Chapter 3: Public Disgrace

After I finish talk, I carry my laptop and turn dey go. Tunde rush block my front.

He stand for door like area boy. If you see the way him eye dey, e be like say he dey act for Nollywood. But I just dey look am, no fear, no smile.

"Wetin you dey do? No be you talk say you still get debt to clear?"

His voice dey higher, like say he wan make everybody hear. I fit sense say na him pride dey talk, not really concern.

"You just wan quit writing like that? No be writing be your biggest dream?"

Him face squeeze, but for inside, I fit see small fear. E no want make I leave am alone for this scandal wahala.

Amarachi sef dey panic. She rush come, tears full her eyes.

The tears real, but na only person wey sabi her go know say na crocodile tears. She hold tissue, dey dab eye, voice dey shake.

"Ifeoma, abeg, no do yourself like this. I fit give you another chance."

Her hand dey reach for my arm, but I bone, waka pass like say nothing dey happen.

I just hiss, dey watch their drama.

People dey video, dey post for WhatsApp group. Some dey laugh, some dey comment for Twitter live thread.

Next thing, Amarachi bite her lip, kneel down for my front.

Her knee jam ground, sound echo for the hall. Some people shout, press move camera go her face. E be like film.

"Ifeoma, abeg, no quit because of small thing like this. Your fans go blame me forever."

Her mouth dey tremble, but she still dey act, dey try form angel for public.

"I fit delete everything, act like nothing happen. If you quit, na me go dey guilty forever. I no go write again too..."

Even as she dey talk, she dey look up, hope say my heart go melt. Na real actress she be.

Cameras quick quick focus on her.

People dey snap selfie with her for back. Even one blogger dey whisper: 'Na content wey go trend be this!'

The star editor wey manage me before rush come drag her up.

Editor wear sharp Ankara, shoe point like arrow. She waka with power, grab Amarachi shoulder like say she dey scold small pikin.

"Amarachi, wetin you dey talk? Why you dey kneel for plagiarist?"

She snap at Amarachi, her face hard. She dey try save company image before wahala too much.

"She cause all this herself. You just sign top author contract. Remember say you get plenty work to finish."

She use office voice, the one wey dey make intern fear. Na money dem dey protect.

I no get strength for more wahala, so I just waka comot.

I gather my bag, hold my phone, arrange my wig. Time to disappear before another drama begin.

To avoid reporters, I pass back gate, catch keke go house.

The keke man look me twice, like say he dey watch TV star. Breeze dey blow my face, but my mind heavy.

For road, my WhatsApp dey blow up.

Message dey enter like rain for rainy season. Na so notification dey ring, I just dey look am like person wey tire.

I open am, see say four out of top ten trending topics na about me:

#IfeomaPlagiarism

#IfeomaAmarachi

#AmarachiForcedToKneel

#AmarachiGhostwriter

I shake head. Even trending sef no get joy. Na wahala everywhere.

The crazy marketing accounts dey deny all my work.

Dem dey drop thread, dey form expert. All na lie, but who go listen to my own side?

Dem talk say na me thief Amarachi’s idea, even force her to be my ghostwriter.

Story don turn upside down. Person wey no sabi write na now be the victim.

My WhatsApp and Facebook full with insult.

All my secondary school group chat, church group, even my cousin for Canada dey drop sub. Shame catch me.

[Chei, see as I take support plagiarist.]

[I watch that press conference live. Ifeoma fear catch am, she no fit talk, last last still force Amarachi kneel.]

[At least she get sense retire. If not, I for finish her myself.]

[Even her boyfriend stand against her. Ifeoma, wetin you do?]

[She don cash out, dey run. Abeg, make Amarachi sue am until she pay everything.]

I just dey scroll, dey block people wey dey talk anyhow, but the insults still dey pile.

My private message box just full with bad mouth.

I dey try delete, but new one dey come every minute. Even one ex from secondary school send 'God punish you.' Na wa.

Meanwhile, Amarachi’s Facebook followers dey blow, her comment section just dey sweet.

Every time she post, na prayer and love emoji full everywhere. Some people dey form loyal fans, dey drag me for her page.

I drop only one comment:

[Hope say you fit dey update every day and finish the second half. No fall hand for your readers.]

I type am with smile, because I sabi say she no fit. The comment gather likes, but Amarachi just ignore am.

I know say I no leave her with much.

All the best scenes, the plot twist, na only my head get am. She fit copy, but e no go sweet reach original.

Amarachi too rush—she fear say I never finish, so she quick quick act first.

Na panic mode she enter. She no know say e get work wey she no fit carry for head.

But all those things wey I hide inside the story, she no fit complete am.

The coded gist, the old songs, the secret slang—na only me fit arrange am well.

Na just matter of time before dem catch her.

Internet go tire for her wahala. Na Naija, people dey quick catch fake.