22. The masked dance queen
Abby wore a short, backless, curve-hugging dress with a plunging neckline. After adding black stilettos and fringe earrings, she was good to go.
"Wao!"
"Oh my! Somebody's ready to rock!?"
Both Chima and Chika awed and commented on her dressing.
"Let's go jor!" Abby strutted past them while they continued to gaze after her with admiration.
"Your design?" Chika asked after they'd settled inside Chima's car.
"I always wear my designs Chika you know that"
"Can I have it after?..."
"Yes of course, it's just fifty thousand naira"
"C'mon! Don't be like that..."
"It's business, babes"
"When did you become so mean?" Chika said with a pouty face. "Why not go to his house and make him understand the situation instead of being miserable?"
Abby sighed. "Please let's not talk about this right now Chika! You want me to have fun right?... Then let's not talk about it!" She finished saying, closed her eyes and leaned back on the car seat.
"Okay... Alright, I won't bring it up anymore. No need to start looking gloomy all over again."
They stoped to pick Chima's girlfriend on their way before finally heading to the club. They arrived at the Night Owl club as a guest since Tayo had already given them an invitation that had their four names on it.
Chima drove straight to the parking space number written on their invitation. There, a guest attendant checked their invitation and slightly bowed respectfully
"Welcome to the Night Owl, would you like to go to the restaurant now or would you rather relax and have a drink at your private lounge?"
"Restaurant please," Chima answered. They were led up a huge, curved scarlet staircase to a restaurant at the top of the club, which was enveloped in steel and glass to offer an indoor-outdoor dining experience.
The experience was indeed great. Abby found the night view of the blue ocean that was lit by the solitary moon soothing and she was not please when the guest attendant appeared out of nowhere again when they were done eating.
"Your private lounge comes with its own bar. Would you like to have a drink at the lounge or sit by the bar downstairs not far from the dance floor?"
"Does the lounge also have a view of the ocean?" Chima asked the attendant
"Yes sir, it does"
"Then the lounge would be great then, thank you." He said again. While they were eating, he watched as Abby intently stared at the ocean, lost in her thought. They were supposed to be having fun but it doesn't seem as if she was having any or maybe she just enjoyed the view too much to give the rest of them attention.
They were led to one of the lounges which slightly overlook the dance floor and also had a great view of the ocean. The night was still young when they arrived, so the large and spacious dance floor was yet to be filled with dancers. They tipped the guest attendant handsomely who respectfully bowed and finally left.
"What would you guys like to drink the barman asked smiling and staring between Chika and Abby like he was asked to choose and he didn't know who to go with.
"Martini for us, Chima ordered for himself and his girlfriend, leaving Chika and Abby to say what they wanted to drink
"Chapman would be great," Abby answered
"No, chapman would certainly not be great!" Chika refused, "Thought we were having fun tonight?" She rolled her eyes at Abby before directing her gaze towards the barman.
"We'll have a bottle of Smirnoff 1x, please"
"Chika I'm not looking to get drunk..."
"You won't, and you would absolutely love its chocolatey taste, trust me"
Their drinks were served, and after the first sip of the rich chocolate flavored vodka hit her palate, Abby couldn't help taking a few more sips. She gradually loosen up and started chatting and laughing freely with her friends.
The atmosphere at the Night Owl Club was electrifying that night. Tayo had an incredible talent for reading and communicating with his crowd. Mixing the kind of music that would get them excited, bringing them higher and higher until their mind buzzes with pure joy.
He later came to look for them, weaving like a pro through the people clubbing like it was their last night on earth and his smile became wider when he saw them.
"Hey, guys!" He said to them and encircled his arms around Chika's waist before kissing her fully on her lips. "Hey you!" He said, looking down at her eyes that were twinkling with love for him.
"Get a room please." Abby who had been watching Chima whispering into his girlfriend's ear all night was reminded again of the situation of her own relationship when she saw Tayo and Chika also acting lovey-dovey together
"You guys interested in dancing here tonight?" Tayo asked, looking in-between Abby and China
"Could we, really?... That would be great!" Chima said with enthusiasm while Abby outrightly rejected the offer.
"No!" She replied without mincing words.
"My boss pays well you know"
"It's not about the money. I'm not just in the mood and aside from that I can't dance without my mask on. What if somebody take a picture?... My dad would blow a fuse if he finds out."
"Common girl! We all know dancing makes you happy and I brought a mask, you don't have to worry about that" Chika said with a smile
"You brought a mask... Did you guys plan this all along?"
"I'm just hearing about it now, honest," Chima said
"Sorry, but yes I knew about it. Tayo told me yesterday. I was afraid you would refuse to come along if I mentioned it to you. You've been mopping around... I just wanted you to have some fun." Chika looked at Abby apologetically.
"And this could mean more exposure for you guys... You never can tell who might be watching" Chima's girlfriend added
"Abby, please... This could be a great opportunity for us and..."
"Okay, let's do it. You don't have to look at me like that." Abby agreed and laughed. "...but I can't do hip-hop with this on" Abby raised her leg showing the stiletto she wore "...except for slow dance, which I'm not sure you can do here," she added looking at the pumped-up guys and girls dancing away with joy.
"They're my crowd, I'll make it happen. I'll just go inform my boss about it" Tayo said and quickly left.
After some minutes, the song 'hold up, wait a minute, played with the DJ scratching it back and forth on the turntable till it screeched to a stop.
"Hold up, hold, hold up people... Tayo said to the crowd of dancers. Now guys I'd advise you to hold on to your babes, and babes please hold on to your men. if you don't have a partner then look around you, there are enough single guys and gals to hook up with cos it's about to get really slow, hot, and sexy..."
Sexy slow music immediately started playing and couples indeed held on to each other, moving with the music. Halfway into the music, DJ Tayo laughed in amusement with the music still playing softly in the background.
"You guys suck at slow dancing..." He laughed again. "How about we learn from the pro? I got Chima and the masked dance queen, the celebrity youtube dancers in da club tonight."
The crowd cheered excitedly with the announcement. Some knew about their crew on youtube while those who doesn't were curious to know because of the excited cheers around them.
Up in the CEO's one-way mirrored private lounge, the men stood to watch the show that the DJ called to inform his boss about.
