Chapter 6: Gist, Jealousy, and Super Story Moves

Sharp people get their way to settle wahala.

E true. If you no sabi, dem go use style press you for ground.

After whole morning of book, I give am the milk wey remain from Saturday.

I clean the bottle, wrap am for nylon, give am sharp.

“Thanks for helping me read. Take this make you strong.”

Na so mama for house dey do. E sweet my belle to give person small thing.

He look me serious.

His eyes dey soft, e dey thank me without words.

“That day, I no dey help Halima. She just dey behave like small pikin—nobody fit force her. I promise her parents say I go look after her…”

He talk am with small voice, e show say the matter dey heavy for am.

I cut in, “Mama Sadiya beef buns sweet abi?”

I wan lighten the mood. For Naija, if gist dey too serious, you fit use food change topic.

He shock small.

E look me, laugh small. The tension disappear, e be like we return back to normal.

I open the milk, act like say e no concern me, “Na pity, my road no pass there, so I never taste their beef and ugu buns.”

I shake my head, make my hair bounce. I dey use style ask for more.

Breeze enter library, blow his long fingers as he dey press new test paper.

The air for library cool, light dey shine for his face. E be like person wey dey for advert.

“I go bring am for you tomorrow,” he talk. “To say thank you.”

I smile wide. This life sweet when person get who dey care.

Monday, new week start. The two childhood friends still enter class together.

Dem dey yarn, dey laugh, but e be like one dey force the other. Class dey buzz as dem enter.

Halima eyes dey shine, she dey happy.

Her shoe even dey click for floor, she dey catwalk. She feel say she don win.

Until Kamsiyochukwu waka come my desk, drop breakfast for me.

Everybody pause. E be like Super Story, when dem freeze frame before advert.

Halima smile freeze.

You fit see am for her face. E be like person wey cold breeze touch for harmattan morning.

“Kamsiyochukwu, no be the breakfast wey you buy for me be that?”

Her voice get crack. She dey try control herself, but jealousy no let am.

He frown. “I no talk am.”

He talk am calm, his eye dey serious. Some boys for back dey whistle small.

Small girls dey always get hope. Halima just believe say anything she do for Kamsiyochukwu, he go return am.

Na true. For her mind, friendship na automatic love. E no dey always work like that.

But na the truth he talk.

The class dey quiet, everybody dey expect wahala.

Halima look from am to me, then shout, “So even if your belle dey pain you, you still go buy her breakfast for morning?”

Her voice dey loud, e echo for class. Everybody eye dey turn to us.

She no even wait for reply, just waka go her seat.

She drag her bag, nearly fall. People dey whisper. My heart dey beat, but I hold face.

Kamsiyochukwu frown. “I no do anything to vex her…”

E sound true, but wahala don already start.