My heart nearly jumps out of my throat when I look up from the position I had sprung to.

"What are you doing awake at this time." my mom asks, her eyes half their original size.

She looks like she just woke up with bloodshot eyes and a creased nightgown with one sleeve awkwardly hanging off her shoulder.

She scratches her side and waves her hand at me.

"You should be in bed by now go and sleep," Mum says, shooing me so she can use the toilet.

I try to ease the muscles in my shoulder as I turn the head of the tap back in place.

The phone barely holds in my little shorts and part of me expects it to slip out my left leg.

I puff out my stomach in an effort to support the band holding my device and slightly waddle out of the toilet.

The bathroom door closes with a resounding bang and I race into my room before my mom can rethink my sketchy behavior.

Inside my room I lower my screen brightness and end the call, switching to Whatsapp instead.

"Sorry, mom almost busted me, got to run. Let's talk tomorrow."

He sends laughing emojis and a 'goodnight' but for me, it's far from it.

I had missed out on talking to Isren, all because boyfriends were taboo in my household till I was 25 and expected to get a man.

Not that Mum would be too thrilled that my first potential boyfriend was eleven years older.

I can already picture it: he will use you and dump you! men like that only look for what they can get and once they have it they will go and marry a good girl that kept herself.

Lol, I can't wait to be used.

18, here I come.

...............

It's 10 a.m when I come downstairs and I only see my mother perched on the living room sofa.

"Good morning Mummy," I say before I retreat to the adjacent kitchen.

But she pauses the ever handsome Ramsey Nouah to look at me. "Eh eh eh, come back. Go and get me water from the freezer."

I raise my eyebrows at the nonchalant woman. "Freezer?" I repeat.

"My friend would you answer me or was I speaking Japanese the first time," she says gracing me with an adoring gaze, probably wondering why she gave birth to such a slow child.

I pull the only sachet of water in the icebox and shake my head as I feel the crystallized ice already strengthening to form a denser block.

After I've given her the drink she ropes me in another episode of 'Nobody Cares', starring my mother who made me stand as she babbled about inconsequential things in her life.

"Those agbero boys (hoodlums) in the next building are so annoying. Always playing music as if the plaza is a nightclub." My mom says.

I rapidly bob my head up and down as I near the exit, slowly backing away.

"It's them that will kill their mothers I am not going to today..." I'm almost out of the door when she continues. "Ehen I remember, come here."

I force a grin but my kilowatt smile comes out as a poor current, like what PHCN gave you during the rain before they cut the power completely.

To this day I never understood that phenomenon. We ran hydroelectricity, but couldn't provide citizens with power during showers -and that was aside from the usual on and off switch I was convinced those in charge of light supply played with.

"I won't be around on your birthday, so your Daddy will drop you off. Make sure you study after the outing o, I only want to see A parallel in your NECO," she says and I try not to sound enthusiastic -my joy made her suspicious.

"Yes, Mummy."I drone out with a sigh and close the door behind me.

Once the kitchen door is shut tight and I break into a sad excuse for dancing, shaking my back while my arms swirled in thumping motions.

Instantly an evil plot began forming in my head as I took out the eggs and flour for my pancakes.

"Go shawty it's your birthday, we gon party like it's your birthday." I sing to myself, sliding across the floor as I prepared my batter.

................

"I change my mind." I text to my friend.

The message double ticks for all but five seconds before it turns blue and online appears right next to her name.

Victoria: To what?

Let's go out Friday I respond.

Victoria: After the hangout with Demilade I'm going on a date.

I groan but add a laughing emoji to make it seem less serious than it was.

'Ah sorry ma, I will sort myself out then.' I send back.

I'm lying on my bed like a snow angel when the mattress buzzes beneath me.

The screen automatically unlocks and I smile at the words glaring back at me.

You've always wanted to go to Landmark, bail on us, and go get sunkissed.

I laugh and swipe to call log.

There I see two names and my heart squeezes at the one that starts with D. He was going to hate me after this, but it's not every day you get to spend your day with Mr. Tall dark and handsome.

It's just a birthday, not a big deal.

I can do what I want with it.

It's not like we've been friends long.

I'd want him to do the same if he had a girl to see.

Okay, I would understand even if I didn't like it.

Slowly I start to feel like I can sleep at night and I press call.

"Thank God, a ray of sunshine in this unforgiving climate," Isren says.

My forehead puckers and I speak. "What are you talking about, it's scorching outside."

I hear a warm rumble on the other side and slowly the creases in my forehead are overcome by crinkling in the corner of my eyes.

"I mean my day. I just sat through probably the worst three-hour meeting of my life, what's worse I don't think we're going through with the contract anymore," he says and I nod slowly.

I was so used to seeing the millionaire playboy or the charming casanova that always knew how to brighten my mood. I had forgotten he was also the Vice President of a multimillion-dollar empire -one that would be all his one day.

He always had a shoulder I could lean on, and he never complained about the weight he already carried with it.

The glamourized CEO from Erotic Novels was a far cry from the real one I had in my life.

"When was the last time you took a vacation?" I say.

"Huh?" he responds.

For some reason, I had an overwhelming urge to be the little beacon he mentioned. To be his peace and the only person he would forever call disgustingly cheesy names.

I wanted him to be my first everything and know no other thing. On the edge of seventeen, I felt more than ready to fall over and in love.

So maybe I am a little starved for something more? If I never tested waters I'd remain dry and curious.

"You heard me." I push back at him.

"Uh, do business trips count?" he asks and I sigh already knowing the answer.

"Wait, I went on one for the holidays." he counters.

I shake my head and respond. "You're a Nigerian -extended hours with your relatives couldn't have been so relaxing."

He laughs at this. "Okay you got me, why do you ask?"

"How about a staycation?" I say, hoping all would go as well as it had in my head.

"When exactly?" he asks and I can almost imagine him paging his personal assistant in advance.

"My birthday," I reply and the line goes silent for two seconds before he responds.

"Where to birthday girl?" Isren says to me and I smirk.

Turns out busy men do have time to relax.

"Two words. Land-mark." I state.

"This is my cue to say no." he deadpans and my grin drops.

"What why?"

"There's no way I'm taking you to an overcrowded Lagos beach on your birthday," he says.

I roll my eyes at his rich man mentality. He was talking about Lagos' first in-city premier private beachfront like it was a kitty litterbox.

"We'll go somewhere exotic -do you have the weekend to spare?" Isrens asks and I begin to shut him down.

"Isren..."

"Oh come on, take it as my birthday gift to you. I'm already blessed with your wonderful company." Isren cajoles, making it harder for me to say no.

He was smoother than peanut butter.

"Will you ever stop breaking the bank for me?" I ask hopelessly.

To this, he chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. Come in your favorite swimsuits and sundresses."

"No thousand dollar clothing package too?" I question my tone laced with sarcasm.

"I let grown women make their own decisions and I wouldn't want an earful when I finally get to see you," he says.

"Impossible." I huffed under my breath.

"Pardon?" he teases, having heard what I said.

"Where are we going," I say, swiftly changing the subject

"Overexcited are we?" he prods further.

"Ooh, this man just tell me!" I whine, he was sliding down my last thread like a zip line.

"It's a surprise Mimi, a surprise." Isren finally says.

Yeah, you know what I said about beacon? Forget about it, I was ready to send this man hurtling straight into the sun.