Chapter 2: Arrival for Ikeja

The dry season after my second year for university, my papa and mama travel, so I gats stay for my brother apartment for Ikeja.

Sun dey hot that period, dust just dey fly for road, my slippers dey even collect am. As I reach bus-stop, my bag dey sweat with me, I dey pray make PHCN bring light today at least. My parents warn me make I no too waka anyhow, so my brother apartment for Ikeja na the only place wey my mind fit rest.

My brother dey work, but I sabi the door code.

Na that type wey e go hide for small paper for back of door, but me I sabi am off-head. I just dial am, hear beep, then enter. The room get that faint smell of fried plantain from last night still dey hang for air, plus small perfume and powder, with that man-thing my brother dey use. The house cool with AC, I thank God.

As I drag my box reach, open door, na so I hear person inside dey yab:

"Why you no allow your unborn younger brother or sister play instead?"

I just freeze for corridor, dey listen. The voice loud, e dey flow like those Yoruba boys wey sabi play banter. I peep small, e dey talk to computer.

"Abeg, you fit just go back make them born you again."

That voice, e too familiar.

Na the kind way e go drag word, finish with one small laugh. My mind just jump. The voice dey carry wahala, dey sweet my ear like church bell on Sunday.

Na him.

Tunde Adeyemi—my brother correct padi. Since secondary school dem dey together. I know say dem close, but I no expect say he dey stay for my brother apartment.

If you see the way dem dey do, you go think say dem be real blood brothers. I even dey wonder why e never carry him load go him own house, but e be like say life soft pass for here.

Tunde Adeyemi start professional esports since secondary school, now wey e retire, na game streaming e dey do for Facebook.

Everybody for our estate sabi say Tunde na champ for game. Some boys go even gather dey watch am play from window. Now e dey inside dey use ring light, dey stream for Facebook. Some small pikin dey call am “game oga.”

That voice—na streaming and e dey para for him teammates.

E go dey shout, dey yab boys online. Sometimes e go vex say dem no dey play well. E go even curse, “You no get sense, abeg!” But e dey funny join. Na so e dey always get plenty fans.

I understand sharp sharp, because I dey watch his stream everyday for my phone.

I dey watch am from under my pillow, even for class. Sometimes I go dey laugh for no reason, my roommate go dey wonder wetin dey sweet me.

Na me be him number one fan.

My own fan account, na only me dey run am. I go dey post him video, dey shout “Wahala man!” for comment. But for real life, I go just dey shy.

Nobody sabi.

I no fit ever gree, even if dem torture me. My chest go dey do me one kind. Sometimes, I dey imagine if e go ever find out.

I waka enter the room wey my brother arrange for me. Everywhere still dey pink and white, soft soft, full of teddy bears.

E get one teddy bear wey my brother buy for me when I pass JAMB. My favourite. The bedspread na Hello Kitty, curtains dey shine for sun. I drop my bag, touch the small lamp for bedside, arrange my cream and powder.

I no wan disturb am, but before I even finish unpack, na so person knock for my door.

My heart cut small. I quick wear my pink house slippers, try compose myself. I open small, peep.

I turn, na Tunde I see, e just dey lean for the door, eyes dey look me from head to toe. "No be this night you talk say you go reach?"

Him voice still carry that rough rough edge. E dey hold one can drink for hand, him hair dey wild as usual. My heart skip as e look me finish.

E be like say my brother don tell am before, but e no tell me.

I no too dey comfortable say dem discuss me for back, but I no fit vex. E mean say dem dey reason my matter.

I no know why, but anytime I dey near am, I dey feel somehow guilty.

Like say I dey hide wetin no pure. Even if e just look my face, I go dey think say e sabi wetin dey my mind. My leg dey shake small.

Maybe na because I like am.

E sure for me. If no be that, wetin fit make belle dey sweet me and fear dey catch me at once?

"All my roommates don comot, so I change my ticket."

E drop him bag for corridor, lean for wall, dey drag key chain for hand. E talk like say e no too send, but I notice e dey watch my leg small.

I dey shy small, but I like dey around people wey I sabi.

So I just bend face, touch teddy bear ear. Na so e be. Sometimes person dey prefer the devil wey e know than angel wey e no sabi.

Tunde check him phone. Na three o'clock.

E wear big wristwatch, I just dey look as e tap am small. The sunlight for corridor dey shine for him ear stud.

E raise eyebrow. "You don chop?"

I dey always dey forget time when I dey unpack, so e normal for am to ask.

E dey always treat me like small sister, just like my real brother—dey look after me.

Sometimes e go dey buy suya for me, dey ask, “You sure say you no wan extra pepper?” My brother dey even talk say Tunde over care for me. But I dey wonder if na just friendship.

I nod. "I go just order food online later."

I try form independent babe, but for my mind, e go sweet me if person cook for me. Hunger fit humble person sometimes.

He hiss, "Your Brother Tunde dey here, you still wan order food?"

E eyes dey do that big brother thing, like say I no get sense. Sometimes e go twist mouth like those market women for Oyingbo.

"You sabi cook?" My eyes shine, surprise catch me.

I dey always think say na only game e sabi, e no dey do any other thing.

Tunde raise him chin. "Wait."

E walk pass me, e scent—mixture of soap and small sweat—just brush me. My heart fly. I drop bag, follow am with eye. E waka enter kitchen with that bad boy confidence, slippers dey slap ground. I wonder wetin e wan cook.