20 Inside her apartment, the door clicked shut behind her. Osas dropped her bag by the couch, peeled off her shoes, and tried to breathe like nothing had happened. Yelen was already on the couch, shooting a questioning stare at her. “I’ve been calling you all night,” she said, voice tight with worry. “I was about to go mad. Bayo said...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 15
18 The music pulsed, low and relentless. The dancers moved like clockwork, bodies bending to rhythm and routine. Osas sat beside Edafe, her drink half-finished, her thoughts fraying at the edges. He leaned in again, voice playful but insistent. “Come on. Just one dance. Show me what you’ve got.” She shook her head. “I said no.” ...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 14
16 On Saturday night, the bass thumped low beneath their feet as Osas and Yelen stepped out of the cab, the neon glow of the club casting a violet sheen across their shoulders. Edafe was already waiting at the entrance, dressed in a crisp shirt that looked like it had been ironed by someone paid to care. He greeted...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 13
14 The hallway buzzed with students, the usual shuffle of backpacks and half-finished coffees. Osas spotted Obianuju near the stairwell, her coat draped over one arm, her eyes already scanning for her. They exchanged a quick greeting, just a few minutes before lecture. Then Osas quickly called her mother on her way into the lecture hall. “I wanted to tell you quickly...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 12
12 The morning was grey, soft drizzle tapping against the windowpane as Osas packed her bag for the library. Her notes were neatly stacked, her laptop charged, and Obianuju had already texted to say she was bringing snacks. But her thoughts weren’t on environmental sustainability. They were on Ruth. Her mother. Her most reliable confidant. The one who had given so many tears...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 11
11 Osas convinced herself Bayo was the lesser of the two evils, hence, she made up her mind to honour her not-a-date cinema date with him. The theatre was dim, the screen flickering with bursts of colour and sound. Osas sat beside Dayo, popcorn untouched in her lap, her fingers loosely held in his. She hadn’t expected the touch. It...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 10
10 Present Day… Osas tucked the hem of her cotton night dress. The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of Yelen’s phone screen. Osas lay beside her, curled into the edge of the mattress, the cotton of her night dress clinging to skin still haunted by silk. She had not let anything made of silk or...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 9
9 Back in her hotel room, she had just unzipped the dress when her phone lit up. Odion. She hesitated, then answered. “Osas,” his voice was warm, almost paternal. “Thank you for coming. You looked… incredible. I think you stole the show.” She didn’t respond. Her fingers hovered near the zipper, the silk still clinging to her shoulders. ...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 8
8 LAGOS, 2017. Seven years ago. The air was thick with humidity and the scent of fried plantain drifting in from the neighbour’s window. Osas sat on the edge of her bed, phone in hand, staring at the flight confirmation Ruth had just forwarded. “First class,” Ruth said, beaming. “He didn’t even blink.” Osas frowned. “It’s just a birthday...
You Can’t Sit with Them – 7
7 He was the second to leave the Barracks, when she was seven. Packed up his family and vanished into a world of gated compounds and silent deals. But Paul still came back, every Christmas, every Easter, with his mother and siblings. He’d play football with the boys, laugh with Edafe, nod at Bayo. But he never spoke to her. ...