Shemmy sat in the small Ikeja café with her heart still racing.
The video threat from Tunde glowed on her phone screen.
Full beach kiss dropping in one hour.
Lagos fashion designer selling her body for tech funding.
Her voluptuous figure felt heavy in the chair.
Light yellow skin flushed with fear and fire.
Daevyd sat across from her.
Tall slim frame leaning forward.
Chocolate skin glowing under the café lights.
His hand covered hers completely.
We are not running he said.
Not anymore.
Shemmy looked at him.
Tears still shining in her eyes.
I just chose you she whispered.
And now the whole world is about to see that video.
My family.
My clients.
Everyone.
Daevyd squeezed her hand.
Let them see he said.
Let them see two people who are not ashamed to love.
We will face it together.
Ruth stood up from the next table.
The Igbo girl wiped her own eyes.
Nne(Dear)you are stronger than this video she said.
Remember when we were broke in school.
Sewing with one needle and praying NEPA would not take light.
You survived that.
You will survive Lagos gossip.
Shemmy laughed through her tears.
A small broken laugh.
Ruth you always know how to make me laugh even when I want to cry.
Ruth grinned.
That is my job.
Now go with your man.
I will stay here and monitor the internet.
If anything drops I will call you.
And if it gets too bad I will bring pepper soup and fight the haters myself.
Daevyd chuckled.
I like this friend he said.
She is ready for war.
Ruth pointed at him.
You better treat my sister right.
Or I will come for you with my grandmother's juju.
They all laughed.
A real laugh.
The kind that felt like breathing again.
Shemmy stood up.
Her full figured form rising with new strength.
Thank you Ruth she said.
I love you.
Ruth hugged her tight.
Go shine my dear.
The world needs your light.
Outside the café the Lagos evening was golden.
Orange sky.
Honking okadas.
The smell of suya and roasted corn.
Daevyd opened the car door for her.
Where are we going she asked.
Somewhere the stars can see us he said.
No cameras.
No gossip.
Just us.
They drove to a quiet rooftop in Victoria Island.
One of his friend's private spots.
High above the city.
The lagoon sparkled below.
Lagos lights twinkled like diamonds.
Daevyd spread a blanket on the floor.
Brought out two cold drinks from the car.
They sat side by side.
The city hummed beneath them.
But up here it felt peaceful.
Shemmy leaned her head on his shoulder.
Her full figured body fitting perfectly against his slim frame.
I was so scared today she said.
Choosing you felt like jumping off a cliff.
Daevyd kissed the top of her head.
You jumped he said.
And I caught you.
She smiled.
You know what is funny she said.
When I was small in Ikotun my mother used to say.
Semilore if you want to fly you must first learn to fall.
I think I am learning.
Daevyd laughed softly.
My own mother in Ibadan used to say.
Daevyd if you want to build big you must first build with someone who believes in your crazy ideas.
I think I found her.
They sat in silence for a moment.
The stars came out one by one.
Shemmy looked up.
I have never told anyone this she said.
After Emeka left me I stopped believing in love.
I thought my career and my dreams were too much for any man.
I thought I would sew alone forever.
Daevyd turned to face her.
His dark eyes soft under the stars.
You are not too much he said.
You are exactly enough.
Your ambition.
Your fire.
Your talent.
All of it makes me want to be better.
To build bigger.
To love harder.
Shemmy felt tears again.
But happy tears.
I love you Daevyd she said.
I really love you.
He pulled her closer.
His arms wrapped around her full figured body.
I love you too Semilore.
More than TechWave.
More than Lagos.
More than anything.
They kissed under the stars.
Slow.
Deep.
Full of promise.
The kiss grew warmer.
His hands slid to her waist.
Squeezed her soft body.
She moaned softly into his mouth.
For a moment the world disappeared.
Only them.
Only this feeling.
Then his hand slid lower playfully.
He gave her bum a light spank.
That is for choosing me he teased.
His voice low and full of love.
Shemmy gasped then burst out laughing.
The sound was light and real.
Her full figured body shook against him.
Daevyd you are not serious she said.
But her eyes sparkled with joy.
He grinned.
I am very serious.
And I plan to do that every day for the rest of our lives.
They laughed together.
The funny moment made the heavy weight of the day feel lighter.
For a moment the world disappeared.
Only them.
Only this feeling.
Then her phone buzzed.
She ignored it.
It buzzed again.
Daevyd pulled back gently.
Check it he said.
We face it together.
She opened the message.
It was the video.
Already live.
The full beach kiss.
The angle made it look passionate.
Intimate.
Her dress riding up.
His hands on her body.
The caption read.
Shemmy Esther the thick designer from Ikotun selling dreams and body for tech money.
Who is next.
Comments poured in fast.
Some bad.
Some supportive.
Some funny.
One comment made Shemmy laugh through her tears.
Abeg leave the girl.
If I had a body like that and a fine boy like Daevyd I would kiss on beach too.
Lagos hustle is real.
Daevyd read it and laughed.
See he said.
Even the internet knows Lagos love is sweet.
Shemmy wiped her eyes.
It hurts she said.
But it also feels freeing.
I chose you.
Now the world knows.
Daevyd stood up.
Pulled her to her feet.
Then let us give them something real to talk about he said.
He took her hand.
Led her to the edge of the rooftop.
Look at this city he said.
Lagos.
Our city.
It does not care if you fall.
It only cares if you stand up again.
Shemmy looked at the lights.
The moving traffic.
The millions of dreams fighting every day.
I am standing she said.
Daevyd turned to her.
His chocolate skin shining under the stars.
Then let us stand together.
No more hiding.
No more almost.
From today we are official.
Shemmy and Daevyd.
The Lagos love hustle.
She laughed.
A real laugh.
The kind that made her full figured body shake.
Lagos love hustle she repeated.
I like that.
He dropped to one knee.
Not with a ring.
Not yet.
But with his heart in his eyes.
Semilore Esther he said.
Will you be my partner in this crazy Lagos dream.
In business.
In love.
In everything.
Shemmy felt her knees weak.
Yes she said.
A thousand times yes.
He stood up.
Spun her around.
Her full figured body lifted off the ground for a second.
They laughed like teenagers.
Kissed again under the stars.
But her phone would not stop buzzing.
Ruth calling.
She answered.
Girl the video is everywhere Ruth said.
But something funny is happening.
People are defending you.
Hashtags are trending.
ShemmyDeservesLove.
FullFiguredGirlsWin.
DaevydAndShemmy.
Even some celebrities liked the post.
Shemmy laughed.
See Ruth.
Lagos people.
One minute they want to drag you.
Next minute they are your fans.
Ruth laughed too.
Exactly.
But Tunde is still posting.
He is angry.
Be careful.
Shemmy looked at Daevyd.
We are ready she said.
She ended the call.
Daevyd pulled her close again.
Tonight is ours he said.
Tomorrow we fight.
They sat back on the blanket.
Shemmy rested her head on his chest.
His heartbeat steady under her ear.
She looked up at the stars.
You know what is motivating she said.
For the first time I feel like my dreams and my love can live in the same house.
I do not have to choose one or the other.
Daevyd kissed her forehead.
That is the real win he said.
They talked for hours.
About their childhoods.
About their mothers.
About funny Lagos stories.
Daevyd told her how he once coded an app during NEPA blackout using torchlight.
Shemmy told him how she once sewed a dress for a customer using only safety pins because the machine broke.
They laughed until their stomachs hurt.
The funny moments made the heavy ones lighter.
But as midnight approached.
Another message came.
From Tunde.
You think this is over.
Wait till morning.
Your brand will be finished.
Your man will lose investors.
And you will come crawling back.
Shemmy read it.
Then showed Daevyd.
He smiled.
Not a happy smile.
A fighter's smile.
Let him try he said.
Tomorrow we wake up and we build.
Together.
Shemmy nodded.
Tomorrow we fight.
But as they stood to leave the rooftop.
One more notification popped up.
A new post from Nadia.
A screenshot of the video.
With the caption.
The real story is coming soon.
Some secrets are bigger than a beach kiss.
Shemmy's stomach dropped.
What other secret she whispered.
Daevyd's face went serious.
I do not know he said.
But whatever it is.
We will face it.
They walked down from the rooftop hand in hand.
The Lagos night was still alive.
But their love felt stronger.
Motivating.
Emotional.
Real.
They had chosen each other.
The hustle was just beginning.
And the biggest climax was still coming.