Chapter 7: Musa Lawal Matter

Musa Lawal na school basketball captain.

For campus, everybody sabi am. Na him dey win match for us, na him girls dey run follow. Na so e dey be for all these tall, fine boys.

Last semester, I help my roommate carry water give am two times.

Oge, my wahala roommate, na number one Musa fan. She beg me make I follow her deliver water. I do am, but na mistake.

Because dem dey call me campus ice queen, and na first time I give boy water, people begin talk say I like Musa Lawal.

Omo, Naija gist. Just help person once, dem go turn am to romance novel.

But when e hear, he just frown talk:

“Morayo? No too remember her. No interested.”

Na that day, I know say Musa head dey touch. He no sabi play.

After that, I no carry water for roommate again.

I just sidon my lane, dey avoid Musa matter like bad market.

But gist say I dey crush on am and dey behave like mumu spread everywhere.

For hostel, once gist start, e go fly like Okada for Lekki road.

I dey bear the pain for my hand, ask coldly: “Wetin dey worry you?”

I press my burnt hand, look am for eye. For Naija, if you no fear face wahala, dem go respect you.

Musa Lawal hiss, look me like say I be dirt:

If you see the way he look me, e weak me. E be like say I collect him destiny.

“Anybody wey get my WhatsApp sabi say I be Halima fan. You dey jealous say I like her, na why you go curse her for stream.”

I just look am with side eye. This kain logic, na only Naija boy fit reason am.

I shock for this your logic.

For my mind, I dey laugh. But my face no show am.

“Musa Lawal, your head correct so? I vex say I match her twice—why I go dey chase her? I no even get your WhatsApp. How I go know who you like? Wetin concern me?”

I talk am with cold voice. For Naija, sometimes, you gats use ice to answer fire.

Musa Lawal act like I dey lie, just hiss:

He shake head, dey form hard guy. I just dey look am.

“You say you match her two times. If you no dey chase her, how e take happen? You no get my WhatsApp because I no wan add you, but e no mean say you no fit stalk me.”

Na so. Naija guy dey reason everybody dey chase am. I just dey look the drama like cinema.

He waka come near, dey do strong head:

As he come close, I just cross my leg, dey ready.

“If Halima no dey wronged, you no go ever talk to me. I no get time for talk. Apologize to her now!”

If you see the way he talk, you go think say I be criminal.

I snort: “Since you sabi pay for wahala, abeg pay for my cup and for burning my hand.”

As I drop am, the class dey look us. Some dey hide dey record video.

Musa Lawal frown, bone face:

He look me, no smile. Everybody dey hold breath.

“I fit pay for your cup and your treatment. Just apologize, anything dey.”

I just dey reason how I go take twist am for am.

“True? Then pay for my cup first. Na forty-five thousand.”

I no blink. For Naija, if person run mouth, run am well.

Musa Lawal look the broken glass, hiss:

He dey reason say I wan chop him money.

“You? That your cup no reach forty-five thousand. Even if e reach, you no fit buy am. You wan scam me.”

Class dey laugh small. Na so Naija people dey do when gist dey hot.

Na who get clean hand dey fit point finger.