Chapter 6: New Beginnings and No More Looking Back

Now, after he waka without talk, I see am again!

The shock still dey my body. As I dey see am, my heart dey beat, tears dey roll.

The more I think am, the more I dey cry.

I try hide face, but Jide hold me, dey calm me.

Jide just dey look me, eyes sharp, wait make I talk.

He dey patient, but e no wan talk until I calm down. He rub my back.

But I just dey cry, no talk.

My voice refuse to come out. I just dey sob, hold am.

After a while, the guy wey dey vex before, come mellow. He hold my face, sigh, "Na wah, I don fall for you!"

Jide use him thumb clean my tears, him face soft. "Na you dey make me craze like this."

"So you go still leave again?"

I ask, my voice small. The fear dey my chest.

"Leave? See as you dey cry, how I go fit leave?"

He hug me tight. For that moment, I feel safe. I close my eyes, rest.

I still no trust am.

Even as I try relax, my heart dey do me somehow. I no want repeat wahala.

Tired from cry, I hold am tight, no gree let go.

My hand tight for his shirt. I no wan release.

He no get choice, so he lie down with me.

He just lie beside me, rub my back till sleep catch me.

I sleep well.

For the first time in months, my body rest. I no dream bad dream.

When I wake, Jide no dey!

I shock, fear catch me. My chest dey beat. I jump check phone.

My phone dey silent, with 99+ missed calls—half na from Obinna!

The phone nearly burst. I check notifications, see plenty missed calls. Some from Obinna, some from unknown number.

On top that, our old school group suddenly dey hot.

WhatsApp dey ring. Old schoolmates dey drag gist for group.

Obinna send message say he wan do reunion.

He post voice note, dey invite everybody. Group dey hot.

[If na Senior Obinna dey host, I go show!]

[All those my old crushes, time to shine!]

[I hear say Senior Jide don come back, invite am!]

[Senior Jide? Jide? When he come back?]

[Gist just dey fly!]

[Na him! I be die-hard fan, I dey follow all him gist! I hear say he come back this time to propose to the babe wey he like for ten years!]

[Abeg, who dey bring zobo for reunion? If na only mineral, I no dey come o!]

Dem dey drag am. The thing dey sweet me small.

As I dey read, person snatch my phone.

Sharp hand just collect my phone. I look up, na Jide.

Jide face just near me.

He dey smile, eye dey shine. I relax.

He ruffle my hair. "You sleep well?"

He use hand scatter my hair, dey laugh.

I shake head, move go his lap.

I dey act like small pikin. He pull me close, my head for him thigh.

"I think say you no go come."

I talk am with small sadness, but I dey tease am.

Before I come back, I send am my address for email.

I no get hope say e go see am. My finger dey shake as I type am that night.

He no reply.

The silence pain me. For my mind, I dey hope say na network wahala.

I think say he too busy check mail, but as I land, na so I see am!

As I reach house, Jide just dey wait me for veranda. I shock, my body melt.

If I say I no shock, na lie.

E sweet me. Tears nearly drop for my eye.

But inside the shock, fear still dey.

The fear of old pain. But I dey try trust am.

He pull me for chest. "You dey vex?"

He hug me, voice low. I shake head, bury face.

I hug his waist, bury my face, no talk.

The hug long, comfort me. I no wan let go.

He soften voice: "That day I rush go, phone lost, I no fit reach you! But later I still find you, abi?"

He dey try explain, his voice dey beg small.

"You no dey vex again, abi?"

I still dey reason, but his voice calm me.

After he waka, I just dey low for long.

That period, I no dey talk, I no dey laugh. Neighbours dey ask, I just dey pretend.

When people talk say rich woman carry am, I believe!

My mind run wild. I dey jealous, dey imagine things wey no happen.

Phone no dey go, WhatsApp no reply—na like say he vanish!

I try all means, nothing work. I nearly give up.

If he no find me, I for call police!

The thought funny me, but na true. I dey miss am like mad.

As I turn for his arm, I ask:

I dey look him face, dey try catch any sign.

"So why you no reply my email?"

I use soft voice, dey tease am small.

"As I see your mail, I buy ticket sharp. I wan surprise you! But na you shock me instead!"

He laugh, dey tickle me small. I smile, my heart warm.

As he see me with Obinna, e pain am too!

He mention am, his face serious. I touch his cheek.

I smile. "But I never forgive you!"

I talk am, dey form angry.

He bend, the air just change.

E come close, eye serious. I dey prepare for anything.

"Then I go use my own way."

His smile sly. I know say trouble dey come.

I try run, but he hold my leg, drag me back.

He pull me, I dey laugh, dey struggle. Na play but e sweet me.

No let Jide fine face deceive you—in private, na another person!

I push his chest. "Jide, I just land o…"

I dey form tired, but he no gree.

"No worry, na me go do the work, you just relax!"

He wink, carry me like say I be feather. I just surrender.

After everything, na midnight!

The night long, but I no complain. My body relax, mind at peace.

I hungry, tired, dey sulk for his arm.

I dey act stubborn, but my heart dey soft. He dey rub my back.

He happy, talk about reunion.

He dey yarn, dey plan, dey shine teeth. I dey nod, dey play along.

"My guy ask me—make you follow me go?"

He dey wait for my answer. I dey shy.

I play with am: "Obinna go dey there. You no fear say something fit happen?"

I dey test am. Jide just laugh.

His hand run my waist, smile bright like say he wan blind me!

He look me, say: "Try am make I see!"

I burst laugh. The love dey real.

This guy no dey joke.

Na true. Jide no dey fear anybody, no dey do fake.