Chapter 1: The Slap That Scatter Everything

When I argued with my childhood friend, he slapped me across the face in front of everybody, just because anger carry am—no warning, no nothing.

You for see as everywhere freeze. Even breeze no blow again, like rain wan fall but hold back. Even those wey dey form hard guy before, shock catch them. For our side, wahala never dey pass shouting for quarrel—so when Kamsi slap me like that, na real gbege. People just open mouth dey look.

That same day, I deleted all his contacts.

My thumb heavy like stone, my chest dey drum as I press am. E pain me reach bone. Na so my finger just dey shake, but I still press am. For my mind, I dey talk say, 'No turning back, Ifeoma. God abeg, give me strength.'

Everybody shock. Me and Kamsi don grow together since small. I liked am from when I dey little, and I chase am for complete nine years.

People come dey yarn gist everywhere. For street, for compound, even market woman dey ask my mama, 'Wetin do Ify and Kamsi?' Dem no fit believe say our friendship fit scatter like that. Some dey look my side with pity, some dey whisper.

“Why, Ifeoma? Na just because of that slap?”

He ask me, still dey wonder.

His voice weak, e almost beg me. Even the way he dey look me, e no sure if I fit really walk away.

“Yes. Na just because of that slap.”

I talk am with my full chest.

I no shake, no fear. I talk am like say na my life depend on am. Even my voice strong, make everybody hear.