Chapter 3: Tears, Mosquitoes, and Night Road

Everybody don waka. Na only me remain for roadside. The restaurant dey one corner. To find keke come here easy, but to go back na wahala.

The air for night dey heavy, darkness just dey swallow street. Even security light no too bright.

Tobi no gree drive me home, even stop anybody wey wan help me.

He act like say e dey protect me, but na control him dey do. Even guys wey want ask if I dey okay, Tobi just dey wave dem off.

Bullet comments flash again:

[This babe too dey mumu. If she just talk small soft, the guy for don push childhood sweetheart one side, rush go carry her.]

[The guy just dey form hard man, still dey vex about bar matter. If babe call again, he for go house. He wait for bar all night, almost die of vex. Na babe fault—she suppose pet am.]

[Guy dey waka around nearby, know say the place remote, dey fear make nothing happen to babe. He still love am.]

[Abeg, this babe dey tire person. Why she no fit just apologise? E hard like that?]

The comments dey loud for my head, as if I dey listen to elders for compound dey judge matter.

I carry phone, wan call Tobi. I know say if I call am, he go show sharp sharp. But I just drop the phone.

For once, I decide say I no go be the one to bow. My pride dey pain me, but I no fit keep the cycle.

I no fit hold am again, I just squat for gutter, begin cry. I no even know wetin I do wrong.

Tears mix with makeup, my voice choke as I dey sob. Even Okada man pass, look back but waka go.

Generator dey hum for far corner, but na only my sob I dey hear. Mosquito dey bite my leg, but I no even feel am.

Tobi always dey use silent treatment to push me make I gree for am, again and again. Before, I think say na just him way. But e no be so. I don see am pet Morayo with soft voice before. He get patience and tenderness, just not for me.

The difference dey clear—when na me, na strong head and competition; when na Morayo, na soft touch.

Anytime him vex, na "break up" he dey use test me. Because I dey always gree. But this time, he miscalculate.

E dey pain me, but e dey give me small strength. For the first time, I gree say I get right to stand my ground.

I trek for one hour before I finally see keke. Even though my leg nearly break, I no call Tobi at all.

Mosquito bite, shoe cut, but I waka reach house. Night breeze blow me small sense.