Chapter 7: Hostel Showdown and Bitter Truths

Anytime me and Morayo go chop, na so he go dey work for the bukka.

Even if I no like their efo riro, na Sani go serve us. If I order meat pie, na beans cake he go bring.

I order wetin I like, he go change the order.

I go ask am—guy, wetin be this? He go say na only for her good.

I ask am, Sani talk say, "Morayo no like scent leaf, you no know?"

He dey talk like say he get PhD for Morayo food preference. I just dey look am.

I carry Morayo enter my hand, dey show say na me get am. "Baby girl, if you no like am, I fit chop am."

I dey act boss, dey show say I no send. I carry the food, dey chop am loud.

"How he sabi you reach like that? I no reach outsider?"

I dey provoke. Na Morayo I dey ask, but na Sani I dey target.

Morayo pet me, then face Sani, cold: "You dey overdo. Anything my boyfriend like, I like am too."

She no dey smile. She dey use ice voice wey fit freeze water. Sani eye red, him hand dey shake.

Sani nearly cry.

He bend head, drop tray, waka go back kitchen. E be like say him chest dey heavy.

If I fit see WhatsApp group that time, e for full with pity for am, curse for me.

I for be enemy of progress for group. Dem for dey type—see as guy dey use babe oppress.

As Morayo see say I dey jealous, she sack him mama, no let Sani mama live for their house again.

That one na real drama. Morayo tell her papa say Sani mama dey gossip her, dey spoil her food. Chief no waste time, dem pack load go village. Sani cry tire, beg Morayo, but she bone.

Sani come meet me: "Omo, you dey craze? See as you dey do! Kai! Na you make her sack my mama?"

His voice dey tremble, his eye dey full with tears. E pain me small, but I act like say I no care.

"Just because I change food, you do this? You know how important that job be for us?"

I fit feel the pain for his voice, but my own pride no let me soft.

That time, I just dey happy, reply anyhow.

"Your mama fit find another job. If you need help, I fit help you."

I talk am with small pride. For my mind, I dey feel say I win.

Sani just dey look me like say I disgrace am.

His face squeeze, he no talk again. E be like say shame catch am.

"So because you get money, Ayotunde, you think say you fit reach her?"

That question hang for air. I no answer am. I just gimme small laugh.

I just laugh, see am as joke.

Na my way to hide my own insecurity.

Now I look back, e be like say na me be that other guy wey dem set up against am.

E clear me now—no be every love story na for you. Sometimes, you just be stepping stone.

Me and am no just gel, na wahala anytime we jam.

Every time we see, na quarrel. If no be food, na assignment. If no be assignment, na hostel gist. Our wahala long like Lagos traffic.