Chapter 3: Trending for All the Wrong Reasons

As I enter car, I check my phone. Abuja traffic no dey help matter. My driver just dey adjust him radio, low volume—small Fuji dey play for background, but my mind no dey there. He dey look me for mirror, dey try gauge if wahala go reach am.

My guys don send me message:

[Guy, you dey trend o! You sabi say that guy wey dey your babe side na influencer?]

[See as dem just disgrace you. Halima dey flaunt her fine boy for your front.]

[That influencer dey always brag for live say one woman dey spoil am anyhow. Na Halima be that.]

[Chai—Halima never get boyfriend before. We think say na you get luck. Now na she dey cheat?]

E sweet dem to yarn. Some just dey use my matter do cruise. I just dey shake head, dey reply them one by one.

I reply them one by one, then check trending topics on Twitter Naija.

Omo, the thing loud. Even people wey no sabi us dey add their own.

Pictures and video clear—everybody see as me and Halima dey argue.

No way to form say na fake. E clear like say na Big Brother camera dey record us.

All the comments dey support the influencer:

[This woman just dey jealous Seyi. Now she wan snatch him girlfriend.]

[You no see as Seyi girlfriend dey treat am? Even as she tire, she still dey nice.]

[That guy just dey follow them up and down. When dem comot, he just stand dey form heartbreak.]

[Abeg, na homewrecker be that. Make rich girls no near am!]

Some people just dey yarn dust. Everybody dey support who dey shine for gram, no mind who dey get pain for heart.

So my fiancée don turn another person babe.

E be like say film dey play for my eye, but na my life. I just rest head for chair, look roof.

I lean back for car, eyes empty.

My mind just blank. I dey wonder if all this wahala worth am at all.

This trending topic no wan comot at all—na Halima dey push am.

My spirit just dey talk say, if I no act, this thing go reach family meeting.

She really like me as WhatsApp comments dey talk?

Or her love na just to let internet twist the matter, let people insult me finish?

My head dey pain me. Abuja drama no dey end.

I close my eyes, pain dey my chest.

The kind pain wey make grown man wan cry, but I hold myself. E no go good if driver see tear for my eye.

After long, I dial one number, my voice don crack: “Abeg, find way remove that trending topic now.”

I dey beg social media plug, the guy wey dey help me dey clean my image online.

WhatsApp comments don start again:

[See Musa, e don tire. If to say e just apologize, things for no reach like this...]

[All these online people just dey attack anyhow. Na Seyi be the real wahala, I vex.]

[Heiress too wicked this time.]

[This trending topic go hard to remove. People dey open new account just to insult Musa. If Musa Group see am, e go affect their share price.]

People forget say companies dey check all these things. Abuja business get long eye.

I pause for that last comment.

That one hit me for belle. If the wahala reach boardroom, my papa go summon me.

Truly, my phone ring not too long after. The person for other side just sound tired: “Somebody dey buy the trending slot back to back. We dey try remove am, but e no work.”

All these PR people, dem dey collect money but gist still dey everywhere.

I no talk. The person sigh. “You offend who? This topic dey pushed up steady, money dey drop. Your fiancée no dey remove am, just dey look.”

Because na my fiancée dey buy am.

My mind no fit deny am. Only person wey get reason go spend that kind money to shame me.

But soon, she no go be my fiancée again.

I don dey plan my escape, even if e go pain everybody.

Next call na my papa, voice sharp, like headmaster wey catch pikin for break time: “Musa, wetin be all this? If nobody tell me, I for no even know!”

That man no dey ever happy unless wahala dey far from house.

I steady myself. “Halima cheat. Na my fault again?”

I try maintain my voice, but e dey shake.

“She na woman, wetin you dey fear? Just pet am small, everything wey Halima family get fit be your own! Now you dey trend—see as you disgrace Musa family!” Him voice loud die.

Even driver reduce speed, e dey fear say wahala fit touch am.

I explain calm, “Na Halima dey buy trending slot. That guy na her boy. Dad, e no concern me. I dey try remove am.”

I try explain, but e no dey enter.

My papa hiss. “You no fit even win woman heart. Useless boy.”

He no care, he just cut call. For him mind, I don fail am.

He cut call.

The hiss loud, e pain me pass slap.

Car stop. Driver turn look back. “Oga Musa, we don reach house.”

I just wave am off. No energy to talk.

I come down, waka like ghost enter the dark compound.

House empty, only security dey. I just dey walk like person wey dey under juju.

My papa talk anyhow. Na him cheat that time, keep different women, still blame my mama say she don old, no fine again.

He forget say na her dowry start his business, na she dey work for back, sacrifice everything.

Some men no dey remember wetin woman do for them until e too late. I just dey vex as I enter room.