Chapter 8: The Last Goodbye
As I dey argue with Sani, dorm door knock again.
Everybody pause. Na rare thing for supervisor to come room by that time. Even my roommate drop phone.
Dorm supervisor carry Morayo reach door.
Supervisor knock, open door small, push Morayo enter. "Make una settle, abeg. No dey disturb hostel with drama."
Sani rush go meet her, dey worry.
He dey act like mother hen. "Morayo, you dey okay? You catch cold?" Na so he dey fuss.
Morayo no even look am, just waka come meet me.
She waka straight, eye red, voice low. I dey fear say she go faint, but she stand strong.
My roommate sharp, push Sani commot, close door, give us space.
Chijioke sabi sense. He drag Sani by shoulder, lock door sharp. "Oya, two of una talk am like adults."
Morayo, all drenched, stand for my front like cat wey dem abandon.
Her shoe soak, water dey drop for floor. My heart dey cut, but I dey act hard.
Her hair just dey drip, eyes full of tears—I no even sabi if na rain or cry.
Her eyes swollen, she dey shiver. She no talk at first. She just stand dey look me, like say na me be her last hope.
"Ayotunde, abeg no leave me."
She whisper am, voice dey crack. She hold my hand, her fingers cold. I feel her pain.
I squeeze my palm, stand up, give her towel. "Dry yourself, make cold no catch you."
I open wardrobe, bring out big towel wey my mama send me last Christmas. I wrap am round her, rub her back small.
Her eyes bright, she hold my hand, move close. "Ayotunde, you still care for me?"
She dey search my eye for hope. Her lips dey tremble. My mind dey shake, but I lock my jaw.
"Abeg, make we no break up. If na me wrong, I fit change."
Her voice dey desperate. E be like say na this moment go decide her destiny.
"If na your papa wahala, I fit try win am..."
She dey beg, tears full eye. She ready do anything to stay.
"Morayo, e don do." I cut her short.
I raise hand, stop her. I no wan hear more beg. E dey pain me, but I no fit continue.
"I talk say we don break up. Abeg, stop dey disturb me."
I turn face, my chest dey heavy. I dey try control voice.
She tear up, finally ask the question wey I dey dodge.
She wipe her face, voice low. "Na because of last night?"
I brush her hand, step back. "E no matter. I just wan break up. No need overthink am."
I dey use style run from truth. My mind dey boil, but I no wan show weakness.
"Ayotunde, talk true. E mean plenty to me." She hold my shoulder, no gree.
Her grip strong, she dey shake. She dey search my face for answer.
I bite my lip, look her for eye, talk wicked: "Yes, na because of last night."
I look her straight, my face hard. I no gree blink.
"I no want woman wey cold for bed. I still young—make I turn pastor?"
The words sharp, like arrow. As I talk am, I see as her face break. But my pride no let me stop.
As her shadow disappear for corridor, I know say this heartbreak na only the beginning.