Chapter 2: Night Owls and Group Drama

1 a.m.

"JollofQueen" drop message for group:

"Any babe still dey online? Make we run one sharp match, I go buy skin for anybody wey win."

Night for Naija dey different—1 a.m. na when you fit hear generator hum, see people dey drag last bundle of light. For game team, na that time spirits dey high, wahala dey low. The way she drop the message, e loud well.

Maybe others don sleep, but our team just finish peak match, so na that time we dey most active. Na so boys just rush enter:

"Big aunty, abeg play with me!"

Dem dey use all the sweet mouth—"Abeg, big aunty, carry me play, na you be my MVP!"

"Sis, abeg play with me, pick any hero, I go support you."

Some boys even dey form gentleman, dey try show say dem fit do anything for her. The group chat just dey pop like Lagos traffic.

"JollofQueen" reply:

"Sorry, na girl I dey find."

Just as she drop am, na everywhere freeze. E shock everybody. Boys just mute, e be like say dem swallow whistle.

Everywhere quiet for group small. E be like NEPA just seize light—everybody mute.

Then our female admin, Aunty Morayo, send one yeye sticker come add:

"Which one you dey form? Which babe here no be V10? Nobody send your cheap skins, nobody go pamper you because you dey form princess."

Sticker na that meme of babe wey dey roll eyes. As she drop am, you fit almost hear her voice from your screen—she sabi drag person for chat.

Then girls begin add mouth:

"Exactly, you just dey use money find attention from boys. Too bad we no send, carry your rubbish skins commot."

Dem dey form solidarity, you know girls wey dey fear another babe shine, go always band together. E dey pain them say one person dey carry all the shine.

"Chop money and skin—who know where you dey see your money. If na your sweat, you go feel am."

Na so dem dey reason am for this side—if money too easy, e get where e dey come from wey no pure. Everybody dey do Sherlock Holmes for her matter.

"If you wan play, play. Stop dey find drama. Abeg, make we go do our own casual match, leave her."

You know that time wey people dey form as if dem no care, but dem dey watch your every move. Na so dem do here.

I just open my eyes see all these messages.

I dey look my phone like say e go answer me. Wetin I do them? Sometimes to shine for Naija dey come with wahala.

No time to reason am.

Street no dey wait. If you no move, you go lose. So I just do my own sharp sharp.

I sharply @ "JollofQueen":

"Sis, abeg check me, Angela and Queen Qiao double national server, I dey always available."

My chest dey beat, but I no show am for chat. For this life, na courage dey pay.

I send screenshot of my account with two national badges for group.

Na receipt be that. I dey show say e no be mouth.

Next thing—

Aunty Morayo and her girls begin madly @ me for small group:

"Shanli, wetin dey worry you? No be say we talk make you no talk to her?"

Dem rush me like market woman dey rush customer. If you see the kind energy, you go think say I thief government money.