Chapter 7: Birthday Rain

That day na mistake. I no go library.

I wake with joy, dey plan my day. The birthday excitement sweet for body. I even thank God for morning, dance small for room.

Na my birthday.

He promise, only two of us go celebrate.

He tell me say e no want crowd, say na me be the queen. I dey look forward, dey imagine suya, small chops, and maybe birthday kiss.

I wake early, spend two hours for makeup, wear that fine dress wey I buy since but no fit wear.

Even Ejiro dey help me apply powder, dey hype me. "Temi, you too fine! This birthday go sweet!" She snap my picture, post am for her status.

Everything just dey sweet.

Sun hot that day, sweat dey my back even before I reach gate. As I dey walk to venue, butterfly full my belle. I dey smile, dey hum song. Birthday feeling dey my body.

But as I see am, before I fit reach, I see am pick call.

Him phone ring, him eye change. He look me, then look away, pick call, voice low, “Hello?”

He rush commot, no even greet me, just waka go.

No hug, no happy birthday, just sharp waka. I stand for road, dey confused.

I know say e get as e be, so I begin worry too.

The way him face change, I know say na serious matter. For my mind, wahala fit dey.

I wear heel wey I never use before, rush follow am.

E no easy to waka for campus road with heel, but I no care. I dey chase love.

But I fall, twist my ankle for back. Ground rough, sand enter my shoe, my ankle swell like puff-puff. I lose balance. Na so I land, palm scratch, leg twist. Tears rush my eye.

I shout, pain catch me. He fit hear, but he no even turn look, just waka dey go.

I shout again, "Ifedike!" No response. I dey feel as people dey look, but nobody fit help me. Shame and pain mix for my chest.

He no pick my call, no reply my WhatsApp.

I call am tire, voice message, nothing. My chat dey hang blue tick.

No movie, no date, no see am.

I waka go hostel, leg dey pain me, mind dey heavy. No call, no explanation.

Even him roommate no know where he go. He no come back that night, me sef no sleep.

I just dey roll for bed, dey stare ceiling, dey replay everything for head.

My birthday pass for inside fear and worry.

No cake, no fun, only tears and cold pillow.

Next day, I find am for one computer café near school.

Generator dey hum for outside, boys dey play FIFA for corner, smell of indomie and printer ink full air. As I see am, I hide behind signboard, dey peep. Him body dey tense, eye dey sharp, hand dey fly for keyboard.

He come out answer call, no see me.

Him voice low, but I hear am: “I don hack the group, no fear.”

“Whether e dey illegal or not, I don do am. No concern you. Face your own.”

“If Temi find out? If she wahala you, just break up. No worry, she too like me, she no go fit.”

As I dey listen, my leg dey weak. Wetin I dey hear? For my own birthday, na another person matter dey worry am.

I hide behind signboard for café, dey hear everything.

Tears dey drip for my face, my heart dey race. I no believe say na me dey here, dey hide like thief.

My heart twist, tears dey drop anyhow.

So na because I love am, na why he fit dey do me anyhow.

E sure say I go forgive am, no matter wetin he do. Na there the pain dey start.

He sure say anything he do, I go bear am.

I no even need ask to know who dey for the call.

The way he talk, I know say na Halima. He fit die for her, but for me, na struggle.

He fit hack whole group for her, but no fit delete one post for me.

For me, he get rule. For her, he break law. Na that time I know say my place for him heart no strong reach.