Chapter 3: Street Life, Street Love

3

"Mo, abeg, Mo, fine and kind goddess, you no get class later, abi?"

Jide dey always call me different fine name when e wan beg something. Na so e go dey sugar-coat mouth like Agege bread with butter.

"Party dey later, Bimpe dey come, she dey bring her boyfriend. Follow me go."

Outside school, Jide lean on top him fine new sports car, hand join together dey beg.

E just dey use him car shine, as if na car dem dey follow talk, not me.

"Jide, you get problem. This your acting—helping you dey spoil my own love life."

I no even look face, just dey para for am small. If e know wetin e dey cause for my matter.

I think of Chuka, look am with cold face, refuse am sharp sharp.

For my mind, I dey form hard babe. But truly, my belle just dey sweet me small for the drama.

Jide pause, then face light up:

"Love life? You never send that one before. Wait, you dey crush on person now?"

Jide eye sharp like market woman wey see new customer.

"Wetin concern you? You fit date, I no fit date?"

I side-eye am.

I hiss, then shift my bag. If no be my guy, I for don block am since.

"Tch, if you no gree help, no wahala. Tomorrow I go find another. I fine reach."

Jide dey always form fresh boy. As e talk, e dey check him face for car side mirror, dey arrange him haircut.

"But you—better shine your eye. Make dem no play you. Make I help check the guy for you?"

Jide dey form elder brother, but na wash.

"And when we graduate, go abroad, for that foreign land, no come beg me to help you."

Jide eye narrow, him talk full of shade.

For Lagos, dem go say, 'this one dey give me mouth.'

I kick him car tire, smile without joy:

"First, fix your sense of direction. Who go help who?"

The guy just dey yarn anyhow, I know say tomorrow, e go still call me for another fake run.

As we dey banter, danmaku pop up again:

[Wait, na fake dating? Na acting?]

[Hahaha, Chuka world don scatter again. Last life, secret crush for secondary, secret crush for uni, na when she come back from abroad e get mind approach am, use business as excuse.]

[See wetin dey happen if you no talk your mind? If to say e get mind ask her out that time.]

[Sigh, that time 19-year-old Chuka no get anything. Mo and Jide, childhood sweethearts, match well.]

[Na later e turn big boss, but still no fit talk.]

[Of course! When heroine propose marriage, she say na for business. E just believe am, quietly transfer most of him assets give her.]

All these danmaku dey make person head spin. I dey reason say, if na real life, my friends for WhatsApp group go just dey drop meme left and right.

……

I dey engrossed with the comments.

My mind just dey waka, dey fly up and down, like BRT bus for Third Mainland Bridge.

Suddenly, my phone vibrate. Another anonymous WhatsApp text:

[Hello, abeg, fit make you break up?]

I freeze, never react finish, another message land:

[Or, you no mind get one more boyfriend join?]

[I swear, till you break up, I go keep my distance and behave.]

My hand dey shake, heart dey pound, as I read am again.

Na so my finger dey shake, I dey look screen like say I wan see juju for inside phone.

My finger dey hover for screen. I type three words:

[Chuka]

Just as I dey reason whether to send am, Jide bend come look:

"Who be that? The crush you dey like?"

Na so my hand shake—and I send am.

I sharply close my eyes, dey pray say make the message no go cause gbege.

My head dey pain me. I off my phone, glare at Jide.

"Wetin, e dey precious like that?"

Jide hiss, face cold as e open car door:

"You wan make I drop you?"

The kain attitude dey sweet me, but I just bone, no give am face.

"No need. Fola say make we go shop. Go your own."

Once e hear Fola name, Jide zoom comot with noise.

Jide dey always jealous Fola, even though two of them be cat and dog since primary school.