Chapter 1: Wahala Start for New Year

My best friend beg me make I spend New Year's Eve with her, but as e be, I end up for her brother side.

After one wild night, I waka comot, my face hot like pepper, shame no gree me stand straight. I grab my bucket, disappear, block Musa everywhere.

Later, Musa show for my door: "Abi you dey fear make Tomiwa no catch our gist?"

Me: "Tomiwa, my bestie, I swear, I no plan to jam your brother at all."

To settle am, I agree say I go pretend be Musa babe for one month, but kasala burst when my best friend catch us for the act.

Tomiwa: "Since when una two dey... like this?"

Me: "Make I explain—"

Musa: "When we no dey like this?"

Me: "Ahhh!"

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After heartbreak from my ex, I call my best friend Tomiwa make we go drink for New Year's Eve.

My voice still dey shake that evening as I talk to her; my heart, heavy like stone. Outside, fireworks dey burst, but for my chest, na only cold dey. The street dey loud, but inside me e be like say na funeral dey happen. Na only person wey sabi your story go understand, so I call her sharp sharp, hoping say her voice go calm my wahala.

Last last, I wait for her inside bar for three hours, na so she call me say her flight don delay.

Bar dey full, every table get gist and laughter. But my own side empty, just me and the small bottle of Alomo I dey nurse. I check my phone every five minutes, dey pray make she show. When her call finally land, I don nearly give up hope.

"Sisi, no worry, I don tell my brother make he come carry you. If na him dey with you, my mind go rest."

Me and Tomiwa na classmates from junior secondary reach secondary school, we dey always together. But as we enter university, we waka far apart.

We dey close like yam and oil, two stubborn girls for school, always dey form crew. Our friendship strong, but school wahala and distance no gree us hold am like before. When she finally hear about my latest heartbreak, she no even think twice—she book flight, say she dey come Ibadan to see me. Na true friend be that. But who go believe say na so the thing go take twist?

The moment she hear say my guy dump me, she buy ticket sharp sharp to come see me for Ibadan, but I no expect say things go scatter like this.

"Okay na."

I don see Tomiwa brother before, but we no too close—and to be honest, the guy dey fear me small.

This Musa na correct Yoruba boy, tall, eyes always serious, voice deep. He dey always greet elders with respect, no matter who dey around. He no dey smile anyhow, na the type wey you go greet 'Good morning sir' even if na your age mate. The few times we jam, I dey feel somehow—like I dey in front of principal. Sometimes e go just dey scroll him phone, mind him business. Other times, na only yes or no you go get from am.

Because her brother na the typical golden boy. When me and Tomiwa dey struggle with junior maths, the guy don already enter one of the best universities for the country.

Dem always dey praise am for house, call am 'genius' or 'that boy wey go bring glory.' My own mama sef dey use am compare me: "See Tomiwa brother, see as e dey carry first. You dey here dey play ball." E tire me!

The few times we jam, the guy dey always dey cold and distant. Even Tomiwa, wey dey do anyhow, no fit try rubbish for his front.

I remember one Christmas, Tomiwa try hide ice cream from am—na so she go return come meet only empty container. But na only play, Musa no dey raise voice or talk too much, e just get that 'him eye dey sharp, like principal wey catch person dey copy for exam' energy. Even Tomiwa, stubborn as she be, dey behave for am.

So, as I open my eye come see say na Musa I dey share bed with, my whole body just freeze.

Fear grip me like cold breeze from Harmattan. My skin get goosebumps, body stiff like person wey hear bad news for morning radio. This one no be dream? My mind dey run marathon, dey calculate how I go waka commot without anybody notice.

"...You don wake?"

One kind husky male voice talk.

The way the voice sound, e get as e be—like say person dey clear throat with hot water, deep but soft. I nearly jump.

I turn my head slow slow. Even though I try prepare myself, my heart still miss one beat.

I dey pray make the ground swallow me. As I turn, I dey see small small memory from the night before, my own wahala dey press me for chest.

God, see as this guy fine die...

Omo, this one resemble those Instagram fine boys, but him own package come with extra sense. No pimple, beards connect, chest dey solid—person wey dey chop better food, I swear. Na so I dey look am, dey wonder whether I still dey dream.

Sharp eyebrow, deep eyes, correct face, clean skin, and some black hair scatter for him forehead—omo, this one na premium spec.

My hand dey my chest as I dey look am, my eye dey shine like torch. Even the way morning light dey bounce for him skin—abeg, see fresh boy.

Especially as I dey this close to am.

No space between us o, na just two of us dey for that small room. My body dey near, my heart dey race like keke wey no get brake.

Our eye jam, na so flashes from last night rush me.

I drink scatter. When Musa find me, I no even sabi myself. I remember as I dey cry dey drink, then, as if I craze, I climb ontop am...

My face hot, embarrassment just dey torture me. Why I no fit just disappear?

Abeg!

I look around. Na Musa house be this.

The room clean, faint smell of soap and cologne, sneakers arrange for one corner. I know say this one no be my place. Na so I quick reason say if I no act fast, wahala fit burst.

My body begin shake, I stammer: "...Musa, nothing happen last night, abi?"

I dey hope say he go say na dream, make everything just reset. My mouth dry, my tongue dey heavy like yam.

Musa eyes still dey sleepy, but as I talk, he just squint at me.

He look me with that kind eye wey dey see through person. E no talk sharp sharp, e just dey observe.

Na that time, my phone ring. As I see Tomiwa name, I jump up like person wey touch electric wire.

My hand even shake, phone nearly fall for ground. I quickly pick am before Musa see the panic.

"Hello, T-Tomiwa!"

Tomiwa sound confused: "I don send you plenty WhatsApp messages. Why you no reply? I don land, dey come your school now. Which hostel you dey?"

She dey rush words, her own excitement dey loud. I dey try compose myself, dey find lie wey go stick.

Me: "..."

Probably... your brother hostel...

My heart dey beat as I dey think how to answer her. Wetin I go talk now? My voice wan betray me.

But I no fit talk am, even if dem dey torture me. As guilt dey finish me, I say, "I oversleep, no hear am. I dey Block C, Room 201."

I try use my tired voice cover my shame. I cross my fingers say she go just accept.

Tomiwa no suspect anything, she just rush me: "E be like say my brother try. Okay, I dey come."

Sharp girl, she believe my story, no stress. Relief wan make me faint.

After I drop the call, my head still blank.

I no even know how I go take move from here. I dey pray make everything reset, but wahala no dey tire to find me.

Suddenly, Musa voice come from back:

"If you no comot now, you go late, abi?"

His voice cool, no wahala for tone, but e carry weight like warning.

Me: "..."

I just dey look ground, dey find courage. Na so he stand up, muscles flex. My mind dey turn.

But Musa don already come down from bed, bedsheet fall, him six-packs just dey shine: "I go drop you."

See as him dey walk around, no shame, no stress. My face red like tomato. If light dey catch my face now, you go think say I roast for sun.

My face red: "I—I fit waka myself..."

I try dodge, but my voice no strong.

Musa just look me:

The kind stare wey dey make person confess sin. My heart dey pound, my feet dey weak.

"E better make I drop you, na the right thing."

The way he talk am, no room for argument. I just swallow spit, nod small like mumu.