“Aight, cousins, man’s got some big news. Perspective’s gettin’ sponsor offers—huge ones. Sportswear brand, betting company, and a major food brand. Six-figure deals, bruvs. Next-level stuff! Check it out!”

An excited Mickey turned his laptop to his cousins, who eagerly leaned forward to check out the offers in question. Seated in the building’s conference room – decked out with football posters, a sleek desk with the Perspective logo, and a whiteboard scribbled with ideas for upcoming episodes – the trio were having a quick meeting about the future of their ‘baby’. Hardly would they have imagined that the idea to create a YouTube channel would be this level of successful within three years; not only had they surpassed 1 million subscribers, big brands were already taking notice and making great offers.

Offers that would undoubtedly take them to the next level.

Donald whistled, taken aback by the offers he was seeing. “Raahhhhhhh! Six figure deals for real! And not just any random brand, too, we’re talking SlickFish and them man. Yo, we’re out here movin’ like City’s owners! Man, we’ve come far, innit? From filmin’ in Mickey’s bedroom to this… who would’ve thought?”

Simba nodded and leaned back. “Mad offers, chale. We’re definitely hitting the big time if we sign on to these. Three years of grinding and doing our own unique thing is really paying off!”

“Yes it is!” Mickey agreed, a delighted grin on his face. “Perspective’s a movement. I’m gassed.” Turning to Simba, he continued. “And real talk, Simba, we’re proper glad you made the move from Ghana to join us. This whole ting—You Alright, Cuz?, Roundtable, all of it—wouldn’t be the same without you, fam.”

Donald nodded. “Yeah, man. You brought that real GH energy, made us legit, you know. As we all know, my GH vibe ain’t that heavy since I left more than a decade ago. And of course, this pagan right here,” gesturing at Mickey, “wasn’t even born in Ghana, so, yeah, you’s a real one. Even with… you know, all the drama that came with it. Wasn’t easy, but yeah, we’re proper glad you’re here, and we’re killing it together.”

Simba, stifling a laugh at how Mickey’s favourite insult was used on him, felt his high spirit dampen a bit at the reference to the drama. His smile faded slightly as he nodded. Of course, who didn’t know what the drama was – getting Nana Esi pregnant and being made to stay away from her.

“Yo, speakin’ of, Simba,” Mickey continued, his voice softening, “you linking up with Nana Esi and little Poki this week?”

Simba nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’m taking them to Greenwich tomorrow. You know, get something to eat, maybe head to Vue or Odeon later to watch Lilo & Stitch; Pokua’s been raving about it for a while, so yeah, I need to give her what she wants. It’s been lit seeing her, though. My baby girl keeps getting bigger and bigger. It’s beautiful.”

Mickey smiled gently. “That’s dope, man. Spending time with her’s real important, and I know you love doing that. But… how’s things with Nana Esi? Still cold and clipped between you two?”

Simba sighed and nodded, his expression heavy with regret.  “Yeah, chale. It’s… still so frosty. If we talk, it’s only about Pokua, sorting out logistics and all that stuff, but that’s it. No warmth. Just business. It’s always like a formal HR meeting when we speak. And bro, I thought I’d get over it, but still… hmmm. I still love her, guys. You naaa, you know the vibe. I love that woman like crazy. But her parents killed whatever we had, and it’s clear she’s moved on. And I’m still here, wishing things were as they once were. It’s tough. Really tough.”

Mickey and Donald sighed and shook their heads.

If anyone else knew how deeply in love Simba and Nana Esi were, it was them. Even while he was in Ghana, he always informed them about how things were between them. The number of times he had waxed lyrical about his ‘African Queen’ were too many to count. They both knew how deep the love was.

And they knew how devastated he was when her parents forcefully ended things between them. How his pleas and oaths to be the best father and husband possible made no difference to them. How they sprayed venom on him for getting their girl pregnant out of wedlock. They knew it all.

So seeing Simba this way was not new. But it made them sad for him.

“That’s rough, Simba,” Mickey murmured. “It’s proper messed up how it went down with her folks. But… guess there’s little you can do, innit? The main thing is just… keep showing up for Pokua. And you do that, so you’re good.”

“Yeah, you’re a good dad, bruv,” Donald added, tapping Simba on the shoulder. “Just keep showing up for little Poki. You’re doin’ right by her, and that’s what counts. Nana Esi might come around one day, who knows? For now, just keep being you. And remember, you got us. We’ve been tighter than brothers since we was teens, and that ain’t changing, you get me? We got you.”

Simba managed a small smile. “Appreciate that, cousins. I really do. Hopefully I’ll sort my head out one day, and I’ll be able to move on.”

“A hundred percent, broski. A hundred percent.”

***

“Oh my God, Sohna! It’s so good to see you!”

The Perspective studio often had a couple of regular visitors come by, who were loved and adored in different measures. An example was Justice’s girlfriend, Damilola Abimbola, whom Sahjara and Ines found so stunning, they constantly threatened to steal her from Justice. Another cherished visitor was Ines’ best friend, Eileen Wright, a wild ‘party animal’ who Magnum often joked would make Jennifer Lawrence look like a holy church girl.

Another one of those visitors was Sohna Dhonchak, Sahjara’s older sister. Dropping by every now and then to take her sister for the usual family event, everyone loved having the bespectacled, slightly nerdy-looking lady around. And that late afternoon, she was around to do the usual, saying hello to everyone she saw.

“Hello, Justice! Hello, Donald!” she greeted cheerily, hugging both guys before taking a seat with them at the reception. “Good to see you guys!”

“Indeed! It’s been a while,” Justice remarked, crossing his legs as Sahjara entered the reception area carrying some items to place behind the receptionist’s counter. “The troublesome one was telling us about some imminent promotion on the way.”

Sohna sat up and grinned widely. “Oh, it’s no longer imminent. Happened yesterday. Now you’re looking at Lecturer Sohna Dhonchak! No longer an assistant lecturer!”

Justice and Donald whooped in delight. “Sweet!” Donald cheered. “Making moves like you ought to!”

“Ohh, congratulations, Sohna!” Justice smiled. “Shebi I told you, you’re too intelligent for them not to promote you. You deserve it jare.”

Sohna flashed another huge smile. “Thank you so much, guys. It means a lot to me. And at least, you guys acknowledge greatness.”

With that, she shot a dagger-filled glare at Sahjara. “Unlike certain people who prefer to bully me just because they’re taller and think that gives them rights.”

Sahjara, clearly unfazed by the evil stare, snorted from across the room. “Oh please, sis. That’s not bullying—that’s height privilege appreciation. Besides, it’s not my fault you’re so adorable and nerdy and …portable. Like a cute little keyring.”

Sohna narrowed her eyes, pure evil radiating from her stare, while Donald and Justice folded their arms and shook their heads. Of course, everyone knew how Sahjara loved to take the mick out of her sister for being shorter than her.

Sahjara caught the stare, cackled triumphantly, then rushed over and wrapped her arms tightly around Yoshina, pulling her in for a dramatic hug as she squealed, “Awwwww, I love you, Sohna! You’re the best and the cutest big sister in the whole wide world!”

She punctuated it with an exaggerated kiss on Sohna’s cheek. The older Dhonchak sister simply shot her a deadpan stare. “You’re an emotional terrorist,” she muttered, evoking mischievous giggles from Sahjara.

Justice, arms still folded, had a look of mock disapproval. “Young lady, it is clear that you don’t respect. Ehn, your older sister. Look at how you are making fun of her. In our culture, you dare not call her by her first name like that. You’d have to add ‘Sister’ to her first name as a mark of deference. Look at you. Making fun of your big sister who is a big woman. I should be disappointed, but I’m not.”

“Oi! You stay out of it!” she hissed, pointing a dramatic finger at him. “This is sister business, you hear me?”

Turning to Sohna, she switched to Punjabi, maintaining the same sweetness as before.

“Yo, Sohna,” Donald piped up, “I dunno what she saying, but I know she tryna get into your head. Don’t listen to her!”

Sahjara shot him a dry look. “Like I said, it’s sister business. Which is why I switched to Punjabi, so you two geezers stay out of it.”

While she spoke, Donald’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID.

What he saw instantly excited him.

“Yo, Justice, gimme a minute, yeah, I gotta take this,” he blurted out, springing up. Justice, catching the instant glee on his face, nodded in approval.

“Yeh-yeh!” Donald heard behind him as he stepped out. He laughed in response.

Justice knew and understood the assignment too well.

***

Standing outside, Donald stared at the buzzing phone.

It was Amara, obviously.

He hadn’t heard from her in about three days, but he knew she had been a little occupied with her little assignment in Birmingham, so he had given her space to do her thing. And that was okay. Now that she was back, they could get back to catching up; he already had planned a movie night out for them, and this was definitely the best time to let her know about it.

He answered, a flirtatious edge to his voice.

“Ayo, babes, what you sayin’, you alright?”

“Donald, we need to talk.”

Donald frowned. He did not expect Amara to sound so cold and distant. Especially considering how they were drooling over each other the last time they were together.

“Uhh… what’s… what’s going on, babes? Anything wrong?”

Amara took a deep breath, and for a moment, the line crackled with silence.

Then she continued.

“I’ve been thinking a lot, Donald, and I need to be honest with you. I’ve lost interest in this whole relationship thingy, and I think it’s best if we end things.”

Her words hit him like a sudden gust of icy wind.

“Wait, what?” he stuttered, totally taken aback by this shocker of an announcement. “Wh-what… this is a joke, right? Amara, you’re playing games with me, innit? Coz I’ll have you know it ain’t funny.”

Amara sounded almost exasperated on the other end of the line. “This is not a joke, Donald. I’m serious. Look, I just don’t feel the same way anymore. I’ve been giving it some thought, and I’ve decided it’s best for both of us to move on.”

Donald shook his head in disbelief. This made no sense. How the hell was she suddenly dumping him? How?

“Amara, please, stop this,” he pleaded. “Stop it. You can’t just end things like that. What are you doing? Why are you doing this?”

There was a pause on the other end, and then Amara spoke, her words cutting through the air.

“Donald, I can’t force myself to be in a relationship I’m not interested in anymore. It’s as simple as that. I’ve made up my mind. Have a nice life.”

The call ended.

Donald stared at his phone in abject shock.

This was unbelievable.

How in the world was Amara breaking up with him like this? Had she not assured him their relationship was secure? Had she not been the one seducing him and telling him to play with her body? How was she suddenly doing a total 180 and ending things with him?

“This makes no sense,” he whispered to himself. “This don’t make no fucking sense…”

***

“Oh God, that was so unreal. Shiiiiittttt!”

Fifteen minutes after that call, and a breathless Amara lay sprawled across the tangled sheets, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath after a most steamy screw session.

Barely a minute after hanging up the phone, she was hungrily undressed and ravished so thoroughly, she was quite sure her neighbours heard her squealing through the walls. It was that intense, way more intense than any of the times she and Donald had sex.

He lay beside her, gently passing his hand up and down her stomach.

“Oh, I know, baby,” he murmured, his voice low and cocky. “Your body’s never been worked like that before. I felt every shudder, every scream as I played with this sweet body. I fucking owned you.”

Amara let out a soft laugh, her head tilting back against the pillow as she nodded. “You’re not wrong about that,” she murmured, her fingers lazily trailing along his arm. “No one’s ever made me feel that way. God, you’re so good.”

He leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “So, you glad you ditched that lame ass nigga for me?”

Amara giggled. “Uh-huh. So glad.”

“Good. Coz the moment I saw you, Amara, I knew I had to have you. It didn’t matter what it took or who had to go, I wasn’t stopping until you were mine. Shit, do you know how rare girls as sexy and unassuming as you are? Especially with tits as big and addictive as yours?”

Amara giggled again, enjoying the quiet way he gently fondled her breast while he spoke.

“And when you said you needed to measure who made you happier, did I show any signs of fear? Nope. Because I knew this dick was sending you to eleventh heavens, and there was no way his would ever match up. And I was right at the end of the day, wasn’t I?”

She smiled. “Yes, you were. Well, I’ve done what needed to be done, so, it’s you and me now.”

“Absolutely.” He reached over and kissed her on the lips. As he parted from her, he whispered, “Eff your ex.”

She sniggered. “Eff my ex.”

What the hell?! Amara’s sleeping with another dude. Dang! Loyalty clearly isn’t in this girl’s dictionary. Poor Donnie…