Chapter 3: Dodging Destiny

Na 5 a.m.—I still get like two and half hours before I dey leave house go school. Street still quiet, only cock dey crow from backyard.

Ifeoma na my neighbor. We grow up together, na childhood padi. Our mamas dey gossip every morning for corridor, our papas dey play draft for evening.

Our parents dey close, and since primary school, na same school, same class we dey go. We dey share lunch sometimes, dey play ten-ten for road.

Our parents sef tell me make I dey look after her. Ifeoma papa always dey remind me: "Nnamdi, na you I dey trust my daughter with o."

So, na me and her dey waka go and come back from school. Sometimes we go buy gala and La Casera for junction on our way home.

But today, lai lai, I no fit waka with her. My heart dey beat, I dey fear history go repeat.

I stand up sharp, go bathroom. As I dey baff, I dey reason whether make I just lock myself inside room.

For this December cold, I baff cold water for almost one hour. My teeth dey clash, but I gats endure. I no wan go anywhere today.

By six o’clock, fever don catch me. My body dey shake. I dey look mirror, dey see as my eyes red like pepper soup.

Seven o’clock, my mama open my room door, dey call me make I chop and get ready for school. Fever still dey hold me. She touch my head, hiss: "Nnamdi, your body hot pass generator wey no get fuel."

"Mama, abeg, I no fit go school today," I talk with croaky voice. I cough small for effect, make e real.

"Ah, wetin do you like this? Who go get mind send you go school when you dey sick like this?" She rub my back, her face full of worry. "Chineke, biko, protect my pikin," she whisper.

"No wahala, I go call your teacher, tell am say you sick." Mama don dey find her phone, dey type message.

"Oya, me and your papa go carry you go health centre now." Na so Mama dey always panic, e mean say she love me well well.

Papa wey dey chop for table hear am, rush finish him food. He tie wrapper, rush come my side.

Na so he carry me downstairs. For his mind, he dey do wetin real Igbo father suppose do.

I hold my phone tight, no rest until I see say the person reply my message. My mind dey jump, e dey like say time dey slow.