Chapter 2: Shame and Sharp Mouth

Timi just dey relax, roll up sleeve, one hand hang for chair back, dey gist with Sunkanmi. Abdullahi just dey one side, eyes down, dey press phone. The way him glasses reflect light sef, e make am look more cold and far.

Even as drama dey unfold, Timi no dey move body. E go dey gist as if say nothing concern am. Sunkanmi dey laugh small, dey sip malt, like say na children birthday dem come. Abdullahi just dey tap phone, screen dey shine for him face. If you see am, you go think say na JAMB result e dey check.

Anytime my papa and mama try settle matter, the boys go just answer anyhow, no serious.

My papa go clear throat, talk, "Timi, wetin you think?" Timi go just look ceiling, no answer well. Sunkanmi go dey rub neck, Abdullahi go dey tap leg, dey wait make meeting finish. My mama dey look me with eye wey dey talk: "My pikin, sorry o."

Until I talk finish.

Na so everywhere just freeze. Even the fan for ceiling slow down. Na that kain quiet wey go make person hear own heart beat. Only the distant horn from keke for junction break the silence. Everybody mouth open small.

Timi and Sunkanmi turn look me at once. Even Abdullahi look up, him eyes sharp like razor, but you no fit read am.

Timi face tight, like person wey just chop pepper. Sunkanmi eye wide, mouth open. Abdullahi slow down, him phone hang for hand. For that moment, all of dem dey look me as if I just grow second head.

I just bone them.

I no go even let them see say I dey shake inside. My face hard, like person wey swallow bitterleaf.

Heartbeat dey pound for my ear, my mind flash back to when we go fetch water together as children, laugh for rain, share gala for school gate. Now, na strangers dey look me so. I take breath, then drop my bombshell.

I tell my parents wey still dey shock, "If una tell me about this marriage plan before, all this wahala no go dey."

As I talk am, my voice low but strong. My mama hand dey shake small, she dey wipe sweat from her forehead. I fit see say shame dey bite dem, but dem still dey try form say everything dey okay.

"Dem dey correct."

I look the boys, shake my head. "Make nobody think say I get feelings for anybody here. Dem dey correct." My voice hard, but my heart dey cut.

"Even though we be childhood friends, I dey see them as bros. No single love dey inside."

I chuckle small, try make e look like joke. My eye just dey red. "Abeg, I no even see una reach that side. Make everybody rest."

My parents no wan shame me, na why dem no tell me say na blind date dinner be this. Dem reason am well. The person wey dem pick na Sunkanmi, the one wey never quarrel with me, two years younger, always dey play and show love. Dem no know why the other two con show face last last.

Na so e dey be for Naija—if parents wan arrange something, dem go plan am for back, dey hide am under pretense. Dem believe sey e go easy pass if everybody just dey act like say na ordinary dinner. As for Sunkanmi, dem see am as soft option, because e dey always follow me talk, dey play. Dem surprise as the other boys show face; na dem even scatter the plan.

Even though I vex for my parents say dem hide am from me, na heartbreak and pain full my chest pass.