Chapter 3: The Unexpected Night

The riverside lights dey show her fine face, long hair dey dance with the wind. She look like something from dream, too perfect for this dirty waterfront.

She smile small small: "You don drink?" Her voice soft like butter, nothing like Adaeze commanding tone.

I cough small, bend down go pick the can wey I squeeze for ground. Try to arrange myself small, dust my trouser.

"No o, I dey play collect bottles." Stupid lie, but wetin I go talk?

She just dey watch my action quietly, raise her eyebrow small. The way she dey look me, like say she fit see through all my wahala:

"True true, how the always aloof Young Master Emeka go fit dey shout here because of woman?" Small smile dey play for her lips.

I no talk. The quiet air dey suffocate person. Every second dey feel like long year. The sound of water dey lap against the concrete, steady like heartbeat.

"Oh, your face even red. You vex because of breakup? E be like say you no too get power." She dey tease me, but her voice get kindness inside.

Chioma slender white fingers come pinch my face, small smile dey her eyes. Her touch soft, different from Adaeze aggressive way.

Maybe na the alcohol dey affect my head. Or maybe na the pain wey dey make person do anyhow.

I grab her wrist as she wan comot her hand, dey look her straight. My heart dey beat like talking drum:

"Chioma, you wan come my place... drink?" The words fall out before I fit stop them.

Our eyes jam, I see surprise flash for Chioma eyes. For moment, the whole world pause.

This kind invitation between adults don already clear. No need for explanation, we both understand wetin dey ground.

She na the white moonlight goddess of all the men for the circle. How she go fit gree for person like me? Person wey just get him heart shatter like broken bottle.

I suppose don craze to dey do this kind improper thing. Wetin I dey think? Say Chioma go follow heartbroken fool go house?

I wan apologize when she come bite her lower lip, talk softly. Her voice like whisper for the night breeze:

"Okay."