Chapter 5: Blood for Blood

Anger from those memories push my hand—I slap the bald man, e shock.

The sound loud, people pause. For my mind, I no fit take am again. Na years of pain dey push me.

As e recover, him red eye big. "You slap me, idiot?"

E voice loud, spit dey fly. E no believe say small girl fit touch am like that. Some people begin shift, dey expect fight.

As e wan throw punch, Femi stand for my front, twist the man hand, then kick am go one side.

Femi no waste time, e just block am sharp. E no dey smile. One kick, the man fall. Femi dey stand like lion, eyes red.

E pull me for chest, that scent of sandalwood just surround me.

As Femi hold me, I remember those days wey e go come my hostel late night, perfume scent still dey my bedsheet even when e don waka.

"You fit touch my babe? You dey mad?"

E dey use me defend im ego, but na for show. Femi voice deep, people shift back, some dey whisper. Respect and fear dey mix for their face.

People wey gather don attract new couple.

The noise don reach Segun and Sade. Dem dey walk come, face dey show say wahala don land.

"Amina, why you still dey follow Femi?" Segun voice come from back, make my heart squeeze.

That question cut deep. As I hear am, old memories just dey push tears for my chest. I no fit answer, I just look ground.

"Young Master Segun, you don marry my goddess finish. No fit leave me even shoe wey you no want?"

Femi voice sharp, but e dey mock. E dey use word play insult Segun, dey show say e no send again. The crowd dey enjoy the drama.

Those words just cut my heart like knife.

Na truth e talk—me, I be cast-off for this place. I feel like leftover jollof wey nobody wan touch.

I shrink, dey defend myself. "You sef dey like cast-off?"

I force words out. Even if I weak, I no go let them use me finish. Pride still remain small.

"Cast-off shoe dey last pass new one…"

Femi talk am with style, crowd just dey nod. Some dey laugh, some dey shake head. Dem say old broom sabi sweep corner pass new one. I wan just disappear.

Femi look Segun with challenge, then grip my chin, bite my lower lip for front of everybody.

The pain sharp, blood dey taste for my mouth. E do am on purpose—to mark territory. I feel eyes everywhere, shame burn my skin.

Blood taste fill my mouth. The chandelier for up just dey shine for my eye, I no fit open am.

Light dey blind me, my mind dey run. Na moment of weakness, but I no go cry. I go package myself.

True, how I wan take match him goddess?

Sade dey glow, me I dey hide. In my mind, I dey ask God why e make me like this. Why I no fit get normal life?

Na just toy I be for am, make e use anyhow…

I dey swallow pain, dey count my small victories. One day, I go find my own voice. For now, na plaything I be, but no be forever.