Chapter 3: Memories, Regret, and a Dangerous Offer

Na that time I remember where I don see am before.

Memory just flash my head, like film. My spirit do small waka, e remind me say this boy story no start today.

On my eighteenth birthday, heavy rain just dey fall anyhow. I order cake, but all the dispatch riders no wan come.

That rain na serious one, flood nearly reach doorstep. All my friends dey complain, but cake still never land. My mama dey vex, my friends dey snap selfie near window. I dey wait, dey hope.

Last last, one slim guy fight the rain, bring the cake come.

Na so door knock, we open, see one boy, water dey drip for e body. E hand dey shake, but e dey hold the cake steady. Everybody just dey look am.

As me and my friends dey inside dey pop champagne, na so e carry the cake enter.

My friends dey form big babe, dey laugh. But I see the boy eye, e just dey do e work with quiet dignity.

Our eye jam—maybe by mistake, maybe e plan am. I think say e dey wait for tip.

E stand for door, no even talk. I dey look am, e dey look me. Na so awkward silence just full room.

E soak finish, no even cross carpet, just stand for the tile for entrance, dey hold the cake.

E respect the house, e no even wan mess anywhere up. If you see e shoe, na mud full am, but e no gree cross rug. I see say e dey hold e pride tight.

I use the delivery app tip am one thousand naira.

Omo, na that day I learn say small tip fit mean plenty. E no even smile, just nod small, waka comot into the rain.

After WAEC, I follow friends go club.

We dey dance, dey shout, dey pop. Neon light dey shine for everywhere. If you see as Lagos club dey hot that day, you go fear.

For that dark light, I see am hold one slim menthol cigarette, smoke just dey rise, e face fine anyhow for that shadow.

DJ dey shout, suya smoke dey mix with perfume for air. That sight shock me. Even for dark corner, e still get presence. I look am, my mind dey wonder why e dey here.

One friend nudge me, ask if I go pick am.

My babe, Chiamaka, tap me for waist. "See that fine boy, you no go try?" E dey laugh, dey push me make I go.

I push my friend away, dey do shakara. “Abeg, I no fit, e dey dirty.”

I laugh, do face like say I better pass. Na so we dey play, but I talk the dirty word. Now, as I dey remember, e dey pain me.

As I think am now, na the same poor student, Musa Garba—

I dey reason, connect dot. My heart just dey beat small small. I no know say person story dey long like this for Lagos.

With the way e dey suffer, e no fit be main character.

E dey live life wey hard. Even for club, e no dey shine like the rest, but e own presence dey different.

This world na all those big-man drama, male lead papa na police big oga with two stars.

See as connection dey fly. If you no get surname wey strong, na background you go dey.

Female lead mama na one lawyer wey get power.

That woman dey attend PTA, dey scatter case for school. E own children dey untouchable.

Second male lead na my unlucky padi since small, e papa na market association chairman.

My friend, Sunkanmi, dey always get money for pocket, e no ever lack. Life just dey smile for dem.

Everybody for main character group get money or power.

Sometimes I go dey jealous, but na so life just set.

Musa Garba look me, e face show say e no get time, e wan go.

E no dey look for trouble. You fit see say e get heavy load for mind, e no wan chop another wahala.

I quickly hold am. “Six thousand per month no go reach, abi?”

I talk am, dey look face, dey try gauge e reaction. Na desperate plan, but I no wan fall my hand.

E look me, e eyes deep, e no show anything. “So?”

E voice low, but e tone no sweet. E dey watch me like person wey dey weigh options for market.

“I—I go sponsor you... I mean, I wan dey keep you, abeg.”

I try talk am softly, but my chest dey beat. E hard to beg, but I no get choice.

E look me like say I dey craze.

E eyebrow just rise small, eye dey shine. I dey feel small shame as I stand for front of poor boy dey make offer.

Last last, e talk, “No need. I dey dirty.”

E use my own word tear me for chest. The thing cut me deep, I just dey look ground.

E dey use my own word mock me.

E eye cold, but I feel small smile for e lip. E pain me, but I gree say I deserve am.