“You'll be at the spot ba?”
I snapped my head towards the direction the voice came from. I shook my head tiredly. Chidi never learnt. I got up from my chair and headed towards the parlour.
“Yeah.” I heard Chidi say as he closed the door.
The other voice said something to which Chidi laughed, ed, but it was too faint for me to make out. I opened the door that led me to the parlour, and I spotted Chidi walking towards me.
“Hey,” I said as I plumped into the couch, Chidi looked at me with an amused expression
“Since when did you ‘hey’ me?” He walked towards the fridge and scanned it before pulling out his orange drink.
I chuckled.”I can, hey, my best friend.”
“Ok, big man. Why exactly are you being nice to me?” He was on the floor, remotes in his hands, flipping through channels and sipping on his drink.
He looked tired, his shoulders, usually upright, looked slangy, and his eye bags were bigger than ever.
“You looked tired, you need rest. I'm not ready to spend on your funeral”
Chidi laughed.
“You've always been funny, Adebayo but I'm fine. Nothing a little party can't fix.” He was staring at the TV with so much intent, and I know it was because he couldn't look me in the eye and lie.
“You're not fine, Chidi. Look at your eyes, guy. Few more hours and your body will drop from exhaustion” I was getting upset by Chidi's attitude. He didn't need to be the life of the party to be relevant. He just needed to stay put, here with me.
His eyes snapped to me and he laughed.
“You're acting weird my guy. I'm fine.” He stood up and walked inside. That meant our conversation was over and I shook my head again. I tried to stop him, but he didn't listen. It was up to fate to teach him, save him or make his story a lesson.
“I'm off. Don't wait up, Mom!” Chidi called out and chuckled.
I laughed too and came out of my room, Chidi looked at me puzzled
“And where are you going too?” He said his arms crossed.
“To the party of course.” I put on my jacket and walked towards Chidi
He shook his head in amazement and said nothing but only I saw the brief annoyance in his eyes, the one I'll see for the last time.
The house was packed before we even got through the door.
Air thick with smoke, bodies packed tight, music hammering the walls like fists. I felt my throat tighten, memories rushed through my head
Chidi was already halfway inside, laughing with someone, drink in hand like it was glued there. I hung back, leaning against the wall, watching. Same old story: I was his shadow, and I had accepted my place. For now.
At first, I took a couple of drinks, watched the crowd and laughed at the antics. Then, something different happened. The boys moved through the crowd, whispering into people's ears, and suddenly, people started noticing me.
For once, I wasn’t the one holding the phone, waiting for someone to remember I came with them. First a nod. Then a smile. Then a girl pulled me into a conversation like we’d known each other for years.
I laughed at something stupid, and another guy clapped me on the back, pulling me deeper into the crowd.
I caught Chidi's eye across the room. Saw the flicker in his smile. The way his shoulders dropped a little. I knew that feeling. I couldn't miss it, I had lived in it for years.
I looked away, letting the crowd carry me a little longer.
It wasn’t just tonight. It was years of standing second place to someone who never even realized there was a race.
I let myself bask in the euphoria and when I almost felt guilty, I remembered it was Fola’s birthday, when he left me stranded to chase after the only girl I cared about. I had pulled him aside several times to remind him that he was meant to be my wingman.
It was at each time he laughed off my dreams like they were jokes. Every time he made me small so he could feel bigger.
And lately, it was something worse. It was about the girl he couldn’t leave alone. He didn't know when to stop when to move away, when to say no.
I told him once to stop chasing Fola, that she was not in the right crowd; we were in the back of a danfo, and the engine was too loud to hear the warning in my voice, or at least that's what I've trained myself to believe.
He just laughed. “You worry too much, my guy” he patted my shoulder and put on his pods, the conversation was over.
He had always said nothing could touch him.
He had dumbed Fola a week after, calling her names and laughing at her crying figure. She hadn't said anything other than, “Soon, Chidi”
That was the best joke to Chidi, he threw her out and I watched her walk away, her belongings clutched to her side
The girl who came with sharp smiles and the men who didn’t forgive.
Men who pulled me aside last week and told me quietly and clearly.
"Clean up your boy's mess. Or you’ll be cleaning up him."
I made my way to Chidi, slow, careful, weaving through the mess of limbs and bass. I found him slouched on a couch, drink hanging loose from his fingers, eyes blinking heavy and slow, tired. This lifestyle drained him.
I dropped into the seat next to him. He grinned when he saw me. It was a lazy, tired smile. He was still trying to hold it together.
"Guyyy," he slurred a little. " you de enjoy abi? Finally letting loose." He took a swing from his drink
I smiled a little. It didn’t reach my eyes.
"You need rest, Chidi," I said, voice low. "Let’s go home."
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Nah, I’m fine. This your 'mommy' behavior again, Adebayo? Guy chill. Party just started."
He lifted his drink like a toast, but it sloshed over the rim, dripping onto his jeans. I just watched him.
"I tried to keep you inside," I said, almost casually.
"You don't always have to be the life of the party, you know."
Chidi laughed a loud, messy one. Like I’d just cracked a joke he didn’t get but didn’t want to look stupid about. He was always laughing at me; tonight, the tables will turn.
"Abeg, abeg," he waved me off, still grinning.
"You too dey yarn dust." He turned to me, eyes filled with mockery like a child had said something so naive but I didn't laugh, I stared at him communicating through our eyes
But when he looked at my face, the grin faltered.
His brow furrowed.
"...wait," he said, voice dropping a little.
His eyes searched mine.
"Wetin' you mean?"
I leaned back, slow, letting him stew in the question.
I didn’t answer straight. I didn’t need to; I had warned him plenty of times.
"You never even see who you offend finish," I said, voice even.
Chidi blinked. Sit up a little straighter. His drink was gone from his hands, now lying on the floor. The mockery was gone, his body tense.
"Adebayo... guy..." his voice cracked a little. "Wait. Talk to me."
His hands twitched like he wanted to grab me, make me explain but he didn’t move. He knew. The pieces were clicking together behind his wide, scared eyes.
I just shook my head.
Slow. Final.
"You dey always move like say you untouchable," I said.
"Tonight? You go learn." The switch was fast, I didn't want to build this up any longer. I had hinted for weeks and I had been laughed at. He would not be laughing again.
He opened his mouth, maybe to beg, maybe to cuss me out, I’ll never know.
Because that’s when the crowd shifted. Faces turning.
Bodies moving. Closing in.
Chidi’s head snapped up, looking around confused, then terrified. He tried to stand, but hands grabbed at his arms and his jacket, dragging him back down.
"NO! Omo, wetin be this na?!" he shouted, thrashing. I wanted to say more, blame him for his fate but when he looked at me, eyes wild, mouth moving too fast for his words to land.
I stayed sitting.Watching.His screams got muffled quickly, swallowed up by the music and bodies. For the last time, I saw him, and I knew the consequences that lay ahead. I saw Fola walk into the room he had been pulled into. Before she entered she stared at me, gave me her signature smile and closed the door.
I stood up and dusted my jeans off. Gave the room one last look. Not anger. Not satisfied. Just a shake of my head.
I turned and walked out into the night. I heard the calls and the touches but I didn't stop. The air was sharp and cold against my face. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t standing behind anyone.
And it felt empty.
