Chapter 1: Pink and White Secrets

I like to dey wear small white skirts, always pink and white dey everywhere for my body. Everybody dey talk say I be obedient and sweet girl.

Anytime I waka pass for street or compound, old women go hail me, “Our gentle pikin, ehn! Na good girl you be.” My mama sef dey always use me do example for church, dey tell other small girls make dem dey behave. If you see my wardrobe, na only pink and white, everywhere just dey soft like Agege bread wey just come from oven. Sometimes, I go tie white scarf join. Dem say I too gentle, but e dey make my mind dey fly when I remember wetin I dey hide.

But Tunde, him dye him hair red, wild and stubborn like wahala.

People for area dey look Tunde one kind, sometimes dem go whisper, “This one no dey fear anybody o.” Him dey laugh loud, dey wear jeans wey tear for knee, even him slippers na that rubber kind—e no send anybody. If I sight am from far, e go dey gist with street boys or dey ride bicycle wey him repair by himself. The wahala for him eyes dey shine like Lagos traffic light when e red.

Na my brother padi him be. Whenever we jam, I dey hide behind my brother, just greet am from far.

I no fit stand for front make eye jam eye. I go just hide, dey peep am, then shout small, “Good evening, Tunde.” If my brother dey, I fit smile small, but always from distance make e no notice say my belle dey dance when I see am.

I dey always keep myself distant and shy.

As e be, I no sabi run mouth. I dey always carry my small bag, dey look ground, dey waka sharp sharp. If gist dey fly for parlour, I go just dey one corner dey listen, dey nod head. Outside, my own friends dey tease me say I be Pastor pikin for behaviour. I dey always hide, no dey too show myself.

Nobody sabi say I like am.

If I even try tell anybody, my chest go shake. Na my secret. Sometimes, if I dey watch him video or see am for street, my heart go pound as if I run from Ikeja to Obalende. Even my closest padi, Ifeoma, no sabi say I dey keep one kind torch for Tunde. E just dey inside me like hot eba for throat.