Chapter 2: Scores, Gossip, and Rivalry

The day I hear Amina and Sani dey talk, na that time I just calculate my WAEC score.

I dey for corridor, dey use biro tap counter, dey try balance my maths. The corridor hot, dust dey fly as students dey rush go buy zobo before bell go ring. My mind dey race, my hand dey sweat.

720.

As I write that number, my hand just freeze. My chest tight. That na the same raw score wey last year’s best student for the state get.

My head just dey swell, but na fear dey chase joy inside my belly. I know say if I talk am, wahala fit burst. Na so I just sigh finish when I hear Amina voice from behind the door.

“Sani, no forget say you never win our bet.”

Her voice get one kain sharp edge, like when person dey try use spoon scatter pot of stew. I pause, pretend say I dey look another side.

“Na only if you fit use sweet mouth carry Halima go poly, you fit talk say you win me—no be mouth.”

Sani just dey like e no concern am:

His laugh come dry, like sand wey never see rain. He just shift for wall, squeeze face.

“You no see her result? E never even pass 400—abeg, which university she wan enter?”

As if say na joke, Sani throway face. Him pride dey high like NEPA bill. Boys for the corner dey nod head. For my mind, I dey vex small.

Amina still dey insist, “But her foundation strong, what if—”

She no gree rest, her voice dey carry that worry wey only two friends fit get. She dey try defend me, or maybe herself, but Sani no dey hear.

“Even if she manage try, any school she enter, no be me go decide?”

As she talk that one, the other people wey dey stand for there just burst laugh.

One of them nearly choke on gala. Laughter loud, scatter everywhere. Even that small girl wey dey sweep corridor stop, look them like she dey watch TV drama.

All those same people wey dey call me ‘madam-in-law’ every time before, now dey use their mouth run me anyhow.

The way dem turn face quick, e shock me. Before, na "Halima, bring am home oh!" Now, na mockery. This life no balance.

“With the way Halima dey follow Brother Sani everywhere, forget polytechnic—she go even happy to dey pick dirt with am.”

Another one add join, "Abi she fit even dey carry yam for Sani mama farm. Na love blind am." Na so dem dey yab, everybody dey contribute.

“True talk! Everybody for Unity College know say she fall from top to last in class just because of Brother Sani. Which thing hopeless lover like her no fit do?”

I just stand there, dey hear dem run me down. My ear dey hot, but I just hold body. Na so dem dey talk as if say dem never see better love before.

Another round of laughter bust out.

The laughter loud reach principal office. One boy slap table, dey shake head, tears almost commot for eye.

I hear everything, but e no move me at all.

For my heart, I don wear thick skin. This one no be first time people dey yab me because of Sani. My mind dey far, dey think bigger things.

One old king for history light warning fire just to make his woman smile—so if na for fine boy like Sani, I act small, drop my grades for am, e no mean anything.

True true, history get plenty example. Dem dey talk say if you never love before, you no go understand. If king fit burn palace for love, who I be?

One person, as e remember something, just laugh tease:

“Madam Amina, if Halima ever find out say na revenge you dey do, she go hate you die.”

The person talk am with big mouth, dey wait for wahala. Everybody pause, dey watch Amina reaction.

Amina just look the person up and down, hiss.

She use eye finish the person. "No mind am, e no dey clear? Why you dey ask?" She hiss, flip braids back, act like say e no pain her.

“See mumu, e no dey clear? Why you dey ask?”

But this time, dem no understand.

Na so dem dey see am for surface. E get as e dey do me for inside. If to say dem fit see my mind, dem go know say story pass wetin dem dey yarn.

I no hate Amina at all. In fact, I dey thank her well.

To talk true, if no be Amina, who go even look my side? Na she open door for me, use her own hand carry Sani give me, even if na by mistake.

Because me, wey no fine reach, wey my face no even fit break egg, I just dey blend, still get chance to dey with fine boy like Sani—all thanks to Amina. Na she dash me the guy with her own hand.

As I dey remember am so, my heart dey soft for her small. Life no easy for any of us. As God arrange am, every dog get him own bone.