LAUGHS MOCKINGLY) No..I'm just kidding.
LADE:Me..I am lade Jackson sir.
TV PRESENTER:There you have it guys! Lade Jackson finally revealed!Catch us live again by 5pm where we will be giving you updates on her 24hours with Joeboy....CUTT! What time is it?
PRESENTER'S P.A:it's 2:38pm.
TV PRESENTER:We have approximately 30 minutes before her 24hours begin people! Hurry up and please fix lade...The whole sweat pants and black polo-shirt isn't doing it for me.
PRESENTER P.A:Come with me lade dear..lets take you to the makeup crew..
LADE:No..No! I am great the way I am don't touch me..it's my 24hours I will spend it however I choose..
TEMI:Period!
MERCY:Can we at least see her off?
TV PRESENTER:No of course not..It's time to go lade come on.
"Mercy?Temi? Wish me luck!see you guys tomorrow" I immediately said as the crew literally dragged me out of the house. While everything was going on I couldn't help but notice how happy esther looked........But oh please she probably was faking it to make dad think she cared about me,evil witch.
The tv crew and I had just arrived at a very nice looking house..Although I was blindfolded half way there, they said it was due to Joeboy's personal security and privacy."We are here it's almost 3'0 clock..your time starts by 3 on the dot" the tv presenter told me as I stepped out of the car...Starring at my watch it was 3:02pm,"It is literally passed 3 my guy" I said rolling my eyes at him.."Ehnn manage it ah..It's Nigeria there was obviously traffic ...I mean who is ever on time sef?" He said as his P.A drove away..I didn't expect that I would be left to walk into the house alone I was shaking the hell out of my bones...I thought of retreating but I didn't know my way back because I had been blindfolded here. So I took the bold step and walked into the mansion.
As I walked passed the hall way I could hear joeboys single playing from his living room as loud as songs are played at Yoruba parties. I kept walking ..
"Hello?!...is anyone here?..I mean no one noticed me walking in and well.."I said loudly trying to call anyone's attention...
(JOEBOY POPS OUT OF NOWHERE.. LADE SCREAMS OUT AFRAID AND SHOCKED)
JOEBOY: Yes I know it's joeboy!..Please stop screaming..Jeez.
LADE:What?...You think I'm screaming because you are what's your name again?....
Who pops out on someone like that?!
JOEBOY: Hold on..Why are you here?
LADE:Here take this,the Tv guy asked me to give this to you.
(LADE HANDS HIM A PAPER AND HE COLLECTS IT AND GOES THROUGH IT)
JOEBOY:Oh yikes..You are my 24 hours (LAUGHS) Okay I guess you should come in...
"So I think we should be clear on some rules" he said to me as we both walked towards his living room.
LADE:(CONFUSED) Rules?...No one told me there were rule.
JOEBOY:Well there are...Rule one;I know you are a huge fan or something but please don't get ideas into your head,this wouldn't end a fairy tale my dear..Rule number two;Don't take pictures of me or my apartment..That's just rude..Rule number three;You must not give any bad reviews,you will not speak bad about me to the press,not that you can(LAUGHS)
...And last but not least Rule number Four;Don't scream ever again please, and maintain personal space don't be too much of a fan okay. I'm sure you understand?
LADE:Yes I do understand.
JOEBOY: Good thanks for understanding you may proceed to the living room..
LADE:...Yes I do understand that you are an arrogant,spoiled,full of himself brat.And of course I do not blame you, I blame those silly girls who worship you desperately..I rather cut of my arm and feast on it than ever be attracted to someone as narcissistic as you are...My goodness! It didn't take more than 2 seconds for me to hate you.
JOEBOY: What?
LADE:You heard me Almighty joe.
"How could someone be so arrogant
..ARRGH!!!!" I asked myself as I sat on his very comfortable sofa.."The noise! How can you play your own songs on loop it's so annoying and narcissistic" I exclaimed as I walked towards his large TV and turned it off as well as the sound system..
JOEBOY: You really don't have the right to do that.
LADE:Well seeing I'm in here as well and I am human doesn't that actually give me the right?
JOEBOY:It's not democracy don't turn off my television in my own mansion..
(JOE PICKS UP THE REMOTE AND TURNS THE TELEVISION BACK ON)
LADE: You know I have a friend who adores you and wanted to be here more than anything
....I was even willing to give her my spot but It didn't work out, now I'm so glad I saved her the trouble.You sound pathetic "your television in your own mansion" what?! You sound like a two year old child.
JOEBOY:Why did you send your name in if you didn't want to be here? You sound pathetic.. this isn't some Korean movie or something; you act all hating and not giving two fucks about me and then I fall in love with you or something and we ride off into the sunset "THE END".(LAUGHS MOCKINGLY)
LADE: Oh my goodness...You really don't get it do you I would have been out of that stupid door of yours!..The only reason I'm still here is because I already signed the stupid papers.
(JOEBOY PHONE RINGS)
JOEBOY:Hello?
MANAGER:It's almost 3:30pm and there haven't been any press picture of you and the girl why?If the press don't report you being with her at the moment everyone would soon begin to doubt this whole thing and we'd loose a lot here man...Stick to the list she gave you, the idea is to enjoy a natural day together.
JOEBOY:..What says natural than being at home?
MANAGER:Take her out for an hour joe... for whatever she likes..Girls like shopping, makeovers,dinners and all that..
JOEBOY:(MOCKINGLY)She does need clothes that's for sure and a makeover.
(LADE GASPS IN SHOCK)
LADE:How dare...
(JOE PUSHES LADE SLIGHTLY AND MOVES FORWARD)
JOEBOY:Don't worry I'll get it done.
MANAGER:I know you will.
(HANGS UP)
"Why are you dressed like a homeless person?" He asked with his head tilted like a puppy,while he stares at me rolling his eyes from my head to toe..
"it's not like anyone asks you why you keep such an irresponsible hairstyle?" I replied ,rolled my eyes at him And climbed onto his sofa..."The only nice thing about you is your good tastes in sofa's ...This is so soft" I said feeling comfortable as I laid face down on his sofa. I could have sworn for a second he barely said a thing, wondering why he was so silent I raised my head to look at him and my eyes caught his eyes as he quickly changed the position of his eyes....."What?" He asked nervously as if I had not just seen him starring at my butt..."Get up...your going shopping with me" He said still looking nervous. "Do I look like i Lack clothes to you?" I asked him repositioning my head on the sofa..."Yes..you really do" He replied. How can one person really be so annoying? He was the male version of Esther..
LADE:(GROANS)If esther was a guy.
JOEBOY:What?
LADE:Not talking to you.
JOEBOY:Okay look here's the thing...We have less than 24hours left to be at each other's neck so why don't we just pretend to be having fun? Did you even read the documents?..We are supposed to impress the press it's in the contract you gracefully signed lanre, lade or whichever.
LADE:Why should I care I'm not the famous superstar why should I care about impressing some stupid press?
JOEBOY:Because like you said..you are not the superstar I am and I have more than enough fans to make you one of the top ten most hated girls in Nigeria.
LADE:Wow...You are so evil.
I genuinely thought all I had to do was be in a room with him till the twenty-four hours were up and after that I never had to see him again...Now all of a sudden I had to impress the press as well?whoever got me into this mess better hope I don't find them...
JOEBOY:Shall we?
(LADE BURSTS INTO LAUGHTER)
LADE:You better put those hands down.
JOEBOY:Top 10?
(LADE HOOKS HANDS WITH JOE)
LADE:We shall! we shall!
As we stepped out of his beautiful mansion,our hands hooked to each other like we were about to attend a royal ball or something of that status, his expensive cologne was hardly resistible,his cheek bones and bright pink lips.These were things you'd see in the movies how could a real life human being be so good looking?I wondered starring deeply at his face , he didn't for a second look at me he maintained his focus..As his eyes were forwardly fixed.
"No it's fine...Today I'll drive myself around" he said to his driver who already had the car door opened.
While joe drove the car..A sane person would have tried to look around to figure out what part of Lagos state they were in,but not me I was lost all of a sudden looking at him.."You will pay to get my car cleaned if you drull all over my seat" he said not loosing the slightest focus on the wheel bringing me back from my insanity..."What?.. as if" I replied immediately as I wiped off the saliva from my jaw....He begins to laugh as he stretches out his right arm which he rested behind my back, on the passenger seat...Do guys even realize how heated up that can get a girl? But whatever there was no way I was falling for such a stuck up piece of work.
"Get ready" He said as he packs the car on the packing lot of the mall...confused of why he was acting like some spy all of a sudden,"Why you acting like your on the spy kids set or something"I asked him and even before I could complete my question he lowered the glass on my end and gave the evilest smirk as the paparazzi stormed us from my end..One evil one even hit me with his camera..."Joeboy?joeboy? Are you in any way attracted to the lucky winner?" one out of the press asked joe..."Of course not" he replied laughing mockingly as he stares directly into my eyes,licked his lip a little,looked away and walked out of the car...."How dare he try to be so attractive" I asked myself inaudibly" ..He turns around with both hands in his pockets..The press cleared the way still taking pictures as he walks to open the door on my end..........The confident part of me suddenly wasn't there,I was suddenly paralyzed by fear,so many people with cameras in front of me............ " you're sweating" he said laughing at me as he stretches out his hands to help me out of the car. I thought to myself maybe the Tv crew knew what I was up against when they suggested a makeover...
"Just ignore them and act normal.. you'll be fine" he said to me as he places me so close,my back bone up against his hard muscular chest..I could feel his fit-abs at the back of my waist,his lower part was hard against mine as we walked away pursued by the increasing paparazzi.
Finally we got ourselves into the mall whose security prevented the crowd from going in with us.Thinking the stuffiness was over "It's Joeboyyy!!" A ton of irritatingly annoying girls stormed joe pushing me aside like a pile of trash.One even stepped on my foot. He spent at least Thirty minutes signing autographs,taking selfies and group photos as I stood waiting for him.. " why are the ugly one's always so lucky?" Some said as I turned around to find whoever made that comment..it was some tacky looking girl standing next to a very beautiful light skinned girl ..They both laughed as they mocked me without turning away and of course the Yoruba in me would not take that for sure, so I walked directly towards them and threw a punch at the tacky looking one...A fight started and everyone brought out their cell phones to record it.
"You look like a mad woman" joe commented as he takes me to a chair and we both sat on it..."Ah God! Why did those security guys stop me naw!" I said angrily packing my hair back into the pony tale I once had on."You like fights ehn?" Joe asked mockingly about to help me fix the back of my rumpled polo....
LADE: This is all yourrr.........
(LADE BUMPS HER HER HEAD AGAINST
JOE'S)
JOE BOY:Ouch!!...Seriously?
LADE:Owww!...can this day get any worse? I hate you guy.
JOEBOY:(HOLDING HIS HEAD) What did I do this time?
LADE:It's your fault I got into some stupid fight with some stupid set of girls! If I had just stayed home watching MTVBASE this wouldn't have happened...I mean there's esther and I totally hate that one of course, but she's easy to handle....I'm tired of..(BEGINS TO CRY)
JOEBOY: ...Are you?...Hold on, are you crying? You got into the fight yourself...Plus from what I saw you beat the living Edo out of that light skinned girl and....
LADE:(SOBS)It's not about the stupid fight.
JOEBOY:Oh....Then why are you crying? Is it cause of the head bump? You bumped into me
I should be crying right now, your head is so strong.
LADE:(SLIGHTLY LAUGHS)It's not because of the head-bump..it's...Never mind.
JOEBOY: Do you know the most annoying words when put together are "Never" and "mind"...Why start when your going to leave a nigga on never mind?...(SIGHS) Okay look cheer up whatever it is you'll be fine, we're in the mall after giving the press what they wanted..we impressed them....Look (HE BRINGS OUT HIS IPHONE FROM HIS POCKET)
Read this..."They are all good reviews of you" I said at the top of my voice wiping the tear off my face.."Exactly look how amazing I look here" He replies admiring his own freaking self, like who does that?..And just when I was about to get mad at him it hit me...Joe had a phone!"You have a phone?!" I excitedly yelled as he looked at me wondering what type of weird person I was...Part of the contract was being without my phone throughout my time with Joeboy.But what I failed to realize was that I could contact Temi and mercy through joeboy's phone...Give it to me!
JOEBOY:(HOLDING HIS PHONE AWAY) No.
LADE:What?..Give it to me!
JOEBOY:Why?
LADE:I need to make an important phone call please.
JOEBOY:You can't.
LADE:Why not?
JOEBOY:(PLACING HIS PHONE BACK INTO HIS POCKET)For one I'm a celebrity...If you call whoever is so important to you, none of my business (CLEARS THROAT)They'll have my phone number..So no.
LADE:Round for applaud for the brilliant victor Einstein(CLAPS)
JOEBOY:Your not Very funny.
LADE:Ever heard of private number? Yeah well if that's what your worried about I'll hide your number,so when my friend sees your call it will Suggest a private number.
"Fine" He sighs and said as he brings his phone back out and asked what the number was so he could dial it ...."I don't know" I said after five seconds of being completely dumbfounded,"You Don't know your friend's number?" He asked bursting into laughter.."Oh please,what sane human being stores their friends numbers?"I asked him trying to cover my shame.And then all of a sudden with my face buried in my palm,a song called my attention...I got up quickly and followed the sound.."Karaoke!!" I yelled excitedly grabbing onto joeboy's jacket.."Oh..sorry" I said realizing I had grabbed onto his jacket.
JOEBOY:(SMILES)You sing?
LADE:No...But my friend mercy does.Temi and I just give the hypes(SMILES)Mercy would have loved being here with you.
JOEBOY: Then you should record this..
He hands his phone over to me as he climbs onto the little Karaoke stage..
"What are you doing?" I asked with an uncontrollable smile on my face"What does it look like?" He responded as he selects a song...His song.
(BEGINNING ACOUSTIC VERSION)
Omo walai
🎶If them point gun to my head say make 🎶I deny you
🎼I go tell them sey lai lai
No be lie
🎶I fit to spend all of my money on you
Spend a couple couple million on you
Give you loving till you say e don do
Special type of feeling that I feel when I'm with you🎼
O n du n mo mi anytime wey I dey with you🎶
I want your heart and soul and your whole body too
🎶I can't let you go🎶
I'm beginning to begin to fall in love🎶
His performance provoked the gathering of a very large crowd of people,particularly the ladies who had their phones out recoding.. I also had joe's phone stretched out towards him as I recorded as well...with every verse he sang, he looked deeply into my eyes,"No..no lade don't do oh" I inaudibly cautioned my self from whatever imaginative desires were developing.
He sang so naturally and without the slightest difficulties, he was so full of light on the stage, I had never seen him look so happy singing not even on his live concert videos and believe me I had all the good parts,angle or whatever.Mercy
Made sure she got every part of joe on camera
no one bought his concert tickets more than she did. As his performance went on I kept recording and all of a sudden a message popped up on his screen...It was difficult not to have seen the message if I wanted to. "Azeez died ten minutes ago" I read out of my lips inaudibly wondering who azeez was to him and how he'd take the news.
"How did I do?" He asked all happy and excited as he walks away from the little stage.Totally dumbfounded I stood there looking for a way to ask who azeez was before giving his phone to him...I was the curious type so of course it had to be asked."You're so out of words..Let me guess you fell in love with me after that performance didn't you?..You would not be human If you didn't" he said slightly poking my shoulder ...
(LADE BURSTS INTO LAUGHTER)
LADE: You are such a self-lover...It drives me crazy...You are so full of yourself my guy, stop feeling like lee min ho it's not working for you.
JOEBOY: Where you born so annoying or do you work at it ?
LADE:Guess.
JOEBOY:(SIGHS)We should check out the outfits.
I didn't think it was the best time to tell him I saw his message,so I acted normal. "This one looks good" he said holding up a velvet red body-hug gown with his left hand in his pocket,standing there right next to the mannequin looking like a Supermodel or something
"You should try some outfits on miss" the lady in charge of the outfits said to me with a cheerful smile on her face as she gave joe side seductive stares.... the things ladies do when they meet a cute, rich or famous guy...And joeboy on the other hand was the pure embodiment of all three. "of course" I replied walking away with her while Joe sat on their sofa.I tried on several outfits as joe would comment yes or no.."What do you think of this one?" I asked him as he replied my question with his own question "Do you enjoy looking like a prostitute?" He asked slowing looking at me from my head to toe...
LADE:What?
JOEBOY: Do you enjoy exposing yourself in such an uncomfortable manner?...You know what you wear is more than enough impression
...It's funny how women open up their bodys showing off so much skin and expect some frustrated lunatic not to rape them. I can see your breasts so clearly, your laps are so neat, your back going all the way down to your waist, the only thing keeping you covered right now is that little piece of fabric covering your butt which by the way is so curvy..And yes I know it's curvy because the dress is so tightly fit..But what do I know?(SLIGHTLY LAUGHS)
LADE:Really?coming from you a musician? Should I begin with music videos?
JOEBOY:(TURNS OVER TO THE BOUTIQUE LADY) Excuse me..
LADY:Sir?
JOEBOY:Where can i get a soda or something?
LADY:Ohh..That's on the other side of the mall
my assistant can go get whatever you want sir.
JOEBOY:No it's fine...
(JOEBOY WALKS OUT)
I was burning like oil on a gas cooker.. how can he just talk to me like that and walk away from the conversation just like that?..Rude!...Worst of all I was left all by myself..."hey..hey" the lady in charge calls my attention..I turned around,"Don't get offended..But how is he?" She asked as I stood there confused trying to understand exactly what type of question that was"Is he good in bed?"
She whispered as she moved so close to me, I didn't know when I exclaimed "Jesus christ!" Frozen on the spot..It was a very shocking question, why would she assume I was sleeping with him? Or was I missing something?.
Joe was taking too long outside so with the beautiful red velvet he had earlier
Suggested on,i walked out to find him.
He was no where to be found, I walked round the mall but couldn't find him, but was alerted by the sound of screaming girls..So I just walked towards that. It was joe with his soda in his hands, so many girls surrounded him screaming and shouting as he tried to maneuver them so I asked for the help of the security ......"Hey Joseph!" I yelled from a corner as his fans moved along.He turns around..Looking extremely lost and bedazzled ...
starring at me with his mouth slightly opened..was he attracted? A guy only looks at a beautiful girl that way... Did he find me beautiful? I thought as I looked back at him, starring deeply into his eyes..For a minute it felt like he was attracted to me...But of course that would be absolutely absurd.Right? Why would such a guy find a girl like me attractive...I guess he really just loved the outfit.
LADE:Hey..MR? snap out of it...Why did you leave me all alone in there?
JOEBOY:(NERVOUSLY) What?...
LADE:Why did you leave me in there? You have your soda in your hands so?....
(JOE STARTS LAUGHING)
LADE:What is so funny?
JOEBOY: You sound like you are wife lade.
He said my name for the first time..I stood there looking at him as he continued laughing...Were we getting so close now that he said my name without
ending it with "Whatever"?......
JOEBOY: What?
LADE:(SMILES) You said my name.
JOEBOY:(CLEARS THROAT) Did I?...Are you done shopping or...
(STREET TV CREW INTERRUPTS)
STREET TV PRESENTER: Woahhh!... it must be our lucky day today Nija... We just stumbled upon JOEBOY!!!! What!!
JOEBOY: Oh..wow..hello.
LADE:(HOLDING HER FOREHEAD WITH HER RIGHT PALM) Oh lord.
STREET TV PRESENTER: Is this the lucky winner?...
(LADE WITH A STIFF FACE DOES NOT REPLY)
JOEBOY:(SMILES) Yes She is
LADE:ARRRGH!!!.
JOEBOY:(WHISPERS TO LADE) Remember top 10?
LADE: Hi Nigeria!!!
STREET TV PRESENTER:Okayyy...So I would only be taking few minutes out of your time with a few questions ...is that cool?
LADE:(RELUCTANT SMILE) Of coursee...
STREET TV PRESENTER:Good... We play truth or dare on this live platform...your question will come from Nija ...Are you ready?!
JOEBOY:Of course.
STREET TV PRESENTER: Okay so we're starting from lade...
LADE: just great.
STREET TV PRESENTER:Truth or dare?
There was absolutely no way I was picking dare...No one picks dare unless they wanted to do some nasty or didn't have a choice..
LADE: Truth.
STREET TV PRESENTER:(READS FROM HIS PHONE) From omolayo...Would you kiss Joeboy right here and now if you had the chance?.....
"What a question" the presenter inaudibly said as he had the mic towards my lips. I knew from the start that saying yes to these street presenters never ends well...But for a fact i wouldn't want anything of that sort with Joeboy, in fact the very first impression I got when we met at his place threw me off.i have never been an admirer of rude
Arrogant,self loving guys..No matter how good looking. But all of a sudden I wanted to say yes....His eyes, his laugh, his bright pink lips,the way he sang on the karaoke stage...What girl wouldn't fall for that? ...If you take away the bad parts what's not to love?......so I looked right at the camera and said....
STREET TV PRESENTER:...Well?
LADE: No.
STREET TV PRESENTER:Woahhhh What?!.... She can't be for real right now.
AT LADE'S HOUSE
(LADE'S DAD AND ESTHER SITS IN FRONT OF A LAPTOP WATCHING THE LIVE )
LADE'S DAD: Ehenn!....Omobirin mi, responsible girl.
ESTHER:(LAUGHS) Calm down.
TEMI'S HOME
TEMI: if I faint now you'll call me dramatic... how can lade tell me she doesn't want to kiss the hell out of those pink lips Ahhh! Oooh naww....What is this...If I get whoever sent in lade's name ehnn.
MERCY:You can over react ehn(SIGHS)
TEMI:Lade is the one over reacting on Live television better go and carry your friend.
Everyone stood looking so surprised at my answer..The tv presenter, his crew and even Joeboy himself..
STREET TV PRESENTER:Okay oh....The next one goes to you Joeboy..Truth or dare?
"Don't pick dare..don't pick dare" I murmured repeatedly hoping he'd do as I said...
JOEBOY:Dare.
STREET TV PRESENTER:Clayrocksu suggests and I quote "Joe boy since the girl has decided to form hard guy hardguy Oya I dare you to kiss her for 1 minute".....Ahhhh trouble in paradise(LAUGHS)
Without a second thought he grabs me by the waist,looks into my eyes with a smirk...I couldn't fight it;the quivering feeling...he could see it in my eyes as he leaned in,slowly closing his eyes...And at last our lips touched..releasing every ounce of oxytocin in my body.... Suddenly the world stoped for the briefest moment and the only thing between him and I was the anticipation of his lips on mine. A moment so intense it hanged in the air..........A moment so perfect, that when it came to an end we both knew it was the beginning.
TEMI'S HOME
TEMI:(EXCITEDLY)That's more than a minute! That's more than a minute!!!
MERCY:(DOLEFULLY)No.
LADE'S HOUSE
LADE'S DAD:(JUMPS UP) o ti pari!....Lade is now kissing boys?
ESTHER:(CHEERFULLY)She has been kissing boys long before now so calm down ife.
..................I could already imagine my dad watching this.
STREET TV PRESENTER:Wooooahhh..That was a little too intimate if you ask me..That's it for today Nija catch us next time on "THE STREET'S TRUTH OR DARE!"....
As the tv crew thanked us and walked away I was frozen on the spot with no words...The air was certainly awkward
..."Well?..Ehrrr...will you...do we?" He stammered trying to find meaningful words....
LADE: The...the clothes!
JOEBOY: Yes the clothes!...come on let's go pay for them.
As we walked back into the mall there was complete silence between the both of us...why did he suddenly loose his confidence? Before he kissed me he was clearly so confident about it so why did he seem so nervous now?.
We got into the boutique.While he stood by the pay-point giving his credit card to pay for all I had bought which were already beautifully packed in their beautiful designer bags which had their logo on them...I stood watching his every movement.He was so kind to the man whom he handed over his credit card, I wasn't sure what exactly they were both talking about, but the way joe smiled and laughed through the conversation melted my heart.....A celebrity being so free,speaking so casually to others who weren't up to his status really said much about who joe really was.
BOUTIQUE LADY:The kiss.
LADE: What?
BOUTIQUE LADY: I mean I saw that kiss...
LADE: (CHUCKLES)Oh..I think all of Nigeria saw that kiss.
BOUTIQUE LADY:You like him don't you?
LADE:Of course not....and oh yes about your previous question, i do not know how joeboy is in bed seeing I've never slept with him.
BOUTIQUE LADY:I heard the answer you gave to your question of whether you'd kiss him if you had the chance...You said no?
LADE: Yes I said no.
BOUTIQUE LADY:(CHUCKLES) Then why did you kiss him?
LADE:What?
BOUTIQUE LADY:why did you kiss him?... because the person who dared joeboy to kiss you did that to test your answer...And from what I saw you didn't resist. That kiss was so clear,you like him I mean who wouldn't look at that young man.....If I were you I'd take charge and not just sit still forming Hard-guy.
(BOUTIQUE LADY WALKS AWAY)
Why was everything trying to give me the pathetic illusion that I was into joe?
...........What if I was? Would that even matter? Would it change a thing?...Of course it wouldn't, girls like me don't just magically end up with guys like him it's impossible.
(JOE WALKS UP TO LADE)
LADE:Hey...You done?
JOEBOY: Yes....I saw you speaking with the head lady?
LADE: Oh yes...(MENDACIOUSLY) We were talking about the outfits, just girl stuff you wouldn't understand it....
JOEBOY:Oh..okayy? What time is it?
(LADE HOLDS OUT JOE'S PHONE TO CHECK THE TIME)
LADE:Oh..wow look...It's 5:07pm
JOEBOY: Oh..We spent that much time already?
Hearing him say that made a part of me feel like he cared all of a sudden, like he wanted to spend more time with me...
(JOES PHONE RINGS)
JOEBOY:(STRETCHES HIS RIGHT HAND OUT TO COLLECT HIS PHONE)That's for me...hand it over
LADE:...No it's not(HIDING PHONE BEHIND HER BACK)
JOEBOY:Why are you acting weird?...I can see my phone ringing right behind you.
I didn't want him to have his phone the entire time because I wasn't ready for him to see the message. But why wasn't I ready for him to read his message, get sad and probably want to be left alone?
....Maybe I was already so attached to him, even before I could realize it. "The contract remember?..it suggests a natural day together" I said holding him back with my right hand on his hard chest.."It doesn't stop me from taking my phone calls does it?" He said grabbing onto his iPhone.
JOEBOY: Hello?
AISHA: It's me Aisha.. uncle joe?(SOBS)
JOEBOY:Aisha?...How are you doing?, I know I promised to visit you sweetheart and I still will I promise.
(AISHA BEGINS TO CRY LOUDLY AS SEUN COLLECTS THE PHONE)
JOEBOY:Hello? Aisha? Why are you crying?
SEUN:Joe? I sent you a text message a while ago you didn't call us... jẹ azeez ko ṣe pataki mọ?Aisha is completely shattered I don't think I know how else we can try to fix her.
JOEBOY: Azeez?
SEUN:(DISPIRITEDLY)Azeez ti kú{Azeez is dead}
I guess the phone dropping to floor from his hands was more than enough to let me know that he got the news... i wasn't a liar nor a deceitful person I couldn't pretend...As he sits on the floor he picks up his phone and scrolled through it..."Why didn't I see the message?...the notifications? It's a message from about an hour ago...It wasn't even displayed on the lock screen." He asked himself dispirited and broken..
JOEBOY:(LOOKS UP AT LADE) Youuu!
LADE:(DOLEFULLY) I'm so sorry.
JOEBOY:You saw the message? and didn't tell me?...What's worse is you even cleared it from my home screen?....
LADE:...Lock screen..
JOEBOY:(YELLS)...I don't care!...You are not just ugly you are wicked as well! And to think I was beginning to......Once this stupid contract expires I want you far away from me as possible.(JOE WALKS AWAY)
Our argument had drawn the attention of everyone within the premises.."Well you can't leave me by myself it is contrary to our contract" I yelled trying to hide my shame as I followed from behind. Maybe i was wrong for what i did, but all I wanted was to protect him or was I just protecting myself without even realizing it?.
He had no choice of living me behind.
So he waited by the car unmindfully opening the door for me to get into it. Most angry people loose their manners, exposing their true colors..The fact that he didn't loose his manners enumerated that he wasn't who i first thought he was. He drove at the speed of light breaking every single traffic-law...
I couldn't say a thing, I mean who speaks in such situations without getting a beating?...So I just sat there in complete silence. And finally we got to his destination..It was an orphanage, Why would he drive to an orphanage?..
"Wait here..it will only take a minute" he said with the anger still in his voice as he walks out of the car speedily...
ORPHANAGE
SEUN:(DOLEFULLY)You came?
JOEBOY: Where is she? Where is Aisha?
SEUN:Come with me...
(JOE BOY FOLLOWS SEUN TO AISHA...THE LITTLE GIRL AISHA LYING ON A BUNK BED IN A DARK ROOM)
SEUN: She has been this way since he...You know.laying on top of his bed ...The only sentence she has made since it happened was the one she said to you joe...she hasn't spoken to anyone else.
JOEBOY:(SIGHS)Can you...Can you excuse us for a minute?
SEUN:(WIPES OF A TEAR FROM HER FACE) Yes, Of course.(SOBS AND WALKS AWAY)
JOEBOY:(CLEARS THROAT AND BEGINS TO SING AS THE TEARS FALL OF HIS EYES)
You don't need nobody 🎼
🎶To make you feel like a special somebody
you be diamond oh, you be gem🎼
And your grace they can't comprehend 🎼
🎶That's why them be hating
Them be tryna put you down🎶
You be royal..you for try wear your crown
🎼Cause you be Queen
🎶As you can see🎼
Nothing should make you feel less than this..
(SHE TURNS AROUND TO LOOK AT HIM)
AISHA:(SOBS)Uncle joe?
JOEBOY:Yes?....Yes my strong queen?
AISHA:Azeez ti ku Uncle mi.
JOEBOY:I know...I know you will be fine
(AISHA STILL CRYING HOLDS ONTO JOE AS HE SITS BESIDE HER)
Joe had taken too long tinside the home, so I decided to go see how he was doing in there..
LADE:Actually you won't be fine.
JOEBOY: What are you doing here?
LADE:How old are you?
AISHA:(SOBS) Nine.
(LADE SQUATS FACING AISHA)
LADE: Well...I was ten years old when I lost my mom.Everything would be alright,you'd be fine they said...But you know I wasn't fine.....
When you loose someone it's not exactly like the world imagines it,you won't just be alright.
It is as if a part of you has gone missing.Having close relationships help us feel as if we are not alone in the world so when we loose someone there is a lot certain aloneness that can never be filled....So believe me when I say it is okay to cry, it is alright to want to hold on to them.... Hold on forever if you may there's not a rule guiding that,speak to them whenever you are mad at the them for leaving you.........But while you mourn them don't neglect the one's on this side who loves you so much okay?
AISHA: Sorry But..I don't know you, may I know your name Aunty?
LADE:(SMILES)Oh..Of course, my name is lade and your uncle joe is a friend of mine... And your name?
AISHA: I am Aisha.
LADE:Well Aisha I need your help...will you please help me?
AISHA:(NODDS HER HEAD) Yes.
LADE:Well aunty lade did something very wrong to uncle Joseph...And well uncle Joseph is not exactly happy with aunty lade at the moment, he hates aunty lade so much that he called aunty lade Ugly....
(AISHA GASPS AS SHE TURNS AROUND TO LOOK AT JOE...AS JOE BARELY CONTROLLING HIS LAUGHTER TURNS HIS FACE TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION)
LADE:...Yes, But aunty lade deserved it and even more. You see being beautiful isn't about wearing clothes that show how neat your thighs are or how curvy your behind is..It isn't about how your face looks as well. You see beauty connotes the internal and not just external..So uncle joe was right I was completely ugly for what I did,I was selfish.
I was selfish because i didn't want a friend to be sad just yet, I didn't want a friend to break down.
(SOBS) But please Aisha tell joe that I am so sorry for what I did, I made a big mistake please tell him to forgive me and that after the contracts expires he would never even remember someone as selfish and wicked as lade existed.
I was not trying to emotionally black mail joe into forgiving me,no. I just really wanted him to know how sorry I was...I walked out of the home after my request to the little orphan girl Aisha and waited in the car for joe.
"you really do not have the best sleeping face" a voice said sarcastically,waking me up. It was joe, I guess I was so deep asleep that I didn't realize when he got into the car..."How long have you been sitting there?" I asked him at the top of my voice as I repositioned the car chair..."Are you so careless that you had the car door unlocked and comfortably fell asleep by 6:45pm in Nigeria Lagos state?"he asked rhetorically,shutting the car door on his end as he starts the car. We drove back to his place in complete silence, I didn't know what to say to him.
Finally we were at his place.He got out of the car and turned around to open my end,but before he could i opened it myself,stepped out of the car and walked towards the front door as he stood for a while watching me from behind as I walked away..... "I know I made a mistake,but i am sorry" I paused and said out so loudly "I cant take anymore of this silence it's killing me!" I turned around and said to him as the tears dropped from my eyes. He said nothing still but walks passed me as he entered into the house. I felt so weak in the bones, but why? Why was this breaking my heart a thousand times over? What exactly was this quivering feeling again? Why was my heart beating so loudly ?.... Why do I care I had less hours to spend with him and it would be over...Why did I want to hug him so badly all of a sudden?. I didn't want to be ignored by him.." I will sit here...I will sit in front of your door waiting for you to forgive me Joseph.I will not come into your house until you forgive me"I dolefully and audibly said loosing my self to the pain I felt...I sat there for seconds and then..
(JOE OPENS HIS FRONT DOOR,WALKS OUT AND SITS BESIDE LADE)
JOEBOY:Why do you care if I forgive you or not lade? After this contract expires we will not be seeing each other ever again.
LADE:Who is azeez?
JOEBOY:What does that have to do with this?
LADE:...My ears are closed...My eyes are closed...my mouth sealed....I hear nothing...I see nothing...Let out all you feel Joseph the camera's aren't here to record you, the people aren't here to mock you...it's just you and my undivided attention.
JOEBOY:(SIGHS) Azeez was Aisha's older brother, he was few minutes older than Aisha.. they were both twins....Azeez was diagnosed with stage five cancer and..(BREAKS DOWN AND BEGINS TO CRY) ...lade I really did try my best for him and his condition it wasn't still enough.The kids had no one to love them, no one to make them feel important all they had was each other and now that his gone, how do I expect Aisha to be alright?she is just a child. I talked about adopting Aisha but sadly my lifestyle according to the owners of that orphanage isn't promising."They can not entrust a child to people like me no child should grow around such a circle " in their words ..All I can do for her is visit and of course help financially....I'm sick of it all I'm tired,exhausted....I'm tired of being judged... Everyone wants to know the superstar lade, His good looking,tall,bright eyes,rich..No one cares about what you are really going through. No one sees you as human anymore, it's not easy Lade....I can't breathe anymore it's all so suffocating.....because at the end of the day I am only human;I get lazy, I get bored, I feel Ignored,I get scared, I feel happy,I get silly,I make wishes ,I have dreams....
(JOE RESTS HIS HEAD ON LADE'S SHOULDERS)
....Even though I had my hands covering my ears and my eyes closed,I heard all joe said..for someone who searched for an answer I was certainly speechless..I had no words so I sat there comforting him through it, pathing him gently on the back as the tears fell from my eyes one drop after the other;like a little child with a scraped knee. Was it so wrong that I wanted to kiss him so badly? I wondered as the urge in me grew..
"Joseph?!" out of my lips..he slowly raises his head from my shoulder starring deeply into my eyes, his eyes so full of sadness and helplessness...My eyes lost in his eyes as his eyes were lost in mine,his hands unconsciously placed on my laps, slowly leaning into each other possessed by my loud beating heart and a tingly feeling...I kissed him.Not because of a tv show, a contract or a dare but because I wanted to kiss him.
A slow kiss;the best type of kisses. A fond kiss,i was fond of his lips,the way he reciprocated...It felt like drinking wine, there's no ordinary thing in this...If this kiss would break my heart I would willingly accept the pieces...A kiss that made it all seem better,gentle pressing of our lips persuading blood to rush.He takes a pause looks deep into my eyes as he bites his lips and asked "you are the one who lingers in my mind, what have you done woman?...
Lifting me up taking me into the house...As he climbs up the stairs..With every step he took climbing up the stairs, my heart pounded even heavier,the tingling feeling,the butterflies in my stomach, I knew what was about to happen...... Something other girls could have only dreamed of.
"Do you want to do this?" He asked as he lays me on his mattress..... I replied with a head nodding gesture as he takes off his polo shirt,his hard chest, tightly fit countable abs...He kisses me while slowing taking off my black polo, directing his kiss to my neck planting a thousand and one kisses, breathing on my neck..I moaned lightly as he kept busy taking off my grey sweats...I had nothing but underwear left on...He looks at my body as though he were studying it.....I unbuckle his belt, as he supportably unbuttons his trousers zipping down slowly, loosing no focus starring into my eyes..With nothing left on under the white soft duvet,he romances still,lost in the feelings of the night..He mounts on me..my silent moans changing volume by every inner push forward.
I woke up the next morning with a soft smile on my face,thinking to my self...I had been with him, I had just been with Joe."Good morning" joe says working into the room with clean white shorts on.
LADE:(YAWNS) What time is it?
JOEBOY: It's....11:36am
LADE:(JUMPS UP TO HER FEET) Ouch my legs!.....It's already that late? How long did I sleep?
JOEBOY: Hey...Careful, you had a very rough night.(LAUGHS)
(LADE ROLLS HER EYES AT JOE)
LADE: Very funny.
JOEBOY:(CHUCKLES)...Sorry...But on a more serious note Lade, it doesn't matter does it? You slept cause you were really tired..
(LADE WRAPS HER HANDS AROUND JOE ROMANTICALLY)
LADE:I wanted to spend more time with you of course it matters Joseph.
(JOE UNWRAPS HER HANDS..WALKING AWAY)
The look on his face as he walked out of the room...it wasn't the same as last night. It was different,it was the type of look you gave to a one night stand who suddenly thinks she's your wife. So I got up from his bed hurriedly putting on his white polo which was on the floor and ran after him ....."Wait!" I yelled,grabbing onto his right hand.. he turns around responding at the top of his voice "What?!" ...suddenly he looks at me from my head to toe and slightly laughed as he takes my hands off him..
"you're even wearing my polo?" placing his hand on his forehead like a disappointed dad or something.....
LADE: What has you so worked up? I'm confused.
JOEBOY:Look lade, about last night ...
LADE:(SIGHS) Oh...I get it now, I am a one night stand..
JOEBOY:When you say it like that...(SIGHS) You are not a one night stand lade please understand this...But I can't be...
LADE:...With a girl like me?
JOEBOY:No, not that ...lade, it's not you it's me...being with you wouldn't be too great for publicity, I'm one of the most talked about singers in Nigeria I can't be with just anyone..
It has to be someone equal to me or higher...
You understand right?
As that one tear dropped out of my eye,that's when it hit me....I was stupid to have fallen for his charms, to be bedazzled by him. If I had stuck with my guts I wouldn't have found myself here would I?.....To feast with kings you'd have to be one yourself. Joe was absolutely right wasn't he? Loving someone like me would only pull him down.
LADE:(SOBS AND WHIPES OFF TEAR) Yes.. yes joe I do understand...More than anything I do. And believe me I won't be a typical girl blaming you or claiming that you used me..No, you didn't use me because I wanted just as much as any girl last night to be in your bed...
(TURNS TO WALK AWAY)
JOEBOY:..Lade Wait.
LADE:Yes?
JOEBOY: Your not going to tell anyone about us right?..I mean about last night?
LADE:You're ashamed of me....I mean why wouldn't you be ashamed? I'm not up to your status nor above you am i?....(CRYS) don't worry about it Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa, I will never tell anyone that I slept with the mighty Joeboy....Who would believe me anyway?
He stood frozen on the stairs as I wiped my tears and walked up the stairs to his room..."Mummy I can't take any more of life...please help me" I said with a doleful cracking voice looking up at the ceiling with my back against the door as I slowly fell to the floor.....He broke me.
It was 2:56pm...I had taken a shower waiting for twenty-four hours to come to an end, sitting on his sofa lost in the pool of my bleeding heart.."You haven't had breakfast it's afternoon lade " he said trying to get me to say something but I didn't.... does anyone still have their appetites in moments like these?
Of course not....
(JOE BOYS PHONE RINGS)
MANAGER:Joe!My boy..Whatsup?
JOEBOY: All good.
MANAGER: The Tv crew will would be there in four minutes(LAUGHS SARCASTICALLY) by the grace of God anyways...this Nigerian traffick matter......Anyways they'll be there soon so get ready.
JOEBOY:Sure(HANGS UP)
He turns around to tell me what his manager had said over the phone I wasn't interested....But Of course it was in my contract to give a review.
The tv crew had arrived at exactly 3:00pm surprisingly and my cell phone had already been handed over to me.. joe's manager had it the whole time.
TV PRESENTER: Lade Jackson!...your twenty four hours is finally up and now first hand Nigerians would love to know everything about Joeboy! Are you a thing now? Do we sense romantic tension?....Talk to me baby girl!
As the tv presenter positioned his mic towards my lips,joe looked extremely nervous...It was like his life depended on me giving a review.Of course this was my chance to pay him back for what he had done to me..broken me, left me shattered...I could have destroyed him just as he had destroyed me...
LADE: Well...(SMILES) joeboy..... Joseph is one of the most amazing persons i ever met..he sings with such ease...he bites or licks his lips whenever he laughs....His a typical narcissist(LAUGHS) But what fine boy isn't ?
(EVERYONE CHEERFULLY LAUGHS)
LADE:....(SIGHS)My first impression of joe; I thought he was a rude,arrogant,over pampered celebrity hot-stuff who enjoyed being lorded.. I thought he was the type of guy who cared only about himself.But well...(LOOKS OVER AT JOE) I was wrong.He can come across as rude and arrogant sometimes but deep down he is just an ordinary twenty-three year old who loves music;sometimes his lazy,he gets bored,he gets scared,he feels ignored, he gets happy, he gets silly,he makes wishes and he has dreams and above all he worries about about others like no mans business even though no one worries about him....That's Joeboy... (DOLEFULLY)But there's nothing between us,no romantic tension,we are definitely not a thing.
(THE GATHERING PRESS APPLAUD FROM BEHIND)
TV PRESENTER:There you have it Nigeria!!! From the horses mouth...Lade Johnson has confirmed that there is nothing between Nija's hottie Joeboy and herself!!!!!That is a wrap for today, subscribe to our YouTube channel to find out what celebrity would be our next 24Hours would it be Rema?..or Fireboy dml?......
{CUTT!!!}
The crew packed up their stuffs to leave..."Thank you" he says with a broad smile on his face ,but I didn't give him a reply neither did I look into his eyes;they only pretended he would be mine. I just left without saying a word to him...
While in the Tv presenter's car, I was so sad that I forgot to realize I had my phone back and could contact my best friends."You don't seem too happy" the tv presenter's personal assistant said as she looked as me from the passenger seat.
LADE:(SMILES)I am good don't mind me
TV PRESENTER: Would you be happy to leave someone as hot as joe boy ehnnn?...Of course she misses him....Young ladies and fine boys (LAUGHS)
And that's when it hit me...I never really found out who sent my name in and if anyone could tell me it was the Tv presenter himself....
LADE:Please...Can I ask you a question?
TV PRESENTER:Why not?
LADE:Can you trace the number of account name that sent in my name?
TV PRESENTER:Tope?
PERSONAL ASSISTANT: Right away sir.
We finally arrived at my place. They all cheerfully said goodbye as i responded with a reluctant smile...shutting the car door.
(LADE'S DAD,ESTHER,TEMI AND MERCY RUSHES OUT OF THE HOUSE, ALERTED BY THE CAR)
TEMI:Lade!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lade is back!!!!
(TEMI RUNS TO HUG LADE)
LADE'S DAD:Lade omobinrin mi welcome home...(SARCASTICALLY)I've been waiting to give you your punishment for that kiss on Television!!!
ESTHER:(LAUGHS)Is she a baby?
(MERCY SLOWLY WALKS OUT THE DOOR)
MERCY:Hi...
Something about mercy's approach was not Alright..As much as she tried to act normal I could tell something was not right,she was different.
TEMI: My business here are those bags you are carrying...I must collect cloth Oh!
(TEMI COLLECTS THE BAGS FROM LADE)
After everyone had welcomed me into the house...Mercy and Temi had left for their houses,Esther came up to my room.."Knock..Knock?" She said as she hits the door gently with her knuckles..
"The door is opened" I said clearly looking at her as the door was literally opened wide.
(ESTHER CHUCKLES AS SHE WALKS INTO LADE'S ROOM)
ESTHER: You Don't seem happy?
(LADE SAYS NOTHING AS SHE STARES DEEPLY INTO ESTHER'S EYES)
ESTHER:(SIGHS)Okay fine....I know you hate me so much lade..You despise me because I am to young for your father or because you think I am some gold digger who is looking for were to feast upon...But no lade,maybe I do love your father....And I can see that something isn't right here,you haven't been fine since you got back from seeing that Joeboy guy....Even though you hate me so much lade I really really love you and........
(LADE HUGS ESTHER)
I had hated esther all along but in reality she loved me so much, she cared....It was esther who had sent in my name, when I saw her trying so hard to text the number on the screen she was sending my name in...And even though I didn't end up with a Prince Charming, I gained something more; a mother and an older sister. Esther was both...
LADE:(CRYING) It was you wasn't it?.. (SOBS)...You sent in my name esther ! You wanted me to get a chance at happiness, thank you so much and I am so sorry for everything...
I am sorry for how rude and arrogant I have been to you during the past year.
ESTHER:(SOBS) How did you know?
LADE:...That's not important what's important is us....I really want to make our family work Esther, I really do...
ESTHER:Me too...Lade me too.
(LADE PHONE RINGS)
TEMI: Lade?!!!I fainted a while ago that's why I wasn't able to call quickly!!!
LADE:What is it?
TEMI:Go on Instagram and check your post.
LADE:(CONFUSED) My post???...I haven't posted anything....
TEMI:If you haven't someone else has been doing a little posting on your behalf..Check it quickly!!!
(CALL ENDS)
ESTHER:What's going on?
LADE:Temi said to check my.........
(LADE'S DAD RUSHES INTO THE ROOM)
LADE'S DAD: Lade? Why do we have every press, Tv crew or whatsoever in front of our house right now? What exactly is going on?!
ESTHER:Ehhhn?
LADE:What?!....What is this?....I never posted this...
It was on my Instagram page...A picture of joeboy, which tagged joeboy, joeboy's manager, Tunde and every other Nigerian gossip platform.. "Hastag I had sex with Joeboy and I don't regret it"...Hashtag Mrs joe.. Hashtag Nigerian's new idol lade Jackson." I read out loud confused and completely dumbfounded. It wasn't me I never even logged in my Instagram account since I got back home, I was too sad to think of my cell phone...So who could have done it? And why?...
LADE'S DAD:Lade What is the meaning of all this nonsense Ehn?....What sort of disgrace is this?
LADE: I swear baba mi!..I never posted this..
LADE'S DAD:Then explain how it is on your page?...Or are you not lade Jackson?
ESTHER:Ife mi these things could get hacked
It happens all the time..Some intelligent fan of joeboy must have done this just out of jealousy for lade's win....Please calm down you know your health condition ife..
LADE:Help me please esther what do I do?!.. There are a lot of comments here(CRYING) what do I do please?...
JOEBOY'S HOUSE.
JOE'S MANAGER:(PACING ABOUT) It's easy don't worry....All we have to do is call our lawyer and it's a won case....She stepped on the tails of the wrong lions....We will sue Janet Jackson or lade Jackson whichever one her stupid name is..For everything she's got Ah..
JOEBOY:It's true.
MANAGER: Yes Of course it's true ...We will ruin her.
JOEBOY:No...I mean it's true..I slept with her.
MANAGER:(STOPS PACING)Ehn? (LAUGHS) Abeg don't joke here....It is not a joking matter.
JOEBOY:I really actually slept with her so there is really no need to sue...I messed up.
MANAGER:(PLACES BOTH HANDS ON HIS HEAD) Joe? You of all people?(BURSTS INTO LAUGHTER) joe,joe...Mighty joe.. Bad man Joseph on the beat...You are full of surprises my guyyyyy.. I really thought you could handle it actually, your not that type that's easily attracted to a woman naaaw,what happened?
JOEBOY:(SIPS ALCOHOL) I don't know.
MANAGER:But there's no way we can tell everyone you slept with her....It's not cool.
Okay! Look I'll organize a meeting with the press get ready...All you have to do is say you didn't sleep with lade...Get ready it would not take them long to get here.
(MANAGER WALKS OUT)
Temi had struggled into our house...the crowd was a very large one. And as for me I stayed inside my room shaking not knowing what to do as Esther tried to make calls to get help that would dismiss the press and every other person out there...."Lade Jackson lade Jackson!!" The angry part of the crowd yelled out in one voice..
TEMI: Lade...why would you? Okay wait sorry you said you didn't post that...Of course I can testify to the fact that you weren't online anywhere not even WhatsApp..
LADE: Where is mercy?
TEMI: She said she wasn't coming...I don't know why don't ask.
LADE: She's probably mad thinking I actually posted that...I didn't and no one knows my new password except....Wait..
TEMI:(GASPS)..Oh my goodness..Tell me your thinking exactly as I am right now.
ESTHER:(AT THE TOP OF HER VOICE) Lade! Lade!...You should see this! joeboy is live with the press...
He was live on television with the press
...He sat down with the ultimate comfort
not one hint of being bothered by what was heating up Nigeria...With a cheerful smile on his face...
PRESS: So...Joeboy surely it isn't news that the lucky winner of the 24hours competition who goes by the name lade Jackson has claimed on her instagram I quote " hastag I had sex with Joeboy" confidently tagging not just you on this post, but a lot of gossip platforms on IG
including your manager am I right?
JOEBOY:(SMILES AND NODDS)Yes..This is true.
PRESS: So please tell us because we are eagerly
desperate to hear what you have to say about this...is she telling the truth? Did you actually have sex with this new "Idol" according to her hashtags(GIGGLES)
JOEBOY:(LAUGHS)Well...I'm sure lade Jackson means well and is only trying to get clout...Which is totally normal for girls of her status and age...But on my honor I sincerely do not know which joeboy she means....
(EVERYONE LAUGHS)
JOEBOY:.....But I can confidently tell you that I had no sexual pleasure with the young MS.lade Jackson....We both slept at separate parts of my house.
Hearing joe say those things on live Tv shattered the remains of my broken heart..I really meant nothing to him..
PRESS:woww....This is really embarrassing. The things ladies do these days for clout is just appalling....So tell us joe, do you plan on filing a law case here?
JOEBOY:(SMILES) Of course not..Of course not.
PRESS:Why not?
JOEBOY:Well..it is not necessary...She is just a fan who got delusional. So there is no need, clearing my name is all that matters.
"okay ,okay that's great..thank goodness his not suing" Esther happily said looking at me............But I was not alright. I had just watched a guy who I thought cared about me refer to me as 'delusional' on live Tv without flinching."What are we going to do about the press outside?" Temi asked me and before esther could speak...Unmindful of what I was doing in the scenery of my pain,
I walked out of the house to address the press...
(CROWD MURMURED:SHE IS HERE!)
PRESS 1: Over here ! Lade Jackson! Over here!
PRESS 2:Excuse me lade?!lade? Did you have sex with Joseph popularly known as joeboy?!
PRESS 3:Answer the questions lade? Did you sleep with Joeboy?! Are we looking at the first baby mama?!!!!
Everything moved in slow motion, my eyes blinded by the bright flashes of cameras...My ears deafened by the loud murmurs..
PRESS:4: Miss lade Jackson?...What exactly is your relationship with Joeboy?!please we want the truth!
LADE:(DOLEFULLY)...You don't want the truth...you want a story! Your here to take a good,normal,sane person..turn me into your own reality show.....Mothers,fathers,brothers, sisters,uncles and aunts of kids my age or older
here to take up someone else's child to build me up to some huge celebrity just to tear me down in public....And for what? Just so you can sell magazines and Tv shows? That's what's really appalling....And Joseph is just one example.He is talented,handsome and successful...Every child's dream right? But thanks to you all,he has had to give up some of the greatest gifts in life;Freedom,happiness, privacy...Honesty. So congratulations you have yourselves a great star but you've done nothing but cause the extinction of the human being inside.......So why should I be ashamed of myself? Your the one's who should be ashamed and not me.
PRESS 5: Okaaay?.....In your opinion...Please describe joeboy..Who exactly is he?And how Good is he if you know what I mean?....
LADE:(SOBS) Who is he?....I don't know who he is..I don't know the joe you are all so crazy about...And I promise you I never slept with him, it was all a misunderstanding...
It was indeed shocking to see people be so heartless and cruel...
JOE'S HOUSE
FIREBOY : Wow...That was some speech.
JOEBOY:(SIGHS)It sure was...lock up the house when your leaving there's someone I need to talk to.(LEAVES HURRIEDLY)
After the press had gotten what they wanted..they all left leaving the neighborhood to it's quiet state. "pele ore mi" Temi softly said with a smile on her face as she reaches for a hug and Esther joined in on the hug as daddy stood there with his arms folded and his heads bowed...There was a sudden knock on the door "I'll get it" esther said as she rushes to see who it was... it was someone I loved...Someone I trusted more than anything,someone who betrayed a friend...It was mercy.. Mercy was the only one who knew my Password because it was her first name.
"Hi..Lade" she disgracefully said with her head bowed and her palms holding onto each other as she moved closer to me...."What do you want? Aje kekere{small witch}" Temi said to mercy In a angry tone....I held temi back and asked everyone to excuse mercy and I as daddy said at his top of his voice "Ah...In my own house?" as esther pulls him gently by the wrist...Everyone had exited the living room....
LADE: Why?
MERCY:(SOBS)I am so sorry lade...I really am, I just wanted...
LADE:(YELLS) You just wanted what?!..Mercy you were my best friend!! And you stabbed me so hard in the back when I wasn't looking..
Did you know what you did could have destroyed two innocent lives?
MERCY:(CRYING) I was mad at you lade....After you kissed Joeboy I was jealous and mad at you at the same time, so I wanted to humiliate you and hurt you...I wanted you to feel as I felt seeing you kiss him on camera...
LADE:(RAGED)You're the one who persuaded me to sign the contract mercy.
MERCY:....I didn't expect that things would go that far!
LADE:(SIGHS)Mercy it was just a kiss.
MERCY: You and I both know that was far more than just a kiss..Even through the camera you couldn't fool me, I'm your best friend remember? We've know each other since we were ten.
LADE:...Okay Maybe it was far more than just a kiss..maybe I thought of kissing joeboy since the very first second I laid eyes on him..maybe I am in love with Joeboy!
(TEMI AND ESTHER FALL FROM THE CORNER THEY HID)
TEMI:(STAMMERING)..Yo..Your dad wanted to drink water oh.
ESTHER:Exactly...exactly yes..Water,he sent us to get water.
LADE:You both we're breathing so loudly I knew you were there all along.
MERCY: You are in love with him?
LADE:..That's not the issue.
ESTHER: Lade What happened at his house that night?
TEMI:(LAUGHS)I was honestly about to ask.. But you know how everyone judges me so I was waiting for someone to ask oh..(STOPS LAUGHING AS EVERYONE HAD THEIR EYES ROLLING AT HER)
MERCY: I was right wasn't I?...You slept with him...I mean I posted that trying to get you in trouble but I was right you slept with him?
TEMI:Remind me why you are still here mercy?...You are a very,very terrible friend..
God forbid.
MERCY: It's lade's house Temi,let her call the shots....I've know lade longer than you have..
LADE: And yet you threw Eleven years of friendship in the gutters..For what? A boy who would never notice you no matter how many concert tickets you buy?
TEMI:(LAUGHS) Ouch.
MERCY:(PITIFULLY)Lade?
LADE:You know you were right when you said we have been best friends since we were ten...Because today marks the end of this friendship..Get out of my house.
MERCY:(SURPRISED)Lade?
ESTHER:She said you should leave dear.
MERCY:Since when did she have a say? I thought you hated Esther?!
TEMI:Wait oh lade that's true....Aunty get away jare!(TO MERCY)
(TEMI PUSHES MERCY OUT )
I guess true friendship isn't measured by how long you've known a person. Although sometimes time strengthens bonds but other times it breaks it...I only met temi two years ago and look how much she's got my back.Even though I showed more love and attention to mercy she was still there for me..
THE ORPHANAGE HOME
JOEBOY:What did you think of aunty lade?
(AISHA LAUGHS CHEERFULLY)
JOEBOY:Why are you laughing?
AISHA:Uncle joe and aunty lade sitting on a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G...
JOEBOY:(LAUGHS)How did you?
AISHA:The phone you bought me.
JOEBOY:Oh..Do you like aunty lade?
AISHA:..I like aunty lade,She made you smile. No one makes you smile from the inside like I do right?
JOEBOY: Of course no one does.
AISHA:Why?
JOEBOY: (SMILES CHEERFULLY)Because you are the love of my life that's why.
AISHA: Is that why aunty lade made you smile too?....Because if I make you smile because I am the love of your life..Then aunty lade makes you smile because she is also the love of your life...(SMILES) I really like aunty lade.
JOEBOY:Why?
AISHA:Because she smells nice and she didn't have make up on, unlike aunty Mia the tall model you brought to visit me...She hit me on the head when you were not looking....Aunty lade is sooo beautiful even more than you.
JOEBOY:(SARCASTICALLY)No one is more beautiful than me(LAUGHS)..
AISHA:I know you are not happy without aunty lade, even your smile is fake...If you miss aunty lade tell her you miss her, And if you like aunty lade tell her...
JOEBOY: I can not tell lade I like her Aisha.
AISHA:Or are you afraid she will think you are too ugly for her?..I will talk to her for you.
JOEBOY:No Aisha I am not afraid....I mean I am afraid,but not to tell her I love(CLEAR THROAT) like her... Someone like me can't be with someone like lade it's not good for publicity.
AISHA: What is publicity?
JOEBOY:You know..Like, my music...I mean my fans will not like Aunty lade.
AISHA:Why?
JOEBOY:Because lade is ordinary.
AISHA:(DISAPPOINTED)Wow Uncle joe.
JOEBOY:What?
AISHA:You are mean.
(AISHA WALKS AWAY FROM HIM)
I finally found someone I could talk to without fear or opposition..I talked to esther about all that happened that night, how I was attracted to joe from the very first time I set my eyes on him but didn't realize it...how I tried so hard to talk myself out of The quivering feelings but I couldn't seem to take my own advice...how I was so lost in his beautiful brown eyes I forgot to think.
Meanwhile I couldn't stop thinking of the little girl Aisha...The thoughts of her haunted me for weeks and so I talked to esther and dad about adopting her.. Maybe I wasn't a celebrity , maybe I wasn't even up to the status of a social media influencer.But at least I could get whichever child I wanted from an orphanage without fear of my lifestyle right?....Saying those words to myself was my only way of getting back at joe without actually lifting a finger.."The orphanage approved!The orphanage approved!!!" Esther came running into the house at the top of her voice screaming excitedly. Finally I could go bring Aisha home.
A week after bringing Aisha to the house, I was more than happy to see how comfortable she was with us ,how well she fitted into our little family..
(LADE PHONE RINGS)
LADE:Temi?
TEMI:Lade!!!!!!!!Arrrrrrrgh!!!!! Check IG!! I fainted when.....
LADE:I know I know temi...You fainted when you saw whatever your so worked up about... What is it this time?...
TEMI:(EXCITEDLY)Check!!!!!now!
(CALL ENDS)
(ESTHER RUSHES IN)
ESTHER:(EXCITEDLY)IG Ladeeeee!!!!!!
LADE:Your 5 seconds late whatever it is Temi already called..
ESTHER:Check!!!
I went on IG....It was a screenshot of a chat that had blown up on IG everyone was reposting it..It was joe. He had posted a screenshot of a message he sent to me on Instagram....I hadn't seen the message,but he took a screenshot of both the chat and my Instagram profile picture ...and the caption:
My ears are closed
My eyes are closed
My mouth sealed
I hear nothing...I see nothing
Let out all you feel Lade, the camera's aren't
here to record you
the people aren't here to mock you...
it's just you and my undivided attention.
I opened up the message and read it out
" I spoke to a little bird lade..and this little bird wasn't happy about how I gave up so easily on you. The truth is you make me happy lade, you make me smile so broadly that I forget to remember the difficult side of life..Meeting you wasn't a coincidence it was destiny. I am sorry for not realizing how much I love you... or maybe I did realize it but I was not confident enough to let the world know who I thought about for 24hrs.... I'll be going on a tour...I'll be back soon
...When I'm back I can promise you that the world will never be the same and your to blame lade Jackson."
My name is lade Jackson and well this was my 24Hours.
(,RATE,FOLLOW FOR PART 2)