The Bonny Island Massacre

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 1

Sunlight streamed into her room, through the flowery chiffon curtains. She opened one eye in a wink, and grunted when she realized that she could not sleep any longer if she wanted to get to the office by nine. She left her bed sluggishly and walked to the bathroom to get a quick shower. Mira was an early riser, every morning she woke up before the sun, but this day was different because she had stayed awake all night, thinking about her love for Femi.

Mira, Femi and Yvonne were friends right from their university days, but though Femi and Yvonne were from rich homes, Mira was from a poor home, with just her mother and siblings. She had no one to pull strings for her, or a trust fund waiting for her like her friends. But their wealth rubbed off on her, Mira stayed trendy with hand me downs from Yvonne, who was a Fashionista to the core. Mira also had the latest gadgets due to Femi’s benevolence.

Mira had been crushing on Femi since their university days and watched him bamboozle his way through all the slay queens of UniPort. Girls always flocked around Femi, not because of his affluence only, but because of his looks. He was dark like polished ivory, and had the cutest beard game. He was also built, with ribbed stomach and a chest that any woman would want to lay her head on.

It was Femi’s physique that Mira fantasized about all through the night, and only slept when it was almost dawn. As a result she had a huge eye bag that morning, but covered up with her favorite make up line; which she also used because Yvonne always got two sets of makeup whenever she shopped.

When she stood before her mirror, she liked what she saw; her dark skin was luminous, and her face had been contoured to flaunt her chiseled cheekbones, and long nose. The jumpsuit she had chosen for the day was worth 500,000 naira and had been one of Chanel last season’s ready to wear collection, which Yvonne had given to her because she didn’t wear late season’s clothes.

“I am beautiful, you should want me” she thought as she looked admiringly at her protruded butt, accentuated by the wide leg jumpsuit.

The horn of a car outside broke her out of her self love and she grabbed her bag and rushed out of her self contain apartment. Outside the gate, Yvonne was waiting in her sleek, black 4matic car. Mira paused in her steps when she spied Femi at the passenger seat.

Mira: “Eh eh, how is Femi in this car and in my seat?” she asked , with her hands on her waist.

Yvonne: “Abeg madam, enter car, I am late for the office” she replied checking herself out in the rearview mirror. Yvonne was beyond beautiful, though Mira was a confident woman who loved her colour, Yvonne’s complexion was one of the things she envied her for. Yvonne was very fair in complexion due to her Romanian mother. Her nose was upturned without contouring, and she had a hot body which she slaved at the gym to maintain. One look at her, you would think her to be a dumb slay queen. But no, Yvonne kept up with fashion trends, could spend a million bucks just to get a bag, but Yvonne was a smart woman. She graduated top of her class, and had an Advertising startup company, with she co-owned with Femi. Just two years after launching Coveteur, the company was beginning to compete with the old timers in the advertising industry. It was due to Yvonne’s tenacity and strong business skills, but also because of the connections her name and Femi’s gave to the company. They had tried to bring Mira on board, but the latter had been reluctant, determined to make it without their help.

Femi: “I slept over in Yvonne’s house, I took over a night bag, so we could go to the office together” he said as a way of answering Mira’s question.

While they drove to the electronics company where Mira was an administrative assistant, Femi and Yvonne discussed about a project they were doing for shipping company, and totally forgot about Mira at the backseat. Mira watched the chemistry between them; she didn’t know when they became so close that they completed each other’s statements. She also didn’t know that Femi slept over at Yvonne’s.

“How much has been going on that I didn’t know about?” she pondered as she watched Femi slip a strand of Yvonne’s hair behind her ears.

Mira: “Perhaps, I might take your offer and come join you at Coveteur” she announced. This broke the conversation between them abruptly. No one spoke until Femi broke the silence.

Femi: “Really, what changed your mind?” he asked, turning back to look at her with quizzical eyes.

Yvonne: “I hope you are not pulling my legs, because I will so knock your head” she quipped, her eyes still on the road.

Mira: “My job at Elecktro has become boring, I need a career change. Why not advertising?” she replied with a smile. But that was not the reason that she decided to join them at their company. She realized, while watching them that, their job brought them closer, they spent every waking hour with each other. So she decided that before Femi began to fall in love with Yvonne, she best step in.

Femi: “Well, what can you do?” he asked and Mira had to convince herself that she did not just hear reluctance in Femi’s voice. She told herself that, it couldn’t be that Femi didn’t want her in the company.

Yvonne: “Femo, Mira is a titan when it comes to business deals, she can sweet talk a hard spender into spending all his money. We need her in the business strategy department” she put in still concentrating on the road.

Femi: “Perhaps, but she doesn’t come close to you, you turn into something else when you get in that zone” he retorted and Mira could not help but see the admiration in his eyes. She clenched and unclenched her fist.

Yvonne: “You play too much Femi” she said and hit him playfully on his muscular arm.

Mira: “So drop me at Elecktro, so I can submit my resignation. Tomorrow I can start over at Coveteur” she said, looking from Femi to Yvonne.

Yvonne: “Sure” she said, but Femi only nodded. They continued their discussion on their clients while Mira went into herself. She always did this when she needed to think; her eyes would become immobile, and she would sit still. She was no longer inside the car but back in her life. She thought of all her struggles, nothing had come easy for her.

Mira’s father died when she was just in year two of her University; prior to that time, her father had been a civil servant and though his level 15 salary was barely enough for all their needs, they were comfortable. But when he died, they found out that life was really not a bed of roses. Her mother told her to stop schooling as there was no money to foot her school bills. Mira refused and for the whole of year three, Yvonne footed her bills. This was the beginning of her resentment towards Yvonne. Instead of being grateful, she began to resent Yvonne for being rich enough to sponsor her education. When Yvonne had offered to pay her final year bills, she refused, determined to find a way and foot her own bills. That was how she began her double standard life, which no one knew about.

She slept with rich, old men for money. She tried to stay away from the overly rich, for fear of being used for money rituals. Therefore the money she got from her debauchery was just enough for her education and could not support a luxury lifestyle. But, not wanting to be inferior to Yvonne, she still kept up with her luxurious lifestyle, sometimes borrowing Yvonne’s bags and shoes. That was how Yvonne started giving her clothes she didn’t want to wear again.

Refusing to allow Yvonne be the owner of her life, was the reason she refused the job offer to work at Coveteur, but now she was ready to do anything just to get Femi to love her. In her heart, she decided to proposition him, since he had not gotten all her signals.

Yvonne: “Baby girl, we are at your company” Yvonne’s voice broke through the subconscious cocoon that she was wrapped in. Mira blinked and smiled.

Mira: “See you guys later” she quipped

Yvonne: “You are coming over to the house in the evening to plan my 26th birthday” she said with excitement.

Mira: “Of course, I wouldn’t miss that. Would you come?” she asked turning to Femi who was busy on his phone.

Femi: “Nope, I got a project” he replied curtly.

Yvonne: “What project is that?” she asked with arched eyebrows.

Femi: “Personal” he replied and glanced at Mira.

Yvonne: “Tell me na. Is it a gurl?” she asked.

“Olofofo, allow him be. Must you know everything?” she said within herself, with a frown that was not easily perceptible. However, she had not missed the look that Femi gave her when he said he had a personal project. Her heart quickened at the thought that perhaps Femi wanted to propose to her. She allowed herself dream that she wore white and was getting married to Femi, while Yvonne glared at them jealously.

Femi: “Nosy you” he said as he pinched the tip of Yvonne’s nose.

Yvonne: “Why is that one sitting and daydreaming so early in the day? Move your ass abeg, I am already late for the office” she said, smiling at Mira.

Mira smiled back and waved at them as she alighted from the car, in front of her company’s gate. She watched as the car drove off, before walking into her company. As she walked into the dreary looking lobby, she was happy that finally she was going to leave. After sleeping with her boss, the job had become boring and she had been itching to leave, but for lack of a better offer. Now she had an excuse to work in a better company.

Mira: “Femi, you won’t see me coming. You will fall so hopelessly in love with me” she said aloud to herself as she entered the elevator.

Question: What does Mira have up her sleeves, and could Femi be nursing feelings for her?