Chapter 1: Fine Boy Don Fall My Hand

The day I broke up with my online boyfriend, the campus fine boy, Tobi—every babe dey eye am—was drowning him sorrow with Star beer, bottle for hand, as if na Star go wash away wahala, for one back alley behind hostel.

For inside that faint yellow security light wey dey throw shadow for the dirty concrete, Tobi just balance there, back against wall, feet spread, slippers dey tap ground, as if e dey count how many heartbreak wey don pass here. Star bottle for hand, he dey swirl am small-small, foam just dey gather for mouth. All this fine-boy packaging just scatter for breeze, shirt half-tuck, face hard like ogbono wey no gree melt. But if you look well, e dey soften like ice for harmattan. Na that moment I realise say even campus hard guy dey get soft yansh sometimes. E shock me, sha.

I think say na two of us be lost souls, wey don fall from grace, just dey waka up and down for this world.

True true, sometimes e dey feel like say na only me and am dey carry all the wahala for this campus—two wanderers wey dem nor fit put for box, always dey find place to rest their mind. E get the way breeze just dey blow that night, as if our body dey push against some invisible wahala. For my mind, na so I dey see us, two people wey dey hide their real self under better disguise, just dey waka, dey find something wey go make everything make sense. Who go understand the kind tiredness wey dey your soul?

I no even know say na me be the main reason behind everything.

Na so life dey play person, abi? Sometimes you go dey waka for road, dey carry your own heartbreak, no go even know say another pesin dey chop pain because of you. As I look Tobi that day, I just dey wonder how all of us dey move for this same small world, dey cross path, dey wound each other, but still dey find way survive.

The day dem expose my secret, Jiang Rang corner me and kiss me.

I swear, e be like film trick. Everybody mouth open, gist just dey fly up and down. Before I fit gather myself, Tobi—wey people for hostel dey call Jiang Rang sometimes just for cruise—catch me for one corner. The guy just carry confidence full body, e no even send who dey look. I been wan dodge, but before I fit reason am, na so im hand land for my waist, mouth land for my own. The kiss shock me like NEPA wire, I no fit even vex. If no be say I dey used to all this Lagos boy wahala, I for shout!

"So, Wanwan like cosplay, abi?"

Na im mouth sharp, e dey find wahala. The way e talk am, e no even send the people wey dey peep us. Me sef dey find ground hide, but my chest dey pound, as if I run marathon. Cosplay, ke? I just laugh for inside, because e no go ever understand the kind wahala wey person fit enter for small play.