Chapter 5: Cake, WhatsApp, and Femi Again

To talk true, I no expect reply.

My confession too sharp sef.

Some people go say I dey rush, but for my mind, I just talk my truth.

We only see once, and except say I like her face, we no sabi each other like that.

E fit be say na crush dey talk, but I no fit hide my own. My own na open book.

She no know me, I no know her.

But I dey hope say with time, we fit become better.

Even if she no answer, I for understand.

If na me, I go fear too. But I just dey hope make she no run from me totally.

But one week later, she add me for WhatsApp.

Rain dey threaten outside, but my own body dey hot with hope.

My phone vibrate one night, I see her picture. My heart jump, I dey smile for bed like mumu.

[Hello, I be Ngozi. You still remember me?]

The message sweet me. I reply sharp sharp, fingers dey shake.

[I remember you well well. Na you I dey wait for. Wetin dey?]

[Of course, I remember. Wetin happen?]

I no wan show say I dey too eager. I play cool, but my mind dey race.

[That thing you talk last time... e still dey?]

She bring up the matter herself. My hope rise again.

[Yes.]

My reply no waste time. I no fit lie, my heart dey sing.

[Maybe... we fit try am.]

As I see that message, I shout. My younger brother knock my door, think say wahala dey.

Just like that, from one meet, one chat, relationship start.

Na so e be. Na God hand dey for all these things, abi?

The day after we gree, she invite me go chop.

I no expect am at all. I dress well, spray perfume wey I keep for special day.

I shock small.

My guy dey tease me, say make I no go fall hand. I no mind, I dey ready.

Ngozi dey behave like good girl—I no know say for love, she fit move first.

She surprise me that day. Na she dey control things. I just dey watch, dey learn.

I come dey want know who she really be.

I dey see new side of her every day. She dey full of surprise.

I wan know her, love her.

Love dey push me. My mind dey think plenty things.

I even buy small cake from Mama Kemi’s bukka—dat type wey get coconut flakes for top, say make I no let my babe dey run things alone.

I know say she like sweet things, so I reason say maybe cake go make her happy.

For road, I dey reason: She go like cake? She fit no like the one I buy? How she go feel if she see am?

My body dey shake small.

Even my hand dey sweat, but I dey pray make the meeting go well.

I really wan see her quick.

The excitement dey my eye. I dey count step, dey check time every minute.

I follow her location, find Ngozi, but as I wan tell her say I bring cake, I see Femi Adeyemi dey there.

That one hit me like slap. I just stop, dey look table. My mind dey calculate how to comport myself.

"I also invite Femi and his babe. You no mind, abi?" Ngozi lean come ask me.

Her voice soft, as if she dey beg me. I just nod, try swallow my disappointment like eba without soup.

I just nod, small disappointment dey my chest. "No wahala..."

I hide the cake behind my back, no wan show say the thing pain me. I just dey form smile.

For table, Femi and his new babe dey jolly, but Ngozi face no sweet.

E dey clear say her mind no dey for food. She dey watch Femi and his babe like cinema.

"Wetin happen? You no like the food?" I ask her softly.

I try pet her, make she relax. But she just dey carry face, dey scatter rice with spoon.

She just dey look Femi, wey dey smile, dey arrange his babe hair. Ngozi vex face, dey use spoon scatter her rice. "No..."

Her voice small, almost like whisper. I gree say the thing pain her.