Chapter 6: Insult, Tears, and Silent Prayers

For the original story, the main babe get her own guy. Even when she see Timi later, na just friendship she get for am.

So no be say dem write love story for am from start. Na fate dey play game here.

So the system no want make I carry the small villain go meet Zainab Musa. E want make I try carry am comot from main story, reshape am, try change the sad ending—

I dey try play matchmaker, but system dey warn me. Na Naija movie script, but na so e be.

But now, e be like say I don scatter things.

E pain me small. For my mind, I dey count all the rules wey I don break.

Timi still meet the main babe early, and the two of dem just click from the start.

I no fit lie, the chemistry dey clear like morning sun. Even system sef dey shock.

The system start dey shout for my ear.

“Quickly pull this wahala guy back, you just dey dull!”

For my mind, I dey talk say, "Abeg, make you calm down." But system no dey hear.

“If you continue like this, as the main babe dey shine, Timi go hate you pass before, you dey hear?”

E be like system dey fear say I go spoil storyline. I dey try reason the thing.

True, I suppose pull Timi back, abi?

Na so Naija aunty dey think if pikin dey get bad friend. You suppose draw am come house.

I sigh. Gather courage, waka go stand between am and Zainab Musa, tap Timi for shoulder.

I dey shake small, but I no fit let fear hold me. My hand soft as I touch am.

I talk gently.

My voice dey low, as if breeze dey blow.

“Timi, you dey here. Abeg make we go house.”

E be like say I dey talk to small pikin, but I no get option.

“I don find you since afternoon. Food dey ready. You no dey hungry?”

I add the food talk, because for Naija, even big wahala fit pause if food dey table.

As e see me, Timi wey just dey smile, face change sharp sharp.

E face turn hard, like person wey NEPA just take light for im front. Smile vanish, cold enter room.

E press him lips, look me with vex. Him eyebrow squeeze tight.

E no even hide am. The vex strong like person wey okada jam leg for pothole.

But Zainab Musa friendly. She turn face me, blink, look me with curiosity.

Her eye get that shine, like say she dey ask, "Who you be for this matter?"

“You know Timi?”

E dey like surprise, like person wey see two people for party wey no suppose know each other.

“Una be friends? Una get date this night?”

If to say na my area, gist for don start. But her tone soft, just wan know.

I wan answer, but Timi just cut in, voice sharp like broken bottle: “No.”

E short, sharp. Like person wey wan use cutlass cut rope.

Him voice dey anxious, like say e wan clear any link with me.

I feel am, the urgency. E just wan dissociate.

“Of course not. Na just housekeeper she be for my house. Just one pikin wey my grandpapa pick from orphanage… She no even reach friend.”

My chest tight as I hear am. E pain me reach bone. For Naija, to call person housekeeper get as e be, especially when person dey around people wey fit help your future.

…

As e talk finish, I hear the system hiss like Lagos conductor. Even the main babe, Zainab Musa, look confused small. She look me with pity, then check her wrist watch, help me out.

I fit see say she dey reason the thing. For her mind, e no balance. E look me soft, check time, just wan help me escape shame.

“Housekeeper no fit be friend?”

E dey question status. For Naija, dem dey expect say everybody fit play together. She just dey wonder.

“Wetin be all this wahala?”

She dey shake head, but e gentle.

“Besides, she find you since afternoon. If you wan go out, at least let person know.”

She dey try settle matter as peacemaker.

“No try am again o, you dey make other people work hard pass.”

She add small warning. No be heavy, but na advice.

Her voice soft, gentle. Even as she dey correct am, e no hard at all.

Na true gentlewoman. You go know say she get good upbringing. If to say na some other babe, she for don shout for street.

She really get good heart. Even to stranger like me wey she just meet, she fit stand up for me with patience.

E shock me. For Naija, people dey protect their own. But Zainab Musa dey try extend am reach stranger.

Because of Zainab Musa, Timi wey don dey near breakdown, calm down again. E bow head, pack him things, carry drawing board for shoulder, look me once, then waka go front.

I see say e dey try hold him vex, but na her presence make am chill. E just move, no talk again.

“Wetin you dey wait for? No be you say make I come back?”

Na so e throw the word, like say I be classroom teacher wey call am after school. I pick my dignity, waka after am. But for my mind, I dey wonder how much pain one person fit carry.

I remember one time wey e laugh small when I buy suya for am.