Chapter 1: Belle Wey No Get Warning

A night of wahala, sharp sharp, I don carry belle for my stepbrother—Lagos no go ever tire me.

The shock still dey my body, like say dem pour ice water for my back—my skin dey goosebump. That night, my whole life just change—no warning, no sign, nothing. Even now, as I dey write, my heart dey beat gbe-gbe-gbe. For Lagos, if you tell person this kain story, dem go just open mouth, shout, “Ewo! Wetin happen?”

Thinking about that day for dining table, when Mummy and Daddy dey disturb am to marry, na im he talk say, "I already get person wey I like."

E shock everybody. Even small cousins wey dey chop rice nearly choke. The air for parlour just still, like PHCN take light. I see sweat for Daddy forehead, Mama adjust her gele, everybody dey wait. Mummy look am with that her famous side-eye—if you sabi, you sabi. Daddy just adjust him glasses, him voice deep: “Oya now, who be the lucky girl?”

My head just blank. Shame grip me, as if ground fit open swallow me. Na so e be—I don turn side chick.

My body dey hot, shame wan finish me. As I dey chop, my fork just dey shake for hand. I dey reason, “Wetin I go tell God now?” How pesin go explain say she no even know when e enter wahala?

I apply for graduate school for abroad that same night, plan say I go remove the belle and japa.

No time to waste. I just dey press phone all night, dey look scholarship wey I never even know if I go fit get. I dey type essay, dey cry small, dey beg God make breeze carry me comot for this kasala.

As I dey wait for my number outside the hospital theatre, person just hold my wrist.

My body stiff. Na my mind dey run. For this kind hospital, anybody fit dey—nurse, doctor, or even person wey come dey do amebo. But the grip strong, familiar.

The corridor smell like Dettol and fear, old man dey read Daily Sun for corner. My stepbrother look me with cold eye, voice come be like say e dey freeze but still dey beg: "So you hate me reach say you fit just waka go, no even tell me?"

E shock me. Him voice get one kain pain, but him face still strong. For a moment, I fit see small boy wey I grow up with, the one wey dey laugh anyhow. Now, e be like stranger.

"So you go rather remove the pikin and run, instead of tell me? Na so e be, my dear sister?"

That 'dear sister' choke me like groundnut for throat. Na wah o. People for corridor don dey look us with corner eye. If na village, dem go don start dey whisper.