Chapter 3: For Coffee Shop and Confusion

One week later.

Musa never show face, but na Seyi I jam first.

E wear shirt wey don wash sotay e don almost turn white, jeans wey don fade, and old canvas shoes.

Fresh, fine boy—the classic broke campus fine boy.

E come down from keke napep, e no even try enter cab.

Truth be say, I no sabi where the thirty thousand naira wey I dey give am every month dey go.

No go reason am wrong.

E no come see me; na me dey always go find am.

E don get part-time work for the coffee shop wey dey downstairs for my office.

With that him face, girls just dey line up dey ask for number.

Seyi dey always bounce them, dey talk say e don like person already.

Before, I for sure say na me be that person.

After all, I fine, I get money, and I dey generous.

And to be honest, na that last one dey really important.

If person no like me, no be say e no like money?

No be say I dey expect mad love. All of us na adults. After all the things wey I do for am, e no fit even show small affection? If not, no be scam be that?

I enter, pick any seat.

Seyi no even see me.

Na that time, one babe waka enter—dress up reach heaven.

Seyi spot am sharp, body just stiff, e dey nervous.

Seyi hand dey shake small as e dey pour water, the tray nearly fall from him hand.

She wear Chanel-style suit, MiuMiu hair clip—full rich-girl package.

Last time for university, I no see her well.

This time, I see her face clear.

I run through all the big girls for Aba for my head, but I no sabi her.

As I dey think, Seyi face don red finish.

I hear am ask, voice soft:

"You come see me?"

The girl just raise chin talk:

"No, I just hear say the coffee here dey sweet."

If Seyi get tail, e for don drop.

"You fit recommend something?"

Seyi just start dey explain every coffee for the menu, dey talk where the beans from, how e dey taste.

People wey dey wait for line just vex, waka comot.

But the babe no even send am; she just order their special drink like say na nothing.

Seyi still dey explain how to drink am, dey warn her say e fit bitter small.

For her front, e no be like the Seyi wey I know—e just dey humble, dey try too hard.

I no vex. I just confuse. My chest tight, but I bone face. For Lagos, if you show weakness, dem go use am shine.

Why e no dey like this with me?

Na me dey sponsor am now.

After small time, e clear me, I even laugh.

E dey reason say—

Him youth, my thirty thousand every month, the house wey I give am, all the gifts—na trade by barter.

Men for my family sabi keep side chicks.

I don see dem with campus babes, actresses, even some professional women.

Not long ago, my uncle almost run pikin for one girl, pay her three million make she go her way.

Sponsor like me—generous, fine—no too plenty.

Agreement no mean say person no dey use person.

Before, as I dey spoil Seyi, I no even send the money.

E dey collect, but still dey stand me up every time.

Excuse go be: tutorial, part-time job, student union, lab work.

I no ever vex. I even dey send house help to give am soup.

One time, my papa catch me, think say I dey date. E warn me, "No go put your mind too much."

As I dey pamper Seyi, everybody dey think say I like am.

E funny.

I self think so before.

Before I ship my brother go UK and take over as GM, I never date anybody before.

No be say I even want am.

I tire for the show, stand up, waka comot from the coffee shop.

As I dey go, the bell for the door ring.

Person behind counter just glance my side small.

My mind dey turn like harmattan dust. I fit taste the bitter coffee for my tongue, but na the sharp cold wey dey my chest dey pin me pass. Outside, keke horn dey disturb, small breeze from the lagoon try enter my wrapper. If person see me that moment, dem go think say na big madam wey get everything. Dem go see big madam, but dem no go see how Lagos dey squeeze my heart like akara for frying pan.