Chapter 4: Game Recognize Game

From that day, I start to bombard am with messages every day, focus on two main things:

Omo, I set alarm for myself—one early morning, one for night. If he no reply, I go still send. Dem say persistence dey win race.

First: Hubby, you dey? You too fine, I too love you. I even dey send him memes, photos, romantic quotes. I go add small voice note, make am sweet. Sometimes, I go send throwback photo of us for family event.

Second: Hubby, you dey? You dey ignore me, I dey sad. Why you wicked to your babe like this? I dey always pepper the message with crying emoji. I go write like say my chest dey pain me. I dey reason say, make e pity small.

But Timi no send me. I nearly run him mad. True talk, sometimes e go mute me for hours, but e no fit block me. I go still find another angle.

As he know say I don broke, anytime e no fit hold am again, he go just send me money make I rest for him head. Sometimes he go just say, "Oya, take this, buy something for yourself, abeg leave my phone." I go laugh, say thank you, act like say e touch my soul.

Wetin I go do? Of course, I go act like say my heart dey pain me, I go cry, shame go catch me. I go even send voice note with small sniff. Make am real. Then I go collect the money sharp sharp.

As I collect, I dey always thank am, but I no dey overdo. E be like say na normal.

Timi talk say he go carry me go meet him friends. As he yarn am, I just dey smile. For my mind, I sabi the level. Lagos boys no dey play, dem fit set you up anytime. I dey mentally prepare.

I sabi the plan: he wan use them show me shege, disgrace me for their front, make I shame, give up. E go wan make me look like mumu for their front. Me I don ready, I dey shine my eye.

To be honest, I don ready to bounce—after all, I don collect enough from am. I even dey reason say, after this one, I fit waka. E no go pain me. Lagos hustle no dey end.

Just one last big chop, then I go waka. I tell my girls make dem dey standby. If wahala burst, dem go come pick me.

But when I jam him guy Sani, something just dey off. As I see Sani, I notice the way him eye dey shine. Him handshake strong, e dey look me like say he dey calculate.

Sani own get as e be. He dey wear that his expensive wristwatch, the type dem dey buy for Dubai. E fit collect babe for anywhere.

Dem talk say him sister don dey crush on Timi since. Na gist wey dey fly for our side—him sister dey always dey reason Timi, dey look me one kind. She dey always complain give am, so he dey beef me steady. Any small chance, she go drop sub for me online. Sani dey use am hold me for mind.

But today, as we jam, na so Sani begin dey toast me. Sani switch, begin yarn me with soft voice, dey ask about my business, dey talk say my skin fine. I dey wonder if na cruise.

For the whole chop, na me him dey focus on. Even when other people dey gist, Sani just dey look my side, dey throw question, dey laugh my joke. My head dey swell small, but I dey cautious.

Near the end, he come ‘mistakenly’ pour drink for my skirt. As the cold drink touch my leg, I shock. He jump up, dey wipe me with tissue, dey apologize like say na movie. Sani come dey apologize, “Sorry, sorry! Thank God say mall dey next door. Make I buy you new skirt to make up.”

He dey look my face, dey smile small small. The other friends dey laugh, dey hail am. Timi bone face, dey act like say nothing happen.

Timi wey just dey bone since, suddenly talk, “I hate shopping. I go wait you for car. Quick come back.”

The way he talk am cold, I just know say e no wan follow me. I gather myself, hold my purse, dey follow Sani waka. Na so he waka go. No even wait, he just disappear, make sure everybody see say he no send.

I use wet wipe clean my skirt, talk say no wahala. I act like say I dey calm, but my mind dey sharp. Lagos girl no dey dull.

But as I look Sani arm when he roll sleeve, I notice am. E get small tattoo for arm, the way e flex muscle—e resemble that picture wey I see for DM. Fair skin, lean muscle, body dey set.

I dey observe. Men dey think say we no dey notice, but na lie. I fit tell the difference between playboy and normal guy. E resemble something I don see before.

As he dey talk, my brain dey process everything. My street sense dey vibrate. I sabi recognize man body—once I see am, I no dey forget.

If na before, I for ignore. But this time, my mind dey collect data. Na the same person wey send me that ab selfie for DM.

E clear for my mind. I fit bet my last card. Sharp sharp, my brain begin run fast.

E mean say this setup na package. I dey feel am for body. Na so dem dey run things for this Lagos.

So na set up these two dey plan. I dey shake small, but I still dey act cool. Make dem no see me finish.

First, dem send photo to test whether I dey loose, then use real life follow up. Na big strategy. Dem dey act like FBI. But me, I get sense pass dem.

Once dem get evidence say I dey cheat, dem go show Timi family, my own don finish be that.

I know say once my name enter group chat, everywhere go scatter. I dey form strong, but my mind dey reason plan B.

Me, na small vex I get for Timi before, just wan use style collect small money—no even reach the price of one of him watches. I no dey even run wicked, just dey find small joy for my own side.

But now, dem wan scatter my name, play with my feelings.

As I stand for mall, I dey reason, so all the cruise na game? Na wah!

Wicked people. Real wickedness.

As I reason am, I look up face Sani. I fit see am dey shine teeth. In my mind, I dey calculate next move.

Sani smile give me again. The guy fine reach celebrity, under the light he just dey shine. Him perfume dey smell expensive, the type wey dey make person head turn.

“Make we go?” he talk.

I nod, act like say nothing dey happen. But for my mind, I dey line my cards. If na game, make we play am to the end.

Brotherly love dey sweet o. All these their coded brotherhood, I wan see who go win last. This na real Naija test of friendship.

Make I see how long una friendship go last for this kind wahala.

But for this city, na who get sense last dey win—make we see who go collect L.