I took a shower in Atowa's bathroom the next morning. This was after I'd roughed up his bed and searched his wardrobe for something to wear that wouldn't climb all the way up my butt.

While scattering his room had been fun, the shower? Not so much. I was a man now and there were... new places to wash. Everything felt so wrong. I practically had to do it with my eyes closed. But I'm a grown up, so I got over it.

By the time I was done, Edna had come in to clean. She'd exclaimed over the blood and asked about Aneh and when Atowa had come into town, but I didn't stick around for long. The last thing I wanted to do was revisit the horrible Wednesday I'd had.

I went to find the witch, but as soon as I entered, she got to her feet, hissing as she began to blow out the candles that were lined on the ground around the room.

'Where's my money?' she asked.

'Good morning to you too.' I found a stool in the corner and made myself comfortable. 'I might not be able to pay you yet.'

'That wasn't part our agreement.'

'The police are looking for me. Aneh. Me, as Aneh. They're looking for Aneh. So, I'd very much like to remain this way until things die down.'

'Or until your brother comes back home.'

'He's not coming home any time soon. He travels a lot. Sometimes, I don't see him for months.'

She paused from blowing out the candles and covered her mouth with her hands, looking up at the ceiling as she pondered.

'So, what you're saying is that, by turning you into a man, I did you a huge favour.'

'I thought you said you didn't do it. I thought you said it was my mistake.'

'Which means that you owe me more money.'

'Oh my god.'

'I thought you were rich.'

'Doesn't mean I want to waste it all on you.'

'I'm sorry. I didn't know 600k was all the money you had.'

'600k?' I asked, standing up.

'You can't hurt me, Hulk Hogan.'

'Actually,' I said, picking up the stool I'd been sitting on. 'I can't kill you. Hurting you, on the other hand...'

I swung the stool so hard that I heard a crack as the witch screamed and fell. My head smacked too, at the exact same time, as if someone had jammed my face into a wall. As we both screamed and cried, crawling around on the floor, I could have sworn something in my head, or my brain had shifted.

'WHY ARE YOU SO FOOLISH?' she shouted, lying on her back as she sobbed.

'You're a liar and a thief.'

'I'm trying to help you.'

I got up, wobbling on my feet, and dragged her up till she was standing.

'I will pay you the 300k we agreed on, or, I swear to god, I will destroy this whole house. I might not be able to kill you, but I promise, I'll find a way to crush you.'

'Let go of-leave me alone.' She wrestled out of my grasp, staring at me in horror as she breathed heavily. There was blood leaking down the side of her head that she was either ignoring or not aware of. 'You can't solve everything with your fist.'

I flexed my arms, appreciating the strength I felt in them and silently disagreed with her. Luckily, the stool was still functional. I turned it back and sat as colours swarmed in my vision.

'I'm not trying to be difficult. I'll get you your money.'

'As if you have a choice.'

I considered replying to that, but I couldn't really form thoughts. There was a ringing in my ear that seemed to be deepening instead of reducing. And it hurt so bad.

'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hit you.'

'No offense, but forethought isn't exactly your strong suit.'

I laughed without meaning to. It was funny because she was right. I hadn't exactly been thinking straight for the last day or so.

'What's your name?' I asked.

'Rowi,' she said, finally finding a mirror that showed her the blood on her head.

'Wow, your parents weren't subtle.'

She eyed me in the mirror.

'It's a beautiful name,' she said, defensively.

'It means 'weed', 'unwanted plant'.'

'Don't you have somewhere to be? Like a job or something?'

'I'm a blogger. I work from anywhere.'

'A blogger who can cough up 300k on short notice.' She scoffed. 'Must be your parents' money since we all know blogging isn't an actual job.'

'Right, because witchcraft is a public service.'

'Do you have to be here? Your negativity is cancelling all my positive energy.'

'I can't hang out with my friends because why is Atowa suddenly with Aneh's friends. And I can't go see his friends because they're all stupid. You're it.'

'Yay!' she said dryly, lifting her hair and examining the wound on her forehead. 'A handsome guy like you can make new friends. But I'm sure once they get to know what an angry bulldog you really are, they'd regret it.'

'Did you just call me handsome?' I wagged my eyebrows at her.

'I also called you an angry bulldog but kudos to your selective hearing.'

I sighed and leaned on the wall.

'I want to see Mbo.'

'Why am I not surprised?'

'What's that supposed to mean?' I asked.

She turned around and faced me.

'All those romantic feelings that are floating around in your head need to stop. Mbo will only reject you further and cause you more pain. I thought the whole point was to wait this all out. If you go and see him, you're going to do something stupid.'

'I'm not a fool.'

'I'm just saying. Right now, your only romantic options are female because those were your brother's romantic options.'

I shivered at the thought.

'I'd rather abstain. I'm a man-loving kinda girl.'

'In case you haven't noticed, my dear Aneh,' she reduced her voice to a whisper. 'You're not a girl anymore.'