Chapter 1: My Destiny Na Supporting Character

I be the overseas 'white moonlight'—that irreplaceable, ideal first love—inside one stubborn big man story. The reason wey I travel abroad no be to go study or for hospital matter, na because I collect fifty million naira from the CEO mama hand. My system don warn me since: my destiny for this story na just to be cannon fodder, that wicked supporting character. Later, another woman go show for Seyi side, she go resemble me about sixty percent, but she no reach me for anywhere, and she go come take my place finish.

Omo, if person hear this kind gist for bus, dem fit call am telenovela or one of those African Magic stories. Me wey dey live am, the pain dey real, the drama na another level. The money? Fifty million fit turn anybody head, but if you sabi wetin love fit do person for this Lagos, you go understand say no be only money dey sweet belle. Sometimes na memory, sometimes na the pain of losing wetin you fit no get again. For my mind, I dey wonder: which kain wahala be this wey na my own portion?

At first, I just dey laugh. How man go better pass money?

But as breeze blow reach everywhere, I come dey look the matter with different eye. E be like say, last last, both the man and the money dey ginger me.

"Morayo, abeg remember, you must make Seyi fall in love with you, then you go dump am, insult am, scatter im loyal heart into pieces…

Na that time your mission go complete.

Once you finish your mission, you fit dodge the wahala wey dem write for your life before."

I squint under the hot sun, dey listen to that thing for my mind—the so-called system—dey yarn with that sweet, convincing voice.

Na this kind heat wey dey bake person, make eye dey pepper. As I dey cross main gate of university, my body dey sweat, I dey manage the load wey I dey drag, yet the only companion wey get my time na this system wey dey preach mission like village prophet.

Today na my first day for university. After that heavy fever during long holiday, na so one 'system' just land for my head. Like all those film tricks, I hear voice for my mind dey tell me say my life na inside novel.

I remember say fever no be small, my mama even call family prayer point, dey pour olive oil everywhere, dey cover me with Psalm 91. Na after the fever clear finish, this strange system just dey ring for my ear like radio wey no get off button.

E tell me say this world na from novel, and my role inside am dey very important.

The thing weak me. Ordinary novel? Me wey never even get time read finish Chimamanda book, na im I go become character for story I no write?

The male lead first love, the 'white moonlight', for university days.

Because of me, the male lead go meet im real female lead; and because of me and the female lead, dem go enter wahala, break up, settle, she go run, he go chase am—just like all those Nollywood romance.

I just dey picture all the dramatic soundtrack and slow-motion scene dem go do for us. Na wah o!

The fine, shining white moonlight go come back Naija, only to see say the man wey love am before, don love another woman. She go turn the bitter supporting character, lay the last block for the main couple love, then waka commot with pain.

Hmm…

To talk true, I begin reason whether fever don fry my brain, or maybe na spiritual wahala dey worry me.

Na so I begin dey ask myself, "Abi na arrow from my village people?" I even check my calendar whether I pass any suspicious junction. For this Lagos, e fit be anything!

But after I check myself for whole holiday—and even sneak go see pastor for deliverance—I reach one conclusion.

The deliverance sweet sha. Pastor pour anointing oil, dey pray with holy anger. Still, system no gree leave. So I accept my fate. Me, Morayo, I go finish this mission.

"Morayo, you reach school?" my mama ask me for phone.

My mama voice soft, but e still carry that small warning wey dey hide inside every Naija mother call. I hear her bang spoon for background, probably dey prepare stew for evening.

As correct 'white moonlight', my family no suppose too poor, but no suppose too rich either. We dey manage, still chop rice and stew every Sunday, but no be to buy new car every year. If not, why I go collect fifty million from CEO mama? My family balance well for that level—just say my parents too busy, and my university no dey my hometown, so na me register myself as fresher.

The thing dey pepper small, but na true. My papa dey run business for Abuja, mama dey teach for polytechnic. Na only phone and bank alert dey connect us most times.

For the story, I even live with Seyi for third year, no wahala at all.

Na so e be for the script, but for my own mind, I dey always wonder how dem take allow am—maybe na love plus small spiritual covering. Na Naija, people dey always monitor daughter like CCTV.

"Mummy, I don reach, no worry... Na just say my load plenty... Mm, e dey okay, volunteers dey here, I go call dem help soon."

She dey quick bless me before call cut: "God go cover you with im blood o. No let any boy deceive you for that school, abeg."

After I drop call, one senior come, carry my load, say e wan help me. I see say e no wear the red volunteer tag, so I reason say make I no gree.

My street sense sharp. You no fit catch Morayo anyhow. Volunteer wey no carry tag? For this campus? Lai lai.

After all, as white moonlight, I suppose pure and kind. How I go just dey collect help anyhow from stranger?

Na small voice inside my head dey always say, "Morayo, no let dem stain your white."

As the system show for the end, me and my family no get better ending. You fit talk say after Seyi gather power, na so e scatter us, leave our family for ground.

I fit see the scene for mind—na so all the family property dey scatter like sand for harmattan. My papa go dey vex, my mama go just dey cry silent tears, dey pray anyhow.

Chai, see grudge, see hate. Na just say dem dump person?

Abi na because I try spoil im love and wound the stand-in wey e love pass?

I dey ask myself: "E reach like that? All because of love and small jealousy?"

"No o, junior, na just forget I forget the tag wey school give us. Wait, my roommate go bring am soon."

The guy voice dey try sound harmless, but e get as e be. I dey always trust my spirit, and for Lagos, if e get as e be, e get as e be.

I no wan argue, so I drag another box, dey ready go. Since when I small, people dey always toast me, but I still dey maintain my manners. I talk gently, "Thank you, senior, but no need to stress yourself. I fit carry am."

My politeness na my shield. I dey form gentle, but my eye dey shine like street cat. E get as e be for this campus.

"No wahala, junior, my roommate dey come." He press my box with one hand. I frown small.

I dey look the guy, dey calculate if I go fit outrun am if wahala burst. You gats wise up, abeg.

"Here, here! Seyi, Bros Seyi, here o!" He wave to person behind me.

My heart skip. That name, Seyi, just cut through my mind like NEPA light after blackout. E be like say I don reach one turning point.

Hmm.

I turn. Sun dey shine scatter. One boy for white shirt and black trouser dey come, hold red volunteer tag for hand. I no too see im face clear. Sun dey bounce for im skin, e forehead dey shine small like person wey just chop amala.

Na that kain sun wey dey make person squeeze face. But as I dey look, I notice the confidence wey dey his waka. Im presence just dey command respect.

System don already describe Seyi as proud and wicked, but… Who be this fine, gentle, fresh campus guy? Abi na just name resemble?

But I really like this type o…

Na so my mind dey dance small. My spec be this, even if I dey pretend say e no reach like that.

"Junior, see am, I no dey lie." The senior quickly wear the tag, pick my two boxes, dey ready go.

I dey smile inside my mind. For this life, packaging dey important. If you sabi arrange yourself, people go believe you.

As I turn back, I see im roommate and I still dey stand. "Bros Seyi, you fit dey go. I go deliver the load for junior, I go thank you when I come back."

The way dem dey do like say na load Olympics, I just dey observe. Everybody dey form helper, but na only me the load dey pepper.

"No need, I go help junior with the load too." As he talk, he collect my laptop bag.

As he collect am, im hand brush my own. Small shiver waka for my skin, but I hold face like I no feel anything.

I still dey wonder: …

Red-tag senior: …

This small load, two tall men fit carry am well, especially as one just dey carry laptop bag.

Na only for Naija you go see two men dey drag who go help fine babe. I dey enjoy the attention, but I still dey guard myself. Man matter no dey finish.

"Junior, abeg add me for WhatsApp. If anything worry you, just call me. My surname na Musa, you fit call me Bros Musa." When we reach girls’ hostel, Senior Musa drop one box, dey breathe hard.

Bros Musa dey try form sharp guy. I just dey laugh for mind. I nod, bring out my phone. "Thank you, Senior Musa."

He smile, look happy.

Na so the guy teeth dey shine like new generator. For this Lagos, if person show you kindness, you gats appreciate am, but you still gats use sense.

Light block for my front, one cool voice sound: "Junior, your laptop bag."

The voice just soft but get small baritone, e fit melt ice block. I turn quick.

"Thank you too… this… senior."

Im mouth wey dey tight before, relax small, he nod with style. "My surname na Seyi."

E talk am like say e dey drop password. I just smile, my heart dey do one kind. For mind, I dey sing small praise song say I don finally jam am.