Chapter 3: Money, Pride, and Public Show

Na Tobi kiss wake me. As I open eye, he turn me over.

The soft light from curtain dey dance for room. Tobi eye dey shine, him breath dey hot for my face. My heart beat dey jump like drum.

"Simi."

He bend, him chest hot and strong for my back. Tobi kiss my ear, him breath dey hot.

I shiver small. The way he dey call my name, e be like say I dey dream.

"No go house today, abeg."

I bite my lip, small sound escape.

That request dey heavy, but e sweet. I dey think of mama wey go wait me for shop. My head dey calculate money, but my heart wan stay.

"I no fit. I gats help my mama for shop..."

"You be my babe. I no fit see you dey suffer. This one na just pocket money."

Tobi dey press me more, but him voice soft, dey beg: "I go dey give you money. Plenty money. Use all your holiday stay with me, abeg."

I dey shame, but I dey calculate how far 400k fit reach. Pride dey, but hunger dey louder.

I shake my head, push Tobi strong. My eye red with tears. "I like you, Tobi. I no want your money."

As I talk finish, tears just drop. The look wey Tobi give me that time show say him chest dey pain. But I sabi—men for bed dey quick promise anything. Especially first time. Especially when na bet, guilt go enter.

I dey feel say if I collect, na wahala. But Tobi face dey soft. My chest dey pain, my body dey crave am, but I dey fear.

"I know, you no be that kind girl. If you be, you for collect those boys gifts."

I lower my lashes, dey cry. Tobi no get patience, but he hold me, dey beg: "No cry again. I dey give you money because I like you. Nothing else. Abeg, baby girl."

E stroke my hair, him thumb dey wipe my tears. The room quiet like church for Sunday.

I no talk, just hug him waist soft soft. "Tobi, I gree too..."

My heart dey jump, but my mind dey plan. Na so life be for Naija girl—sometimes you gats bend before you fit stand.

That day as I reach house, Tobi send me 400,000 naira, write say na gift.

My phone buzz, I see alert. I wan shout, but I hold am for chest. For this country, nobody dey show off anyhow. I just count am, dey smile for pillow.

I lie for my iron bed, dey count zeros. Nobody for my family don see that kind money before. But still, e no reach.

The iron bed dey squeak, but I no care. My hand dey trace the zeros. For our side, na big money. But inside me, I sabi say wahala never finish.

My mama injure person years back, that person still dey bed. Every month, dem dey come collect hospital and compensation money, like say na pit with no bottom. But now, I see small hope.

I fit imagine the look for my mama face if she see am. The hope dey my chest dey burn.

I think, make I dey more obedient. So Tobi go stay longer. I go enjoy am, get more money. Then enter my dream school. Pay debt, carry my mama commot for this life.

For night, as I dey pray, I beg God make e work. For Naija, hope na wetin keep person alive.

Since we don graduate and holiday don start, nobody for our clique know say me and Tobi dey. I make sure say I no dey near am for public.

Na my style. For our side, wahala dey plenty. I no wan hear say people dey gossip me with big man.

But anywhere he dey, girls dey gather. I go just shift.

Sometimes, when he come school play ball, girls go dey shout, dey fight give am water and towel. But me, I no dey look am.

The attention dey choke, but I dey pretend say I no dey. Sometimes I dey laugh for inside, say see as dem dey rush person.

As he dey go, Tobi waka pass me.

"Simi, you no dey jealous as all those girls wan chop your man?"

He look me from up, dey form boss, lips dey tight with small smile.

He dey expect me to talk, maybe even frown. But I dey calm, dey form like say I no care. Na old trick for Naija girls—to make man value you, you gats show you no dey moved.

I hold my sleeve, just shake head. "Tobi, you fine, you get money. Na normal if girls like you. I no dey jealous, as long as I fit dey with you."

One babe hiss, another roll her eyes—dem dey size me up like say I thief something.

I too dey humble, but Tobi no happy at all. He no even look me, just waka go.

I fear small, but lucky say Tobi still call me that night. But that night, e vex well. As we finish, my body just dey scatter. I dey cry, dey beg am.

But he talk cold: "Simi, know your level."

That word pain me. For this life, respect dey important. I gats dey careful.

My dream break, but my spirit no rest. For this world, trust na luxury.