Chapter 2: Campus Love, Big Wedding, and The Dream

I always believe say I be lucky omega, born for family wey dey open-minded and comfortable.

You know how some people go dey count their suffering, but my own childhood na better enjoyment. If na party, dem dey buy me special Ankara. If na holiday, we go travel go Calabar or even Dubai. My papa dey always tell anybody wey care to listen say, "My pikin na my pride."

Dem spoil me since I small—if I say I want stars, my parents no go only give me moon, dem go try collect the stars join.

Even as I dey do anyhow sometimes, I sabi say dem love no dey get expiry date for my matter. Na so I waka for house dey raise shoulder.

As fine girl, I dey do anyhow, no dey fear anybody.

People dey talk say I get mind; my mouth sharp, my dress sharp, even my eyebrow self dey always on point. For secondary school, na so boys dey fear to talk to me, say I fit give them hot gbas gbos.

Even though my temper no too good, my beauty dey always cover my wahala.

If you see as I dey waka, you go know say God try for me. My mama dey always warn me say, "No go use fine face take dey do anyhow o," but I no hear. Sometimes sef, my wahala dey sweet me.

Na so I jam the alpha wey I dey like for inside university—one senior wey senior me two years, the main guy for campus, Olumide.

That time, na him name dey hot pass for faculty. Girls dey eye am like gala for hold-up. But na me Olumide choose, I still dey thank God till today.

I think say na there my luck go end, say I go finally chop breakfast, know how e be when person love no reach the person wey dem like.

My friends dey always tease me say, "No let heartbreak jam you o, you never see real breakfast!" I prepare my mind, say if e happen, I go cry small, then move on.

But instead, na Olumide even come toast me.

One evening like that, we jam for school cafeteria. E just look me, smile that him correct smile. Next thing, e say, "You dey give me wahala for mind, abeg, gree for me." My heart nearly jump commot from my chest.

He talk say na love at first sight e get for me, say since the day e see me, him eye no dey see another person again.

Na so we begin date, everything just dey smooth. After I graduate, we just waka enter marriage, no wahala.

My people carry big rice go in-laws house; party no get rival for our street that weekend. The jollof rice aroma fill the street, and small children dey run with meat for hand. Everybody dey talk say "Na so marriage suppose be."

By that time, Olumide don already make am for him work, dey run him own finance company for Ibadan.

Sometimes, if e call me during lunch break, I go dey hear generator sound for background, I go just dey smile. I dey proud say my man dey try, dey hustle.

My wedding na big one, our family dey happy, everybody dey envy us.

If you see the Aso-ebi wey my girls wear, e be like sky with plenty rainbow. Even my uncle from Onitsha still dey use the pictures do WhatsApp profile till today.

Then, na so that dream come show face.

Dream wey suppose end with better things, come turn my belle. For the dream, everything dey go well till Olumide employ one beta assistant, na there wahala start.

You know say for our side, omega na wife material, beta na the cool-headed ones wey no dey drag for love. The beta name na Ifeanyi. For office, Olumide dey call am Mr. Ifeanyi, but for house e dey call am Ife.

Ifeanyi na person wey sabi dress, e dey shine shoe, always dey arrange him tie. Dem go dey meet secretly for office behind my back, later dem come get mind reach, dem dey chop suya together for parlour, dey laugh like say I no dey.

Me, wey fine anyhow, just be mumu for their matter.

Sometimes for dream, e go be like say I dey invisible, na so dem go dey pass me like say I be wall gecko. My pride just dey fall every day.

After I find out about Ifeanyi, I fight Olumide, disgrace follow, no dignity remain for me.

Neighbours for dream dey peep from window, dey gossip my matter. Some dey look me with pity, others dey whisper, "She too dey do, see as e end."

The dream end as Olumide pursue me, make me sign divorce paper, leave me for street with empty hand.