Chapter 5: Breakfast Wars and Library Prayers

The camera matter no mean anything again. Once the top student talk say na him, even if camera spoil or NEPA take light, e no concern anybody. Na the power wey big people get.

If na person wey no get mouth, dem for pursue am. But as na Kamsi, everywhere cool. People dey respect brain for our place.

As we dey go back, Halima vex, “Kamsiyochukwu, you must help me with my own studies too!”

Her voice dey loud, almost like cry. She no wan gree lose at all.

He stop, try touch her head, but before he talk, I cut in.

I quick enter, no let her collect all the attention.

“Kamsi, you owe me tutoring for the apology, and na my time you go follow.”

I show my teeth join, make am clear. For our side, you gats claim your own sharp.

He freeze, surprise small.

E be like he never expect me to answer Halima like that. Small smile dey hide for his mouth.

Halima begin jump, “You no fit go! You no go help her!”

She dey stamp leg, her voice dey shake. Some people for corridor dey peep, dem dey enjoy the drama.

I just smile, no even answer her again.

If you talk too much, dem go think you dey drag man. I lock up, make my shine dey my face.

As I comot, I message Kamsiyochukwu for WhatsApp:

My hand dey tremble small, but I dey press phone, delete and retype my message three times before I send am.

[If you wan cover person, just to show face no do.]

I throw the message, then I lock my phone. For my mind, I no expect reply.

E take long before he reply.

I nearly forget say I even message am. My heart dey beat anytime phone vibrate.

[I go help you with your studies.]

His text dey short, no too much talk. I smile, my mood bright small.

Few seconds later, two more messages:

[I go help only you.]

[No worry.]

That one sweet me. I fit sleep well for night now. E be like small win after all the wahala.

Top students get their own way of doing things.

Na true. The sharp ones sabi play everybody like chess. Na why dem dey always win.

Within five minutes, Kamsiyochukwu don settle Halima. When he come back, she no talk again.

He sabi how to talk, make person calm. Some people just get gift.

All the posts about me for confession wall don disappear.

E shock me. Before, if gist enter wall, e dey stay for days. Na only person wey get sense go fit clear am.

She give me bad eye, but no choice than to go sit down for her seat.

Halima just squeeze face. E pain her say she no fit change the matter.

Kamsiyochukwu drop one pack of wet wipes for my desk.

E do am gently, e no even talk too much.

“Sorry, use this clean am.”

The packet pink, as I open am, e dey smell like strawberry.

I smile. Na small thing, but e show say person care. Strawberry scent remind me of Christmas sweets for village.

I open my workbook. “When we go start?”

I talk with confidence, make e clear say I ready. Everybody for class dey pretend no dey watch, but dem dey listen.

Sharp people dey answer fast.

Kamsiyochukwu just nod, like say na normal thing.

“Every weekend.”

He talk as if e don arrange timetable for my head already.

“Okay.”

I dey happy, but I no let am show too much.

Na Wednesday. I count—just two days remain. Thursday, Friday.

E dey do me like say weekend far. I dey check calendar steady.

Halima no gree, she dey always show off her childhood friend. Every morning, she bring breakfast from Mama Sadiya’s bukka, put am for Kamsiyochukwu desk, just in front of me.

She dey make sure say everybody see. For her mind, na competition.

She go blush, talk, “Your belle no dey strong. Abeg chop everything.”

Na so she dey form caring, but her eye dey watch me to see if I go vex.

Mama Sadiya’s buns—beef and ugu. The buns dey fat, oil dey shine for top, pepper aroma dey scatter everywhere—if hunger catch you, you fit forget your name. E dey smell reach back of class. Even teacher dey hail Mama Sadiya for her buns.

I remember, so Saturday I carry breakfast go library.

I wake early, fry egg, wrap am with bread, plus one bottle malt join. I reach library, my heart dey beat.

“I bring this for you. Chop am while e still hot.”

I use nylon cover am well. I no wan make the thing cold. As I drop am, Kamsiyochukwu look me like say I be magician.

God, abeg, make e no shame me for front of this boy.

Kamsiyochukwu shock.

E no expect am. E dey rare for babe to carry food come give bobo for library.

I talk, “If your belle dey worry you, you suppose dey chop breakfast.”

I try talk am casual, but my heart dey cut. I dey fear say maybe e go reject am.

I push food give am. “Chop quick, before person see us.”

I dey look window, dey check if anybody dey peep. Naija wahala too much.

He hold the pastry wey I keep since last night, his cheeks just dey red.

E blush, small smile dey his face. For that moment, e be like we dey our own world.