Chapter 2: Benz, Memes, and a New Mission

I sit down for my Benz, just dey sigh. Horn dey blow for road, keke dey pass, but I just dey inside my Benz dey reason my life.

I shift for chair, key still dey ignition but engine off. My body dey tired, like say dem beat me for dream. Rain still dey drop small for windscreen, and I dey count the drops like say e go wipe my shame.

For my phone screen, my face dey reflect—fine boy, sharp jaw, everything set. Wetin make Morayo hate me like this?

I rub my beard, check myself again. Even my barbing dey sharp. My skin dey shine pass Lagos streetlight, but the babe still no send me.

I dey gym steady, dey chop correct, even my body be like model own.

If you check my phone gallery, na six packs, pose for gym mirror, all those soft flex. No be say I no get options. But see as I dey here dey reason one girl wey no send me.

My phone no gree rest for my pocket. I check am:

[You hear about that guy—stubborn die, rich kid, blow millions arrange confession, still collect public disgrace...]

[Born with money, papa na chief, mama na big madam, but instead of balling, e dey do mumu for woman.]

[This na the sixteenth time e dey confess. E shock you?]

...

Na wa o.

People wey no know me before dey use my gist wash mouth for class. Even lecturer talk one day for class: "Some people dey here, all dem sabi na how to dey chase after woman, dem no dey chase book."

Who post my matter for WhatsApp status just now?

I open the comments—over a thousand, everybody dey laugh me.

The laughter no be ordinary. Even people from other departments dey drop meme. "God when?" "Love na your mate?" Dem even put my face on goat body, write ‘Love mumu of the year’—WhatsApp, Twitter, everywhere scatter.

But the one wey really pain me na the picture wey my guy send.

Morayo dey hold another guy hand, two of them dey waka cross road, her face dey shine with smile.

The picture sharp, na like say dem plan am. Her teeth white, cheeks round, the kain happiness wey dey her face—I never see am when she dey near me. Na so my chest just tight.

And I sabi the guy.

Bayo, her childhood padi—the same person wey once save her life.

The guy na person wey everybody dey respect for area, gentle, always dey help people. From day one, I know say him get Morayo heart. But I dey form say money pass memory.

My mind just dey run, as if wahala no go ever finish for my side. As I dey reason am, I dey feel like say if dem open my chest, na pure pepper soup go flow commot.