Chapter 2: Coded Rebellion and Fake Engagement

Na cannon-fodder rich girl I be for this novel.

Sometimes I go reason am for night, why my own story just bend like this. For where I dey, na so so supporting role dey my hand. Even if I chop life with two hands, everybody still dey look main character side. I get money, but my shadow no reach their own. Omo, e pain, but na so e be.

My family don dey chop money since my great-great-grandpapa time.

If you reach our compound for Lekki, you go know say our ancestors no suffer at all. Old pictures full the parlour, every generation just dey add to the story. House big, servants full everywhere, and money matter no dey ever finish for table. Even mama dey talk say "Our blood dey flow with business sense."

To avoid make I no turn to one of those wasteful heiresses, I learn early say make I no try start business and make I dey far, far from all the main characters.

My papa dey always warn me, "Morenike, abeg, no go dey near those story people. You dey hear me so?" I don learn am since secondary school: any time main character waka enter, I go shift. If dem dey organize party, I go find excuse. No be say I dey fear, I just sabi say side role get expiry date.

But wetin I go do? For this world, na the male and female leads dey run things. Even money dey follow their side…

Sometimes I go dey my room dey check Instagram, dey see how dem dey collect awards, dey trend for campus, even my own papa dey hail them. If wahala burst, money and connection go just fly reach their side, na we background people go dey beg for corner.

So, my papa come become padi with the male lead papa. When e suggest say make I and the male lead do engagement, I just use my mouth scatter am.

That day, na family meeting scatter everywhere. My papa think say na better plan, but I just use coded sarcasm scatter table. I talk, "Papa, no dey use me do business oh! If na engagement wahala, abeg, count me out." E pain am, but I no fit die for story wey no be my own.

No be this kind fate dey follow all those villain side characters? Dem go just use you do plot sacrifice.

If you watch all those Nollywood films, na so so side chick dey suffer. They go chop heartbreak, money go lost, sometimes sef na grave e end. I no wan be victim for story wey I no get control. Better make I dey my lane, dey chop my money with peace of mind.

I don accept am since. Na side character I be. Na passerby—no get meaning, anybody fit waka pass—

Omo, na reality I gree. If dem dey share role, I fit miss out. As I dey waka for school, even the sun dey shine pass my own side. Nobody dey greet me for plot, but na my own be that.

So I drop coded hint say I dey keep one male university student.

I just wan scatter my papa plan, so I talk anyhow for parlour one day. "Papa, abeg, I get one padi wey dey school. No need engagement." E think say na sugar baby level, but I just dey do coded mischief.

My papa face change like say e see masquerade.

If you see the way e shock, you go pity am. Na so e bite teeth, rub face, even check phone like say e dey find solution for WhatsApp. Old men and their wahala.

E bite teeth talk, “No wahala, enjoy yourself outside, but abeg no bring am come house.”

Omo, e voice thick with warning. I just dey nod head, dey hide smile. E go fear?

To make am look real say I dey keep one boy, I begin find for school person wey need money, wey no get anything to do with all those main character people.

I plan am sharp. I no wan carry wahala come my side, so I dey search for those wey dey off radar. I ask my friends, I survey, dey check who dey borrow money, who dey waka quietly.

As I dey waka come out classroom, person just tap me for shoulder.

I turn, na so my heart skip. I no dey expect touch from anybody wey no be my clique.

Na the female lead, Aisha Zainab. She look somehow dull, come talk, “I hear say you wan engage Segun Adekunle? Congrats.”

Na so e be. Aisha dey talk with her soft Kaduna accent, her face dey serious but eye dey shine. If na ordinary day, I for laugh.

My mind nearly scatter.

Na so my chest catch small. This kain gist spread fast for school, person fit run mad.

I wave hand anyhow. “No oo, abeg, no be true! Na my papa just dey find way climb social ladder. I no even sabi Segun Adekunle! I swear, even if na my papa wan engage am, I no go gree!”

My voice high, my hand dey fly everywhere. I dey use style beg make she no carry my matter go main character group. I even dey use God name call for backup.

As I dey explain like say I dey run from police, the female lead come laugh.

Aisha laugh dey always low and soft, like person wey dey hide mischief. She tap my arm, just yarn, "No wahala, I understand. Na so life be sometimes." E get as she talk am, e come be like say she know pass me.

She talk some small thing, waka go, leave me dey pat my chest, dey thank God o.

I stand there, dey pray make ground swallow me. As she waka go, I just dey thank God say trouble no land. For my mind, I dey wonder which kin wahala I don escape.

“Excuse me.” I look up, na so I see the cold-face poor student, Musa Garba, dey waka come.

Musa dey waka like breeze—silent but steady. E shoe old, but e step no shake. E face strong, e eye dey observe everybody.

E no even look my side, so I shift go one side.

I respect myself, carry bag shift. For this kain boy, if you too look e face, you fit see all the secrets of your life.

I follow am look the notice board—na list of students wey fit collect bursary.

E stand there, shoulder dey straight, no even shake body. Notice board dey old, paper dey peel, but Musa eye steady.

The first name for the list na him own: Musa Garba.

Omo, I check the list again. I confirm say na true. The boy dey suffer, but see as e dey top.

E drop eyelid, dey reason something deep.

If you see as e stand, you go think say e dey calculate world problem. Na only serious people dey reason like that.

As e notice say I dey look am, e turn look me.

Omo, I shock small. E eye sharp, no be smile zone. Eyebrow thick, face be like person wey dey always ready for street.

Eyebrow thick, face sharp, eyes black like night, dey focus on me.

If to say na olden days, I for say na hunter e be. Eye just dey deep, like say e dey look person soul. My body cold small as e fix gaze on me.