Taleela’s Secret

THE NEXT DAY

Taleela's POV

I roll in my bed as the ray of sunlight penetrates through the window and pours its glory on my face. I turn and flutter my eyes open, squinting them so I can adapt to the sunlight.

"Another day," I mutter and step down from my bed to take a shower.

I look around the room, and yeah, someone is missing. Where is Susan? Where did she take off to? I hope she hasn't left without me again. Urgh!

I'm so going to deal with that lady. I remove my pajamas and tie a white towel around my chest. I step into the bathroom, brush my teeth, and have a warm bath. After that, I step out and start getting dressed. Today is going to be another hell of a day for me. After dressing up, I stare at my reflection in the mirror and sigh.

"Jemmah, you're a strong woman. You never give up no matter what comes your way. You've accepted life as it is, and you're going to shine. Go out there and make everyone know that you are somebody." I'm big on positive affirmation.

Yeah, this is my daily routine. Life has been so cruel to me that I no longer see things the way I did many years ago. I recalled everything like it was yesterday.

How did my life turn into this? How? I lost the most important people to me!

Because of that, I JEMMAH ST. JAMES, a Nigerian-Italian, 27 years old and, yeah, black, had to change my name to TALEELA MAKAVELI in college and BELLS at the strip club.

No one knows that I am the ghost CEO of Beautiful Savage Line (BSL), and no one will ever know. I am a college student by day and a stripper at night. I am not acting as a stripper because I want the money. What is money? I have enough of those.

I'm not a stripper to sleep with men too. I love being in the spotlight and entertaining people, and that has been my top priority ever since my parent's death. My way as a stripper ends at the pole. I don't go into relationships with men.

I sigh and wear my shoes before stepping out of the house. I switch off my phone to avoid calls from the company's vice president. Mornings are for school; then I'll talk about the company in the afternoon, then at night, I'm back to what I love doing the most, dancing!

Speaking of that, the thought of the man of last night crosses my mind. He made me dance privately for him and then asked for my number. Hmph! He should know better. I wonder what Susan will say when she hears this.

***

After lectures, and slight ghosting at work, it is already night time, and I am in our room with Susan. We are roommates, so we are practically staying together. We are preparing for the show tonight.

Susan is telling me something about the man she met yesterday night. She keeps blabbing so that you can't help but laugh at her. Funny enough, she has told me this in school, and she is, repeating it.

"Oh my gosh, Bells! That guy is so hot. He said his name is Achilles, and he gave me a lot of money." She beams, and I can't help but smile at her cuteness.

"He gave you money, huh?" I ask.

"A lot!" she responded.

"That's great," I say, and she smiles at me.

I remembered and decided to share my experience with her since we are friends, but her reaction wasn't what I expected.

"Bells! What the fuck," she exclaims.

"What?" I ask, obviously startled at the way she screams my name.

"Why didn't you give him your number?" she asks, and I blink twice.

"Excuse me?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"You should have given the dude your number. Why are you acting this way?"

"I didn't give him my number because whatever happens at the club stays there. I don't give men my contact because I don't want to establish any relationship with them. You know how these men are. When you give them your contact, they'll think you're interested in them, and what comes next, they want a one-night stand. I'm a stripper, not a prostitute."

"I get your point, but you have to loosen up sometimes, you know. Men are ready to offer you billions of money, but you are turning them down."

I turn to her with a frown.

"Susan," I began. "My job as a stripper ends at stripping and pole dancing. Apart from that, I want nothing to do here."

Susan pursed her lips.

"Fine! It's your life, and it's your choice. I will always respect your decision at all times."

I smiled.

That's one thing about Susan. She doesn't force someone into doing what they aren't comfortable with, and she allows them to make their own decisions, not without advising them. This attitude of hers always reminds me of my mother.

"Hope you are ready for tonight?" I ask her, and I see her eyes glint in expectation.

"Are you expecting someone?" I said in a bid to tease her a bit.

"Um...no... pff!" she answers and looks away.

I chuckle and start applying a bit of makeup. We go silent for a while before Susan breaks it.

"You know, babe. I've been thinking of purchasing some BSL designs with the money I made the previous night," she says, and I smile within.

Susan loves my company's designs so much. Who wouldn't? When I have put all that is in me to make that company stand again. I know how much she loves them, but I can't tell her I am the ghost CEO. So sad.

"That's nice," I say with a half-smile.

"It is. The company is trying. I wish I could have a successful company like that. It would be a dream come true for me."

"You can have a successful company that is more than that if you work hard," I encourage, and she looks at me with doubt.

"How do you know that? Are you planning to build one anytime soon?" she asks, and I laugh.

"No. That's what my father always said. Before his passing, he had always told me not to give up and that if I want to achieve anything, I should work hard to ensure I get it at all costs." I said and perceived the question Susan was going to ask next. "And yes, getting it all costs legally and acceptably."

Susan laughs.

"I was gonna ask you that, but thank goodness, you were smart enough to get the hint."

"Yeah." I giggled.

"It is a bit of very excellent advice, though. I will try and put it to work. I'll also work hard to be able to see the hallucination of the CEO of that company. Many people have been talking about them. We don't even know if it is a he or a she." Susan squealed happily.

If only she knew that the person she was dying to meet was right in front of her.