Must Read: The Player

6 years ago

Must Read: The Player

Saturday mornings were for football. Tope usually came to my house, then me move to Ugo’s apartment. When I heard someone banging my door, I quickly out on my football boot, I was already late as it was. Bros Emma was the last person I expected to see. Even though I deflated his tyres, I didn’t expect him to know I was the one.

“Fifi, na you burst my tyre?” he asked me, daring me to lie.

“Bros howfar? I don’t know what you are talking about o!”

He pulled me by my trouser and forcefully led me downstairs. I was shocked to see Ugo and Tope being held by three of Bros Emma’s friend.

While Ugo looked disturbed, Tope was looking at the sky, enjoying the scenery. It was a very cold Saturday morning.

“Una no warn confess abi? dem don tell me say na una fit do that kain thing.”

“Bros Emma, there is an increase in the activities of hoodlums in the area, have you been watching DBN of late? I am sure you are holding the wrong people,” Tope looked at each of the guys in the eyes, “we are law abiding citizens of this republic.”

“You dey crase abi?” Bros Emma asked.
Ugo’s dad had been posted to Ibadan, which was the reason someone like him was being harassed by Bros Emma.

“I am going to lock you people up this morning! Do you know who I am?”
“Bros Emma don forget who him be oh, chai,” Tope said to no one in particular. That was the last thing he said before we were taken to the police station. That was my first time. Due to our age, after collecting statements from us, telling them that we were innocent, we were placed behind the counter. Ugo explained that his dad was a policeman, after confirming that he wasn’t lying, he was released.

“Una no go call una papa? In the next 3hours, we go put una inside cell,” an ugly looking policeman with scary tribal marks said.

My dad was dead; Tope’s dad didn’t really care.
“Oga, we no fit bail ourselves?” I asked.

That got the attention of another policeman with ‘Dada’ written on his name tag.

“Search those boys!” he screamed.
I had 100 Naira in my pocket, Tope had 20.

“Na 120, una wan use bail unaself,” Mr Dada asked, “ Officer, carry these boys put inside cell, dem dey crase!”

We were stripped to our boxers and were about to be led inside when Ugo and Ego burst in through the doors.

“You again, dem use police station swear for you?” the ugly policeman said to Ugo.

“Oga make we quickly see you,” Ego said. Ugo was busy fuming.

Officer Dada was happy again, he steered them down the hall, far away from our prying eyes and ears.

When they came back, our clothes were thrown back at us and the statements were torn.

“No mind that Emma, una hear? No so all those guys dey do if dem don get small money for pocket. Dem go bring people come station anyhow,” Mr Dada said.

We didn’t bother replying, instead we quietly wore our clothes and left.

“Dat guy dey fu-Ckup,” Ugo said, “How him go just carry go station, wetin concern us and him car.”

“How much una pay?” Tope asked.

“2k,” Ego said, looking at me.

We were in a Danfo bus, leading us back into the Estate, when we decided that we were going to go straight to the car park for football.

“You guys should go. Fifi, Hana needs you, you can join them later,” Ego said.

She had a way of talking to us like she was older, well, that was one of the things I liked about her.

I had gotten enough drugs for Hanatu, there were bread and butter with sachets of milk and milo in the kitchen. I wondered what she needed.

The guys highlighted before soon after, leaving Oga and I in the bus.

“You deflated those tyres?” she asked.

“And if I did?” I retorted.

“Stop acting childish!”
“How?” I asked
“You don’t even know the guy,” she bem0aned.

“But he is straffing you, what else is there to know?”
“Is that why you told him I was the one?” I asked.

“I didn’t Fifi, you know I would never rat you,” she replied.

“Because you still love me,kwa?”
“No, because I like you and now that we aint dating, I see you as my brother.”

Those words played in my head like a million times in less than a minute.

“Driver, I wan stop here!” I screamed.
It was a bus-stop; the driver must have thought I was sick.

“Fifi, you are acting irrational again,” Oge said.

‘Driver, you no dey hear abi,” I said moving close to the door.

He stopped as soon as the road was clear.

The police-men had taken my 100 Naira, so I started walking home. I rather walk then ride with Oge, ‘like a brother’ was a phrase no guy wanted to hear from a girl he digs.

“Fifi, wait for me Jor!”

I turned back to see Oge walking towards me. She had gotten down from the bus to walk with me.

“I am sorry for all that,” I had to say when she got to where I stood.

“It’s okay, bro,” she replied.
I swear I felt like leaving her on the road and taking another bus.