Chapter 3: Belle Don Enter—Plan Dey Scatter

When I wake the next day, afternoon don reach.

Sun don enter room, my skin dey sweat small. Tobi no dey, but the smell of him soap still dey air. I stretch, every bone for my body dey protest. Last night drama no be small thing.

My body dey pain me everywhere, like say dem scatter and join me back.

I dey roll for bed, dey reason if I go call sick leave if na work I dey go. E be like say I run marathon for dream.

I just dey look ceiling, no fit move.

Fan dey blow air for my face, but my body just dey heavy. My mind dey replay everything wey happen. E sweet, but wahala still dey my head.

If I continue like this, Tobi go kill me with enjoyment.

I laugh small, dey talk for inside: 'E be like say na only me dey suffer love like this.'

Phone just ring—na my papa send message.

The ringtone loud, I almost jump from bed. I carry phone, see papa name, heart just skip.

[He family go send person come in one month. You don enjoy enough for outside these months, abi? Abeg, come back house. No let me come drag you come myself.]

I off my phone, head dey ache.

My papa wahala don start. Any message from am na trouble. I know say if I no answer, e fit send my uncle or even show for my hostel. My head just dey swell with stress.

My papa dey force me marry enter He family for Okpoko Kingdom, marry person wey I never even see before—self, I no even know him name.

This arranged marriage no be new thing for our family, but this one strong. Dem say the He family get money, na royal blood. I never even see the boy face. For my mind, e be like film trick.

Anyhow I fight am, e no dey work.

I try all method. I beg, I cry, I lock myself for room. Mama even join beg, but papa no dey hear. E say na tradition. I tire.

No choice, na why I plan this thing.

I get plan. I no fit just surrender. So I disguise, run come city, begin this Tobi matter. For Naija, if you no sharp, dem go use you play draft.

Disguise as poor student, go near Tobi.

Use belle scatter the engagement.

I don check Tobi background. The guy get small pride, but no get power, so I no dey fear say I no fit waka.

I dey use style ask questions, check wetin e fit do. I sure say if gbege start, Tobi no get family wey go fit drag my papa own. E no too get power, so I dey safe.

Plus, he fine and get sense. If I born for am, pikin go dey sharp and cute.

All my friends dey talk say Tobi fine. E get brains, too. If I born pikin, e go get correct nose, sharp eyes, fit enter pageant self.

I touch my belle. My period don late one week.

The thing dey worry me. I dey count days, dey reason if wahala don land.

I buy pregnancy test before, hide am for bathroom, never use.

The thing dey fear me. I hide am behind soap, dey wait for courage.

I breathe out, manage stand up go baff.

My leg dey heavy, but I no get choice. I waka enter bathroom, heart dey beat.

As I pass kitchen, I see Tobi dey cook.

Tobi dey sing small song, dey dance as e dey stir pot. The smell of oil and pepper just dey make my belle turn.

He stand one side, dey turn egusi soup with one hand, dey use phone for ear with the other. The egusi dey bubble, red oil dey shine for pot, aroma fit wake person wey dey sleep.

Na correct multitask. I dey peep, dey hope say e no pour soup for ground. Him voice low, so I no too hear.

Kitchen glass door close, with the sound from extractor, I no hear wetin he dey talk.

Noise from extractor dey cover everything. I just dey look am, dey pray make e no catch fire.

Maybe he notice me—Tobi turn look my side, eyes just bend like say e wan open door.

E see me, him face change small. I just wave, make e know say no wahala.

I quick wave am, waka go bathroom.

I no want wahala, so I waka fast enter bathroom, lock door, begin breathe deep.

As Tobi dey cook, na chance to test am.

I dey thank God for opportunity. I carry kit, dey pray make nobody knock door.

I lock bathroom, carry the test out, body dey shake small.

My hand dey tremble, sweat dey my forehead. The bathroom small, wall dey sweat too, like say the whole house dey feel my tension. I dey talk for mind, 'God, abeg, if e don happen, make e happen well.'

Since we dey together, Tobi dey always use protection.

But e get some times e go slack, or my beg go almost change am mind. But Tobi dey always form responsible guy.

Plenty times, I beg am make e no use, but last minute, e go always pull out sharp sharp.

Sometimes e go look me, laugh say, 'Ada, I no wan carry wahala.' Me go vex small, but e go pet me.

I wait five minutes, dey fear.

Five minutes long like exam time. My eye dey on the stick, I dey count clock.

Two lines show, one strong, one faint.

I just sit for floor. The two lines dey look me. I breathe in, breathe out. Life don change.

I breathe out.

Belle don enter.

Tears wan commot, but I hold am. I no know if na joy or fear.

But e mean say my matter with Tobi don finish.

For my mind, I dey think say, plan don work, time to disappear.

Why I come dey vex small?

But as I reason am, my chest dey pain. I no sure if na regret or if I don fall truly.