Wednesday
Akanni POV
"It's five already, sir," I heard Mira say as she knocked softly on my door.
"Yeah, thank you. I'll be done in a few minutes," I replied.
I still couldn't believe I had overslept. Dragging myself out of bed, I quickly freshened up and headed downstairs.
"Good morning, sir," Mira greeted, not looking at my face.
"Good morning, dear," I said, grabbing my briefcase, ready to head out.
"You won't have your breakfast?" she asked.
"No, I'm already late. You should've woken me up earlier," I said.
"And who said I didn't try?" she shot back, her tone sharper than usual.
"Oh, I didn't know. But thanks," I said, trying to sound casual. "I'll grab something for lunch at the studio."
"Why wouldn't you oversleep? You were chatting with a lady throughout the night," she said, walking toward the kitchen.
"Oh, so now you eavesdrop on my calls?" I teased. "Seems like you've developed a new skill."
"Me? Eavesdrop? Not my business," she muttered. "You were loud enough yesterday for the whole compound to hear." Then she disappeared into the kitchen.
"Yeah, you know how it is," I said with a grin. "Anyway, I'm off. Don't wait up. And please, eat before I get back."
She didn't respond. Looked like something was on her mind. I'd ask her later.
Right now, I had to rush.
"You're late today, Akanni," Tobi, my colleague, said as I entered the studio.
"Yeah, I overslept. Really bad," I admitted, dropping my briefcase on the desk.
"Anyway, GM said you should report to his office," he added.
"Sure, thanks," I said, heading straight there.
After I returned from the GM's office—nothing much. Just a short query about my lateness and a warning not to repeat it.
I checked my phone — lunch time already.
A missed call notification blinked on the screen. The number was unfamiliar.
A second later, a message popped up:
"Just called to ask if you've had lunch."
I smiled. I didn't need to guess — it was Bukky.
"No, just about to. How are you?" I typed and hit send.
Her reply came almost instantly.
"I'm fine. You wanna grab lunch?"
"Sure", I texted back.
"Okay, give me about ten minutes. Belony?"
"Anywhere you prefer", I answered.
"Okay then 😊"
I glanced at the clock. Ten minutes passed… then fifteen. By twenty, my phone buzzed again.
"So sorry, Akanni. Won't be able to keep up. My dad just called a board meeting. Next time, I promise. I'm really sorry 😔"
I stared at the message for a moment, the corner of my mouth lifting. She actually sounded disappointed.
"No problem. Take your time", I replied, slipping my phone back into my pocket.
I grabbed my wallet and headed toward the Studio cafeteria.
I reached home exactly one minute to eleven.
The house was quiet, lights dim. Mira was curled up on the couch, fast asleep.
"Oh, how many times have I told you not to wait up for me?" I sighed softly, setting my briefcase on the table. "You should've had your meal and gone to bed."
I walked over and tapped her gently on the shoulder. She stirred, then blinked up at me sleepily before wrapping her arms around me — our usual greeting. I'd long taken her as my younger sister.
"Welcome, sir," she said drowsily, rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah, thank you," I replied, heading toward the dining table. "But I told you not to always wait for me."
She stood, stretched, and went to the kitchen. A few minutes later, she came back with two plates — one for me, one for herself.
We ate in silence. Not like before. We used to talk about everything — radio shows, food, random jokes — and laugh over dinner. Tonight, the air felt heavier, like something unspoken hung between us.
When I finished eating, I leaned back in my chair and looked at her.
"You've got something on your mind, Mira?" I asked quietly.
She didn't look up. "No, sir," she said, and started clearing the dishes.
"Alright then," I murmured.
We prayed together, just as we always did, then went to our separate rooms.
"Hey." The text popped up from the unknown number again.
Bukky. I smiled to myself — I didn't even need to check.
Me: Hello, how are you doing?
Bukky: Good, and you?
Me: Great. Your day too? Not stressful?
I turned on my side, phone in hand, my head sinking into the pillow.
Bukky: Nah, everywhere good. Had dinner already?
Me: Yeah, about five minutes ago.
I paused. I should probably save her number now. I thought for a moment, wondering what name to use, then finally typed: Bukky Friend. Simple. Clean.
Another message came in almost immediately.
Bukky: Oh, okay… video call?
What! My eyes widened. I hesitated, staring at the screen. My heart did a quick somersault.
"Yeah, no prob's," I typed back after a few seconds.
In a rush, I straightened my half-scattered bedsheet, flipped the pillow, and lay flat on my belly — trying to look more composed than I felt.
Pom! The video call came through.
I exhaled once, smiled, and tapped Accept.
"Oh my God…"
That was the only thing running through my head.
The person on my screen didn't just look good — she glowed. Her smile could make a camera blush. If someone told me I was looking at a model, I'd believe them without question.
I froze for a few seconds, just staring.
"Hello?" she said, snapping me out of my daze.
"Hey… hey," I muttered quickly, sitting up a bit.
"You good?" she asked, a small laugh escaping her lips.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm good," I said, trying to sound normal.
But I wasn't. My heart was racing like I'd just run a marathon. I couldn't believe how much her presence — even through a screen — could shake me. I'd always prided myself on keeping my cool, but tonight, I was completely undone.
We talked for hours, laughter slipping between words and pauses. Then, out of nowhere, she asked,
"You saved my number?"
The question caught me off guard.
Good thing I'd actually saved it earlier.
"Yeah, of course," I said quickly, trying to sound casual. "You?"
"Yeah," she said with a small laugh. "Just got curious, nothing much though."
But I saw something in her eyes — that spark. There was definitely more to it than curiosity, but I didn't push.
She yawned softly.
"Feeling sleepy?" I asked.
"Yeah, a little. It's been a long day," she replied.
"Same here," I said, stretching on my bed. "Guess it's time to rest."
"Alright," she smiled. "Thanks for keeping me company tonight."
"You too," I said. "Have a peaceful night's sleep."
"Same, dear. Bye," she said, and the call ended.
I lay there for a moment, phone still in hand, grinning like a teenager.
"God, what a beauty," I muttered to myself. "You really outdid yourself creating this one."
I chuckled softly, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. Then I set my alarm, turned off
the lights, and drifted off — smiling like a boy who just got off the phone with his crush.