Chapter 1: Video for Group Chat

Seyi Ajayi post video for our WhatsApp group—na me dey step out, only towel wrap my body.

My heart do backflip—my half-wet hair, bare shoulders, and that my old Ankara towel dey everywhere. Even the shuffling sound of my slippers, everybody dey hear am. I fit hear the whispers already, laughter wey dey hide for back, people dey stretch neck like giraffe for gist. The way my towel—old Ankara wrapper—just cling for body, e pain me. For Naija, scandal dey spread pass harmattan fire.

All those rich boys wey don ever chase me dey that group, but na Seyi Ajayi stand out pass.

Some of them, boys wey dey claim big man pikin, sharp boys with latest iPhones and fresh sneakers, all dey throw jabs. They never hesitate to use your name for their own cruise, and Seyi? He sabi run show pass everybody.

[See as Seyi dey run am! Mimi, towel no dey reach knee?]

I for even expect am to dey protect me, but see as e dey happen now. If person never chop breakfast, e never see street finish.

[As expected of Young Master Seyi. So, how that flower wey dey top hill dey taste? Abeg, let us try am too.]

Their laughter, the way their texts fit cut skin, I just dey read am dey weak. For Naija WhatsApp group, once dem start like this, e no dey end. Everybody go dey use your matter do talking drum. You go even see some wey go use meme wey no get head or tail.

[Brother Seyi, you no dey carry last o, you even run package for the brainy girl just to pepper your old babe.]

The gist no just dey about me, e even drag old beef. As dem dey run their mouth, I just dey imagine dem for hostel common room, leg up, eating gala and Fanta, dey type anyhow. Even people wey no really know me, dey join mouth. Na so e dey be when wahala don blow for group chat.

[You wicked o—telling the class star say she get cancer just before WAEC. No wonder her eyes dey red these days.]

The way dem mention my eyes, I remember say sometimes, even for assembly ground, people go dey point, dey whisper say, 'see as her eye swell.' But nobody go ask if you dey alright. Everybody go dey find the next person wey dem fit gist with.

[Break up with her after exam, just like that.]

I hear Seyi Ajayi lazily send voice note, his tone nothing like the pitiful act he always give me.

His voice come low, like say he dey yawn or just wake up. "Omo, make una rest abeg. Na small play, nothing dey there." The swagger for his voice clear—no trace of all those soft, gentle words he dey give me face to face. For public, na another person him be. Everybody dey wear mask for this Lagos.

I dey take permission from school again and again just to follow am go hospital, and my grades don drop badly.

Sometimes, for school gate, the security man go dey look me like, 'This girl, she dey serious so?' My form teacher sef don tire for my excuse slip. If no be say my grades still dey okay before, dem for don query me. But for Seyi, I dey run up and down—hospital, chemist, prayer house, even fast for am one time.

Seyi Ajayi go lie weakly for bed, dey wave fake cancer diagnosis, eyes full of fake tenderness.

He go dey lie down, dey form weak. "Mimi, abeg buy malt and cabin for me." I go run up and down, like say na me get sickness. He go look me, smile weak weak, whisper, 'God go bless you, Mimi.' Meanwhile, na only me dey spend, dey worry, dey lose sleep.

"Mimi, I’m sorry. Na me dey hold you back. No spend your money again for my treatment."

He say am so sweetly, e be like person wey dey rehearse movie script. I just dey look am, my chest dey tight, but my head dey hot. The soft boy act dey work for am well.

He sabi say I don already spend everything I get for him so-called sickness.

Even my lunch money, the small small savings from my house rent, all don enter hospital bills. My ATM card sef don dey slim like biscuit. My friends dey wonder how I dey survive, but shame no go gree me talk the real matter.

Seyi Ajayi dey wait make I give up on am, but he no expect say I go find another three hundred thousand naira to save his life.

Omo, I hustle tire. I even do small runs—help one aunty buy and deliver market things, sell some of my mama old gold chain. The hunger for my belle no be small, but my mind dey on top Seyi head. Three hundred thousand? Na for that money I see real suffering. But love dey blind, dem talk true.

The group chat scatter again:

[That girl no get sense. Apart from that fine face, wetin him get? Why Mimi dey follow am?]

As I read that message, e pain me. Na so person go dey use your matter dey shine for group. You go think say you get love, dem go dey call you mumu behind.

[Mimi even sell her house for am. That one na her mama only inheritance o.]

This one shock me. How dem take know? Even people wey never visit me dey mention am. Na this kind gossip dey trend for street, dem go dig your history tire.

[Shameless idiot. Tunde, you go tell Mimi the truth or not?]

As I see Tunde name, my hand begin shake. Phone nearly fall from my hand, sweat dey my back. I wan disappear. That one dey always get wahala. E like say everybody know wetin I no know. The pain for chest dey bite like pepper.

[Chai. You don mess up. You send this one go wrong group—Seyi dey here. Abeg delete am quick!]

Na so panic set in, some people begin delete message sharp sharp. For Naija group chat, once matter don hot, everybody dey rush use delete button like say e go erase the shame for real life.

One by one, the messages disappear, and Seyi Ajayi face for hospital bed turn white like chalk. I dey watch Seyi face—white like chalk. For my mind, revenge dey boil.