Chapter 3: Old Flames and New Drama

Next day, na my secondary school reunion for one small hall near Festac. Hold up jam me for road, by the time I reach, everybody don dey play game.

Lagos traffic na real wahala—conductor even run me rough, say I resemble person wey no sabi waka. I reach venue, dust my slippers, enter hall with smile like nothing do me. As I enter, the faint smell of jollof and sweat just greet me. Generator dey hum for outside, and I taste the chilled malt wey dem serve—e cold, sweet, enter body.

I look round, no see Seyi. As I scan the hall, I dey find familiar faces—some people don fat, some don bleach, others still resemble old gist partner. One heavy sigh escape my chest, I do small sign of the cross for mind. E go better.

Halfway inside the game, person come talk:

"Seyi say he dey come soon o. Wetin dey hold am?"

"Maybe na traffic hold am."

"You hear say that Young Master Seyi, wey stay abroad for years, come back because of first love. Na true?"

"Abeg, I see am for here last week."

Na so gossip start. Old classmates—anything na gist.

As I hear him name, my heart just skip. E be like mosquito bite my chest. I try bone, but my mind dey shake. I grab my phone and bag, dey package excuse.

Suddenly, the private room door open. AC freeze the air, all eyes face door, silence everywhere. The only thing I fit hear na generator hum outside and people breath hold.

Na Seyi walk enter. Him shoe dey shine, shirt starch, face set. Our eyes jam. Nobody surprise, but my mind dey run. I remember that our old joke—when him go hide my biro for class, then beg me with gala and La Casera. The way he used to wink and say, "No vex, I go pay you back." That memory just jam my chest, make my hand dey shake small.

After all these years, Seyi don lose that small boy look. Him face sharp, mature, get that oga for the office vibe. Beard dey connect now—no be that patch-patch style wey boys dey manage for NYSC camp. Him eyes dey sharp, but e get one kain calmness. Na that Yoruba demon upgrade.

Next thing, him eyes land on me. E linger, but he no talk anything. Everybody dey observe. The love and soft look for him eye before don vanish. He just greet me gently:

"Long time no see."

Voice deep, with that radio smoothness. No shakara for the greeting. He raise chin small, give small smile, greet the other classmates. He do head nod, greet boys, smile give girls—no overdo.

As I wan comot, my friends hold me. Nkem grab my hand for under table. "No run o! Stay!" Tega join, dey use leg press my knee. "Chuchu, abeg stay till the end. We hardly dey gather like this. Game go soon finish."

Dem dey beg, eyes dey pity. I just bone, do small fake smile, drop my bag again.

I siddon like person wey lose bet. Eyes dey everywhere but Seyi side. Seyi sef join. Him carry chair, siddon like boss. Leg cross, hand for table, but eyes dey my direction.

As he sit, me wey never lose since, just lose sharp-sharp. My luck just vanish. Card wey I dey play no dey arrange again. Everybody dey notice.

For game, Tega—wey always like to disturb me—suddenly ask:

"Chuchu, you still single?"

As e ask, everybody pause. I see people dey sip drink, look my side. Na Tega work be that.

As he ask, Seyi just look my side, even forget to play card, dey look worried. Him eyes dey my face, card drop for table. Mouth small open. Na there I know say matter don pass joke.

Not as talkative as he dey for chat o. For WhatsApp, na paragraph. For here, na silence and side eye.

I just wan play, I form vex face, begin yarn nonsense:

"I don divorce, get pikin. My pikin don reach three years, dey go nursery."

I talk am with straight face. Everybody shock. I sip drink like say na truth. Seyi just squeeze face, frown deep. E choke, I see veins for him neck. Him hand shake small.

Everybody for the room shock, no believe. Tega mouth hang open like NEPA wire—sweet victory. I see Peace choke on groundnut.

"Serious? No believe say na you first marry among us."

"We sabi your husband? That small girl I see you carry that time na your pikin?"

"Ah ah, Chuchu, you no invite us for wedding?"

"Abi the guy too ugly, you dey shame?"

The room scatter with questions. Tega and her girls dey lead, others dey nod. Na mostly Tega and her clique dey talk. Dem dey overdo, laugh dey join insult. Na so our set dey.

I just laugh, continue the lie:

"No wedding, na only marriage certificate."

I spread hand, do like say na serious talk. Everybody burst laugh.

Seyi just sigh, pinch him nose, pick whiskey from table. E take big gulp, swallow slow. Hand still dey shake.

I look am small. Him face strong, eyes dey avoid my own. I just dey wonder wetin dey him mind. I see ring for him finger. Na that same gold band with small diamond wey I know. My heart just skip.

My head just dey buzz. Na the same ring I throw away that year when we break up. The realization knock me like slap. E dey pain small, but I just bone face.