Chapter 6: Flashback and Reckoning

I know say Sade get princess wahala.

From day one, she like to dey command, dey enjoy attention. I see am early but love blind me.

Because of work, I don waka everywhere for Nigeria dey research amusement parks.

My job dey waka me round country—Abuja, PH, Enugu, Ibadan—all the fun spot, na me dey review am for magazine.

Na there I meet Sade.

She wear pink swimsuit, dey play for raft.

Na Omu Resort, Epe—water everywhere, children dey chase puff-puff, Burna Boy dey blast from corner speaker. Sade dey form big girl for raft, dey laugh, water dey splash her. That day sun dey hot, but her smile dey cool my body.

Plenty babes dey, all fine, but na Sade waka enter my heart. E be like juju.

She fine? Sexy? Na so so girls full ground. But na she I fall for, just like that.

I no fit explain am, but na she dey shine for my eye. I fit say na spirit move me that day.

For life, she be princess. She get temper, dey para, dey vex for me anyhow.

Sade dey quick vex. Sometimes she go throw pillow, sometimes she go lock herself for bathroom. I dey always find way calm her, buy her ice cream, play her favorite Burna Boy song. She dey act like princess, na me dey act palace guard.

But I like am. Maybe na my fault say I dey spoil her reach this level.

I gree. Sometimes I dey overdo. If she para, I go rush beg, dey pet am. Maybe I give her too much power.

Just to show for old classmates, she fit disgrace me.

Sade dey quick want prove point. Na so reunion dey be for her mind—show who be queen, who get fine husband, who dey win life.

Na this kind person I go spend life with?

I dey ask myself. My mind dey heavy. I dey wonder say na this I go carry for old age?

Na so I see my phone screen flash.

The thing shock me. My heart jump. Hope small enter my body.

Joy catch me, I grab am, dey turn am.

I quick grab phone, dey press, dey look for miracle. My hand dey sweat.

Screen dey glitch, dey black, like say wire don cut.

The crack big, but hope still dey. I dey pray make e just on for one minute.

I press cracked side, see small signal for top left.

I dey happy small. Even if na one bar, e fit save life.

Screen don scatter, but small place still dey work—I see missed calls and SOS text.

I dey squint, dey check. I see papa number, see "come home now, mama faint." Na so my hope high. I shout, "Sade!"

"Come check. See wetin papa talk."

I beg her, my voice dey shake. I want her see am make she believe.

Sade rush come, snatch phone, throw am for me.

She para, e be like she dey vex say evidence dey. She toss phone for me like trash.

"Which acting you dey do? Wetin dey there to see?"

She dey accuse me, like say na prank I dey do. Her friends dey hype her, dey push am more.

Phone wey just wake, die again, no matter wetin I do.

Na so battery die, screen go black. My heart break. I dey knock am, no response.

"On your phone, see wetin you cause."

I dey talk, my mind dey scatter. I dey beg her, but na like say her heart strong pass rock.

She laugh. "Kunle, na everything you talk I go dey do? With all my friends here, na to disgrace me you dey try?"

Her laugh dry, e pain me. She dey try cover her guilt with mockery.

"On am. If I dey lie, I go do everything wey dem talk."

I talk am loud, my voice break. I dey gamble my pride, my dignity, just to save time.

Short babe whisper, "Sade, check am. Life matter. E better make you sure..."

Her voice low, e get sense pass the rest. She dey try talk sense inside madness.

Sade stand, collect her phone from her friend, point me. "Oya, I go on am. Remember wetin you talk."

She press power. White logo show for black screen.

The phone dey load, all eye dey the phone. Tension dey ground, everybody dey hold breath.

I think say all this wahala go end.

I close eye, dey pray make message show. My palm dey sweat. The silence fit break glass.