Chapter 6: Final Block, Final Message

Na that time I remember—we suppose break up on the spot.

Halima just dey look me. Na she collect phone, dey press delete. E sharp!

Halima no even talk. She just collect my phone, sharply delete Seyi.

She dey act like say she dey police station, dey remove suspect from lineup. Me I just dey nod.

As for break up? We no even talk one word.

E no need ceremony. Just dey click, dey move on.

As I keep quiet, Seyi begin dey check himself.

Seyi dey reason where e go wrong. He dey talk soft, dey try explain.

"Na because I no dey give you blue buff before? But Lola, after level four, I dey always give you blue now."

He dey list all the small small things wey he dey try do right. I dey pity am.

"Or na because of Aisha? All those things she talk about you—I roast her back, abeg no vex."

He dey try clear his name. He no wan carry any bad tag.

"Add me back, I go send you chat log, abeg."

"I no be Tunde, I no go follow another person against you. If wahala dey, abeg talk—I go change."

He dey beg with soft voice. If to say na text, e go write full page.

I just dey cry inside.

My eye dey hot, but I dey bone face. For my mind, I dey reason if I make mistake.

Abeg, ex-husband. You no do anything wrong. Na me wicked.

I dey blame myself small. But I dey act strong. If I fall, Halima go laugh me.

And then Halima, mute, dey run commentary for my side:

She dey whisper, dey ship us together. "See as Seyi dey try. Na correct guy."

"See o, no be like Tunde, e no dey follow another person against you."

Halima dey act like judge. Na she dey decide who be best boyfriend for server.

"I dey ship una two now o."

She dey laugh, dey push me go Seyi side. I dey act like say I no hear.

I bone, Seyi sef just mute.

Game dey silent, everybody dey focus. Only kill streak dey show.

But him gameplay still dey tight. Under ten minutes, he carry pentakill, finish game fast.

Seyi dey play like say na finals. All of us dey hail am for stats page.

Before crystal break, Seyi drop message:

"Lola, I go give you birthday present face to face."

That message choke. Everybody for chat dey ask, "Who be Lola?"

I freeze.

My hand hang, mouse stop. I nor fit click.

Before I fit talk, game don end.

Na so match finish, my chest dey beat fast.

Back lobby, Seyi don japa.

Before I fit message am, he don leave. I dey wonder how he dey disappear like that.

Na that time I see WhatsApp message he send yesterday.

I dey scroll phone, see old message. I dey fear.

Me and Halima just look ourselves.

Our eye connect, we dey fear together.

E no possible—

How Seyi wan see me face to face?

He wan come find me offline?

That one pass game o! If e jam me for hostel, na big wahala be that.

Thank God, Halima dey calm.

Halima just dey smile, dey pat my hand. "No panic, e no fit see you."

She think small, talk, "Relax, he no get your address. He no fit find you."

She dey form wise. I dey nod, dey hope say e true.

I nod. Na true.

I dey always careful—no let Seyi order delivery, no let am send me anything, no send face pic.

I dey remember all my privacy tricks. Even fake birthday I dey use.

So how e wan find me?

I pat chest, finally rest.

My mind calm. I dey ready sleep.

But—

I forget one thing.

For life, always check your left and right. My own bestie dey by my side.

Halima dey my side.

If wahala go land, na through her e go land.