Chapter 2: Heartbreak and Lagos Lessons

For car, I text Tunde: [Make we break up.]

My hand dey shake as I type. I no even wait for reply.

Then I block am everywhere.

I delete am from WhatsApp, Instagram, even Facebook. For Naija, if you wan disappear person, you go do am sharp sharp. Snapchat and small Telegram join. My chest dey do one kind, like say I just run relay.

After I do am, my body just weak.

All the strength wey I gather for party just vanish. I rest my head for window, dey watch streetlight pass.

Kunle ask me, "Wetin happen? No be una dey always gel together?"

Him voice soft, like mama wey dey pet pikin. Na real cousin matter, no be fake padi.

I hold tears, no sabi how to talk, just force smile: "Nothing, I just no like am again."

My mouth talk am, but my heart dey bleed.

"Why? Na because of this game?"

"Yes, na because of this game."

I bite lip. If I talk more, tears go just drop.

Kunle shock, try talk sense: "You sure say you fit leave am? No be two years you take chase am? You fit just move on like that?"

The words pain, but e true. I been dey run Tunde matter since hundred level.

I grip my phone tight.

I dey feel the pain, but I gats stand strong. My mama always talk: "No dey carry last for man matter."

Yes, na Tunde. Na the guy I spend two years to finally sleep with.

This one na real gist. My friends dey call am academic god, small celebrity for math department. People dey yarn say him IQ fit pass JAMB.

Na the academic god for UNILAG math department, campus crush wey him picture online dey get hundred thousand likes.

Even Facebook aunties dey call am "husband material." Tunde be like legend. People dey use him reading pose do meme.

E still be only pikin for Tunde Group, future just dey shine.

If you sabi how loaded Tunde papa be, you go know say na real catch. But me, I no too send money matter.

But for love, e dey gentle, e dey keep body.

People dey call am "gentleman with sense." For campus, na rare.

Na just last night we first sleep together.

That night, my heart dey race. I be wan run, but I just close eye do am.

As I dey kiss am, I use chance touch him abs.

I even purposely touch where e dey sensitive, force am moan small.

For my mind, I dey form bad girl, but fear dey me say e go stop.

E don already remove shirt, dey hold himself above me, eye corner red, dey beg: "Morayo, I want you. E go dey okay?"

E voice low, almost whisper. The guy try respect me, but I gats ginger myself.

I try hold myself: "You don already remove cloth, abeg, no dey ask, just do am."

I no wan hear story. If na Naija boy, na action we dey find.

My tears begin drop.

So, na because main babe collect love letter, e vex, na why e lose him first time to me?

As tears drop, my brain dey process all the bullet comments. I dey think, "Na pity Tunde dey pity me? Abi na revenge e dey do?"

Just to make her jealous? Use me practice?

As the puzzle join for my head, the pain just dey bite more.

I piece everything from bullet comments.

Online people no dey help matter. Dem dey talk like say dem get CCTV for my room.

Na me be the wicked side chick for their romance novel.

For their mind, my role no pass supporting actress.

Halima na the main babe for the story.

As e be like this, Halima don win best supporting actress and lead role join.

She once save Tunde papa.

Everybody sabi the gist: Halima help save Tunde papa when e collapse for faculty car park.

Tunde papa get heart wahala, Halima do CPR, rush am hospital.

People yarn say na that day Tunde family adopt Halima as their own.

As two of them dey same school, Tunde papa beg am to look after her.

Na so big man dey do. If person save your life, na loyalty forever.

According to gist, as I dey cause wahala, Tunde go dey pity Halima more, dey cherish her.

For all the drama wey I dey do, the guy just dey push me out with style. My own dey finish.

The more wahala I cause, the more e leave me.

Na so campus soap dey run. Person go dey fight, still dey lose.

After graduation, I even craze pass.

Dem say heartbreak fit make person craze. I dey fear reach that level.

I go wait for am for company, wear short skirt, nothing under, try seduce am for office.

This one na real disgrace. I dey imagine am, my heart dey cut.

But na night guard catch me, drag me go lawn, do rubbish.

As I imagine am, my body cold. Shame dey bite me.

He and Halima dey waka, see me. He cover her eye, say make she no look, say e dirty.

If na me, my own for trend for social media. Lagos people no dey keep quiet.

That night, I no fit bear shame, I jump river.

My own pain too much. For this story, I be scapegoat.

My parents no fit bear the wahala, get accident, both die.

The pain touch family. E no suppose reach so.

I no believe say na so far I go go because of Tunde.

As I dey think, I just weak. Only person wey never love deep fit waka sharp.

This one no be me at all.

My spirit no gree this kind script.

I no wan scatter my life for anybody.

I still get future, still get family. Tunde no be last bus stop.

I never even love am reach that level, so better make I commot quick.

As mama talk: "If man dey show you pepper, carry your bag dey go."

Before e go talk break up, make I first talk am, cut am sharp.

I no wan carry last.