Chapter 2: The Chase No Be Beans

02.

Me and Musa Garba na secondary school classmates. He no know, but I don dey crush on am for two out of the three years.

As I dey think back, na all those after-class gist dey make my belle sweet. Guy na silent killer—no too dey talk, but when he yarn, everybody dey hear.

After we write WAEC finish that night, like many babes wey dey crush, I go confess.

[Musa Garba, I like you.]

My heart dey jump like generator wey no get fuel, but I no care. Person wey dey crush no dey shame.

After long, he reply: [Wetin you like about me?]

Guy na serious person, always wan know reason for everything. My hand dey shake, but I still type.

I just talk am: [You fine, you dey get beta result, and you dey look fresh when you dey play basketball.]

[Oh. I no like you.]

The thing pain me but I just set face. This life na cruise.

I no gree: [At least give me chance make I chase you! I swear you go like me last last.]

[…]

[Abi you dey fear say you go fall for me? smirk.jpg]

[…Anything.]

That time, shame no dey catch me. Anything I wan do, I do am. That small soft answer wey he give, I take am as hope.

For my mind, na sure banker. If guy talk 'anything', e mean say small thing still dey.

After exam, that summer, I dey message am for WhatsApp everyday, dey ask wetin he dey plan.

I even dey count down till university, dey dream say we go enter same school.

He no dey reply, but as we dey live for same estate, anytime he dey go out, I go just waka join am.

Guy man tire for me, but me, I dey use stubbornness do love.

First time, he shock. Later, he no send. At last, he just dey act like say na normal.

E mean say small progress dey—if person no dey chase you comot, na hope.

That small small change dey sweet me well.

Even my neighbour, Mama Kafayat, notice say I dey shine whenever Musa pass. She just dey laugh, dey call me 'love pikin.'

03.

Musa Garba na cold guy. If e dey in good mood, he go just give me [Mm], [Okay], or [OK].

If na another person, dem for don vex, but me, na that coldness dey even ginger me pass.

No wahala—if you fine, you fit dey do shakara small. Me, I dey like fine people.

Na so street dey talk. All those wey no too send, na dem dey sweet pass. My friends dey laugh me, but I no dey hear word.

Sometimes e go cold reach, I go vex small, but once I remember as him fine, I go just free am, begin pamper am again.

If that kind thing happen, I go dey tease am:

[Just gree for me na, I go treat you well.]

[…]

[No need struggle, you go still fall, heh heh heh.]

[…]

[You sure say you no feel anything for me?]

[…]

[See as you dey type six dots! Abeg, talk true, you dey feel me small, abi?]

[If I knack you slap, you fit still lick my hand.]

I dey tease am well, but e never break. Guy dey strong.

Later—

[I dey go Unity Library today.]

[Na invite be that?]

[…]

[I dey come now now.]

E shock me say I fit break wall small. I rush bath, find beta top. All this chase dey sweet me like gala and La Casera after exam.

Musa Garba like basketball, me I like dey watch am play—especially as him white T-shirt dey lift up when he dey shoot, I go dey see him abs.

Make I no lie, that one dey burst my head pass.

First time, he go dey bone face if I dey look am, but later he no send again. Sometimes, if I dey look am too much, he go just say, “Abeg, control yourself,” then give me water bottle.

One day, he dey play, some other guys join. I say make I watch too.

I just dey enjoy myself when I hear voice for my ear: “You dey enjoy the view?”

I just talk, “Dem no fine reach you.”

As I talk am, my voice soft. I look up, see say he don carry jacket for shoulder, dey waka like person wey dey run from sun. If na film, e for don be love scene.

He no talk again. I look up, see as he just carry jacket for shoulder dey waka go. Maybe heat dey catch am—him ear don red pass normal.

I chuckle—guy wey dey act cold, e get soft spot, e just dey hide am.

To chase this guy, I use all my tricks.

No be today matter. From water bottle to sharp mouth, anything wey fit make am smile, I try.

I go use style bring water for am, say make he teach me basketball. My shameless style dey make am speechless, but last last he gree.

If I pretend say I no sabi hold ball, I go use am take touch am small. Everytime I touch am, he go shift body. I go blink, he go purse mouth, like say wan talk but no talk. One day, he realize na cruise I dey run, he just bone me two days, dey vex.

Na that two days e act like say we no dey same school, no greeting, no chat—Naija boy wahala. But me, I still dey try.