Chapter 7: Chain Reaction

I no expect say Ifedike still get another package. E go buy chest chain, wear am under shirt. But e still dey act innocent, too shy to talk. The way e dey peep me from under hair, e dey do me one kind.

Ifedike dey gather style. For Naija, man wey sabi combine innocence with swag dey rare. E chest chain shine small under shirt, but e dey shy to show am. I dey look am, my eye dey sweet.

I run finger enter him hair, show him sharp eyebrow.

Na soft touch, but e dey make body shake. I dey appreciate the small details wey make man different. Eyebrow sharp, hair dey full, na sign say e dey try for me.

"Ifedike, next time trim your hair small."

Na advice I give, but my voice dey gentle. For Lagos, woman wey talk like this dey mean am well.

E lick water from lip. "E prick you?"

I choke small—na question get two meaning, but I just laugh, dodge am.

"No," I talk true. "Your eye fine, make people dey see am."

I talk am from my chest. For this life, compliment fit move mountain. I dey hope say e go smile.

Always dey act moody—if this one no be autism, wetin e be?

I dey reason am—maybe na trauma, maybe na something deeper. For Naija, some men dey hide pain under hard face.

For one second, Ifedike eye just light up like puppy. Next thing, blush just cover him face, ear, neck. E dey shy, stammer: "Sorry, I lose control."

The way e blush, I dey see innocence. E voice dey shake, but na real feeling. I dey try hold myself make I no go hug am.

Ifedike dey shame, dey vex. E drag him hair from my hand, cover him face.

I dey laugh inside. Na so man dey act, when compliment dey too heavy. E dey shy, but I know say e dey sweet am.

I just freeze. So na just one compliment make am scatter like this?

Na small thing dey make big difference. I dey wonder, maybe I suppose dey praise am more.

...

Morning, I finish bath, body dey sweet me. Ifedike still dey sleep. I no wan wake am, I go parlour chop. System pop up again.

[You two don do am again.]

Na so system dey monitor, dey gossip like area girl. My body dey soft, but I dey smile.

Na normal level.

For Naija, married people dey do pass this one, na only dem know wetin dey under wrapper.

[No, why you never run?]

System dey talk like my auntie wey dey worry about everything. I dey roll eye.

No be say e just catch me come back? Besides, e like me.

I dey justify myself. For my mind, na love dey hold us, even if wahala dey.

[You no understand.]

System dey panic, but I dey calm. For Lagos, panic no dey solve anything.

System dey panic.

[Ifedike go turn villain, possessive die. Later, e go fight male lead for heroine. Even if e like you now, plot no go change. E go still turn dark, go wan carry two.]

Na so I dey hear, but my mind dey focus on today. If future go scatter, e go scatter. For now, na enjoyment dey front.

That one no go work o.

I dey plan my own japa. If wahala show, na to carry bag jump keke or okada, japa sharp sharp.

[Best way: dey slow dey shift from am, no rush.]

I dey reason am. No be only me fit survive this kain plot.

Oya, even though I go miss that body, my life dey important pass.

Na so e be. My head dey correct, no be only body dey run this show.

Wait—system, after all this wahala, you suppose pay me something na.

For Lagos, nothing dey go free. Even system suppose give commission.

System laugh: [You don die for your original world. After here, all the property go be your own.]

Na so hope dey rise. For my mind, I dey see house, car, designer bag. Na only Naija babe fit dey reason like this after all the drama.

Better parents, billions, dresses, bags, houses—my eye dey shine.

For my mind, I dey arrange my new life. After all, suffering no dey last forever.

As I dey dream, kettle whistle. As I stand, shadow rush come hug my waist.

Na so I freeze, kettle for hand. Ifedike just dey cry, e body dey shake. I dey shock.

Ifedike tears dey drop, e weak me.

Tears no be small thing for Naija man. My heart dey cut, but I dey try form strong.

"Wetin happen?"

My voice dey gentle, fear dey hide inside.

"I think say you don leave me again."

E voice soft, like small pikin. I dey remember the way my cousin dey cry anytime her mama commot go market.

So abandonment issues join. I rub him hair, lie give am.

I dey use style, dey pet am like baby. For this life, sometimes lie dey save relationship.

"I no dey go anywhere. No fear."

My voice dey soft, but my mind dey plan escape route. I dey hope say e go calm down.

Ifedike hug me tighter, dey cry so tey my heart dey melt. Him fine eyebrow dey squeeze, eye red, face full of pain.

For that moment, all the gra gra just vanish. Na only love and pain remain. My chest dey soft, I dey rub am, dey hope say wahala go end.

"No leave me. If you leave, I go catch you, lock you."

Na so e talk, voice low. I dey fear, but I dey try smile.

[Small autism, big wahala. Ifedike, which other package you still get?]

[Ship dey sail! Big perv x autistic ghost.]

[Who dey fear for plot? Villain go chase heroine later—wetin babe go do?]

[Make we see you run, him pursue, love triangle, lock for house—bring am!]

Gist don dey fly everywhere. I dey wonder whether to laugh or cry. My body dey cold, but I still dey hope say peace go come.

I shiver. E be like say I go dey cold to Ifedike small. When e relax, I fit japa.

Na so plan dey form for my mind. I dey look for small opening, make I take escape if wahala burst.