Chapter 2: The Riverside Encounter

I waka dey go without direction for street. My leg just dey carry me, I no even know where I dey go.

Buy some beers come siddon for harbor side near the riverbank. The place wey we use come when we be teenagers, where she first kiss me under the bridge.

Plenty new messages dey pop up for my phone. The notification sound dey ring like church bell.

Adaeze matter don spread for the circle. Some of my good friends come dey console me. The news dey travel fast pass wildfire for harmattan:

[Emeka, where you dey? You want make we brothers come out drink with you?]

[I know about this matter. Kelechi seduce sister-in-law. That boy get plenty schemes, he just wan use rich heiress take shine.]

As I see the three characters Adaeze, my chest just tight. Like say somebody dey use hot knife dey stab me slowly.

Thank God say the gentle evening breeze from the river dey gradually calm me down. The smell of the water, mixture of fish and diesel from the boats, dey oddly comforting. The okada boys dey shout for distance, their headlights cutting through the darkness like knife.

I no know how much I drink. Sky don dey dark, small boats too don light their lights. The yellow glow dey dance for the water surface like fireflies.

"I don tire!" The words just burst out from my mouth.

"Useless bitch! Ahhhhh!" I shout to the water, no care if anybody dey hear.

"Nobody fit cheat on me three times and still dey cheat on me, nobody!" My voice dey crack, mixture of anger and something wey feel like grief.

I squeeze the beer can, dey shout with vex, but the depression for my heart no reduce at all. E dey there like heavy stone wey somebody put for my chest.

My head don dey turn, like say I wan craze. The world dey spin small small, or maybe na just the beer.

"Emeka?"

Somebody call my name. I look up. Na pair of clear eyes. Eyes wey look like morning dew, pure and untouched.

Na Chioma, our university most mysterious campus belle. The one wey every guy dey trip for but nobody fit reach. She dey hold small sketch pad, biro behind her ear.

Wetin she dey do here? For this side of town, for this time?