Chapter 5: Kitchen Selfies and Secret Snap

E dey fierce, but him food dey sweet die.

I lick plate finish, dey tap fork for table. The taste still dey my mouth. I dey reason say, "If na this boy I go marry, I go chop good food till I old."

Na only when I dey come down chop I dey see am these days.

E dey always busy for upstairs. If I pass corridor, I fit hear him voice dey shout for stream. But when food land for table, na that time I dey get small chance to see him face.

Even though we no dey talk much, I dey always happy.

Just to see him shadow dey waka pass, my mind dey sweet. E fit be small thing, but e dey sweet me.

At least, I dey see am everyday.

I dey reason say if my brother house no too far, I for dey come visit more. E good to dey see who you like, even if e no know.

Anytime e dey cook with apron, I go just rest my chin for hand, dey sneak snap him back with my phone.

The apron na that type wey carry "Game Over" for chest. I go hide phone under table, zoom am small, click picture. If e turn, I go quick drop phone.

I no get any picture with am—na only those group photos from my brother party I get.

I dey keep them for secret album. If I dey lonely, I go just scroll look am, dey smile for myself.

I don save all, with some small sneak snap over the years.

Na my own museum of secret crush. I dey hope say one day e go ask me for one.

I tap my phone small, na so flash just shine.

Chai! My heart almost stop. The flash bright, even my teddy bear see am.

God abeg, make ground open swallow me now now.

I freeze, panic, turn my phone upside down as e turn back look me.

If you see the fear for my eye! I try form like say I dey find song for phone, but my hand dey shake.

"Wetin you dey do?"

E hold spatula, him fine face dey frown.

I dey wish make ground open swallow me. E dey look me like person wey dey catch thief for market.

I stammer, raise my phone. "S-selfie."

I try smile, but e be like say mouth dey pain me. My voice dey quiver small.

I no sure if e believe me. E just dey look me for some seconds, then turn back face him food.

E hiss, shake head. "Na wa for you." Then e put rice for plate, no talk again.

I sigh relief, off flash sharp sharp.

My hand quick reach that setting. I check phone, make sure say e no show evidence. My mind dey hot.

Chai, when I even on the flash?

I just dey pray make e no suspect say I dey snap am. Next time, I go off flash quick before I mess up.

I still dey feel somehow, guilty, no fit look up.

I just dey chop like nothing happen. I dey think if I fit carry plate go wash, make I no see him face.

So I no see as e send my brother WhatsApp message:

As I dey struggle with my food, Tunde don dey type for him phone. Him hand fast, him eye sharp. I dey wish say I fit hear wetin e dey yarn.

"Your sister dey complain about me?"

E send the message with fast finger, then look me with side eye.

Reply land sharp: "Sisi dey behave, she no dey complain."

My brother quick reply. E trust me, e no dey expect wahala.

He hiss, no agree. "She no dey behave at all."

E dey form for my brother, but for my mind, I dey laugh. E like wahala too much.

She dey call everybody 'brother'—except me.

I sabi say e dey vex say I no dey call am brother. Maybe e want make I close to am, but e no gree talk am direct.

My brother reply again, small helpless:

My brother just drop voice note, "Na so dem dey talk, you no like Sisi?"

"Everybody like her, say she dey obedient. Na only you dey talk say she no dey behave."

E dey always tease Tunde say e get soft spot for me. E fit dey true, but who go admit?

As food ready, e carry am come table.

E drop am gently for my front, no talk. The rice dey hot, chicken wing full plate, even add small plantain. My mind dey sweet.

The girl wey wear soft pink and white pajamas, just dey scoop rice gentle gentle, then blink eye look am.

I dey form innocent, spoon for hand, dey peep am. My face dey shy, but I no fit hide the smile.

Like say she dey ask if she fit start chop.

My eyes dey ask permission, small voice inside me dey shout, "Talk na!"

He just laugh small, talk only one word:

E no fit hold laugh, small dimple show. "Chop."

I smile give am, pick one chicken wing, begin praise am:

I use small voice, "Tunde, your chicken wings too sweet!"

I lower my voice, no sure why, e just be like say I dey form baby.

My brother dey always yab me say I dey form small pikin when food dey involved.

E dey somehow.

E funny for my mind, but I dey enjoy am.

We no even close reach to dey act cute for am.

But today, I no fit hold myself. Maybe hunger dey do me, maybe love dey move me.

He just curve mouth small, but still dey fierce: "If e sweet, chop more. No dey talk too much."

E turn face, but I see say e dey happy small. I notice say e dey like when person praise am.

Like angry cat.

Na so e dey always do. E fierce for mouth, but e soft for heart. If you look well, you go see the small smile wey e dey hide.

I surprise say, e be like say Tunde dey like when dem praise am.

My mind dey plan say next time, I go praise am more, maybe e go soft for me.