Chapter 5: Goodbye, Abuja

After I talk am, to make sure I no change my mind, I open my laptop front of her.

I dey press keyboard like say na my destiny dey inside. Deadline dey reach, my hand dey sweat, but I no stop.

Sharp sharp, for last minute before deadline, I change my first choice to that big university for Port Harcourt.

As I click submit, I feel small weight leave my shoulder. I dey free, even if small fear dey my belle.

Mumu happy reach heaven.

Her scream loud pass generator. She dey jump, dey dance, dey form azonto for camera. She say, "Na Port Harcourt girls go reign!"

She don dey beg me since make we go same university.

She dey reason say, two head better pass one. We dey plan, dey dream together since JS3. My delay na Segun wahala.

But since we enter secondary school, I don promise Segun say we go work hard together, go him dream city, Abuja, after exam.

Na every night we dey read for NECO, dey plan how we go rent self-con for Garki, dey do study group for library.

He always talk say he wan study aeronautics.

Anytime e dey watch plane for sky, e go talk, 'Sade, I go fly you go London one day.' I dey believe am, dey dream along.

So even though I no like dry season, and I no even send that science school, I still make am my goal for three years.

The harmattan for Abuja dey cut person skin, but I dey manage. Even when I sabi say science course no be my way, I still dey follow Segun for ambition.

Since we be neighbors for years, both families happy say we wan go same university.

Mama Segun dey call my mama, dey share food, dey pray together. Dem dey plan how we go rent house, dey talk like say wedding dey near.

Everybody, even me, believe say once we grow, me and Segun go become couple.

Na so dem dey tease us for every family meeting. I dey blush, dey shy, dey form busy. But now, e be like story for radio.

But now, I no see any reason to go Abuja again.

As I dey press delete for Abuja, I dey feel small free. I dey look future with fear, but hope still dey.

Or rather, after today, if I still dey drag myself near Segun,

I go dey insult myself. Dignity na small thing for Naija babe, but if you lose am, no be beans to get am back.

I no go fit respect myself.

Respect no be only from boys. Na from inside body. I dey promise myself, 'No turn back, Sade.'

All I want now na to just run far—anywhere wey Segun no dey.

I dey pack my bag, dey imagine train wey dey go east, dey drop all memory for station. My mind dey race, but na freedom dey near.

He dey north, I go south.

I dey plot am for my head like NYSC posting. If e dey Kano, I go dey Rivers. E no go fit jam me by mistake.