Chapter 2: Abuja Gist No Dey Hide

As soon as I send that message, WhatsApp comments just explode:

[How you go dey so wicked? The poor heiress go just carry her sorrow go bar now...]

[Na pride and stubbornness dey worry the heiress, but now she don lose true love.]

[No wahala, the heiress go just scatter Musa family business, and e go run come beg her.]

[Musa, abeg, no go carry last!]

[Halima dey use style pepper you, guy!]

Everybody dey talk like say na Nollywood film. Some dey pity, some dey curse, some just dey chop popcorn for drama. For Abuja, if your wahala never enter WhatsApp group, you never start.

Musa. Na me be that.

My name, Musa Adigun, dem sabi say I dey calm. But this kind talk fit make even saint vex. I just remind myself make I no throw my phone for ground.

I stare at the comments, vex just dey boil my blood, so I hiss loud.

For Abuja, if you no hiss, dem go think say you no dey vex true. Na our own way to release steam.

I glance again—eyes meet Halima own.

Her eye sharp like razor, no fear. Na the kind confidence wey only money fit buy.

She just raise eyebrow small, still dey let pretty boy hold her, no even pretend like say she do anything wrong.

As she notice my face don change, her smile come even wider.

Omo, na the kind smile wey fit make man break table, but I hold myself.

The pretty boy wey dey with Halima na Instagram influencer. The two of them together—

Crowd just dey gather, people dey snap, dey record. Even suya man pause, aboki dey watch, hawkers still dey shout for background.

The café wey I dey get glass everywhere. I just dey pray make I no enter anybody camera by mistake.

I curse for my mind, stand up, call driver, change pick-up location sharp-sharp. Who wan make dem see him face for gossip blog? Before you know am, Gistlover go carry am, wahala don set.

But Abuja small, na so as I dey comot, I jam Halima face to face. My spirit just cold.

“You dey come this side?” I drag lips.

For here, once you dey drag lips, dem know say you dey para.

“So you dey worry about me?” Halima smile dey shine like say she dey campaign.

Her teeth white like new chalk, lips dey glow. The pretty boy beside her dey look me anyhow, but e no talk—e know say e no reach.

If to say na Lagos, e for open mouth. Abuja guys dey use eye measure who dey control.

WhatsApp comments just dey my head, vex dey rise.

I try waka pass, but Halima grab my wrist. Her hand soft, but e grip me like police checkpoint. My chest just dey jump. I wan free, but pride hold me.

She ask softly, “You dey vex?”

Voice low, but you fit hear small fear. Her eyes dey search my face.

I look both of them. “Vex? For wetin? I wish una long life together.”

I try blank my face, but inside my heart dey race, mouth dry.

She still no gree leave me.

Pretty boy hiss. “Who you be sef, dey disturb person shopping?”

He talk am loud, dey try form for plaza. But nobody answer am, Abuja people just dey observe.

He shake wrist, show off expensive watch, look Halima, dey shine teeth. “Abi you dey jealous say nobody buy you this kind watch, bro?”

I answer cool, “You sabi say she get fiancé?”

Na the kind talk wey dey scatter table. Even crowd begin listen well.

Guy freeze, then laugh. “Na arrangement jor. If Halima like her fiancé, she for no dey with me.”

Halima laugh small, her fine almond eyes just dey on me. That laugh carry small pepper—she dey enjoy the drama.

I nod, look her hand for my wrist. “Abeg, leave me.”

I no wan make people snap as if na fight dey start. My dignity still dey important.

Halima no move, just dey look me. “Find another person follow you go the party two days from now.”

Her voice sharp, no dey beg. She wan make I jealous, but I just hold my face like police for checkpoint.

Pretty boy look me up and down, grin. “So na you be her fiancé? And so? Halima dey go the party with me.”

He dey form, but na me get ring. Even people dey murmur.

I just think for mind, breakup agreement go reach Halima family tomorrow. For Abuja, once you move, you no dey look back.

“No wahala,” I say. “You fit leave me now?”

I try form composure, but hand dey shake small. I no wan make she see am.

Halima pause, face change. “Who you wan carry go?”

She dey find trouble. Voice low, almost whisper, pride no go let her lose.

Fine girls flash for my mind. I answer, “Never decide, but if I check house, I go see person.”

Abuja house full of fine girls. Na who you give chance go shine.

Everywhere just quiet. People dey pretend dey buy ice cream, but na us dem dey watch.

WhatsApp comments don pop:

[Omo, the heiress go soon para!]

[Heiress, abeg, calm down. Why you dey make person fear like this?]

[Musa, stop gra-gra. If heiress vex, she fit run your family business down, you go beg tire.]

My mind dey tumble. If not for comments, maybe I for just walk away.

“Musa, you try.” Halima step back, voice cold like ice. Her chest dey rise and fall, body dey vibrate. If no be public, she for don shout. She free me.

My wrist pain small as she leave am. E show say her vex don pass level.

I waka go front, look pretty boy watch, then face Halima deep-deep.

“You talk say you go give me that watch as gift before.”

I talk calm, but the thing pain me. I remember the day she promise, even write am for WhatsApp.

With that, I turn waka go. No look back, just dey go as if spirit no dey my body.

Halima run meet me, voice flat: “You still remember?”

She surprise say I fit talk am. For her mind, she no know say men dey keep receipts.

“But I no need am again,” I say.

I force my voice make e no break. I no wan make people think say I dey cry.

“He go hold me everyday, dey call me ‘wife’, bring me tea, water, anything I want.” Halima just dey look me.

So na that same watch wey you promise me, you give am?

My throat tight, belle dey turn.

The wahala pain me for bone. That feeling wey you dey expect gift, but e end up for another person hand.

WhatsApp comments dey mad:

[She dey give you sign!]

[Heiress no fit hold am again. Musa, just call her ‘wife’ one time, she go give you everything.]

[Heiress dey dream make Musa call her ‘wife’—after that, na to enter bed straight...]

If na their advice person dey follow, e go fall inside gutter.

I stop, look Halima straight, talk clear:

“Yes. From today, I go hold other women, call them ‘wife’, spoil them. Everything I get, I go give them. But you, Halima, forget am.”

My voice low, but my word heavy. Even me dey feel the impact for chest.

“Talk am again.” Halima eyes red, voice cold like freezer. She grip my arm, no wan gree. “Musa, talk am again!”

Her grip dey pain, but pride no let me shout.

That time, pretty boy rush come, confused. “Halima, wetin happen?”

Guy just dey shift leg, e no sabi wetin to do. Remain small, he for carry ring light make live video.

Halima no answer, still dey look me. Silence heavy—everybody dey hold breath.

Guy frown, glare me. “You make Halima vex? She no dey ever sad with me.”

I bone am. No feeling for my mind. I no wan waste word for influencer.

I turn face another side, no talk again.

E be like say pepper dey my chest, no water fit cool am.

After some time, Halima hand drop. She close eyes, vex just dey her body. You fit hear her breathing, heavy. The kind pain wey dey make eye red.

“He sabi how to make me no vex, Musa.” She drop am, turn waka go.

Pretty boy run follow, dey try pet am.

Na so e dey for Abuja—once wahala start, na the person wey quick gree dey win.

As dem dey go, dem just look like perfect couple.

If you see them, you go think say love dey sweet. Na lie.

WhatsApp comments still dey roll:

[Musa just dey do strong head, dey push away the person wey love am pass.]

[Him no fit just talk small sweet word? Now na the pretty boy dey benefit.]

[I tire... Oya check trending, dem don post picture and video online!]

If you see the kind comments, you go think say dem dey pay people to talk.