CHAPTER 1

"If I tell you to say I love you o

My money, my body na your own o baby

30Billion for the account the account o...

Music is life and Soji will not stop tapping from it. In a small room jam-packed with unrepairable gadgets, an old brown bed, an old tv, and a CD player placed on it. The room was a mess but it is what it is, not all were born with silver spoons. Soji and Labake were on the bed kissing and giggling. There was love in the atmosphere.

"Do you know what I always ask myself Soji?"

"What?"

"Are we ever going to make it out of these slumps?"

"What sort of question is that Labake? We are going to make it out of this place. With hard work and diligence, we will find a way out".

"I am sorry for being negative but this one that we are still here after spending on your education and some stupid private schools offering to pay ten thousand naira for graduates like you. Don't you think it's a slap on the face", she snorted

"We will make it and get out of here Labake".

"But how sure are you? This your second year fixing gadgets for poor people."

"Wait, are you trying to call me a failure?"

"I am not calling you a failure. I just want you to think outside the box and get us out of here."

"And I said I will find a way out. What else do you want me to say?"

"Okay o", she rolled off from the bed and fixed her clothes. "We will see tomorrow, I need to get home first before going to the bar", she leaned back to give him a soft kiss.

"Please be careful who you go home with. I beg you".

"I will be careful love."

Labake entered another small apartment in the neighborhood but this one was more spacious than Soji's place and a little bit privileged. There was an old set of cushions and a center table with an old tv and radio facing it. A bed was placed at the end of the room, old calendars on the wall, and cheap curtains hanging over the windows with no burglaries.

"Nneka! Nneka! Please show o, I am late already", she shouted as she applied her makeup.

"Sister, we no get food for house o. Na Amina took the only small garri wey remain for house this afternoon", Nneka said.

"Where is Amina? Why would she take the garri in the house when you have not eaten?"

"She told me she cannot comot house on an empty stomach".

"Did she tell you where she was going to?".

"She followed her friend Bibire and she told me they will be back before evening."

"Ehn, she go get food where she went to na. Go get plate ma buy jollof rice for you".

"Thank you sister", Nneka jumped to the kitchen excitedly.

The bar was already full with girls standing outside waiting for customers when Labake got there. On Labake's side of the world, you use what you have to get what you want and that has been the motto of her mother till she died. Labake was exposed to prostitution right from the age of sixteen and the only privilege that her sisters Amina and Nneka had was the fact that their mother is dead.

"Labake, wetin sup now. What took you so long?", a lady in a skimpy dress and ugly makeover asked.

"I need to settle my sister for house jare. Putting things in order", Labake replied.

"Okay o. I saw that your customer today. He said he would check back but I have not seen him since then"

"He will soon come back. Thank you", Labake replied as she adjusted her dress.

"Please have you seen Wendy today?", she asked.

"She was here a while ago looking for you. She will probably be down the lane or might have gotten a customer", the lady replied.

"Thank you", Labake made her way to where Wendy was.

"Babes, how you dey na?", Labake asked.

"Where have you been since morning? Your customer has been waiting for you", Wendy said as she gestured toward the customer's car.

"That means we go see tomorrow. Please come to my house o", Labake said as she hurried into the car which zoomed off almost immediately.

There was silence in the car for about ten minutes. Labake was worried that she had to speak up.

"Oga, are you okay?", she asked calmly.

"It's a moment of silence dear. I prefer being silent when I am angry", the guy replied.

"But who knows I might be able to help", she persisted.

"Labake stop please. I can't remember paying you to be my advisor but you have always been of help a couple of times. I just want to stay silent on this one".

"Okay sir"

"Call me Damola, I prefer that to Sir."

"But you are my Oga now. I can't call you by your name, I am sorry. This is a business transaction." She smiled.

"Do I have to pay you to remove sir again?"

Whenever Damola takes Labake, she stays with him all through the night. Many sex workers like her envy her for the kind of customers she had. That's the benefit of being a fine girl in her neighborhood where people swims in poverty.

"Call me when you get home and make sure you buy the pills", Damola said as he dressed up.

"Okay sir, but you have not told me what happened yesterday", Labake replied.

"That's none of your business. Your persistence annoys me at times".

"Well, it is not my fault. I don't want to lose a good customer who pays me well".

"You have a point though".

"Are you coming to pick me up tonight?", she asked sweetly.

"I will call to let you know if I am going to pick you up".

"Okay", she smiled as she watch him dress up.

"Your balance is in the drawer. I will take my leave now".

"Okay bye".

Labake got home to meet Nneka seated in the room in her school uniform playing Ludo with Amina and Bibire.

"What are you doing at home by this time Nneka? Are you not supposed to be in school?", she asked angrily.

"Good morning sister", Amina cut in.

"Where were you yesterday Amina?", Labake asked calmly with her eyes fixed on Amina.

"We went to a friend's place".

"To do what if I may ask?".

"We just went there to greet him".

"Him!"

"No o, I wanted to say her", she quickly retracted her statement.

"You know what, I am coming back to you. Nneka what are you doing at home?"

"Our principal sent us out for school fees"

"Haha! Which kind madness be that? I spoke to your principal last week now".

"He said that they need to pay the teachers and if we don't pay our school fees, they won't be able to pay".

"Abeg, leave story jare. It's not like I was owing before now", Labake said and sat down for a while before uttering another word.

"Go and change your uniform. I will give you their balance tomorrow, i no get money for transport".

Nneka left the room before Labake faced Amina and her friend. The both of them could not look into her eyes because they knew they were in trouble. Labake doesn't joke with the school. She has always advised them not to walk with other street kids because they have a way of influencing themselves.

"So I am listening Amina", she adjusted her sitting position so she could see their faces very well.

"I am sorry sister", Amina pleaded.

"No now. Don't be sorry, just tell me where went to", she asked.

"We went to Kafayat's place", Amina replied.

"So, where did Kafayat take you too?", she asked calmly, and everywhere was silent.

"I am still waiting for an answer", she added.

"She took us to Jibola's place", Bibire answered promptly.

"Wait! How many times have I warned you not to walk with Kafayat again?"

"Sister Labake, Kafayat is a good girl o", Amina murmured.

"Kafayat is a good girl and she is taking you to that smoker's house. Jibola of all people, Amina!"

"It's not what you think sister, we just passed his house on our way to the market."

"Listen and listen well you both. There are different kinds of people in this poverty-stricken place. The hustlers who are looking for every means to leave this place and the ones who want to procreate and continue to live in penury. If I were you. I will choose who to be wisely".

"I have always wanted to be a hustler like you. I hate living in your shadows. I have what it takes too", Amina said arrogantly.

"You have what it takes my dear but you don't know what it is like to be me. If I were you, I will seat back and thank God for feeding me without selling myself on the street. You deserve better than being tagged as a prostitute".

"Ehn, I want to be tagged as a prostitute. Na my Mama's work be that now and you sef dey do am" (It was my mother's job and you are also doing it).

"You said what? When did all these start?" Labake asked confusingly.

"Ashawo na work now (prostitution is work now). Let me be making my own money too." Amina gave Labake a bombastic side-eye.

"Amina, I swear to God if you say another word there, I am going to give you the beating of your life you this ungrateful being".