Chapter 4: The Kiss That Changed Everything

Lanre notice say something dey off. E dey watch me close. E eyes dey scan my face, as if e dey read all my secrets.

E cold palm touch my forehead gently. E hand cold, gentle. The touch surprise me, e calm me like balm.

"Wetin happen? Your body dey hot—na sickness catch you?"

E voice get small tremble. E dey try hide e worry, but I fit hear am. Him cold voice soft small, concern dey hide inside. The way e dey talk now, e different from normal Lanre. E soft, e dey show e care.

E too close. Our body nearly touch. I fit feel him breath, e dey mix with mine. The smell of shea butter dey scatter my head, I dey high. The room smell fresh, clean, pure—like Sunday morning after harmattan breeze.

My heart dey beat anyhow. I no fit stand again, dizziness wan finish me. My body dey give up, my knee dey wobble. I dey pray make ground no swallow me.

My leg fail me. I just hold him cold, slim finger. My hand cold, but my inside dey burn. I dey clutch am tight, like lifeline.

My voice dey shake, soft sotay e nearly lost: "A... A'brother..." I sob, I no fit hold am. Tears dey gather for my eye. I dey sob like pikin, voice low, no strength. The man I dey hold stiff, but e no push me. E allow me hold am, my finger just dey twist for him own.

Lanre no gree move. E dey stand still, like statue, but e hand dey answer me. E hand tremble small, but e hide am, like say e dey fight spirit inside.

"I dey suffer... Abeg help me."

My plea low, but I know say e hear am. E face dey change, I fit see e struggle.

"I want..."

The words hang for air. I dey hope say e go understand the one wey I no fit talk. I want make e hold me, use him lips cool this fire for my mouth. The urge strong, my mouth dey open, dey wait for small breeze.

WhatsApp comments flash:

[Small sis sabi hear word. No wonder she dey get wetin she want.]

[Everybody, see as cold flower ear don red sotay my eye wan blind! One hand dey hold small sis, other hand dey free—abeg, do something now!]

The comments dey ginger me, dey push me reach limit. As I remember the comments, I look Lanre ear. Him soft earlobe red, like agbalumo. Agbalumo red—na real village sign say person dey shy. I dey smile inside, but my face dey serious.

E no even calm as e dey pretend. Lanre dey pretend, but e body dey betray am. E dey shake small, I fit see am. Lanre bend down, him pale lips near my own. If I just shift head small, I go catch those lips. E dey test my courage. E dey wait make I make move.

Him other hand hold my waist, pull me close like say e dey control himself. The hold tight, but e gentle. E no want break me. Him finger brush my lips. The touch soft, e dey send shock run my spine. My body dey quiver.

"Good Amaka..." e talk soft. "Tell me well—how you want make A'brother help you?" E dey ask, but e already know answer. The way e call my name—Amaka—dey different, e get weight.