Chapter 2: Return to SS3

"Abeg, my childhood friend, just help me small now. Just tell small lie—talk say I follow you go library."

That same voice wey I hear pass many years, still soft, still sweet. My ear dey catch am well well, like say time reverse. The voice for my ear dey clearer and clearer.

I shock wake, raise my head quick quick. The desk under my arm, the plastic chair, the heat for classroom—all of them real pass anything. My mind scatter. That burning pain from the fire just disappear.

I touch my face, feel sweat and chalk dust—no burn mark, no pain. Na true, I don land for past.

As I see the fine face wey stand for front of me, I step back on reflex. The shape of her eyebrow, the small gap for her teeth, everything dey familiar. For one moment, e be like say spirit dey talk to me.

Yemisi frown immediately. "Tobi, if you no wan help, no wahala, but must you look like say I be witch? I no go bite you, abeg."

Her frown dey carry small vex, but the dimple for her left cheek still dey show. I just stand dey look am, my mind dey blank. Na then I realize—I really don come back to life.

Yemisi notice say something no pure, she grab my hand, shake am well. "Tobi, wetin dey do you? No scare me, abeg."

The worry for her face no be fake at all. I fit see small sweat for her nose. Her hand cold, but she dey press me tight, as if she dey check if I dey real.

But ten years later, na this same girl burn me because of Seyi.