Chapter 4: Street Heat

Next day, after Ifedayo waka, I go school to pack. As I reach gate, person block me.

The sun dey hot, but I no send. As I dey carry my load reach hostel, na so I jam Seyi. E block my road like checkpoint.

Seyi look pale, like person wey never sleep, ask me, “Where you go?”

E eye red, shirt rough. I see say e never baff. The way e block me, e look like person wey dey find fight.

“I dey with my boyfriend. Wetin concern you?”

I no even look e face, just waka pass. I no get time for all this drama.

Him chest dey rise and fall, angry.

I see say e dey vex, hand dey shake. E try form strong, but I know say na jealousy dey kill am.

“Him? Na him dey try? Wetin I no get wey him get?”

E voice loud, like say e dey challenge me for court. I no gree answer.

“If he no try, you try?”

I face am, eye clear. E no expect my reply, so e just freeze.

“We don dey together since secondary school. He pay my school fees.”

E voice soft small, like say e dey beg for pity. But I no move.

“Everything I get, na him buy am. So how he no try? For this our relationship, if person no try, na me. I no reach him level.”

I talk am with bold face. For my mind, na only Ifedayo dey give me true support. Seyi just dey do noise.

I just vex. “For my mind, you no reach him at all. Na only money you get pass am, na that one dey give you confidence?”

My eye sharp, I no gree for am. Seyi mouth open, e no believe say I fit talk am like that.

Seyi think say he don catch me, voice loud.

E voice come out higher, like say e wan shame me for road. People begin look us small.

“Yes, I get money. You wan suffer with that poor boy?”

E chest dey up, nose dey flare. For e mind, na money be everything.

“Sorry, na that ‘poor boy’ dey take care of me. Even if he no get, I no get pass am. If you try disturb me again, my boyfriend go show you pepper.”

I talk am strong, voice loud. Some girls for corner dey whisper, dey look Seyi like say e don lose.

Seyi no send. “Your boyfriend dey carry block for site now, he no get time for you.”

E try insult Ifedayo, but I no move. For my mind, na that site work dey pay my bills.

He try grab my hand.

E hand cold, e grip tight. I try pull away, but e stubborn.

My hand tighten on my bag, sweat dey prick my back. My heart dey beat, but I no show am for face.

Next thing, one hand just hold Seyi arm strong. “If na my babe matter, I get time die.”

Voice from my back, deep and sure. Na Ifedayo. E grip Seyi like say e wan break e bone.

Seyi shout, “Ah! Ah! Ah!”

E mouth open, eye wide. People dey look, some dey laugh.

Ifedayo no move, hand strong like iron. Voice cold:

E face hard, voice low but dangerous. "Leave my babe alone. You know say people like me—poor boys—our life no too get value. But your own different."

Seyi face white, nod quick. As Ifedayo loose am, he run go.

E no even look back, just dash commot. Boys for street dey hail, "Correct guy! Show am say love no be for mouth!" Some dey clap, some dey laugh, the whole area just dey buzz.

Ifedayo look me, face get one kind—like say e touch am, but e dey shy.

E eye soft small, as e dey check me. I know say e dey worry, but e no wan talk am out.

After small time, e face calm.

E sigh, scratch head. "You talk say he dey disturb you, so why you come back?"

“You talk say you no like me again.”

I raise eyebrow, dey tease am. Ifedayo just dey look, no sure wetin to talk.

Ifedayo just panic. “When I talk that one?”

E voice rise, like person wey fear catch. E look me like say I wan set trap for am.

“So why you sleep for sofa?”

I ask am, voice soft. E just freeze, no know wetin to answer.

Ifedayo face just change colour—green, white, red—like chameleon.

E try form strong, but e dey blush. I see say e dey shy.

“You be girl, why you dey so free?” At last, he just talk, “I no, I no hate you.”

E voice low, like say e dey confess. My mind sweet me.

After I pack, Ifedayo carry me back to the house.

E help me carry bag, make sure say nobody block me again. E open car door, I enter. As we dey drive, I dey look e face, e just dey smile small.

“You don get internship?”

E ask me, voice soft. I shake head, dey wait e next talk.

“No.”

I answer, my mind dey reason wetin next.

“From today, come work for our company.” Before I happy finish, he add,

E voice sure, but e add condition sharp sharp.

“Your salary go pay your debt.”

I open mouth, wan complain, but e just dey smile.

“So wetin I go chop?”

I ask am, voice small, like person wey dey beg.

Ifedayo blush, try form serious: “Company dey provide food and bed.”

E try keep straight face, but e mouth dey curve. I just laugh, dey thank God say my matter don better small.