Chapter 7: When Gossip No Wan Die

I sigh, push the breakfast back give am.

I dey pity Halima small. I no want make the matter too long for class.

“Give am to her. Halima look like say she really want chop am.”

My voice low, but I mean am. For Naija, food dey solve fight sometimes.

He wait small, but next thing, Halima stubborn voice come from back.

She no dey agree, her stubbornness dey loud like generator for night.

“Who want your nonsense breakfast?!”

She talk am, her voice dey shake. Tears dey hide for corner of her eye.

Her eyes red, she look like person wey wan cry.

I feel for her small. But na she start am, so make she rest.

Kamsiyochukwu frown. “No need. I buy am for you.”

His voice soft, but e no wan take side. E dey balance the matter.

Behind us, somebody bang their book for table.

The sound loud, everybody look that side, but nobody talk.

I slowly open the brown paper. Beef and ugu buns—sweet die.

The smell rush my nose, my stomach rumble. Hunger dey catch me, but wahala no let me chop well.

But my deskmate dey always run go toilet, my appetite just disappear. I put the bun inside desk.

I sigh, close the desk. No need force myself. My mind full.

“Kamsi, you dey okay?”

I look am, he pale small. I dey worry for am.

He look pale. “I think say I chop bad thing. E start last night.”

He rub belle, face squeeze. I feel sorry for am.

I push the remaining buns give am. “Chop these ones, make your body strong.”

I dey show concern, even though I dey shy. For Naija, na so we dey care for our own.

Me and Kamsiyochukwu no close reach to dey share breakfast, but he still frown, keep the buns for his desk.

He no talk, but I fit see say he appreciate am.

Behind us, person dey flip workbook loud loud.

The sound dey disturb, but I ignore am. Some people too like wahala.

Before, them dey go and come school together. Monday night, nobody know wetin keep Halima, but after school bell ring, she leave Kamsiyochukwu and waka go house first.

That day shock everybody. E rare for Halima to waka alone.

That night, person update confession wall:

Gist no dey die for our school. E dey resurrect like ogbono soup.

“Wall, dem no talk say top student and goddess no dey together? I see them dey share breakfast—see picture! Na the same nylon?”

Na so dem dey snap anyhow, carry gist up and down.

Another anonymous post, this time use filter for my picture. Dem dey compare the packaging for my hand and Kamsiyochukwu own, before and after.

E shock me, people get time. Dem dey zoom, dey analyze like FBI.

For comments, people dey guess when we start, if our grades fit reach the same university.

Everybody get opinion. Na so dem dey do for Naija, everybody sabi talk.

Another anonymous user, momo, drop comment. The IP resemble.

If you sabi internet for Naija, you go know say some people dey use same cafe, so IP go show similar. Gist dey fly everywhere. Some dey borrow each other data just to drag matter.

“Dem no go end up together. Kamsiyochukwu get childhood friend already. Ijeoma reach am?”

Dem dey yarn as if dem be soothsayer. For my mind, I just dey laugh.

Internet no dey forget. SS1 to SS3 classmates memory dey even sharper.

If you think say you fit hide, na lie. Your gist go reach village.

Soon, reply land:

People dey drag momo, dey expose am sharp. Na so wahala dey expose itself.

“Wait, your IP dey familiar. No be you post about Ijeoma last time?”

E be like say the person don carry my matter for head. Internet sabi expose people.

“E be like say Ijeoma hater don dey craze.”

Everybody dey use style abuse am, some dey laugh for comment section.

“Abeg, whether dem dey together or not, wetin concern you? We dey here for gist, but e be like say na you be the gist.”

Dem turn the matter round, momo no fit reply. E sweet me, e dey pain me too, because this kain talk dey wound person.

‘Kamsiyochukwu childhood friend…’

The gist never finish. Before dem fit expose am, momo—

Everybody dey wait for next episode, as if dem dey watch Super Story. Na Naija be this, no dull moment.

Her footsteps loud for corridor, echo like warning bell. Everybody dey wait—tomorrow wahala still dey come.