Chapter 6: WhatsApp Block and Wahala

True talk, nobody sabi Halima reach me for this world.

If dem dey share Halima's gist, na me suppose dey talk am. I know her since school. I fit guess her next move before she make am.

The night after we buy stroller, she add me for WhatsApp.

As I see her request, my body shock small. I dey form hard guy, but inside, my heart dey beat.

But now, I no be that mumu boy again.

I dey tell myself say time don change. Sola don wise up.

Even though I dey reason her matter, I leave her request hanging all night.

I go just open WhatsApp, dey look notification. I no gree accept am. Na new me be this.

Amaka kindness teach me something—in love, na who dey rush dey lose.

Na true. If you dey too show say you need person, na there dem go use you play. I dey learn calmness.

True true, next day when I open WhatsApp, my theory clear.

No be small. My phone dey beep, dey show new notification. I dey smile.

That night, Halima send me friend request twelve times.

Even my guy, Tunde, see the thing say, 'Guy, na you be king.' Na so I dey enjoy my day.

The notes she leave funny die—from "Hello Sola, long time no see," reach "Sola, you wicked o. I know I mess up before, but you no fit just ignore me like this na."

She dey drop all those soft messages. I dey read, dey laugh inside my pillow. Life sweet when old flame dey beg you.

As I read those twelve messages, I just dey laugh.

Na only me know wetin dey my mind. I dey plan how I go dey form hard man.

To avoid wahala from Amaka, I tell her say I dey go collect rent, I no even chop breakfast.

Amaka dey ask, 'Honey, you no go eat?' I just say, 'No worry, business first.' For my mind, I dey rush go arrange myself.

Once I drive commot, I branch one café, order cake and coffee, then accept Halima request.

I sit down for corner, dey calculate my move. I dey form boss.

After I accept, I no talk anything—just dey sip my coffee, dey wait her message.

I dey reason say, make she make first move. Na so I dey play hard to get.

But na there she surprise me.

She no send message. My phone dey silent like graveyard. I dey check every two minutes.

I wait pass one hour, Halima no send any message.

I dey form say e no pain me, but inside my body dey hot. She dey play my own game back.

"Maybe she dey work, she never see say I don accept am," I tell myself.

I dey try console myself. I dey reason say maybe she dey busy for shop.

But reach lunchtime, I begin worry.

I dey check time. Waiter dey ask if I go order food again. I just dey press phone.

Time don reach for food, Halima still never message me.

I dey reason say maybe na mistake I do. My mind dey scatter.

How person go dey without checking phone since?

In this Lagos, nobody dey drop phone for one hour unless wahala dey.

Two things come my mind.

Either she dey play mind game like me,

Or she vex because I no accept her last night.

I dey calculate which one e fit be. My head dey spin small.

By 1 p.m., I believe say na vex she dey vex.

Old memory dey bite my chest. I dey sweat for air-condition café.

With that, I begin panic. All those old memories rush me.

Na so heartbreak dey start. I dey reason say maybe na karma dey play me.

Halima different from Amaka. Even though both get wahala, Amaka own dey quick cool—sometimes she go even apologize without me begging.

Amaka fit cook favourite food, come beg me. Halima own, na stone.

But Halima, once she vex, forget am—no matter how you try, she no go talk to you for ten days, sometimes even more.

She fit dey online dey post, but if na you, she go ghost you.

The worst time be when I delay her gift for Women's Day by two days because my parents no send money. She ignore me for one month plus.

I dey beg, dey call, even buy recharge card join. No show. My guys dey laugh me say na mumu I dey do.

As I remember, I no fit relax.

I begin dey tap leg under table. Na so anxiety dey start.

I quickly send her message.

["Halima, sorry, I sleep early last night, I no see your request. Na this morning I accept am."]

I dey form innocent, dey find how to fix am quick.

But after I send am, na like stone enter river—no reply.

I dey refresh phone every five minutes. I dey reason say maybe network dey delay.

Even by 4 p.m., nothing.

I dey look screen like mumu. Na so my day spoil finish.

I just dey café dey regret.

My mind dey play all the old scene. I dey vex for myself. If to say I accept am last night, maybe gist for dey flow.

God give me chance to correct my mistake, I mess up?

I dey ask myself say, 'Sola, you no dey learn?'

I no send pride again.

I type apology.

["Halima, you dey vex? Sorry, na true I sleep last night."]

["How I go ignore you? All these years, I still dey dream about you."]

["No marry you na the biggest pain for my life. How I go fit ignore you?"]

I dey pour my mind. I no even care if I dey form too soft.

After I send all, I sure say she don see am.

I dey watch WhatsApp online light. Once I see 'typing...' my body dey ready.

Because her chat box show "The other party is typing."

My heart dey beat fast. I dey hope say she go just forgive me, gist go start.

I dey wait for her reply.

My finger dey shake. I dey pray inside mind.

But wetin she send just weak me.

["Even if you really sleep last night, after you accept my request this morning, why you no talk anything? Why you wait reach 1 p.m. before you say something?"]

["Sola, you don sharp, abi? You wan dey play mind game with me?"]

["No be me and you. I no get time for all these childish play."]

["I add you only because we don date before. Since we jam again yesterday, e no good to still block you. Na all be that."]

["Since you dey do like this, better make you remain for my block list. Bye bye."]

Her message long like NEPA bill. E pain me for chest. I dey reread, dey hope say I fit see small opening, but nothing.

As I read her message, I try send another one.

I dey type, dey delete. Before I press send, na so network fail.

But na so she block me again.

Notification show for screen. I just weak. My hand dey tremble.

Instantly, cold sweat just full my body.

I dey ask myself, 'Who send me message?' I for just maintain.

I just sit down for café, dey look space like mumu.

Waiter come meet me, say, 'Oga, you want another coffee?' I just wave hand, no fit talk. I just carry my wahala dey go house, dey pray make Amaka no ask me why my face bend like gala wey sun burn.