Chapter 5: The Truth or Dare Betrayal

That night na my first time for bar. True true, Halima dey sit near one big guy. The guy no ugly, just get that street boy look, dey try put hand for her body.

The smell for bar, mixture of fried meat, beer, and sweat, choke small. My mind dey alert, dey look everybody. If na home, my papa no go ever gree make I enter that kind place.

Davido dey blast for speaker, boys dey nod head, girls dey snap for Snapchat. The whole place just dey alive, drinks and pepper soup full table.

Chijioke just waka go, push the guy commot, carry Halima for him side, dey look the guy from under eye.

He bone face, e eyes cold. The guy shift, but e still dey form hard man. All the other boys dey look, dey wait see whether wahala go start.

"Respect yourself. Na my babe be this."

The way he talk, everybody for table hear am. Some just dey nod head, others dey smile. Na so area boys dey take warn person.

Chijioke don dey learn fight since pikin. As he just bone face, the guy fear, no fit talk.

Dem sabi say Chijioke no dey carry last. Even for inter-house sports, na he dey first dey fight if dem push him friend.

The rest try calm everywhere:

One babe wey get long braids just laugh, try change topic. "Abeg, abeg, make we no do action film here."

"Make we play Truth or Dare. Na Sodiq dey pay today—order anything you want."

Dem begin call waiter, some dey shout for pepper soup, others for malt. Sodiq just dey flex, dey show say money no be problem.

Sodiq na the guy wey dey disturb Halima. Dem talk say him family dey do street runs; all the shops for that road dey pay him papa money.

Sodiq na local boss, if e enter anywhere, boys dey greet am. But for this matter, he just dey test Halima.

He be friend to Halima friend boyfriend, from technical college. After he meet Halima for one group outing, he start to chase her.

From the way Halima dey dodge, I sabi say she no really like am. But Sodiq na hard guy, e no dey take no.

Halima don turn am down plenty times, but he no gree. This outing na to confirm if Halima really get boyfriend as she talk.

Everybody for table dey observe, dey wait see whether na fake love Halima dey form.

Chijioke just bone, drop Zenith Bank platinum card for table.

The way he drop am, e be like movie. The card flash, everybody eyes open.

"No need, I go pay for everything tonight."

He talk am calm, but pride full the voice. Na so boys dey use style show say dem dey okay.

Everybody just dey look the platinum card.

Even the DJ for bar look our table. Small hush dey go round.

One of the boys shout, "Guy, na big boy you be o!"

One girl eye shine:

She just dey hype, dey raise voice.

"Na the real platinum card be this? Halima, you dey hide better boyfriend from us! Fine boy, get money!"

Na so everybody dey tease Halima. I just dey look ground, dey squeeze bottle water for hand.

Halima just smile, lean on Chijioke.

Her own smile get meaning. E dey show say she dey enjoy the attention.

My hand just dey squeeze small. Chijioke look my side, but I turn face, no want see am.

Jealousy dey bite me for inside, but I no wan let anybody see.

Sodiq face don change. Maybe him friend babe fear say fight go start, so she pick beer bottle:

As she spin the bottle, tension just full everywhere. People dey wait make bottle land for person wey go scatter table.

"Make we play Truth or Dare. Anyone wey bottle point, na your turn."

Everybody just dey pick easy question. Nobody wan do mad dare, but I dey sense say wahala dey come.

After some rounds, everybody dey pick truth, nobody ask wahala question.

The game dey slow, but people dey laugh, dey gist.

Just as I relax, think say the night go pass, bottle stop for Halima front.

My body stiff. I fit hear my own breath.

She smile, push her hair back:

She dey form bold, but I know say she dey do extra.

"I pick dare."

Everybody just shout, "Ehen!" Me I dey pray say e go be small dare.

My mind just cut—bad feeling dey rise.

I fit feel my pulse for my hand, as if my body dey shout 'danger'.

True true, the girl beside her shout:

Dem don plan am. That dare no be by mistake.

"Pick any guy here, kiss am—French kiss o!"

Everybody just dey shout, "Kiss! Kiss!" The whole bar dey watch.

Halima blush, look Chijioke.

Her face red, but she dey look am as if na movie dem dey act.

Chijioke face just hard, frown deep.

He dey try hold himself. Na pride and confusion dey fight inside am.

"Then I pick—" As Sodiq face dey change, Halima just point Chijioke.

E point sharp, no time waste. Sodiq just dey burn for corner.

Chijioke face don dark.

I never see am like that. Even the tattoo for him arm dey shake small.

"Pick another dare."

He voice low, but e get weight. People hush, but the girls dey cheer.

The girl just laugh: "Una no be couple? Wetin dey shame? Kiss! Kiss!"

Even the barman clap hand, shout, "Na only once o!"

Everybody dey shout. Sodiq dey look dem well: "You sure say you be Halima boyfriend?"

He dey size Chijioke, like say he wan test him mind.

Halima just smile small, hold Chijioke arm, lips dey shake:

Her hand soft, but e grip tight. My heart dey beat anyhow.

"Chijioke..."

My heart just dey cold.

E be like say cold water pour me. I dey watch, but I no fit move.

Chijioke just freeze, allow Halima move close. Just before her lips touch am, I stand up.

Na reflex, my leg just carry me up. Nobody fit hold me.

He shift him face small, Halima kiss land for the corner of his mouth.

The whole table burst, but my own world just dey slow.

He rush try hold me, but I drag my hand commot.

I no even look back. As I waka go outside, I hear person call my name, but I no answer.

I no even send anybody face, I just waka go outside straight.

For outside, night breeze slap my face. I just dey breathe, dey try hold tears. My phone dey vibrate, but I no wan check am. My chest dey burn, tears dey press for my eye, but I no go cry here. For that moment, I just dey ask God: "Why me?"

As I stand for outside, night breeze dey slap my face. I swear, this pain no go kill me. But how I go forgive Chijioke now?