Chapter 6: Lab Revelations

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Five.

Musa carry me reach the teaching building where dem dey do practical.

Kaduna sun still dey hot, students dey crowd corridor. Aroma of indomie and suya dey mix for air.

'Dem dey do experiment now, make we wait.'

We sit for one small bench, dey press phone. My mind dey roam. I dey pray make senior no too harsh.

Soon, plenty people come out. Then the senior wey give us seat—her name na Kemi—come out, see us.

Kemi sharp, always dey smile. She wave like say she see her younger bros.

She wave. 'No wahala, na we dey do experiment inside. Outside na just waiting area.'

I nod, Musa answer 'oh' two times, drag me go empty seat.

As we settle down, I dey observe the kind pride Kemi get. She dey run things for her level.

Kemi and Musa dey face each other, I just dey listen.

Kemi dey explain kinetics to Musa, her hand dey fly for air. Me I dey look both of them, dey pick sense.

No be lie, graduate students sabi book.

The difference clear—dem dey talk big grammar, I dey jot down.

Soon, Musa dey nod like say light don enter him head.

I dey happy for am, the frustration for his face don melt.

I wan ask question, the lab door open.

My chest skip beat. I adjust my collar.

The person wey enter look three of us.

Her steps get confidence, the way lab light shine for her glasses na movie.

'Ah, Moji, you don come back?'

So her name na Moji.

Moji look Musa and me. She pause, eye us from head to toe. Her presence strong. Her hand tremble small as she collect her bag, then she look away quick, like say she no wan make we see am shake.

Kemi explain, 'Na those freshers wey we meet for library. She get some question, so she come ask.'

Kemi dey try explain our small wahala, dey use style cover us.

'Hmm,' Moji answer, still dey form cold. Her eyes dey sharp, but e get something for her face—like say she dey hide another feeling under the surface.

Her voice cool, no sugar. I dey try no look her face too much.

Me and Musa look each other. I see for his eye: This babe cold o.

We both dey on the same page. Musa do small whistle, I hide my smile.

Musa stand. 'Okay, senior, we don ask finish, we dey go. Thanks!'

He pack book fast, dey ready move.

'No wahala, you welcome. By the way, our lab need two assistants. Una wan join?' Kemi ask.

The offer choke. Musa dey look me, I dey look ground.

Me and Musa freeze.

Opportunity dey, but wahala fit join. For ABU, lab assistant na work and connection.

Then I notice Moji frown. She no too like the idea.

Her brow tight, she just dey observe us with side eye.

I wan talk no, but Musa jump, 'We go do am! Dayo, abeg, go add her for WhatsApp, make we dey communicate.'

As he talk, my heart beat high. Why me? He don already add Kemi na.

I confuse, Musa dey wink.

His wink loud. 'Oya, go!' I no get choice.

No choice. I waka go Kemi and Moji.

Kemi just add me straight.

She type her number sharp sharp for my phone, even dey smile.

When I reach Moji, she look like she wan refuse. As I give her my QR code, she look am, then freeze.

Her eye sharp, she dey scan my name like say she dey see ghost.

'Na your WhatsApp be this?' she ask, dey frown, look me.

The question cold. My leg dey tap ground, my breath no steady.

'Erm... yes, any problem?'

I dey fear she go say my phone too old.

'Wetin be your name?'

Her tone carry weight. The kind question wey fit check your spirit.

'Dayo.'

'Where you from?'

Her face tight, the tension dey serious.

'Wait, Moji, you dey check his house address?' Kemi joke before I fit answer, Moji glare her.

The way Moji eye move, Kemi mouth just lock. Musa cough, shift for seat.

That glare strong, Kemi and Musa just shiver.

The tension fit cut yam. I dey sweat for back.

Moji still dey look me. 'Answer.'

Her voice sharp, no space to dodge.

'Ogbomoso,' I answer. No way to dodge.

As I talk am, Moji face change small. Her lips curve one side, I no fit read her.

But as I answer, matter come worse. Moji just laugh small. Then she look up, her fine eyes catch my own.

She dey smile, but her eye dey shine—like person wey find wetin dem dey look for since.

That look—how I go talk am? E be like say she don catch me finish. My chest just dey hot.

I dey bite tongue. Na her or na person I resemble? My head dey spin.

I feel say Moji dey vex for me. She dey smile, but her eye no dey smile.

The double wahala clear. For my mind, e be like film.

'You try for WAEC, enter Ahmadu Bello,' she talk. Her voice get one kind tone.

E be like say she dey talk from another place. My heart dey jump.

I no understand, so I just nod. 'Yes, I try small.'

My voice low, my hand dey sweat.

Moji smile again—this time e be like say she dey vex—but she carry phone scan my QR code.

Her smile dey tight, like say she dey hold back gist.

'Okay, come lab after class tomorrow.'

Her tone no get argument. E be like command.

Ah?

Shock grip me. I dey expect make she ignore me, but now na work she dey dash me.

No be only me, even Kemi shock. 'You just now... no want before?' She just swallow her words.

The way Moji eye move, Kemi hold her mouth. I just dey thank God say ground no swallow me.