Chapter 4: Heartbreak and Street Survival

After that day, I come dey more careful. I no dey call or text am first. I sabi say him friends no rate me. He only want me when e need me.

For Naija campus, reputation fit spoil person. I hide myself well. When I see am for party or gathering, I just look another way. If e call, I go answer sharp, but never too eager.

So I dey use my mama shop as excuse to dodge am. For public, he no dey look my side, sometimes even dey follow other girls. But for him flat, na me he dey kiss from head to toe.

Sometimes, the thing dey pain me, but I dey remind myself say na the life I choose. For that small room, all my wahala dey pause. I dey lose myself for Tobi touch, forget say outside, na different world.

I no go lie, Tobi sabi the thing. For me, the wahala of result and debt dey disappear for that moment. Small small, I dey even crave am pass Tobi.

Na the way life be. Sometimes, na your body dey betray you, even as your mind dey plan other thing.

Tobi too dey obsessed with me. I think say we go last till university start. But after one month, Tobi just break up with me. Before I fit talk, he block me.

The shock clear sleep from my eye. E pain me deep, but I no cry outside. For Naija babe, pride dey important. I delete chat, but my heart dey bleed.

I pause, remember the way Tobi dey laugh, how e go call my name soft, like say na song. But sharp sharp, I steel myself, harden heart.

I block and delete everything about am, just waka commot without trace.

As I see the message, I shock. First thing, I check my account. 1.6 million naira dey. Still remain 800k to finish debt. But e better pass before.

I just dey count, dey calculate. Na so we dey do for Naija—any small help, you dey use am manage reach far.

I sigh. If dem dump me, dem dump me. At least I get 1.6 million. The rest, I go hustle for school.

Na only pain be say, I no sure say I go see person like Tobi again. Even if I see, e no go pure like Tobi, wey give me him first time too.

Na the memory I go hold, as I dey start new journey.

Tobi mood no pure. Him playboy friends arrange party, but Tobi no send. He just dey drink.

For big boy lounge, bottle dey flow, but Tobi just dey reason. All the babe for there dey try talk, but e no dey look their face. Him mind dey far.

After he dump that wood girl, Tobi try follow other fine girls. But anytime he see their make-up, na Simi fresh face go enter him mind, like egg wey dem just peel. When he see their eye dey look am, na Simi own for bed go appear, like say stars dey inside, full of love.

No matter how he try, Simi shadow dey follow am like own juju. He dey vex, but e no fit hide am.

Him phone quiet. He only block Simi for WhatsApp, not phone number. But one week pass, Simi no call am at all.

Tobi face dey dark. He warn am last time make she know her place. But now e be like say she no learn anything.

Na so big man dey reason—if you no dey show say you miss am, e go begin panic.

Almost midnight. Phones dey ring for the lounge. Most of his guys get babe. If dem no go house, babes go dey call, dey text.

Tobi carry phone again, open Simi chat. He scroll, face dey dark like rain wan fall.

He invite her go chop, see movie, join friends, go trip, swimming, shopping. She turn all down. But if na to come him flat, she no dey waste time, she go answer sharp.

Na then e pain am. For Naija boy, respect and public show dey important. If you dey hide am, e go suspect you dey use am.

He clench jaw, vein for neck dey show—Naija boy pride no dey gree for nonsense.

He remember how Simi dey call him name when e sweet her, dey talk say she like am, love am, wan dey with am forever. But for outside, na like rat she dey dodge, as if she wan write "stranger" for face.

Tobi just realise say na him dem dey play. Everybody think say na him dey play Simi. But maybe na she dey play am.

E dey pain Naija boy to feel say woman fit use am. E go wan prove point.

Tobi vex, grab phone, commot from lounge. He coldly dial Simi number. But na machine answer: "Sorry, the number you dialed is not available..."

Tobi just laugh, vex. "Well done, Simi."

He clench jaw, throw phone for ground, enter stairwell. He sabi where Simi poor house dey. She dey fear make her mama know about dem. Tonight, na her house he dey go. He go show her pepper for her own bed.

That stubborn spirit wey dey Naija boy body don enter him soul. No go sleep till e settle matter.