Chapter 6: Public Love, Private Battles

As Tobi go play ball again, I buy the water wey he dey drink, waka go court.

The sun hot, my body dey sweat. I carry pure water, dey look Tobi for field. Him body dey shine, everybody dey hail am. I dey proud.

He fine well as he dey play ball, hormones just dey show. As he see me, his play come fierce, he lead team win big.

I dey watch am, heart dey pound. I hope say e go see me. Girls dey plenty, but my own na special.

Girls plenty for side. As Tobi come, all of them wan give am water. But Tobi just bone, waka straight to me.

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

I no like attention, I no wan be centre. But I gats obey Tobi. Since he leave my house that day, he send me 200,000 naira. I dey fear say if he vex, he fit collect money back.

For my mind, I dey pray say make nothing spoil. For this Naija, anything fit happen.

I breathe deep, force smile.

"Tobi, see your water."

My hand dey shake. I dey fear say dem go laugh me. The sun dey burn, sweat dey my back.

Tobi stop, no collect. Everywhere quiet. Girls dey whisper. I bow my head, sun dey hot, I lick my dry lips. My hand dey drop.

My heart dey beat kpokpo. I dey wish say ground go swallow me.

Then Tobi talk.

"My hand dey pain me. Feed me."

E shock me. For my mind, I dey think say this one na big sign. All the girls dey look.

I freeze, then blush. Everywhere gasp. I hear one girl cry, "Why her? Wetin I no get wey she get?"

Na so dem dey do for campus. Jealousy dey run for girls like blood.

Tobi talk again: "You no hear?"

I quickly open bottle, tiptoe give am water. Tobi drink, then whisper, "Come my place tonight."

The thing sweet me, but e dey fear me too. I dey hope say no wahala go enter.

I nod sharp. But for my mind, wahala dey. Na new bet be this? Or wetin? Before, Tobi no want make people know us.

For Naija, if boy show you for public, e mean say you matter. But sometimes, na another game.

All afternoon, I no rest. As I go out, I see Tobi. He and his friends dey go rooftop again.

The sun dey set, breeze dey blow. My mind dey heavy. I dey pray say make Tobi reason me well.

"Tobi, you wan make everybody know you and Simi dey?"

The question dey my mind, but I no fit talk am loud. I stop, turn back, quietly follow them.

For this life, na so e be. Love dey sweet, but Naija fit twist your story anyhow. I just dey pray say make my own better pass.