Chapter 4: End of Gist

Around 9pm, I on my phone calmly.

That night, breeze dey cool. I just dey for bed, dey scroll upandan. My phone dey vibrate from old group notifs, but I just dey watch. I carry my thumb, tap reply for the post:

[Shey Ifedike and Temi don break up today]

I throw flower emoji and reply:

[Don break up.]

I add three flower emoji, then drop phone. For my mind, na closure be this.

The gist scatter everywhere, even pass the day wey I first start dey with am. More than ten comments land sharp sharp.

People no gree rest. For group, e be like carnival. Dem dey drop laugh emoji, some dey ask if na prank.

[Na true?]

[E go be true. Ifedike never show face for school for days. E don dump Temi.]

[Sis, where you get this gist? If you no talk, I go believe am.]

[That bootlicker Temi don finally chop breakfast?]

Dem dey drag me, dey form FBI. My matter dey trend. As I dey see comment, I just dey shake head. People really get time sha.

I open the replies.

[We really break up. Na me, that bootlicker, Temi.]

My reply hang for group, e be like say na final whistle. Some people shock, some dey do “e pain am” gif. Me, I just drop phone, cross leg.

After I send am, I close my phone, even clear everything for my WhatsApp. I even use GB WhatsApp, clear chat, archive group, even block admin. For my mind, na new page I dey open. The way my heart light ehn, e be like say I remove load for head.

Better like this. I no go ever look again. This gist fit finally disappear…

I sleep like pikin that night.

Sleep catch me quick. I even dream say I dey fly for sky, no wahala. For the first time in months, I no dey wait for Ifedike text.

No need to dey wait for Ifedike call, no need to dey hustle for him favorite akara for morning.

I even delete the phone alarm wey I set for him early morning greeting. Freedom sweet for body.

No more wahala from all those girls wey dey eye am, no more fear… say e fit just dump me anytime.

E be like say I dey born again. All those girls, all those side eyes, all those jealousy—na history.

If I know, I for no even like am from the start.

If dem fit rewind time, maybe I for dodge this matter. But life no be film.