Chapter 9: Group Chat and the Endgame

If no be say na this novel setting wey her body only dey recognize main guy, with her fine face, I for manage no sex.

If to say na normal girl, I for gree wait, but this one pass my power. E be like say spiritual force dey block us.

But if she no fit control her own body, how I wan trust say she no go fall for Sani?

If tomorrow Sani touch am, her body go respond? I no fit take that risk. I be man, my pride dey my front.

Morayo, like person wey dem sentence, bury her head for my chest.

She sob, her shoulder dey shake. I try hold her, but I let my hand drop.

Her hot tears soak my skin. "Ayotunde, I dey sorry. No be my fault."

Her voice dey break, she dey sob like small pikin. E touch me, but I stand gidigba.

"But abeg, no leave me. Give me time, abeg."

She dey beg, her voice dey tremble. Her makeup don wash finish.

No need drag am. I talk coldly, "Sorry, my first love don come back."

I talk am sharp. Make she think say I don move on. Na my way to protect myself.

Morayo freeze, look up, shock.

She open mouth, eyes wide. E be like say she no believe her ear.

She force smile, shake head. "Ayotunde, abeg no lie. You talk say na me be your first love."

She dey try smile, but her lips dey shake. She dey find hope for lie.

Like she wan prove something, she lean kiss me.

She press lips for my own. The kiss cold, no taste. I push her away, my mind dey race.

I push her. "You believe all those sweet talk?"

I dey raise voice, dey act like say she no mean anything to me.

"See as I fine, get money, babes full everywhere. You think say I never date before?"

I dey brag, but na pain dey push the words. My eye dey red.

Zainab call just on time: "Darling, I dey board flight now. I go land by two tomorrow, abeg come pick me."

As I hear Zainab voice, I grab phone like lifeline. I dey talk loud make Morayo hear everything.

I reply loud: "Okay baby, I dey wait you."

I dey act, dey form big boy. My heart dey beat anyhow.

"Hmm?"

Zainab dey wonder, but I gree talk for speaker.

Before she talk more, I rush cut call.

I end call sharp, look Morayo eye to eye. E be like say small war just start.

Morayo don near break, hold my arm, eyes red. "You dey call her baby too?"

Her voice low, but e carry thunder. She dey shake, her grip dey tight.

"Wetin else?" I sneer. "You think say na only you get that name?"

I spit the words, my face hard. For my mind, I dey curse myself.

Morayo loose hand, tears finally drop.

The tears fall like tap. My chest dey cut. I no fit bear the sight, but I no talk.

Before, I dey like see her cry, but now, my chest tight like when NEPA take light for exam night.

I dey feel like bad person, but I no fit stop the play. I just dey pray make she waka go.

I look away, open dorm door.

I open door wide, stand for corner. I no wan look her face again.

"Senior, abeg dey go. To stay here no good."

My voice low, but e strong. I dey do as if I no care.

As Morayo waka commot, my mind just dey disturb me.

Her shadow long for corridor, her footstep slow. As door close, na so pain grip my chest.

That feeling no clear until WhatsApp group show again.

[I dey happy. Plot don reach correct place.]

[Campus queen go soon drunk, dem go drug her, main guy go enjoy.]

[Thanks to other guy, you go chop rice for their wedding.]

The chat dey mad. Everybody dey laugh, dey predict ending. My hand dey shake, cup for hand, water spill for floor. My roommate just dey look me like say I don lose am.

Cup fall for my hand, water pour everywhere.

I no even pick am. I just siddon for bed, dey look ceiling. My mind blank.