Chapter 1: No Be Beans to Win Campus Queen

To win the cold campus queen no be beans—but to reach her bed, come jam wall, na another wahala.

True true, e no easy at all, as people for hostel dey always yarn say to even get Morayo attention na wahala, not to talk of dating am. Na when I finally cross that river, na im I come dey face another wahala for the other side. The kain cold wey I jam for her body, e shock me like PHCN wire. Her skin cold like harmattan morning, no spark, no ginger. For my mind, I dey hope say maybe na shyness dey worry her, like maybe she dey new to the matter or she just dey respect herself.

I just reason maybe she dey shy, until I see the WhatsApp group.

[Abeg, na only correct guy fit run am. The other guy no suppose reason am at all.]

[Campus queen, abeg no doubt yourself. If the main guy touch you for seven days and nights, you go dey alright.]

The thing pain me reach bone. Na so so people dey talk for back, dey run mouth anyhow. Everybody get their own for mind, dey see me as extra for the film wey no be my own. Na that WhatsApp group I see all the gbas gbos, as if dem dey watch my life like Telemundo.

I watch the campus queen, all confused and regretful, dey beg make we try again. I just bone and pretend say I don sleep.

As I see Morayo dey beg, her eye dey red, her voice dey tremble, my heart nearly cut. But I just turn my back like wood, put pillow for face, pretend say sleep carry me. Wetin man go do? Pride no go let me cry for her front.

The next day, I send her message.

[My papa no gree make I date babe wey dey another city. Make we break up.]

My hand dey shake as I type the message. For my mind, I dey hope say maybe she go fight for us, but as I send am, na heavy weight land for my chest. My chest tight like when NEPA take light for exam night. Na the only excuse wey fit save face, make people no say na bedroom matter cause am.

I think say that one go be the end of us.

I reason say everything don end. My mind dey do like generator wey no wan start. I just dey pray make wahala rest, make I fit get small peace.

But as she see me enter hotel with another woman, she just lose control, rush come drag me commot.

That scene no be here. Morayo storm the place like rain wey no dey respect roof. She grab my shirt, dey drag me like market woman. The other babe just dey look us with yeye eye. Everybody for the lobby begin dey whisper—na wah for campus drama.

That night, her eyes red, desperate, she dey beg like say na life and death:

"Ayotunde, I don take medicine. I fit do pass her. Abeg, try me again, I beg."

Her voice be like person wey dey fight for last breath. Her fine face don scatter with tears. Na so I just bone, my heart dey pain me but I no fit show am.

As her shadow disappear for corridor, I know say this heartbreak na only the beginning.