I’ve always hated yacht parties. All my life, I've always had this irritation about being surrounded by water and rich, proud people drinking alcohol, pretending to like each other in the middle of the sea. Remi knew about it. He hates it too. Not because of the rich folks, he was already a rich dude. But because he couldn't swim. He told me this in confidence.
So I was surprised when Remi invited me to his birthday bash on the “Sea Mistress,” I hesitated at first but said yes, not because I liked him—but because everyone else did. He was the life of the party. Loud, cheerful with outrageous jokes and secrets so deadly if you listened to him speak closely. But that wasn't why I said yes. I said yes because he was my boyfriend, and we'd been dating secretly for over six months now.
The yacht shone in the golden evening sun as we all got onboard that cool evening. Laughters floated in the salty breeze. Everyone on the deck was clothed in golden jewelry and white. And waiters were moving about like whispers with champagne. The DJ had Afrobeats Channing from sleek speakers hidden in the decks.
And there was Remi, standing in the center, shining his teeth at everyone and anyone. Filling up plastic cups with more liquid gold. He stole glances at me from time to time. Beneath all the happiness he was displaying was a mask which only I could see.
A pain from recent betrayal from his friends. He had lost a fortune just because a few of his friends couldn't hold onto his secrets to their graves. And had sworn to me to expose them too. I never knew when, but with the look on his face that evening, I could swear that he had other plans.
“My people!” he roared. “Tonight, we leave our troubles ashore!”
"Yay!" The crowd screamed back with joy.
I stayed near the edge of the crowd, watching everything as it unfolded. That's always been my style. A little too close to the crowd but invisible enough not to be noticed.
He walked up to me. He always did. And said
“You came!" He leaned in and gave me a peck. "I thought introverts dissolved in water!”
I blushed, then gave him a tight smile. “I thought, even if I'd drown. It's worth it drowning in style.”
He laughed, "You've got jokes." He leaned forward and hugged me, And I felt it. The pain was not just in his eyes, but I felt him trembling. We were on the sea, with the cool sea breeze but it couldn't mask the sweat on his back.
The party danced on. I watched as people took selfies, played drinking games, and jumped off the side into the sea. But somehow I was nervous now. I couldn't tell what he was up to. Although I knew it was revenge, how? I watched as he kept checking his phone.
Then it was time for the toast.
By now, the yacht had drifted far from the seashore. All we could see were clouds of water, smooth like oil. Remi tapped his glass cup with his ring and everyone began to gather around the deck.
He found a higher spot and was on it. Making sure he was visible to everyone around.
“Tonight,” he began, voice steady but eyes dancing through the crowd scanning the face, “we celebrate friendship. And the betrayals involved. Yes, the little blackmail from friends and the secrets that couldn't be kept.”
I looked from Remi's face to the crowd. There were questions on their faces.
“Allow me to thank my friends, Chika and Bayo,” he pointed at a couple in the midst of the crowd. Just standing close to him. “Great pals. Hey, Chika, do you remember Port Harcourt? I still have the video. Don’t worry, your husband doesn’t need to know."
This time the crowd laughed. But Chika didn't. She looked at her husband, Bayo instead with fear in her eyes.
“And Bayo,” he said next. “We know the deal wasn’t so clean, was it? But trust me, your secret’s safe with me. At least, for now.”
I looked around. Faces stiffened. Only a few laughed.
Remi grinned and took a sip of his wine. “I’m just joking, guys. Where's the laughter? I'm not trying to be a buzzkill” he said. “Or maybe I am."
Then he raised his glass high. “To truth, to fun, to friends who can’t leave the party even if they want to.” He dipped his wine.
Everyone slipped theirs too.
And like a movie trick. Remi slipped overboard into the sea.
There was silence from everyone. What just happened? It all happened so fast. One minute he was there, standing at the rail, and the next, he wasn't.
Then came the loud splash. Then screams from the crowd.
"My God! He can't swim!" I yelled rushing to the edge. Others followed, but in the sea, there was nobody there. No bubbles. No ripples. Just the reflection of the moon on water.
Immediately someone jumped in to search for him. The DJ stopped the music. The yacht turned cold. Someone dialled 911.
Did he intentionally jump over the sea? Was he pushed? No one could tell.
In all this chaos, Bayo and Chika seemed unbothered. A few miles away, was the coast guard approaching. They asked us all questions and we all gave them the same story: he slipped. Although I found it so hard to believe.
A few days later, I heard stories of Bayo filing for divorce. And Remi's body still hasn't been found in the sea. But that morning, I woke up to a video on my inbox. It was a video of Remi, at a restaurant in an unknown location. There was a message attached to it
“Just getting started. I wonder whose secret should be next?”
And suddenly, I realized we might be wrong after all. Bayo didn't slip nor did anyone push him. He must have jumped into the sea himself. But why? To fake his death?
"Again, why?" I asked myself.
