Chapter 8: Confrontation Unravels
Morning broke Lagos-hot like freshly baked Agege bread wafting scents Herbert Macaulay Avenue crowded okadas – Danella prepared meet Ella Tastee Fried Chicken Agege Road. _"Gotta talk,"_ Ella's message lingered anxious like pos machine glitch Surulere networks slow naira transfers Ajah estates.
Tastee Fried Chicken Agege Road
Plastic chairs creaked like okada brakes bad Ikorodu roads patrons eating jollof rice steam fought scents suya vendors Oshodi chaotic markets. Ella arrived sharp Lekki Phase 1 girl poise – eyes searched Danella like cat peeking Balogun stalls fake ankara prints amid dadawa spice gold dust.
_"Danella… what's going on?"_ Ella asked voice fragile broken enamel plate dropped cold Surulere tile kitchens.
Danella hesitated like Mushin mama balancing wawa fire lest whole Ajah burn Lagos petrol bomb chaos – _how tell Ella Zubi's pull?_
_"Ella… Zubby contacted me,"_ Danella said words like Apapa gutters' slow leak rusty cutlasses old farmers hide.
Ella's face drained like harmattan drying Lekki gardens thirsty – _"What did he want?"_ Voice cut like broken bottle shards Surulere reckless okada paths.
_"He said… he still cares,"_ Danella spoke truth like pos machine dispensing naira harsh Surulere networks – air sliced Tastee Fried Chicken patrons froze eating suya agberos tokunbo car touts fight.
Silence pooled dark Lagoon waters Bar Beach nightclubs overlook – Ella's breath caught like okada sudden brake Third Mainland potholes.
_"You… and Zubby?"_ Ella whispered like Festac '77 women pounding gari tough Fela rhythms distant saxophone wail.
Ella's Pain Surfaces
Ella's eyes welled like Ajah creek morning fog harmattan – _"I left him… for you, Danella."_ Words hung raw like Balogun market torn wrappers traders brawl fake ankara bales.
_"Ella… I didn't ask,"_ Danella said soft like applying shea butter cracked Surulere heels post-harmattan dry.
_"You knew,"_ Ella cut sharp like Alaba market tout pirated DVD deals yahoo boys cyber scams – _"I chose you over Zubby."_
Patrons Tastee Fried Chicken Agege Road glanced anxious like witnessing Magodo land riots thugs burn; Danella felt Lagos deceptions cut deep rusty cutlasses old farmers hide.
Lily Interrupts – Anger Lagos-Style
Lily burst in like mad March rain Apapa streets importers' trucks chaotic – _"What's happening?!"_ Voice sliced like okada horn blare Herbert Macaulay reckless.
_"Lily… no,"_ Danella said like Surulere madam stopping houseboy unruly Ikorodu estates.
Lily saw Ella's tears – _"You're crying?! Because of Zubby?!"_ Anger flared like burukutu pour Apapa shebeens strong Area Boys rule.
_"Lily… stop,"_ Danella warned firm like oga sacking lazy houseboy Ikoyi manors cold.
Lily snarled like cornered agbado rat Idumota gutters dark – _"If you don't pick me, Danella… I break everyone."_ Promise hung loaded pistol Alaba market tout waistband.
Confrontation Explodes
Chairs crashed Tastee Fried Chicken Agege Road like okada pile-up Third Mainland Bridge maddening traffic – Ella rose fragile broken wings wounded bird Balogun market torn ankara prints.
_"Enough,"_ Danella shouted like Mushin mama separating toddlers broken kiddies' plate bukka joints cheap jollof rice hungry Apapa port workers.
_"You're playing with fire, Lily,"_ Danella warned like ogogoro shot Apapa elder dispensing backstreet wisdom harsh.
Lily stormed out like harmattan wind sweeps Lekki highways dust-devils – _"I'll show you Lagos anger!"_ Threat lingered like Yaba bridges neon unblinking night.
Fallout Lagos-Style
Ella cried quiet like harmattan-wet leaves Lekki gardens drip – _"Danella… did you…?"_
_"Ella… no,"_ Danella swore like pos machine oath naira transactions Surulere networks sure. *"I value you."
Zubi messaged cryptic like CMS colonial ghosts whisper Brazilian Quarters old: _"Danella… meet me Eko docks tonight. Secrets wait."_
Danella feared like okada rider Yaba seeing police checkpoints dread – _"Confidence… what's Zubi playing?"_
_"Bessy… Lagos games cut deep,"_ I said like balancing pos naira counts harsh Apapa customs scrutiny kontiki cargo.
Night Falls Deception Web
Lagos night swallowed streets like thick egusi soup bowl Mushin tilted – shadows danced Bar Beach like Festac '77 Fela rhythms saxophone ghosts wail distant Kalakuta.
Danella dreaded Eko docks meeting Zubi – secrets lurked like Lagoon dark waters lapping colonial piers Lagos Island old.
_"Confidence… fear grabbing,"_ Danella whispered phone like burukutu pour Apapa shebeen anxious.
_"Bessy hold tight,"_ I said like tokunbo goods Idumota traders' wisdom – _"Lagos night dangerous… deceptions cut."_
Characters trapped Deception's vortex like Third Mainland Bridge traffic jam maddening – who'd unravel next thread Lagos-style?
Pain swirled like pepper soup Oshodi vendors stir voracious festival crowds feed.
End of Chapter 8