Chapter 6: Broken Glasses and Broken Pride

For my last life, I waste too much energy on top Yemisi matter.

All those years, I for focus on myself. University entrance exam na like one million people dey struggle to cross one plank bridge—no space for distraction.

Last last, I only enter one average federal university. I fit do better than that. My people expect big things, but I just manage. Now, less than four months remain for exam, I gats give am my all.

But na Yemisi come find me by herself.

Anywhere she go, people dey look. She dey waka with swag, as if she sabi her worth. Even the big, baggy blue school uniform no fit hide her beauty—e even make her look more fresh.

My seatmate nudge me, dey wink. "She come for you o."

True true, Yemisi waka reach me, hand me one nylon bag. "My mama say make I give you—na special thing she buy from her last business trip."

I no even look up, I still dey solve my maths. "Hmm, just keep am there. Tell Aunty thank you for me."

Yemisi no gree move. She drop the bag for desk, still stand, dey wait make I look am.

I look up, see as she dey frown, dey complain, "Tobi, I carry am come for you, you no even thank me?"

I just answer, "Thank you."

She eye me, hesitate, then waka commot. Her footsteps loud for corridor as she dey go.

My seatmate try talk sense into me. "Una quarrel? I dey wonder why una no dey together again. See, the goddess dey make move, abeg no stubborn. Give her chance."

I just talk, "No be like that."

Soon, word reach Seyi say Yemisi come see me.

After PE that afternoon, basketball hit my head from back.

I turn, see Seyi dey eye me. "Make we fight. If I win, you no go near Yemisi again."

I tell am, "Oga, abeg, get your facts right."

I no get time for wahala—I still get book to read. My exam dey close, I no get space for all this childish fight.

But the guy vex more. "You dey talk say na Yemisi dey find you? No think say because una grow up together, she go ever like you. Look yourself. Yemisi no fit like person like you."

‘Loser’ na heavy insult for any guy—especially as I get old man mind inside. Seyi throw punch, dey mock me, "Loser. Come now."

My glasses fall, everywhere blur. I feel for ground, sense the dust and small stones for my palm.

Seyi punches wild, but me sef no weak. The small taekwondo I learn that year dey my body. When I small, I dey sickly, my mama put me for taekwondo.

Seyi just dey use muscle, no get style.

We exchange blows, nobody dey win. The other boys dey form ring around us, dey shout, "No dull am! Show am say you no be ajebutter!"

Till Yemisi scream, rush come slap me.

My face hot, pain enter my bone. Na the first time anybody slap me for my life.

Yemisi use all her power—her palm red, hand dey shake. The whole place quiet small, everybody freeze, even teacher wey dey pass slow down, dey look.

She shout, "Tobi, you dey craze? Why you dey bully Seyi?"

The way she look me, na pure hate. E pain me pass the slap. The look wey say, "I no know you again."

Seyi get better treatment.

Yemisi help am up gently, her face full of worry. She clean his sweat, dey check his wound.

She tiptoe, dey blow his wound softly. People dey watch, dey whisper. Love na true wahala.

I no go lie, two of them look good together—fine couple. Anybody go talk so. Light and darkness join, na movie for our eye.

Yemisi dey ask, "E pain you?"

Seyi just answer, "I don used to am."

Yemisi begin pity am more. She dey touch his face like say na breakable plate.

To show support, she crush my glasses for ground with her leg, for my front.

My heart cut—this na the same glasses wey her mama dey praise up and down.

Na Yemisi buy those glasses for me. When she be sixteen, win violin competition, use the money buy am for me.

Her mama talk say she pick am with care, check different styles, dey imagine which one I go like.

"That girl never pick gift for me or her papa like that before."

Yemisi go just blush, "Mama, abeg stop."

That time, I dey cherish everything she give me.

For my last life, I keep those glasses, plan say I go tell our future pikin our love story.

Now, e just dey funny.

Yemisi point me, dey curse, "Tobi, you be wicked person. Heartless."

"I dey tell you, we don finish. We no be friends again."

Funny enough, I no even sad—just dey vex. My pride dey pain me, but my mind dey clear.

I stand, dust my body. "Na you buy the glasses, you fit break am. That slap I go forget—me no dey hit girl. But next time, no expect me to calm."

"Tell your Seyi make im no near me again. I get better things to do than una small pikin drama."

Seyi na lost case. Na only Yemisi fit believe say she fit save am for this our crucial year.

If she wan be saviour, fine—no concern me again.