Chapter 6: Rain, Akara, and Elevator Vibes

6

Chuka ride gently.

No rush.

The breeze dey soft, we waka pass gutter, pass mama put joint, see children dey play football for street. Akara dey fry, pepper dey choke nose, children dey shout for street. The smell enter my nose, blend with rain for air.

By the time we reach my place, rain don soak us.

Na serious rain o, e be like say heaven open tap. Even my new shoes don change color.

I press elevator button.

The security man for downstairs just dey wave, dey hail Chuka like say e be local champion.

Chuka stand outside, face sharp, hair rough from helmet, small bad-boy inside him cool look.

Him tank top dey wet, show small abs.

My eye no dey free from am. My body dey pepper me, but I no show am for face.

We lock eye as elevator door dey close.

I talk slow:

"Chuka, you wan come up wait make rain stop?"

For Naija, na normal thing to ask, because rain no dey respect anybody.

Silence. No reply.

I hold my breath, elevator dey hum, then Chuka step inside, rain still dey drip from him eyebrow.

Suddenly—

——Bang!

Just as elevator dey close, clean, strong hand jam the door, small shake.

Na so Chuka sharp, him hand strong, e just block the door, make sure e no go miss the chance.

Chuka black eyes dey shine.

But him ear don red.

Na so I just smile, shift make space for am. I fit feel the tension for air, e be like pre-wedding jitters.

Inside, I on light, shout:

"You wan bath, or you just need towel?"

For Lagos, you no go let person catch cold, so na towel first.

I check window—rain dey fall well, e no dey stop.

"Towel dey okay."

Chuka stand for entrance, no gree cross line, like say e dey hold himself.

Like gentle guy.

I look am up-down, laugh:

"See this my ogbonge gentle guy, you dey fear small cold?"

For my mind, I dey tease am small. Make I see wetin go happen.

Chuka arm tight, light cast shadow for him brow.

I pour water, lean for table, dey look am:

"Chuka, since I small, na better thing dey catch my eye."

Na subtle way to tell am say e dey enter my eye too, but I go still form small.

E look up, understand wetin I mean.

Thunder sound.

E waka come, pull off him wet tank top sharp sharp.

Small red thread with local charm dey hide under him Adam's apple—na Yoruba mama fit tie that one for pikin.

My eye follow the amulet go down, see abs and slim waist.

Next thing, e stand for my front, bend, one hand hold table, block me:

"E please you, Miss Mo?"

Him breath tickle my ear, nervous but eager.

The way e dey near me, my body dey vibrate. Na only God know if I go fit hold myself.

I turn, blink, my eye dey go down under him hot stare.

Then—

Suddenly everywhere dark. Chuka use hand cover my eyes.

Voice low, shaky:

"I wan be your boyfriend, no be just do this kind thing with you."

For my mind, I dey scream. I no know say this guy get deep sense like this.

Then e run enter bathroom.

I just burst laugh, the guy shy reach bone, but my heart dey do me butterfly.