Chapter 1: Stage Scandal

The performance ended, and everywhere just scatter—clap and shout full ground like Christmas carnival. All these small boys and girls wey never even see money before dey shout anyhow, but me I just dey catch my own cruise on stage, enjoying the attention wey dey come my way. For my mind, I dey reason how I fit carry my bag commot with style, but I just stand dey smile for them.

One rich guy, one of those big men’s sons wey dey always chase me for school, waka enter stage with one big bouquet of red roses:

“Amarachi, I like you. Abeg, be my girlfriend.”

The guy even carry himself like person wey sure say he go get wetin he want. People for hall dey turn their neck dey look, some dey even snap video with their phone. The bouquet self na the kind wey dey full for Instagram post—red roses just dey scatter everywhere, perfume scent full ground—like say na wedding for Lekki. Person like me no too dey moved by all these show-off sha.

Sharp sharp, the whole audience begin shout:

“Say yes, say yes...”

Some people even dey stamp leg for ground, dey hail as if dem dey do campaign. My friends wey sit for front dey wave hand, some dey form jealousy, others dey shine teeth. For that moment, everybody eyes just focus on me like spotlight. If you no get mind, you go think say this na Nollywood.

I look back, for the far end of the hall, where person dey watch the whole drama with face wey no even shake. Our eyes jam. He just drag the corner of his mouth, stand up, and start to waka go.

The thing wey surprise me na say, among the whole noise, na only Ifedayo face I see, just dey calm like river for harmattan. As our eyes jam, e be like small current pass for my body. The boy just waka dey go, no even look back. If to say na another person, dem for don show jealousy, but Ifedayo just bone.

I take one deep breath. I glance at my friends—Chisom dey wave like say na her proposal. I remember my mama voice for my head: “No let crowd push you do wetin your spirit no gree.” My heart dey beat gbagam gbagam, but I stand gidigba.

“No, I no fit. My boyfriend go vex if he see am.”

My voice clear, no shake. As I talk am, I feel one kain boldness enter my body. I know say everybody go shock, but I no send. I fit even hear small hiss for audience. My heart dey beat small, but I no gree show am.

I no even look the bouquet. I raise my dress small, turn, and waka commot for stage.

You fit hear pin drop—somebody even cough for back, the tension thick like ogbono soup. Na that time everybody mouth just close, like say dem swallow bitterleaf. I make sure say my steps strong, my heel no shake, I walk like person wey get where she dey go. The light from stage dey shine my dress, so everybody see as I waka, no looking back.

Everybody just dey look me as I dey go.

Some people dey whisper, others dey shake head. Small gossip begin fly, but I just keep my head high. Even some girls wey no like me before dey look me with respect small, maybe because I no fall for the rich boy trick.

I gather my dress, rush go meet Ifedayo, hold his arm sharp sharp.

The moment I catch up with Ifedayo, I no even reason am twice. I just hold him arm like say na my anchor, make everybody know say na my person. My friends dey somewhere dey watch, I know say dem go talk this gist reach hostel.

Ifedayo body just stiff, but he no turn look me.

I feel am, the way e body dey tight like say I offend am. I squeeze am small, try look into him face but e just dey front. If to say na another boy, dem for don smile, but this one just dey bone.

“I never even change my clothes. If your classmates see us now, dem go laugh you.”

Ifedayo voice low, but I fit hear say e dey try hide something. Him face dey do like person wey no want wahala, but deep down, I sabi say e dey care. If na some boys, dem go dey show, but Ifedayo na different person.

I hold his hand tight, talk small small like person wey dem offend:

“But I dress fine today just for you. You no even wan look me?”

I bend head, voice soft, make am see say I really try today. Even my makeup and gele I arrange well, my earring dey shine. My mind dey do me one kain as I dey wait for him reply, because I no sabi whether I dey form too much or na true.

Everywhere quiet.

The noise wey dey hall just reduce. The only thing wey I fit hear na my own breathing and Ifedayo slow inhale. E be like say the world stop small, everybody just dey wait see wetin go happen.

Ifedayo turn around slow. He wear one cheap camouflage cloth, mud even dey the cloth.

As e face me, I notice the mud for him shirt, the colour don even fade. This na the kind cloth wey people dey use for hard work, and e body dey smell small of sweat and dust. But as I look am, my mind just dey reason how e fit be fine boy with all this kind struggle.

All my classmates begin look us, surprise. Nobody expect say campus fine girl go get boyfriend like this.

Their eyes wide like person wey see masquerade for market. Na me, Amarachi, wey dey always slay, dey follow Ifedayo wey dey look like site worker. Even my girls dey use side eye check me, dey wonder whether na prank.

He stand well, voice just get one kain helpless sound:

“Leave my hand. My hand dirty.”

But as e talk, I see say e just dey shy. E no like make people see am like this. The way e talk, e soft small, like say e no wan make I embarrass myself too.

The hand rough, full of calluses. E no match him fine face at all. I remember the first time I see am for church, the way e dey always carry bag for him mama. For my mind, I dey proud—na this same hand fix my hostel window that time rain nearly scatter my room.

I look up, smile:

“No mind them, you no dirty.”

I talk am sharp, my voice sure. Na wetin my heart talk, I no fit hide am. E just look me, eyes soft small. Even some people for hall begin dey murmur, maybe dem dey reason say I get sense.

I shake him arm, dey do like small pikin. “I try for that stage, you no even wan hug me?”

I bounce small, as if I dey beg am play. My eye dey shine, dey find laugh from am. I wan make am loose up, make e smile small. I know say e dey try form strong, but I no go gree.

“Abeg, stop all this your play.”

E voice come out serious, but I see say e dey hide smile. Na e way, e no sabi express all those soft things for public. E still dey form hard guy, but I know say e dey enjoy am for inside.

Before he fit talk more, I jump, hold his neck, wrap my two long legs for him waist.

I be like, make I balance well before this boy go push me comot. Na so everywhere burst. Some girls scream, boys dey shout. Me I just dey laugh, hold am tight, dey show everybody say I no send anybody. I feel Ifedayo heart dey beat fast, but e still dey catch me steady.

Ifedayo shock, but as sharp guy, he quickly use hand cover my skirt, carry me commot for hall.

Na so e compose, make sure my skirt no go up, then e carry me like say I be queen. Everybody just dey look, some dey hail, some dey jealous. I feel like celebrity as e waka dey go.

Hmph, this guy mouth no dey match wetin dey him mind at all.

For Ifedayo body, na strong head, but for e heart, na soft sponge. I know say e dey feel me pass wetin e dey show. E go form for mouth, but e heart dey always show true colour.

Ifedayo no drop me till we reach hostel.

E no gree drop me, even as people dey look. For hostel gate, I see some of my friends dey peep, dey whisper. I just raise shoulder, no send.

Out of nowhere, he ask,

“Why you do that one?”

E voice come out soft, almost like whisper. E no dey vex, just dey curious. I see say e dey shy, the way e take ask am.

Before, I for bone am for public like say I no sabi am from Adam.

The old me no even fit greet am for front of people. Na now wey my mind change, I dey do extra. Even myself dey surprise me sometimes, but na the truth.

“Aren’t you my boyfriend?”

I talk am as if e dey normal, but inside me, I dey test am small. I wan see wetin e go talk. E no reply fast, just dey reason am.

Ifedayo look me well, face get one kind look. After small time, he smile:

The smile wey e give me na that one wey dey start small for corner of mouth, then spread. E eyes dey gentle, soft, like say e wan talk but words no gree come out. Na that kain smile wey dey melt girl heart.

“If you be my babe, then follow me somewhere.”

E tone calm, but I fit feel say e dey plan something for inside. My heart beat quick, but I just nod, ready for anything wey e want show me.