Chapter 5: Chin Chin, Jealousy & Makurdi Mystery

07.

My papa and mama tell my childhood padi Idris Bala make he bring me some local snack.

Dem sabi say I like coconut chin chin—everytime papa travel, na only Idris dey remember to bring am come.

To thank am for the coconut chin chin wey I like, I carry am go one popular restaurant near campus.

The place dey always full—students, staff, even lecturer dey chop there. I just dey feel fly, dey waka with Idris.

Idris say make I show am Uyo City. I no gree.

Musa Garba get important basketball match soon.

I no wan miss am for anything. Na so loyalty dey work.

Idris talk say if I no gree, he no go give me snack, but I just collect am back.

I hug my coconut chin chin, happy, dey plan give Musa Garba some the next day.

If guy sabi wetin I sacrifice for am, e go know say I dey try.

Suddenly, I feel cold for my back. I look, everywhere full.

E be like say wahala dey near. Na so Naija babe dey get sixth sense. My eye dey sharp, I dey look everywhere.

“Wetin happen?” Idris ask, hand for my shoulder.

The way e take balance hand, na like say I be babe wey him dey run things for. Na that time e get as e be.

I look him hand, bone face: “Abeg, remove your hand.”

If Musa or anybody wey sabi me waka pass, na another round of wahala.

Idris, sabi say I no fit push am, just lean near me, dey do guy: “If I no remove nko, wetin you go do?”

E dey form hard guy, dey tease me. I just hiss, look away.

I wan reply, but that feeling say person dey look me come back.

You know that kain moment? Na so e be. My heart just skip.

I turn—na orange cat waka come out from bush.

I burst laugh. Idris join. At least, no be human wahala.

Next day, I rush go basketball court, only for Musa roommate to tell me say he drop out of the match last night, take two days off go Makurdi.

My mind scatter. Musa wey no dey miss match, which kain thing happen?

I open our chat wey I pin.

Musa last message na: [Tomorrow 9:30, Court 3. E go cold for morning, remember wear jacket.]

Court 3 dey for back of hostel, red sand everywhere, net tear for one side, boys dey always play with one leg dey drag slippers. Na so e dey care—sometimes, e go drop small advice wey go warm my heart.

Last night, I reach hostel 11:30, bath, sleep—forget to reply.

If I know say e dey matter, I for talk something. My mind begin dey play old scene like film.

[Why you no play the match?]

I wait, no reply.

I just dey scroll through WhatsApp status.

My finger stop for Zainab Musa name. She post last night.

Caption short: [Happy breakup. From today, we go just be strangers wey sabi each other well.]

Location: Makurdi.

My heart cut. Wetin Musa dey do for Makurdi? Na so my mind scatter. I drop phone, look ceiling, dey reason say this love thing go finish me one day. But tomorrow, I go still message am—my coconut head no dey hear word.