Chapter 6: The Q&A Game—Old Wounds

[Oya, I go chop shit.]

Comment section wild. Everybody bet on our head, expect explosive.

[This awkward, avoiding-each-other vibe get as e be.]

Some dey ship, some dey drag. I laugh, watch. Na so Naija audience be.

[Emeka don off light.]

People tease say we no dey do anything. Camera crew dey yawn.

[Abeg, VIP no fit show me anything?]

VIP vex say no see "action." For mind, reality must always be drama.

Actually, nothing happen. Night quiet. Heart still dey race, body frozen. Distance na like ocean.

Emeka wrap self in thin blanket, sleep floor. Curl up, back to me. Breathing calm, chest rise and fall. I listen, count each breath.

His breathing so soft. Small snore. Sound comfort me, but remind me what I miss.

I lay for bed, stare ceiling, sleep no come. Eye wide, mind race. Count cracks, count mistakes.

Bed too noisy. Every turn, creak. Try stay still, but old habit dey worry.

Creak loud, reminder of old days. Mind drift, replay past nights.

Before, I complain to am: "Emeka, abeg... take am easy." He go laugh, pull me close, night go sweet.

Back then, we do am day and night. No shame, no fear. Passion rule. Live like tomorrow no dey.

Now, just turning. Gap wide, but old fire burn. I wish say I fit cross, but fear hold me.

Creak. Bed no let person forget old times. Heart twist, body cold.

I remember. Flashback choke. Laughter, fights, makeups. Only memory keep me company.

I no be only one remember. Hear small sigh from floor. I sabi Emeka dey remember too. Even if he no talk, body loud.

Emeka lift blanket, thin grey T-shirt, get up, go outside. Waka soft, open door, close gentle. Footsteps fade. Heart ache.

Click. Lighter sound, small flame. Mind guess—he dey outside, clear head.

For neon night, he light cigarette. Light reflect window. Stand outside, breeze blow, smoke rise. Na him way escape wahala.

When I meet am, he no dey smoke, gentle. Back then, only malt he sip. Now, stress change am small. Life fit harden anybody.

Now, he still no smoke. Just light, no inhale. Only ritual, not habit. Maybe na memory he dey burn.

Smoke curl, fade air. Face lost for thought, eyes shine for darkness.

Not far, car headlights flash. Another car park, light blind. Heart jump, "Who be that?"

Emeka run into Kenechukwu wey just get down. Eyes meet. Tension thick. Two old rivals, unfinished business.

"I bring cake." Kenechukwu raise box, voice loud. Act like hero, eyes scan window.

He peep window, check if I dey awake, if Emeka dey try anything. Jealousy dance for eye.

See beds—one floor, one bed, not touching. Smile, almost relief. Pride safe.

Smile self. Ego boost. "She still dey miss me," body language loud.

"No choice," Kenechukwu say, "she too clingy." Shade me, but na himself dey convince.

Even though we barely talk, Kenechukwu wan make self relevant. Force story, act like I no fit survive without am. Ego trip.

"She want am so long, insist I buy, no go collect if another buy." Exaggerate, paint self saviour. Audience believe, I laugh inside.

"She go see am morning, she go dey moved." Plan scene for camera, not life. All na packaging.

"You no go understand, I be her first love." Voice proud. Claim space wey no belong again.

"Really?" Emeka voice low, almost mock. Rivalry sharp.

The other finally reply. Eye lock, silent war.

"Why I go lie?" Kenechukwu say, "She dey do all this to make me come back." Twist story. For mind, I still dey hand.

That cake. I never see am, but I expect. Mind wander, "Na so dem dey use people for show?"

I never see am, even after I wake next day. Morning, bed cold. No cake for table. Hope deflate, heart strong.

Livestream end. Producers pack camera, staff rush breakfast. Reality show end, life continue.

This time, for extra post-show interview, four of us together first time. Room full, eyes on us. Tension thick, all dey wait drama.

I late, last to arrive. Rush in, hair wet. Staff frown, director tap feet. I mumble sorry, pick seat.

Staff give headset. Thing big, keep slip. I adjust, form professional.

Freshly washed hair too smooth, fall off. Morayo chuckle, whisper to Kenechukwu. Pride vex small, I act cool.

Other side, Morayo and Kenechukwu dey draw Q&A card. Act perfect pair, flirt for camera. Audience shout, "See couple goals!"

I bow head. Eyes on lap, mind race. Wish say I fit disappear.

Headset almost slip. I panic, try grab before e fall. Hand fumble, heart beat.

But person on my left catch quick. Emeka hand quick, steady headset. Touch gentle, firm. I look up, eyes soft.

"Thanks." Voice small. Room quiet. Staff pause, watch.

I try take am from Emeka. Fingers brush. Air thick with old tension. Hope say nobody notice.

But he no let go. Instead, help me put am proper. Hands careful, fix headset, adjust hair. Fingers gentle, like person wey sabi my head shape.

While adjust, fix in place. Eyes meet. Everything fade, just us. Audience watch, but na only me and am dey that moment.

No be intimate move. For camera, ordinary. But inside, big deal. Old flame flicker, even if na only me feel am.

Just two colleagues dey look out. I smile, play along. Hand shake small, heart jump.

After all, camera dey everywhere, people dey there. Everybody pretend e no mean anything, but gossip don start.

"It’s stuck," he say. Struggle with wire, finger comb hair. Touch linger, mind wander.

Between my hair and headset. Stuck for small braid. Careful, no wan hurt. Face close, breath tickle ear.

He lean closer. Face inches apart. For moment, I forget wahala, just feel closeness.

Over there, Kenechukwu voice come, eyes glance Emeka and me. Watch, jaw tight. Jealousy show, even as he try hide.

Very normal thing. For outside eye, nothing. But for us, meaning deep.

If no be Emeka wey subconsciously kiss my hair. Lips brush, gentle, almost mistake. But I sabi e no be accident.

Familiar scent. Shampoo same as old days. Memory sweet, sharp.

I rarely change habits, even after all these years shampoo still same. He notice, smile small. I blush, hide am.

Scent he use wash. Small things bring big memory. I dey fight tears, fight smile.

Everywhere quiet. Room freeze. Producers hold breath. Tension thick, all dey wait who go talk first.

Kenechukwu stand up at once. Face dark. Ready start drama, producer hold arm, whisper, "Abeg, no spoil show."

Emeka remove hand, polite, calm, say: "Sorry, I accidentally touch you." Eyes plead, face calm.

"Sorry, I accidentally touch you." I nod, smile, "No wahala." World move, heart still dey beat fast.

Producer break awkwardness: "E happen, abeg, make we continue questions." Try lighten mood, staff laugh. Tension break, but all still dey reason.

After all, na just moment, contact quick like flash. But I no sure say I go fit sleep tonight—because just one small touch don wake old fire.

So quick, Kenechukwu no even see well. Suspicion grow, but no fit point finger. Only me and Emeka sabi.

Must be accident. Everybody convince self, move on. But I sabi say story no end here.

He sit back. Face still vex, but pretend smile. Show must go on.

Q&A game. Cards pass, staff direct. Game na to expose secret, but for me, na test of heart.

My turn, I pick ‘first love’ card. Hand shake, I pull card. Audience cheer, expect gist.

Producer ask: "Your first love, na your greatest love?" Voice playful, but question serious. All dey watch face.

Kenechukwu support head, laziness gone, dey look me. Posture sharp, eyes burn. Hope say I go confess, boost ego.

Everyone eye move between me and Kenechukwu. Room cold, sweat for palm. Only Emeka eye soft, dey look outside.

All think my first love na him. Na so dem paint story, forget life complex.

"Yes." Voice low, clear. Play role, but inside, truth different.

When I answer, Kenechukwu sit up, glance Emeka, look proud. Chest rise, smile. Feel say na victory. But I dey watch Emeka, dey wonder if he hear real meaning.

But Emeka just lost in thought. Eyes far, mind wander. Dey process pain in silence.

He turn face, look falling harmattan dust outside. Only outside world calm spirit. Finger tap table, mind play memory.

Window reflect my face. I see self, old scars, old hope. For second, I pity my own journey.

"Same question," producer say, "for Emeka." Attention shift. Room hold breath. I wait answer.

He and I na pair. Connection strong, even if nobody talk am. Story dey show for body.

Questions same. No escape. Both of us dey exposed.

Morayo no be his first love. All dey whisper, guess. Her face stiff, hand squeeze chair.

Nobody know who. Only me sabi. Heart beat, hope he no go talk too much.

"She too stubborn, really stubborn." Voice soft, playful. Shade me, only I fit decode.

Emeka voice soft. Dey reminisce. Audience wait more.

So soft, end almost sulking. Lips pout, eyes shine. I try hold laughter.

All staff lean forward. Even Morayo pretend say no dey interested.

"So much grudge," producer ask, "wetin she do?" Playful, but answer deep.

"For example," he turn head, drag words, "marry another person, but say her greatest love na me."

Shock loud. All quiet. Heart jump, face burn.

E no make sense. Audience confuse. Some laugh, others pity me.

Nobody understand. Real story only me and Emeka sabi. For others, just drama.

But Kenechukwu still frown small. Pride wound. Dey wonder wetin e miss.

Producer flip last card. Last round. Heart rest, expect last blow.

"Ifunanya, wetin you wan tell your first love now?" Question heavy. Mind run, pick safe answer.

A hundred safe answer flash. Reason say, "Play safe, no spoil show."

But what I say: Truth slip. Voice tremble, I talk am.

"I hope he no too vex for me." Try hide real feeling. Eye shine, hold back tears.

Very reasonable. All nod. Answer safe. No wahala.

All fit understand. Audience clap, staff smile. Dem no know na real pain I hide.

All think I still want Kenechukwu back. Na so narrative run. For mind, na old love I dey chase. But God dey see heart.

Kenechukwu relax, raise brow, ready play along, no give space. Feel say he win. Face relax, hand tap table.

Until, same question, Emeka answer: "I just dey lie to her, I no vex for her." Voice soft, heavy. Heart melt. All freeze. Truth clear, story shift.

For first time, I see Kenechukwu face change—like person wey just realize say e fit lose for him own game. Na new chapter, my heart finally dey free.