Chapter 2: Gidigba or Go

"You sure?" I turn face Ifunanya, my voice serious die. I scan her face for guilt or hesitation, eye no blink—truth dey important.

Ifunanya hesitate, eyes still red, then nod small. "Mm."

Her nod weak, like leaf wey breeze dey blow, but I see say she dey try hold herself together.

"Nobody force you? Na your own mind, you wan give me the room?" I press am. I step closer, lower voice, dey check if she go shake or dodge eye. Her chest dey rise and fall, like person wey dey fear exam.

She look our parents, bite lip, but still talk, "Nobody."

Her voice small, almost whisper, but e clear. She dey try prove say she no be small pikin.

But I no gree stop. "And you no go regret am later?"

Her face full wahala, but she force herself talk, "I no go regret, but..."

Her voice trail, like person wey dey beg ground to open.

Before she fit finish, I turn to Okafor parents. I no give chance for excuse. "And una nko? As parents, una sure—like, really sure—say una dey support Ifunanya's decision? If I choose this room, una no go vex, abi?"

My voice hard, eye dey sharp. I dey throw challenge, make dem no fit deny later. Put on the spot, Okafor parents force smile: "We no go vex."

Teeth dey show, but eyes no bright. Dem dey hide something, but I no send.

"Good." I push suitcase inside. "From today, this na my room."

As I drag my suitcase inside, I fit swear say this house no go ever quiet again.

The faces of the Okafor family change immediately. Tension choke air—everybody dey hold breath. Even the paint for wall fit crack from stress.

Ifunanya burst cry. Her cry loud, like rain wey start sudden for dry season. She cover face, tears soak palm.

Mama Okafor try talk: "Zikora, Ifunanya dey used to this room o..." Her voice soft, like breeze wey dey beg harmattan. She dey try patch matter, but e too late.

But I no give chance. "I tire from journey. If nothing dey again, abeg make una let me rest."

My voice cold, no room for talk. I drop bag for bed, begin untie shoes. For my mind, I dey beg for small peace.

Okafor family just waka comot, like people wey swallow fly. Their steps slow, no talk, dey avoid each other's eyes. Silence follow dem reach corridor.

Only Ebuka still stand for door, dey look lost. Hand for pocket, eye dey wander like goat for market. Him no understand wetin just happen.

"You still dey here? Wetin happen, you wan help your only sister collect her room back?" I cross arms, look the face wey resemble my own.

As I talk, Ifunanya wey just waka comot, stop and turn, dey look Ebuka with hope. Her eye dey beg am make e talk for her. She still dey sniff, body dey shake.

Ebuka scratch head, confused: "Ehn, na so?" Brain don crash, him never process the matter.

I nearly burst laugh. Na so dem dey call am 'slow poison' for street. I pity am small. The guy just dey dull. I no fit hold laugh.

But Ebuka, wey no know wetin I dey think, jump up immediately.

His voice loud, like market boy wey dey sell gala. He wan show say e dey loyal.

"You dey find trouble, abi? You wan turn me and Ifunanya to enemy? You dey talk say she dey pretend?"

Ebuka eye red, hand dey point my side, chest dey rise.

"But Ifunanya no be all those wicked, bad belle girls you dey think. She really wan give you the room. Abeg, stop dey use your dirty mind dey talk about her."

He stand protect Ifunanya, body dey shield her like say I fit bite am.

I look Ifunanya, her face pale because of his talk, and just reply anyhow, "Okay, okay, you dey right," as I raise my leg to push am comot.

As I push door small, Ebuka jump back like frog. I just hiss, shake head, then lie for bed, eye dey ceiling. For my mind, I dey pray for peace, but Naija house no dey ever quiet for long.