Chapter 6: Fake Love, Hot Iron

After dem rescue me, I no fit go out for long. Friends wey betray me, kidnap, collect money, naked picture—all leave scar for my mind. My body dey shake every time.

Any small sound go make me jump. Even when phone ring, my heart go cut. Night dey hard, I dey sweat, dey remember all the evil. For day, I dey avoid everybody. My mama dey cry, my papa dey pray. But I just dey hide for corner, dey try breathe.

For night, my mama go kneel by my bed, dey pray Psalm 91, tears dey soak her wrapper. That period, na Abdullahi—wey always dey cold and get sharp mouth—stay with me. I never see am gentle and patient like that—with me.

E go buy food, sit for my bed, dey gist small. If I no wan talk, e go just dey read book, play soft music. If I cry for night, e go wake, bring water, pat my back. For the first time, I see soft side of Abdullahi. My heart dey melt.

He just sabi as my mind don break. Normally, he no dey talk, but now, he dey chat with me every day. I dey live for him private flat. He help me take leave for school, cover up for my parents, even use connection teach Musa Garba and him gang lesson. Even Timi and Sunkanmi, wey be him padi, he no let dem near me.

E make sure say nobody hear gist. For school, if anybody ask about me, e go just wave am off. E report Musa Garba and the rest give police, but e use him papa connection make sure dem pay but e no cause wahala for my papa. E protect me, e shield me like umbrella for heavy rain.

He make sure nobody hear wetin happen, nobody disturb me or touch my wound. Like cold rain wey turn to soft breeze, he just dey protect me quietly.

If I wan bath, e go wait outside, e dey make sure nobody disturb. If I sleep, e dey check room, lock everywhere. The peace wey e bring, na only God fit describe am.

Him maturity, calmness, and the way he handle things make me dey open up, dey depend on am more.

After some weeks, I dey laugh again. I dey talk, dey read book. Abdullahi fit just smile, talk small joke, I go laugh like mad person. Na him patience heal me pass medicine.

Last last, I no fit hold myself. With hope and fear, I ask am, "Why... you dey treat me so well?"

I no fit sleep that night. My heart dey beat fast. I just gats know, because the way he dey carry me, e pass friendship.

I still remember that day. Abdullahi wear house cloth, sit for carpet near me, sleeve roll up, show him fine, strong hand. He dey spin pen for finger. No glasses, small black hair fall for forehead, make am look soft.

E dey press remote, dey change channel, but no dey watch TV. E just dey look me with eye wey dey talk, but no words come out.

When he look up, him eyes soft, full love wey I never see before.

Na that moment, my heart skip. I see something for him eye wey words no fit describe.

He no answer, just smile, ask me: "You wan date me?"

As e talk am, e smile, but small sweat dey him forehead. E dey wait my answer, e no sure. For my mind, na miracle.

Na so the thing hit me for heart.

E shock me, I no fit talk for seconds. I just dey look am, dey wonder if na dream.

I fall for am, the way he soft that period. I no get reason to say no.

Na that kind love wey dey grow from pain, na e be this one. As e hold my hand, I feel say I fit trust again.

As he dey care for me, I begin recover, dey happy again. Now if I look back, e still dey like dream.

Each day, e dey make me smile. My body dey heal, my mind dey free. I go gist my mama for phone, say, "Mummy, I dey okay. Abdullahi dey take care of me." She go thank God.

Abdullahi dey act like he no send, but na jealous person. When I dey with am, Timi no fit put hand for my shoulder again. Sunkanmi stop all him rubbish talk. Anything wey dey worry me, Abdullahi go take am serious.

Dem dey fear Abdullahi small—if he dey, everybody dey behave. If he talk, e go carry weight. For my mind, na so man suppose be. I dey proud say na me get am.

I too happy, I think say true love don land. I even imagine, many times, which kind wedding gown I go wear if I marry am.

At night, I go dey sketch gown for book. Sometimes, I go tell my mama, "White lace or gold lace?" My papa go smile, bless me. For my dream, everything dey sweet.

But na act.

But everything just scatter one day. All the sweet dey wash.

Na act.

I fit shout am hundred times—everything na film trick.

Everything he do—na fake.

All the caring, all the patience—na setup. I no go ever forget the shock.

I no go ever forget that day.

That day, my heart break finish. E pain me like say snake bite me.

First time I cook, my hand full wound, food scatter everywhere, but I still cook full table—eighteen dishes. All because Abdullahi say he wan chop my food for him birthday.

I wake 4am, dey chop onions, pepper dey bite my eye. My finger dey cut, but I no stop. I wan impress Abdullahi, show say I fit do anything for am. Na so I slave for kitchen, sweat dey pour for my body like say I dey inside danfo wey AC spoil.

But as bell ring, I no get praise or thank you. Na laugh I see.

As door open, everywhere scatter with laughter. My body cold. I dey hold spatula, dey look lost.

Big laugh.

All of dem dey roll for floor. Even househelp wey dey pass, dey cover mouth dey laugh. For my mind, I dey shame.

Plenty people dey laugh me anyhow. Sunkanmi hold belle, laugh till e bend. Timi dey grin, dey whistle, dey video me as I stand confuse with apron and spatula for hand.

Timi use him phone dey snap, Sunkanmi dey point pot wey rice burn. Abdullahi just dey lean for wall, dey smile like say e dey enjoy the show. Tears dey my eye, but I bone face.

And Abdullahi.

He just lean for door, dey smile small, dey look everything like say na him win.

E no talk, e no stop them. E just dey enjoy the joke, dey watch me dey shame. Na then I know say I don lose.

"Who go believe say our stubborn Miss Musa fit dey cook like housewife? Hahaha..."

Sunkanmi voice loud. Everybody dey echo am, dey call me housewife. Shame dey finish me. My hand dey shake.

"Good thing the bet na only one month. If not, Abdullahi, she for don born for you, hahaha."

Dem dey talk as if say my own na to dey serve dem. Nobody send my feelings. Na then my eye open.

"Ha, e sweet o. Next time, na my turn to play, abi?"

Timi jump from chair, dey talk as if say na game. My chest dey tight. I just dey look everybody, dey wonder if na same people wey I trust before.

As Timi talk am, he stop, look me, then just shrug, smile. "She don hear am, abi? Next time, make we try new style."

E point camera for my face, wink. I no fit talk. For my mind, I know say nothing go ever remain the same again.

For their eyes, I be just plaything. For my heart, pain dey burn like hot iron.

I swear, from that day, I no trust anybody again—especially those wey call me family.