Chapter 8: Coconut Mousse and Hot Slap

Musa collect my black card, begin help me run things with my papa.

E dey handle bills, dey help arrange money matter. I dey surprise, but I trust e sense. Papa sef dey happy say I get person wey sabi math.

I get billions, fine men, big house. Even side character fit enjoy life!

If you see as I dey flex, you go fear. Every weekend, new shoe, new hair, new nail. Omo, background girl dey chop life too.

I buy new designer bag, dey check in for one fine shop, I see Aisha.

Na Victoria Island, shop fine, AC dey blow. I dey show off bag, dey snap selfie.

With Musa.

As I dey check mirror, I spot Musa for other side, dey follow Aisha talk.

I still dey queue for coconut mousse, but dem don dey chop am already.

Na my own favourite, but see as Musa and Aisha don finish am before me. Na so my mind dey boil.

As Aisha dey yarn with Musa, e bend ear, dey listen serious.

If you see as Musa dey pay attention, e own respect pass my own. E dey nod, dey smile small. I dey boil.

Yes, very serious.

Na that kain talk wey you know say e get weight. I dey jealous small.

To near female lead—guy no fear anything.

E dey act like say story no concern am. E spirit strong.

I text Musa: [See you for apartment.]

I no wan talk for public, so I just send coded text. E go sabi say wahala dey wait.

Na small place wey I buy near school, where I dey make Musa come clean sometimes.

I dey use the place hide from wahala. Sometimes Musa go help arrange things, dey fix bulb, dey sweep.

As e enter, I slap am.

I no waste time. Na slap wey land quick, e sound for room.

E no dodge, just dey look me.

E eye steady. E just dey accept am, no talk, no frown.

No word for me, but plenty for female lead?

I dey vex. E own silence dey pain me, but for Aisha side, e dey talk like parrot.

Even hold the coconut mousse wey I dey find.

E still hold the mousse, dey act like e no see me dey eye am. I dey boil.

I hiss, “You no finish am?”

My own tone dey high. I dey para.

Before e talk, I kick the cake from e hand.

Na anger I use, cake just scatter for floor. E no react, just dey watch me.

I grab e collar, force am bend look me.

I dey force drama, dey pull e shirt down. If na movie, na here soundtrack go change.

E dey bend head for female lead, but stand straight for me?

I dey reason say e dey humble for Aisha but form hard guy for my side. I no gree.

E talk, “You see am.”

E own voice calm, but I hear small pain. I dey wonder if e dey hide something.

Musa voice low, like e dey hide something.

E no wan make I see finish. I dey push, but e dey build wall.

“Wetin you wan talk again?”

I dey para. You no dey try for this our contract.

I dey force am, voice dey shake.

At least, I be your madam, you suppose try please me small now?

My own pride dey speak. For this Lagos, if you dey pay, you suppose enjoy service.

You go chop coconut mousse with another person, before I even taste am.

Even that small thing dey pain me. I dey jealous, I no dey hide am.

E still no talk.

E own silence dey long. I dey vex pass level.

I kiss am hard.

I grab e lip, press am. I dey try mark my territory, dey show who dey in charge.

E frown small, but no push me.

E face squeeze, but e no fight. E dey endure, maybe e dey reason contract.

I laugh for mind. This guy sabi say coconut mousse no reach endless dessert.

I dey reason say e fit try form for outside, but for my side, I fit play anyhow. I dey wicked small.

I lift e shirt, my hand dey waka for e chest.

I touch e skin, dey play. I dey test e patience, dey push boundary.

I trace e abs, go down…

My hand slow, but sure. I dey watch e face, dey read e mood.

…

Omo, after all, na only for my side Musa dey allow this kind wahala. I dey reason if na love or na contract dey bind us.

Musa dey always look me with frown, like say I too bad.

Na true, sometimes my wahala dey too much. I dey use tongue wound person, dey act bossy.

I no fit know if na dislike or disgust.

E eyes dey burn, like say e dey judge me. Sometimes, e own silence dey louder than insult.

E eyes dey hot, like say e wan burn me.

E dey act like say e no fit talk, but e own gaze dey pierce my skin.

Even though na me dey run things, e be like say na me dem dey use play.

E dey flip script. Sometimes I go feel say na e dey control, no be me.

So I just dey bad, dey vex.

I dey lean into the role. After all, for this story, na only side character fit behave anyhow.

I be side character. I no need dey gentle, or dey form main character.

No need to beg or please anybody. I dey enjoy my wickedness.

I fit bad. I fit proud.

Na my right as background babe. If I no shine for my own lane, who go shine for me?

But as sleep dey catch me, I see Musa dey clean cake wey I kick for floor.

I dey peep am through half-open eye. E no complain, just dey arrange pieces. My heart soft small.

Na full coconut mousse cake, now e don scatter.

My hand hot, but my heart cold small—why I dey always spoil better thing?

Chai, na so my own wahala dey waste sweet thing for life. I dey feel small guilt.