Chapter 3: Ride of Shame

After the video call!

My brother wire me 200k as hush money!

He tell me: "Abeg, no let Mummy and Daddy hear!"

I collect the money, no talk!

Send am one OK sticker!

You see the way I just type 'OK' with that small green check, e pain him. I know say na punishment for am—if Mummy catch am, na prayer plus sermon. I dey imagine Mummy face, I just dey laugh inside.

He say make I add Kunle Adigun for WhatsApp, send am my location!

I add am, send location!

Kunle Adigun reply, just one word:

[Okay.]

After I send my location, I just dey look night sky!

I no even know why, but I no too wan make Kunle Adigun come carry me!

But as e be, I no get choice!

Na so Naija life dey be—sometimes, you no fit dodge who you dey avoid. Destiny dey stubborn.

I come dey bored, squat for ground dey play Candy Crush!

I rest back for my small Ghana-Must-Go, dey knock sweet for mouth, dey hope say no mosquito go bite me. My eye dey red from travel, but game dey help me forget cold small.

After like thirty minutes—

"Nneka."

One white Benz stop for my front!

Kunle Adigun look down from window, small smile for him mouth!

The car paint just dey shine, headlights fine like diamond. Even security man wey dey gate look twice, dey nod head. Kunle dey drive with swag.

Last time I see am na for secondary school!

Now, I don finish university!

The way I see am for phone just now no be the same as real life o.

Now, as I look Kunle Adigun face for real, I just dey lost!

I remember one post wey I see for school group before:

[No. 1 Secondary School fine boy, Kunle Adigun, na him fine pass everybody—this guy fine ehn!]

Even after we don graduate, the guy still dey burst brain with looks and swag!

As I dey look am dey wonder, Kunle Adigun ask me, "Your leg don numb?"

I jump up!

I open mouth!

I think, think, no even know wetin to call am!

Call am name? E go dey too direct!

Call am 'brother'? Abeg, e go dey too awkward!

I just dey blush!

Kunle Adigun dey look me, face full of amusement!

E sure me say my reaction dey funny to am!

He just laugh small!

Then he come down from car!

This guy tall, body set die!

As he stand for my front, I just dey feel one kind pressure!

I just shift back two steps!

He raise eyebrow, "You no remember me?"

I stammer, "I—I remember!"

Kunle Adigun smile, help me carry my bag!

I dey look back seat, dey reason plenty things!

As I wan open back door, Kunle Adigun open front door for me!

He just gentle: "Enter."

Inside car, I just dey tense!

I sit like say I be JAMB candidate!

Na so I jam my two knees together, hand for lap, dey look window. Even my phone dey vibrate, I no fit check.

Kunle Adigun notice say I dey shy, he play soft music!

He start to gist with me, dey try make I relax!

He ask about my travel, talk small about Lagos traffic, dey drop joke here and there. He dey try help me melt the ice, like pure water for hot sun. He dey complain say hold up for Third Mainland Bridge na daily wahala.

As we dey talk, him phone ring!

I just look the screen small—

Na babe name dey show!

He no pick!

She call again!

Kunle Adigun just put phone for silent!

I just shift my eye, the air come dey somehow!

Small awkward silence. I fit smell him cologne—subtle, rich, like say person get sense and money.

As I dey find wetin to talk, my bestie begin send me voice notes!

This time of night, she dey send voice note—something big don happen!

I press transcribe to text!

But I miss the button, my bestie loud voice just blast from my phone:

[Ah ah, how man go dey impotent for this life!]

I shock!

Quickly wan off my phone!

But the more I rush, the more my hand dey shake!

Phone fall for my leg!

Before I fit off am, another voice note play:

"That guy wey I dey chase since, na dry stick! Who go understand my pain as I don remove cloth finish!"

"Wetin I go use fine boy do if e no fit do work—na just packaging!"

"Babe, next time if you get boyfriend, abeg test am with hand first o, before you go jam my own experience!"

"I wan cry, na just face e get! Three months dey form, for wetin?"

I scramble pick my phone! My hand dey shake, sweat dey my palm—see as disgrace wan finish me for front of fine bobo. I dey find how to off am!

I just dey disgrace!

Thank God for the music wey dey play for car!

At least, e cover small for me!

If not, I for just disappear!

I peep Kunle Adigun, e just dey drive, face calm like say nothing happen!

E just give me adult dignity!

If no be that small smile wey dey hide for him mouth corner!

I shrink like snail!

I curl for window, no talk again!

For my mind: Who go save me!

Red light catch us, Kunle Adigun just talk:

"Your boyfriend still be that guy from secondary school?"

I freeze, then shake head: "No o!"

"I no get boyfriend!"

For secondary school, one guy dey follow me up and down!

One day, he dey drag me for school, my brother see us!

My brother run come, drag the guy commot from me, face strong dey ask, "Who you be?"

"Na her boyfriend I be. Who you be? I dey tell you, Nneka na my babe—no try am!"

That talk, that attitude, vex my brother!

Dem start to fight!

I try separate them, dey hold my brother!

He come vex more!

He think say I dey support the guy, na so he fling me one side!

Kunle Adigun come reach the scene late!

As he see say I wan fall, he rush hold me, carry me for hand!

My brother and the guy stop fight sharp!

Both of them shout: "Drop am!"

All those shameful memories just come back!

I just dey awkward!

For the rest of the drive, Kunle Adigun dey gist with me!

He no bring up anything wey go make me shame or uncomfortable!

But as we reach house, I nearly run disappear!