Wild West of the Heart

"Olamide" The halls echoed his name as he lifted his head from his arms. "Obi" He called, even though he was yet to see him. The two neared each other from opposite sides of the corridor, till they came into sight. And Ola picked up his pace to him.

His lips morphed into a grin as Obi pulled him in for a lasting hug. And a sigh of relief escaped them.

"I'm so glad you're here, Obi"

"How is she?" He pulled away from him. "How is Mary?" Obi asked, worry washing over his face and Ola nodded. "She's okay. Cardiac arrest, they said" "But she's okay. And uh, i'm okay"

Obi noticed how shallow his breathes were, and he put his palm against his chest to see how fast his heart was beating. And it was really fast. "You okay?" He asked. "I am, now" Ola replied.

"So, should we go home?" Obi asked and his eyes widened. "Home?" Ola echoed. "I'm not leaving without her. And that's till tomorrow" He said. "Come on"

"School?" Obi asked, as if dangling some fancy idea. And Ola shrugged his shoulders, carefree. "I'll skip it. It's Mary that always worried about school so-" Obi let out a chuckle from his lips. "But we need to get you out of here. Get you in new clothes and just fresh air" Now that was a fancy idea, dangling.

"I'm fine, really" Ola said.

"No you're not. I know. Your mum is, and you should cut yourself some slack. You know what?" Obi's eyes lit with an idea. "How about we go to lagoon?" He asked and Ola scoffed. "Then we can go home to change your clothes, and we'll come back here" Obi kept talking, advertising the idea.

But Ola wasn't having it. "Now?" He asked.

"My mum, the public holiday" He made up excuses.

"Even makes it better. It wouldn't be crowded. We'd be the only ones there. Like old times"

"Don't we need to jump over that fence?" Ola asked and Obi smacked his arms lightly. "Must you take the fun out of everything. If anyone should complain about climbing, it should be me. All this height and still nothing?" He threw shades at him.

He was only a few inches taller than Obi.

"I'm not just sure about this" Ola mumbled. "You brought up this idea on my birthday plus you didn't even give me a gift-"

"I have the gift, you just don't ha—"

"I don't want it. I want this as my gift. Please?" His lips pouted. "What is it?" Ola now asked, walking past him. "What is the real reason?" He continued.

And Obi cackled like he had no idea what he was talking about. "Come on, Obi❞

"Making up for lost time? Trying to get you to take your mind off your mum? Missing us and how much we used to do as kids?" Obi said. "Isn't that enough reason?" Ola squinted at him.

"And i have alot of things to tell you" Obi said and he heaved a deep breath. "We have to be back by eight because i'm crashing here" Ola finally agreed.

And with that, Obi grasped his palms into his and whisked across the hallway and towards the stairs. He let out a yell as they hurried across, trying not to bump into things in their way. "Slow down-" "I have a time to meet" Obi yelled as they finally approached the hospital exit. "Hold up, your dad" He suddenly paused and looked back. "He might be looking for you?" Ola turned around to him. "Fuck it"

"Fuck him" He muttered under his breath, remembering the things he'd said earlier. He was the one that headed forward this time, climbing atop Obi's bike with the steering in his hands.

There was still a little seat behind him on which Obi sat on. And looking over his shoulders, he raised on eyebrow. Obi responded with a nod, and before you knew it, these two were riding down the horizons with Obi wedging closely to Ola. He had his arms around his waist to hold him from falling to the side. And his breathes grazed the sides of his neck. But Ola didn't care, he just had a smile across his face as they rode across the quiet streets. It was surreal how no one was out except them, no noisy markets or manic traffic.

No conductors yelling into the air, and not even the sound of the ice cream barrows. The tires scrunched up the leaves in their way as they rode towards the lagoon.

It was this place they used to come as kids.

Immediately after school, they'd rush over whatever they had to do, like assignments and chores. So that when evening dawned, they'd be out of their door, meeting at the station. And then they would race till they got here. It would be dark but there were streetlights all around.

And sometimes, they'd sneak out at night when the gates to the place would have been locked. It meant they had to climb two fences to get closer.

But it was always worth it.

The lagoon was a much beautiful place, than the rest of Abule-Egba. They'd like to think of it as a beach because it's the closest thing they had to one. There was a bank on which people sat, and a stable where there were horses. There were stands for food and a large body of water that stretched far beyond the eyes. They used to live the sightseeing and the thrill that came with hiding from the one guard that supervised the place at night. It was like the school janitor, but more fun.

On Wednesdays and Fridays then, they got the sleepy guard that spent most of the night by the stable. Then, they got more than enough time to sit across the banks and chat until nightfall.

They feet would rinse in the inundating waves which flowed. And only seldom do they go into the water. Ola pictured how much they used to love coming here as kids, and the things they did.

It was such an experience growing up, and even better when you had someone to share it with.

The nostalgia took him by the storm as he brought the bike to a halt at the gates.

He stopped for a moment to stare at it.

"We're here" Obi climbed down as Ola grazed the metal with his palms. Expectedly, it was locked because of the public holiday. "I know an easier way" Obi cheered. Of course, he did. And Ola followed him behind till they got to a much lower fence with a fence, the only catch was that it was near a transformer. Well, the risk was worth it.

"Come on" Obi said, raising his feet above the concrete and throwing himself over. Ola went after and with the help of his best friend, he landed on his feet. The sun was already setting in the distance as Obi took off his shoes. "What are you waiting for?"

Ola stood still, letting his nostrils take in the soulful breeze. It was refreshing, and calm. Serene, like how the day was supposed to be all through. The sounds of the gushing waters filled their eyes as Obi threw himself forward. He left his shoe behind, allowing the sounds to prickle between his toes. He looked around him, and then took off his shirt, leaving just his singlet.

He wouldn't dare do that in front of anyone other than Ola. And he raised his hands above his head.

"Come here" He yelled, over the sound of the waters. This was further from the stable where the guards stayed, so they were safe. It took a brief moment for Ola to catch up to him. And when he did, Obi had his hands around his shoulders. They looked towards the waters that the setting sun that was golden in the skies. The breeze wasn't too much, but it wasn't subtle either. It was just perfect, everything was in that moment that they reminisced over their childhood here. Over growing up here. "Do you remember?" Obi asked, before he kneeled on the sands. He fell back, gesturing that Ola sat too. Which he did.

"Of course i do"

"I remember it all"

"You never really know how much has changed till you look way back. Then you see how you've come" Obi said, looking to his side. He raised his knees to his arm as Ola chuckled.

"Well, look who's been reading literature" He teased and Obi punched him lightly in his arms.

There was silence for a while, and then Ola remembered what Fiyin had said one time. Truth was, she hadn't left his mind all day, even with what had been going on. "Fiyin told me one time that change doesn't necessarily have to be bad" "You know the whole, you changed thing. I think it's not changing that is bad. Like my father" He said as Obi looked to him. "Do people really change?" He asked softly. "I honestly don't know"

"But you did❞ Ola whispered, raising his hand to graze his cheeks. He was right, he looked down at him and then up at his hair. "You grew it out" He admired his cornrows and Obi blushed. "Yeah"

"What was it, Obi. What was it you wanted to tell me?" He whispered, and a bird chirped above their heads, settling just beside them. It reminded Obi of the Enily Dickinson poem about hope, being just a thing with feathers. It was nuance in his ears though, as he tried to concentrate.

To get the words out of his lips.

"What i'm saying is you'll never know until you tell him, until you take the leap. And the only regrets we ever have are the risks we don't take." He remembered Mira's words as he turned to Olamide. "I need to—"

"I need to tell you something, Mide" He said.

"I'm trans."

To be continued...