Chapter 4: Gist Dey Fly for Lagos

The female lead for "Palm Breeze" suppose be me. Na my debut, and na the role wey make me who I be.

I dey hear all the echoes from past, the accolades, the first applause. Now e be like say dem thief my story.

I just dey lost and worry.

My body cold, sweat dey my palm. For my mind, na question dey jam each other like danfo for traffic.

Na my coming back cause wahala? Wetin I do wey change everything?

I dey check myself—did I laugh too loud? Did I talk too much? E no make sense.

Last life, Nnamdi tell me say the moment he see my audition, he know say na me go act the lead.

I remember how him eye shine when him dey talk am. E dey as if my talent dey bright pass candle light for blackout.

"Amaka, you born for movie."

He say am that day, voice firm. I remember the room—na just us, scripts, and one old ceiling fan.

"You be just nineteen that time, never act lead before, but I know say your future as actress go far."

He touch my shoulder, belief dey his eye. I shy sotay I nearly forget my name.

Those words, that time Nnamdi dey tell me, dey make me shy and happy.

I dey blush, dey do like small pikin, but inside my mind, pride dey burst.

But why he choose another person now?

Na question wey dey bite my chest. I dey find where I miss road.

I squeeze my palm, my fingers dey shake.

Na small prayer I dey whisper inside—make God show me way, make destiny no use me play.

If I no act 'Palm Breeze', how me and Nnamdi go take meet for this life?

I dey calculate, dey reason different road. All my hope dey tie to this one role.

For last life, na during 'Palm Breeze' shoot wey we start to know each other, feelings begin grow.

We dey gist after take, dey eat small chops together, dey share gist about family and dream. Na those small moments join us.

But because age gap be seven years, we no rush start relationship.

Our parents sef dey look us somehow, but we use sense, dey waka slow.

Wetin really bring us together na—

Na the pain wey bind us, the silent comfort wey come when world no dey smile.

The failure of "Palm Breeze."

Na the time people laugh, say we no sabi. But na there we know who dey real.

That art film wey Nnamdi put all him soul, e just flop for box office.

The review dey harsh—some say na waste of money, say e too slow. Social media drag am sotay him picture trend for wrong reason.

People complain say e too slow, story confuse, even drag Nnamdi, call am fake, say he no sabi film.

He no fit come out for public for days. Dem say, "He no sabi reach Kunle Afolayan, na just overhype."

But that same 'Palm Breeze' make me star.

Na magazine dey carry my face, producers dey call me up and down. Everybody dey hail my acting.

Because for the film, Nnamdi make me fine reach another level.

Camera love me—every frame na masterpiece. People dey print my picture for T-shirt.

One top review talk say the heroine for him camera be like moon for sky—delicate but stubborn, lonely but free.

I cut am keep for album. My mama frame am put for her shop.

From there, fans rush me for my beauty and acting, but Nnamdi chop insult.

E pain me. I go visit am for house, bring soup, try cheer am up, but sometimes e just dey stare window.

Some people even talk say na him bad movie waste my talent.

Internet no get chill. Dem dey talk anyhow. But I no gree make their wahala enter my mind.

I just dey feel guilty.

My conscience dey worry me—na my shine make him own dark?

So I dey always chat am for WhatsApp, encourage am, tell am say he get talent.

I go send long message, joke small, remind am of him old dream. Sometimes e reply quick, sometimes e just drop emoji.

We start to talk well—about movies, about life, about dream.

From gist, we move enter deep talk—things wey dey pain, things wey dey sweet. We dey laugh tire, dey sometimes argue film plot till midnight.

Later, we dey waka out together to relax.

We go small buka chop amala, sometimes go beach watch sunset. Na so friendship turn something else.

One night, under star, he hold my hand.

Na that time breeze blow, everywhere quiet. I fit hear my own heartbeat.

"Amaka, I no fit wait again. If you like me too, I..."

His voice dey shake. I see fear for his eye—fear say I go run.

I tiptoe kiss am. "Make we dey together."

Na that kiss naim change my story. I feel safe. Na the first time I know say love fit be home.

And so, our love last till we die.

We build small world, just two of us. No regret, no looking back.