Chapter 2: Fifty Million No Be Play

I no even send her, just give small fake smile.

With thousands dey watch me online and for studio, I force myself dial the number.

The busy tone just dey echo for studio.

Awkward silence full everywhere.

At last, the call connect.

Nobody talk for the other end.

With the speaker loud, na only steady breathing and small background noise I dey hear.

My throat dry, so I try do small polite talk.

“You dey for meeting?”

Obinna Nwokedi: “Mm.”

He no even talk plenty, just dry voice.

“E dey convenient to talk?”

Obinna Nwokedi: “Mm.”

Mm mm mm—see your life. After all these years we break up, you don turn to one-word machine?

The guests dey look me, all of them dey reason.

Halima Ruo even dey blink, form pity for me.

Abeg, make this embarrassment end quick...

“Erm, I wan borrow five hundred thousand naira from you.”

“If you no wan, no wahala.”

Even though na voice call, I fit feel as he pause. Then small laugh come out.

“You get mind, sha.”

His tone just cold, like early morning water wey never warm.

True true, next thing: beep beep beep beep—

He cut the call. Sharp.

Omo, all those high-rise buildings dey your name, but you no fit borrow your ex five hundred thousand? Stingy no be small.

I laugh small, try cover face. I fake a laugh, mutter under my breath: "Omo, na so life be. Person wey get money fit do anyhow."

“Sorry oh, I no too close to am.”

Halima Ruo pat my shoulder, dey form concern.

“Obinna dey busy this time, maybe he no get time for all these small things.”

“It’s okay, I go try. As long as we get the money, e good~”

For my mind, I dey yarn myself say make I no let these people see say e pain me. I just dey smile like say I no send, but e be like say stone dey press my chest. Na so this industry be—if you show small weakness, dem go use am do gist for months.

...

See as your own business dey important, my own na just play play.

Just like those WhatsApp group-buy, wey you dey price until nothing remain to cut.

If to say I no hide my relationship with Obinna Nwokedi that time, you for even get chance?

I squeeze face, lips tight like person wey chop bitter leaf. “Oya, try your luck.”

[See as Amaka Chu no get anything from big boss, she dey vex for Ruo Ruo]

[Ruo Ruo dey try help na]

[But wait, Halima Ruo own talk get as e be oh]

[True, as she no even reply na maturity]

[Una too dey sensitive]

[Ruo Ruo mouth dey sharp, but she no get bad mind. Industry people sabi am.]

[Amaka Chu just dey jealous—she no fit get am, but Ruo Ruo fit, na why she dey vex.]

[Abeg, wait make this her fake calm sister chop slap soon.]

I no send all the online wahala, I just dey watch Halima Ruo.

Her own call connect sharp sharp.

...

Omo, see as dem disgrace me.

“Wetin happen?”

Obinna Nwokedi voice even colder pass before.

“Brother Obinna, I dey outside dey do small chops. But my card just freeze. Abeg fit send me small money sharp sharp?”

She dey drag her voice, dey form baby.

Obinna Nwokedi pause. “Okay.”

See am, new babe after break up. No wahala.

I nearly bite my tongue to hold my face.

The production people no even gree remove my screen. Instead, dem put my own and Halima Ruo own side by side for the big screen.

Everybody hold breath, dey wait transfer alert.

[Ding~]

[Your account has received ₦10,000,000.00. The other party's account ending in 7144.]

Halima Ruo phone ring first. She turn back, dey form small smile.

“Amaka-jie, we don get money.”

As she talk finish, another alert pop up.

For my phone, for the big screen—

[Your account has received ₦50,000,000.00. The other party's account ending in 2222.]

The whole studio just burst. Cameramen dey shake, audience dey shout. The host mouth open like person wey see masquerade for afternoon. Some people even dey look their own phones, as if alert go reach them by mistake. I just dey sit there, dey process the madness.

Even the studio AC no fit cool my body again. Everywhere just hot.