Chapter 5: Confrontation

After one year as her official boyfriend, I still dey beg before I fit hold her hand or kiss am, and that one sef depend on her mood. Anything pass that? Forget am. Because my babe always talk say girls suppose dey reserve, say she dey proud of her upbringing, say her most precious thing na only for marriage. Na so dem dey do love and marriage well.

I go dey gist with my guys, dem go dey use me laugh, say I dey chase church girl. Me, I go defend her, say Naija good girls still dey. If I dey think am now, shame dey catch me.

I respect her. I really believe say I don see rare correct babe. But wetin I get? For my front, she dey form holy. For my back, she dey follow another woman husband sleep. Who dey more mumu pass me?

Na that time I realize say, sometimes, life no dey balance at all. The way I take trust this girl, I no trust myself reach like that.

Anger just dey boil for my body. I nearly craze. I no fit hold am again, I burst enter bathroom. My babe still dey bath, she scream: "Wetin you dey do? Who send you come in?!"

Her voice high, water still dey drip for her body. She no even try cover up well. For my mind, I dey remember the message about hickey, dey look the red mark for her neck. E just dey there dey mock me.

She cover down, no even send up. The red mark under her neck just dey burn my eye. I force myself make I no shout. No, this no be the time to para.

I swallow spit, try calm down. My hand dey shake, but I no gree show am. I just look her eye, carry razor wey I see for sink: "Na this I wan carry."

She throw soap for my face. "Comot! Oloshi! Waka!"

That wicked, vex face—e no resemble the cute way she dey do for that guy for WhatsApp at all.

As the soap land my face, I just dey look her like stranger. My heart dey pound, but I know say I no fit fight or shout. I waka comot bathroom, carry my slippers go sit for balcony, dey look sky. Generator noise dey drag with frog for gutter, breeze dey blow dust enter my eye. Lagos night no dey ever quiet.

Abeg, I gats break up. I no do again.

I dey whisper for myself: "No be me go die because of woman."

For this Lagos, heartbreak dey wear fine cloth—na me dey wear am tonight.