Chapter 6: The Gbas Gbos No Gree End

[Abeg, who fit explain wetin dey make second male lead vex? Female lead don talk say na mistake. Why e still dey push?]

[Female lead fit do anything wey she want. Second male lead no get right to control her. Even if she cheat, so? As she no hurt person or break law, I dey support her.]

[Male lead bin talk say e want pikin with female lead. But as e find out say she take abortion pills, e no even care about the baby or her health, na to dey interrogate her. Girls, open una eyes—na so men dey behave.]

[My own focus different, but female lead only love male lead. Even when she dey with second male lead, she no forget am. Now dem don meet again, sparks just dey fly—ahhh, my ship dey sail!]

All the comment wahala just dey fly, like November mosquito. Everybody dey judge from their own side, but nobody dey inside my shoe.

Online gbas gbos just dey roll as usual.

I look Ifeoma calm. She dey guilty as she dey look me, then she talk softly: “This one really na my fault. No worry, I go keep distance from Chuka from now. No vex.”

I dey look her. E be like say my heart wan cut, but I just dey steady myself. She dey talk am as if na small thing.

She just talk am like say e go wipe her cheating.

Sometimes, Naija babe fit reason say one apology go solve everything. But e no dey work like that.

This girl sef.

“You too much.”

I laugh myself.

Na bitter laugh. I no fit hold am. For my mind, I dey ask: She think say I be mumu?

“You no need keep distance from your lover. Na me you suppose avoid.”

You dey see am? Make she no dey use sense play me. Na me dey suffer for her own wahala.

“Abeg, pack your things go in the next few days. We don finish.”

I talk am straight, make e no get confusion.

Ifeoma face change.

Her body stiff, eyes red. E shock her say I fit talk am so.

“Kunle, e never do you so?”

Her voice sharp now. You fit see say na pride dey make her stand ground.

Her eyes sharp, vex dey her face.

E be like say thunder wan strike for her eye. Ifeoma no be the type wey dey swallow insult. Her blood dey hot.

“I no understand. Why you always dey argue with me because of small small things? Yes, I wrong, but you nko? You clean? If something happen, we fit talk am, but you just rush break up. We don engage already—no fit act mature small?”

She dey pour her mind, voice dey shake with anger and small pain. E be like say all the years wey she hold body dey burst out at once.

“I don talk say na mistake, I even take abortion pills on time. Wetin you want again? Just because I sleep with Chuka, na so I no fit get forgiveness?”

She dey shout small now. Neighbour for next compound fit even hear us.

“Kunle, if you say you love me, you suppose dey more caring and forgiving. At least, you no suppose doubt my feelings for you. Even if, worst case, I no fit forget am, wetin you suppose do na to love me pass Chuka—love me reach make I forget other men. No be to dey judge me. That kind love no get value.”

You fit see say she dey quote all the relationship counsellor things wey she don hear for radio and WhatsApp group.

“You no even sabi love person. For that side, you no reach Chuka hand.”

She talk am finish, tears dey her eyes, but her voice still strong. Ifeoma, na fire and water together.