Chapter 3: The Dream and the Destiny

Three months ago, I mistakenly jam one girl.

That day, sun hot no be small. I waka go buy recharge card for junction, na there I jam Amina. She bump me, her chin-chin scatter for ground. I bend help am pack am back, no know say na that meeting go change my life.

That night, as NEPA take light, I sleep with sweat for my neck and wahala for my mind. I dream—inside the dream, I discover say the world wey I dey live na inside novel.

The dream strong, e no be ordinary dream. My mind dey inside another person body, dey see my own life like film for cinema. I wake, sweat full my body like say dem pour water for me.

The main character na Chijioke, but the heroine no be me.

Me, Kamsiyochukwu, na just side character, na Amina—the girl wey I jam that day—be the heroine.

After Chijioke meet her, he go realise say the love wey he get for me as childhood friend no be real love.

He go slowly fall for Amina, and my possessiveness as side character go make me dey hurt the heroine steady, until Chijioke own love for me finish.

Even my parents wey love me well, go dey target the heroine because of me.

At the end, my whole family go scatter.

At first, I no believe am.

I brush the dream off, think say na stress from exam and life wahala. But the memory dey stubborn, e no gree fade.

But anywhere I go with Chijioke, Amina go dey show face.

Her face dey show like NTA news—everywhere I turn. I begin fear, heart dey cut anytime I see her.

We go market—she dey share flyer for road.

Even my best friend notice. "Kamsi, no be that girl wey you help last time?"

We chop for Mama Kemi's bukka—she be waitress.

She serve us, always with smile, dey greet everybody well. Mama Kemi even dey praise her like say she be lost daughter.

Even when I change my course and carry Chijioke go another state university, Amina still appear, land for the same course and class with Chijioke.

I shock, call my best friend, gist her. "See, wahala dey. Na jazz be this?"

E be like say everything don set already.

Life dey move like person wey dem don script everything for am. My own plans just dey scatter like dodo for hot oil.

After that, I dey see her dey jam Chijioke every time, or she go scratch her keke for him car, or people go dey bully her—Chijioke go just show.

The coincidence too much. The more I try avoid am, the more I dey see am. My head dey ache, but who I go tell?

Even if he no do anything, the people go still run because of him, and Amina go dey see am as her hero.

She go bake chin-chin give am.

I see the package, pink ribbon, sweet smell fill Chijioke room. He smile small, but e no reach his eyes. My own jealousy dey roast my mind.

Chijioke cold eyes and him no send attitude no dey give me peace—e just dey make me fear more.

The more he dey act cold, the more I dey feel like stranger. E be like he dey pull away small small.

Because for the book, na so he start treat Amina too.

Na the same steps. My memory dey replay the dream like broken record.

Amina na like time bomb, always remind me say Chijioke go soon commot from my hand.

I dey try hide my fear, but my mind dey run marathon. Even my best friend don notice I no dey myself again.

No matter how I try avoid them, fate go still bring them together.

My heart heavy, but I dey brace myself. If Naija film no teach us anything, na say love and wahala dey always find each other.