Chapter 2: New Love, Old Struggles

Nineteen-year-old boys get energy no be small. Even Tobi, wey come from big family and dey form picky, no different.

For Naija, energy dey flow for young people body like second skin, especially when dem dey taste freedom for first time. Tobi, even with him polished accent and neat clothes, no dey different from other boys when night cover ground.

Na the seventh day after graduation, and the third day after he talk say him like me. So, we still dey like strangers for many things.

The air between us still dey new, like harmattan breeze for December, sweet and tingly but strange. That shyness still dey my skin, even as we lie for same bed, as if we dey test new dance wey we never sabi well.

After that first rush, the boy quick recover. As he start again, he come dey do like say na normal thing.

I watch am, the confidence for him eyes dey shine like generator bulb. I wonder if na me dey too serious, or if for am, na just part of him daily play. Him hand steady, face relaxed. I wan vex, but e dey make me laugh.

My body na new toy for am. The way he dey touch me, e be like say na treasure he find, he no wan leave am.

The feeling sweet and scatter my brain. My skin dey spark, every touch like pepper. For inside that small room, I feel like queen, even if na for one night.

The stubble for him chin, wey be say e clean before, don dey show again. When he bend kiss me, e just dey make my chest dey scratch and dey pain small.

I no fit hold myself, I bite am. But the thing just make am more gingered.

Tobi laugh, whisper for my ear, "You dey craze o." E bite him lip, touch my face like say he dey try remember everything.

When we finish, he still hold me tight. For him eye, I see say he dey satisfied, but e still get small wahala inside.

He no dey talk, but I fit feel say some kind worry dey him mind. E be like say e dey fight one battle, but still no wan let me go.

"Simi."

He kiss my soft ear, then dey go down slowly.

"Go baff. When you finish, we go run am again."

As he talk am, e voice come soft small.

I laugh soft, heart dey beat like ogene drum. This one wey my leg dey shake, na so dem dey start Naija love?

"But na your first time. You sure say you fit handle am?"

I bite my lips wey don swell small, close my eyes shy-shy as he dey look me. But I still nod like good girl.

My heart dey shake but I gats show say I fit. I no wan dull. For Naija babe, you gats form strong, even if your leg dey vibrate.

Tobi carry me go bathroom.

He do am gentle, wash my back like say na new born. Water dey rush, soap dey smell vanilla, my heart dey float.

One hour later.

I just dey look the ceiling, my eye no get focus.

Light dey flash for my face, the hum of generator from neighbor dey fill my ear. The whole world fit dey scatter, but inside here, na only me dey float.

Who go believe say the Tobi wey dey form cold and no dey talk to anybody—him family dey show for financial news steady—na him dey press girl wey no get anything for life, dey kiss everywhere for her body?

I dey smile small. Life fit change in one night, na only God know tomorrow.

As day dey break, Tobi finally rest. He press me, face bury for my neck.

The early morning light dey show for window, make everywhere look soft and gold. Tobi body hot, sweat dey my neck. My mind dey drift, I dey float between sleep and real world.

"Simi, you like am?"

"If you like am, come my side every day na."

I too tired, my eye no gree open, I just mumble answer.

I fit only smile. The thing dey sweet me, but tiredness dey my bone.

Tobi phone ring. Next thing, I feel light—he come down from bed, pick phone, answer.

He think say I don sleep deep. He too dey tired, so he just lie down for sofa wey near bed, dey answer call.

The call connect, the other side just dey noisy.

Na so Naija boys dey, call dey scatter for group chat, everybody dey laugh anyhow. E sweet me to hear am.

"Wetin dey worry una?" Tobi voice dey hoarse, but you go hear say he happy.

One guy shout, "Na now now you finish?"

"Mm."

Tobi answer lazily, but pride dey for him voice. "Just three days and I don knack—una no reach."

That bet matter still dey pain me, but I pretend say I no hear. Na so boys for Lagos dey do, always wan show who strong pass.

"Na her first time?"

"Of course."

"Chei, you try, she dey behave like good girl."

"So? You no know who dey talk—no babe wey Tobi no fit handle."

"I no believe. Simi too pure. Last time I talk to am, she just dey blush."

"You just finish exam, you don get am?"

"Believe am or not."

"Unless you snap bed photo. Na that one sure pass. Na the bet be that, abeg."

Tobi no even waste time: "Wait."

He talk am, get up, carry phone go my side.

My chest dey tight. E no know say I hear. Sometimes, trust dey hard for this world.

I lie for side, curl like small pikin. My hair, black like charcoal, dey wet with sweat, stick for my thin face.

Na so harmattan dey treat me. Small skin, hair like old broom, but e still dey fine. Akara smoke dey for my skin, small pepper dey my nose.

I cry two times that night. My lashes still dey wet—long and thick, dey cast big shadow for my brown face.

Even as I dey sleep, tears still dey for my cheek, dey shine like dew for early morning farm. Nobody dey see am, but my body know.

My lips soft pink, but skin don break and swell. I sleep deep, dey breathe soft, but sometimes I whimper like say I dey vex small.

For dream, I dey waka inside market, dey chase my papa shadow. E pain me but e sweet me say person still fit hold me for night.

Tobi hand wan lift the bedsheet, but he pause like jazz catch am. Next thing, he pull the sheet up, cover me reach my neck, only my face show. Then he snap my sleeping face.

The flash from his phone blink like NEPA light, but I no even wake.

Maybe conscience dey prick am, I no sabi. But na so I dey for camera, sleep with tears still dey my eye.

Soon, phone ring again.

"No try am, Tobi. Why you no snap the down part?"

"Oya shift!" Tobi voice cold and no get patience. "Na my babe now. Try respect yourself."

"We hear, we hear."

"But Tobi, how long you wan date Simi?"

"As long as e fit last. If short, one week; if long, till before I go Abuja."

"True, you dey go back Abuja soon."

"But if she follow you go Abuja nko?"

Tobi laugh. "Abuja big pass. To find person for there na like to find needle inside sand."

"True sha. With Simi background, una two no go jam again."

For inside me, na so dem dey measure person life? My mind just dey roll.

Wetin he talk no be lie.

My mama do two years for prison because of accidental wahala. Now she dey run breakfast joint. My papa die since. Every holiday, na stall I dey, help mama fry akara, cook noodles, collect change.

Every morning, Mama go kneel by her bedside, dey beg God make today better pass yesterday.

E no easy, but na my cross. For our side, everybody sabi our story. Dem no dey pity, dem go just look you pass. Mama dey try, but life hard. Sometimes, she go call me, tears for eye, "Simi, no let them use you o. Shine your eye."

I dey smell like akara steady. No matter how I baff, e no dey commot.

Even my school bag dey smell small. The thing don enter my pores. I try use perfume, but na waste.

When Tobi first come my side, he ask, "Wetin dey smell for your hair?"

I just dey laugh. Who I wan impress?

"I dey help my mama sell akara. Na smoke."

I answer true, then add, "Maybe you no suppose near me like that. If the smell catch you, e no go good."

"No wahala."

Tobi just smile, no send. "Your mama sabi work. Bring one tomorrow. I no dey chop free food—I go pay."

He bring out pink note, give me, no gree for no.

I no wan collect, but I no fit say no. Next day, I bring ten akara balls. Tobi own na special, full with pepper and onions. The rest I give him friends.

But dem no touch am. Only Tobi chop, but first bite, he frown. After I go class, he throw am for dustbin.

I watch am from far, my chest heavy. I pause, smell my palm—akara and oil still dey. I remember my mama warning: "No trust rich people, Simi. Dem go always look down."

For this life, na only your people sabi your taste.

After that, he no talk akara again. But he buy me correct body wash and shampoo. I no even sabi the name. I google am, almost faint—money dey inside.

Before I see am that night, I baff with the thing he buy. My body dey smell fine, no akara anywhere. Tobi happy as he hold me—no frown again.

For Naija, to smell fine na big pride. I fit see say him face relax, as if he dey show me off for him mind.