Chapter 1: Shame No Get Limit

I don try win Tunde Ajibade heart five times.

Even as I dey talk am so, the kain shame dey press my chest, I no fit even catch air. Person go say make she try tire, but my own don pass try; na proper stubbornness.

Every time, na different face I use.

I no dey talk of small small change o—real face switch. Sometimes I go get skin wey dark like groundnut, another time, yellow like pap. Sometimes I go rub powder wey dey smell like market, another time na coconut oil dey shine my face. Once, na braids wey long pass my waist, another run, na low-cut wey fit make aunty for office jealous. But the system always run am, say na to disguise well well.

Every time, I fine die.

I no go lie, I dey resemble those models for magazine, or maybe the kind babe wey musicians dey talk about for their song. Na so the system dey package me every time. If dem dey share fine for night, my own dey shine for daytime join.

The last time, he look me from up and talk:

"Morayo, abeg stop dey disgrace yourself. Even if you turn to ashes, I go still sabi you."

My body freeze. Na only stubborn goat fit talk like that, and Tunde head strong pass goat. Him eye sef no blink. The kind confidence wey dey that boy body ehn, e fit sweep person leg for ground. Na only person wey don chop better ego fit talk that kind thing.

"Make I tell you, even if I jump from here, I no go ever follow you."

He just arrange him agbada well, the kain folding wey only Lagos boys sabi do. Me, na so I dey stand dey look am, mouth open, nothing to talk.

I just resign myself, dey wait make system wipe me again.

I just whisper small prayer—God abeg, no let this shame kill me finish. No strength remain for body. Even okada man wey see me that evening for junction just pity me. Na so I drag leg, dey count my loss.

When I wake, the system ask:

[Host, you wan change your strategy target?]

Na so life be. System sef dey reason am. Which kain wahala I enter like this?

I stand for front of mirror, dey check myself.

I use small towel dey clean my face, dey wonder whether this new version of me go help. Ceiling fan dey blow small breeze, but heat still dey my neck. My powder dey sweat for face. My eye scan the room: cream walls, small ceiling fan dey hum gently. I for like say I dey house wey get sense, but na the same body wey system give me I dey observe.

Just like the last five times, I still fine anyhow.

I even pose small—hand for waist, one leg cross the other—dey size my new packaging for mirror. I tell myself, this system no dey fail for looks. Skin fresh like person wey dey chop salad every evening.

Long legs. Slim waist. Neck wey long like swan. Small, soft face. Eyes dey shine, teeth white, the whole body just dey ginger.

True true, the thing choke. If na Lagos, boys for don dey try holla since.

Even me, if I see myself, I go fall in love.

I nearly blow myself kiss for mirror sef. But na only me dey house, so who I dey impress?

So why Tunde Ajibade no just send me?

I still dey reason that question. Na all the juju for village dem use for am, abi wetin? Man wey get heart like stone.

For my ear, I still dey hear him cold voice from my last life:

"Morayo, abeg stop dey disgrace yourself. Even if you turn to ashes, I go still sabi you."

The thing pain me reach bone. Na like person pour cold water for my body, as if my market don spoil forever.

"Make I tell you, even if I jump from here, I no go ever follow you."

I remember the way he shift mouth, eyes still dey sharp. E be like say the boy just dey enjoy to dey give person heartache.

Na those words end my fifth attempt. Three days later, I die for accident.

I dey come from market that day, motor just come from nowhere, wahala happen. No time to beg for mercy, before I know, I don land for system chamber again.

System go just flash light for my eye, next thing I dey another body. No time to even say bye to my people.

When I open eye again, I don become...

Ifedike.

The name get weight—like say I suppose get chest wey wide, or strength wey fit carry bag of cement. But system talk say na Igbo strong name, so I gree.

Na so. Na my new name be that.

Twenty-three years, I just finish school, dey work for office.

Office work no easy, but I dey manage. At least, I no dey do corper again, small change dey enter. My colleagues dey always praise me, say I get smile wey dey shine like NEPA bulb. I just dey thank God say system no give me one kind bent leg or big nose.