Chapter 9: Small Revenge

Morning light enter room. Sade just dey yawn, dey complain to me.

Sunlight dey shine for curtain. Sade dey act like say e no hear anything, but I sabi say e dey count score. Her voice sharp, she dey form as if e get concern.

"Una two fit reduce volume for night? Remember say neighbors dey!"

Her mouth dey sharp, but e dey smile. E dey enjoy my shame, but dey cover am with small joke.

Shame catch me, I just dey stir my coffee, no talk.

I no fit look anybody for face. I just dey turn cup, dey pray make ground swallow me.

Femi waka come, dey rub him shoulder.

E dey flex, dey show say e no send anybody. E act like say nothing happen, but I sabi say e dey pain am small.

Black silk pyjamas shift, show bandage with blood.

That blood—na evidence of last night. Sade dey peep, Segun dey look, but Femi dey proud.

Segun dey pour coffee, stop. "You wound?"

Segun eye sharp, e dey try understand wetin happen. Femi just smile, dey act as if e no be big deal.

"Na small cat bite me last night. Blood full my hand—e pain die."

Femi dey show bandage, dey act like say e be war hero. People dey laugh, but e look me with meaning.

E open bandage show everybody.

Blood mark dey there. Na proof say last night no be ordinary fight.

"Na wa o! Animal wey wicked like that suppose kill am," Sade talk.

She dey laugh, but her eye dey sharp. E be like say she sabi say na me cause am.

"Me sef get scar—old one, even worse."

Femi dey proud of him scar, dey use am show say e be hard guy. E dey look me, dey wait for reaction.

E point the faint scar for him eyebrow, look me with smile.

That scar sharp like lightning for rainy season. That smile—na challenge, na reminder say we get history. I look ground, I no gree answer.

"Tsk, small wahala dey make life sweet. I go keep her."

Femi voice soft, but serious. E dey claim me for front of everybody. My chest dey tight.

Segun, wey never talk since, just look me, eye full of guilt I no understand.

E dey look me like say e wan talk sorry, but mouth no open. I fit see regret inside.

I just keep head down, no talk.

Sometimes, silence na only protection wey I get. If I open mouth, na cry go follow.

Because na me be the wild cat wey bite Femi…

My own small revenge. E no big, but e sweet me for chest. Blood for blood, pain for pain.

Last night, as revenge for him secret recording, I bite him shoulder well, no just once.

I sink my teeth, no hold back. Femi shock, but e gree take am. My mind calm small after.

That old scar—na my blood and tears leave am…

E dey always remind me say I fit fight back, even if na small. One day, my strength go full.