NOT MY USUAL WORLD Novel Chapter 1

NOT MY USUAL WORLD
EPISODE 1
Lagos was unusually quiet that night. The power had gone out in Banana Island. For most residents, it was a minor inconvenience. For Aderonke Adebayo, it was unbearable. She hated silence. She hated darkness. And she hated how the massive glass house she lived in felt colder without electricity humming through it.
Where is the backup generator she asked sharply, stepping onto the balcony.
Ma, it is being serviced, the house manager replied nervously.
Of course it was.
Aderonke sighed and stepped back inside. Twenty-six years old. Harvard MBA. Daughter of one of the biggest oil magnates in Lagos. Her life was structured. Planned. Protected. Her friends were CEOs’ children. Her suitors drove armored cars. Her father approved everything before she even thought about it. And yet, she was restless.
She picked up her car keys.
Ma, where are you going? It’s late.
I want air.
Your driver…
I will drive.
She did not wait for permission.
Fifteen minutes later, she was in Ikoyi, windows slightly down, night breeze brushing her skin. She did not know why she kept driving. She just did not want to go back home.
At a quiet junction near a small roadside café, her car jerked. Then stopped. She blinked. No. No, no, no. She tried the ignition again. Nothing. Her phone network was weak. Battery at twelve percent. Perfect.
She stepped out carefully, heels clicking against uneven tar. That was when she heard music. Soft guitar. Live.
She turned. The small café had string lights hanging across it. A few plastic chairs. A crowd of maybe ten people. And in front of them stood a man. Simple black jeans, white shirt with rolled sleeves, guitar resting against him as if it belonged there. He was singing. Not loudly. Not for attention. Just singing.
Her irritation paused. She walked closer without meaning to. His voice was warm, honest, like he meant every word. When he finished, the small crowd clapped lightly. He smiled shyly. That smile did something to her. She realized she was staring when he looked directly at her. Their eyes locked. For a second, he looked confused. Then amused.
New audience? he asked lightly.
I am not your audience, she replied.
He chuckled. You are standing very attentively for someone who isn’t.
She folded her arms. My car broke down.
Ah. He nodded. Lagos humbles everybody.
She almost snapped back, until she noticed he was not mocking her. He stepped off the small platform. I am Tobe.
She hesitated. Nobody introduced themselves to her like that. No title. No extra politeness. No fear.
Ronke.
He tilted his head slightly. You look like you do not usually stand by the roadside.
And you look like you do not usually judge strangers.
That made him laugh. I was not judging. Just observing.
Silence stretched between them, but it was not awkward. Just new.
Can you check the car? she asked finally.
He walked with her to the vehicle. Did not circle it like it was expensive. Did not whistle at the logo. Just opened the bonnet like it was any normal car.
You are not shocked? she asked.
Should I be?
It is not a regular car.
He glanced at her. It still has an engine.
She did not know why that answer made her smile. He adjusted something inside.
Try now.
She got in. The engine came alive. You’re welcome, he said, stepping back.
How much?
He looked genuinely offended. For tightening a loose cable?
Yes.
He shook his head. No.
She stepped out again. You sang beautifully.
He shrugged. It pays small bills.
You are good.
Thank you.
There was no desperation in his voice. No attempt to impress her. And that unsettled her in a way she could not explain. She should leave. She knew she should. Instead, she asked, Do you sing here every night?
Most nights.
She nodded slowly. Good.
For what?
She held his gaze. I might break down again.
His smile widened, not arrogant. Just intrigued. She entered her car. As she drove off, she checked her mirror. He was still standing there. Watching. Not chasing. Not waving. Just watching.
Back in the café, Tobe picked up his guitar again. But he forgot the next song completely. Because for the first time in a long time, something unexpected had walked into his ordinary night. And for the first time in her carefully controlled life, Aderonke felt curious about someone who had nothing to offer her except himself.
To be continued…