Chapter 4: Who Get Timi?

Next day, my mood just dull anyhow.

I no get ginger, I no chop breakfast. For class, I dey look board but my mind dey far. Even lecturer sef notice say I dey lost.

After class, me and Timi dey waka go hostel.

Sun dey shine, people dey hail us. Timi dey walk steady, I dey drag leg.

He hold my hand ask, "Why your hand cold like this?"

E squeeze am small. For my mind, e suppose sweet me, but I just dey bone.

I no answer, he just put my hand inside him pocket make e warm.

Him hand dey warm, I feel safe, but I dey fight the feeling.

Normally, this one for sweet me die.

For my mind, na this kind moment dey make me dey reason say maybe hope still dey. But I gats kill the dream.

But today, I just pull my hand.

No time for story. I gats protect my heart.

"Timi, we be guys. This thing no too make sense."

I force my voice strong. For Naija, people dey watch every move. E fit cause talk.

Timi look me, face show say he no understand. "Wetin no make sense? We be best friends."

E dey look me, eyebrow raised. E no dey get the problem.

He pinch my cheek. "See, when you small, your papa no dey house at all."

He dey tease me. E try make me laugh but e no work today.

"If you check am, na me raise you."

He dey boast, dey do like say na him senior brother.

I push him hand away. "That one too much."

I dey pretend say I vex, but I no wan make e see say I dey sad.

Timi just smile small.

Na that small smile fit cause traffic. People dey always stop dey look am for road. I dey look ground, dey try focus.

The guy fine no be small—pass most celebs. If he smile, e fit melt stone.

For my mind, I dey talk say, "If to say na film, na now love go start." But real life no dey sweet like that.

I clear throat, no fit look am again.

I dey focus on my shoe lace, dey count step. I no wan make eye contact.

As we reach downstairs, one voice just hail us.

"Timi, you dey go mama put? Make we go together."

I sabi the guy—Kunle. He and Timi na former classmates, dem dey close.

Kunle dey always form big boy. He dey wear chain, dey talk loud. Him dey enter Timi room anyhow.

For secondary school, I no dey same class with Timi. Sometimes, as I dey pass, I dey see Kunle dey ask am question.

That time, I just dey peep, dey reason say maybe dem dey plan assignment.

He try hold Timi hand, but Timi dodge am small.

E funny to watch. Timi no too like people dey touch am, but Kunle dey try force himself.

Kunle just smile, come squeeze himself between me and Timi.

The guy no get shame. He fit squeeze inside needle eye if na to stay near Timi.

As we dey waka, he ask, "You and Timi close like that?"

E dey look me like say I be obstacle.

The guy dey make me uncomfortable.

I dey feel like say mosquito dey bite my back. I just dey look front, dey try mind my business.

I just answer, "We dey alright."

I no wan talk too much. For Naija, if you over talk, dem go carry you go gist.

Timi pull me come him side, him smile no too reach him eye. "We dey more than alright. Na my best friend."

E talk am with authority, e wan make Kunle hear am well.

Kunle face change.

E dey jealous, but e dey try form say e no dey pain am.

He look Timi hand wey dey hold me, jealousy flash for him eye.

Na small thing, but I notice. For hostel, nothing dey hide.

He size me up, then talk with vex, "Abeg, fit give us space? I get something to tell Timi alone."

E dey frown, dey do as if I no suppose dey there. My body cold, but I gats stand strong.

"You no suppose dey here."

I just press my lips, turn to Timi. "I go wait you for hostel."

I no get strength for wahala. If person no wan me, I no dey force myself.

But as I wan waka go, Timi just grip my hand tight.

E strong, e no wan let go. I dey shock, I try free hand, e just hold am harder.

I try free myself, but he just hold am tighter. No way to escape.

I dey struggle small, but Timi eye sharp, e no dey look Kunle face.

He just look up, cold voice talk to Kunle, "Anything you wan talk, talk am here."

Voice dey low, but e carry weight. People for corridor even pause.

"Ifedike na my best friend. Nothing wey he no fit hear."

E talk am like final word. For Naija, if person talk like that, e mean am.

Kunle face just fall, the way he glare me no get part two.

E dey vex, but e no fit talk. Him face dey red, hand dey shake small.

He grit him teeth, finally burst out:

"Timi... I don like you since. You fit give me chance?"

Even air no gree blow. My heart dey hammer—na now Timi go choose who dey his side.