Chapter 11: Heart Reset

That time Ejiro ask me, if he no delete her, I go break up?

She dey lie down for bunk, dey swing leg, dey look me. I pause before answer, because heart heavy.

I pause, talk, “I no know.”

My voice low. I no wan sound weak, but I no go lie. I never ready that time.

But for those days, I no reach out to Ifedike again, even clear all those chats wey I don dey read since.

I dey do am small small. Every morning, I delete one old chat, one picture. Na process.

I really change, and I no even know when.

I surprise myself. E be like say pain dey teach person new lesson, dey open mind.

I really ready to break up with am.

I no fear again. My mind dey set. If I fit survive this, I fit do anything.

But what surprise me be say, for the third day wey we no talk, drunk Ifedike stand for rain outside hostel.

Na heavy rain, thunder dey roll. I hear voice for window. As I check, na him dey shiver, clothe stick to body. Na pity catch me.

As I go down, he just lean on me, head bury for my neck.

Him body cold, but him hold dey tight. I dey smell alcohol, sweat, and small heartbreak.

He smell of alcohol, something wey he no dey do before.

Ifedike no dey drink, but tonight, na another person I see.

I try push am, no work. The more I try, the more he hold me tight, I no fit breathe.

I dey twist, but him grip dey strong. My voice muffled for chest.

“Ifedike, you don drink, abeg leave me…”

I dey struggle, but I dey pity am small.

“Temi.” He cut me short.

He talk like person wey dey confess, voice crack.

With rough voice, he whisper for my ear,

“I don delete her.”

He say am soft, like say he expect me to rejoice.

He really delete Halima. He really do am for me.

For my mind, I dey check if na true. But I see say him eye clear, him phone dey blank. Na evidence.

But why I no feel anything?

I dey expect joy, but na emptiness full my chest. I just dey hold am, dey wait make feeling return.

I no even understand myself. E be like say to like am don become habit, and now the feeling don vanish, I just lost.

E be like say na routine, not passion. Na this realization dey pain me pass.

Anyway, my break up plan scatter for that rain.

I dey weak, my plan melt like ice under sun. We go back, like nothing happen.

We return to normal. Only one condition:

No mention Halima again.

E dey our new agreement. If you mention Halima, na war.