Chapter 4: New Grounds

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Three.

After that, I lose contact with the Ibadan senior.

Even though na just online thing, her absence dey show. The small chats, the random memes—like that AY meme—everything just stop.

When I start university and waka enter Ahmadu Bello, the Kaduna sun dey roast, I hear hawkers dey shout 'Groundnut! Pure water!'. As I pass university gate, the sound of mosque call to prayer dey mix with noise. The air get one kind thick smell—sometimes moi moi, sometimes suya. I no fit help but stop look.

The campus dey quiet early morning. The trees dey cast long shadow for ground. E remind me of the time I dey use her gists take cool my head.

My guy Musa ask me wetin dey.

Musa na my roommate, mouth sharp. If you show small sign, e go catch am. 'Guy, you dey reason babe for this kind place?' he dey tease me.

As he see the way I dey look the place, I sigh, 'Before, I almost enter University of Ibadan.'

I no even talk am loud. My voice low, like say I dey confess.

'...'

He just look me, drag me go library.

'See, every Ahmadu Bello student dey talk this thing when dem pass here. Abeg, make we hurry before library seat finish.'

I wan laugh, but my mind still dey heavy. Na true, the humblebrag dey everywhere.

Me: '...'

Na true. Humblebrag full ground.

As we reach library, everywhere full. People dey rush, some dey argue, some dey sleep for corner. Na real survival of the sharpest.

Musa shout:

'Na wa o! People wey enter Ahmadu Bello still dey rush like say dem wan write another exam?'

People for back dey laugh. Even librarian dey shake head.

All the seat don finish. Only small remain for recitation area, but after we hear all the different languages and noise, we run go silent reading area.

I hear one guy dey speak Igbo, another dey blast Hausa. Everywhere dey hot. Me and Musa look ourselves, waka commot.

'O boy, I see seat for there!' Musa tap me, then rush go negotiate.

Him negotiation sharp, the guy for seat no even argue too much. Musa sabi hustle.

Few seconds later, he wave.

'Dayo, come, seat dey!'

I waka go, hear dem gist:

People dey talk about their states, who sabi which lecturer. I dey smile for corner.

'No need to form. Una be freshers?'

'Yes,' Musa reply, happy.

Musa dey shine teeth. The confidence dey my body too small.

Opposite am, one fine girl dey. I sit down gently, see say seat opposite me empty but get book on top.

I dey pray make the owner no vex if dem see me.

'You suppose call me "senior." I don dey here since—na graduate student I be now.'

Her voice dey bold, but she dey smile. E make me relax.

'Wetin! You no even look am. You try o.'

As I dey wonder if another person dey come, Musa don already add her for WhatsApp.

I shake my head. Musa no dey waste time at all.

After we all sit, everywhere calm again. I put head for book.

The quiet get one kind sweet tension. My mind dey try focus, but I dey notice the small things: biro tapping, bag zipping, the soft hum of AC.

After small time, I feel say light reduce for my front, and I smell better perfume. One slim babe pull chair sit down opposite me.

Her entrance quiet, but the scent catch my attention. I peek, then hide face back for book.

Then, I hear low voice:

'Your supervisor call you again?'

Her voice soft, like breeze wey blow for harmattan.

'Hmm, data get wahala. I need run am again.'

First voice na the girl wey give us seat. Second one fresh, sweet.

I look up, see one babe with glasses, long black hair, skin brown, eyelash full, eyes sharp like morning dew for harmattan. She fine no be small.

Na real definition of 'brown skin girl'. She wear one Ankara scarf for her wrist. Her swag dey different.

She catch my eye, look me. The way she fine, I just shock.

I try look away, but my eye stubborn.

But this babe just look me coldly. When she see my textbook, her eye flash surprise.

I notice the way her brow lift. E surprise me.

She ask, 'Polymer Materials and Engineering? Na your course be that?'

Ah ah, she dey talk to me.

I nod.

I do science for secondary, and with the help of 'Ibadan Reject' senior, my result always dey high. So after I enter Ahmadu Bello, I choose this course straight.

Na the confidence from all those tutorials give me mind to face this new course.

Maybe na my mind, but the girl smile small. 'No bad.'

Her smile brief, but e bright like early morning sun.

I confuse, the senior beside her help explain, 'Na coincidence o, we dey same course.'

She point herself and the fine babe. Me, I dey trip small.

Wow, na my direct senior be this!

No wonder dem sharp like that. I dey try arrange myself make I no fall hand.

'Good afternoon, senior,' I greet.

I even bow small, na respect.

The girl just reply 'Hmm,' even colder.

She cross her leg, look another direction. I just dey there like mumu.

'No mind am. Our Mo Mo always dey like that,' the other senior talk.

I smile, no put for mind.

But inside my heart, I dey wonder who fit warm her like that.