Chapter 6: Rival Moves

For the next few days, I dey jam Musa Ifedolapo for cafeteria every day. For day, we dey form cold classmates, just dey chop together. For night, na we be cloud-based sleep partners.

Sometimes, if Halima see us dey sit together, e go dey use eye measure our body chemistry. Na so e go dey yarn for hostel, "Kamsi, you and Musa dey hide something!" I just dey dodge her mouth.

I still no sabi how this sense-sharing and mind-reading start, but Musa Ifedolapo don slowly enter my life. And I don dey get all those kind thoughts wey I no suppose get. Maybe… I fit near am small.

These nights, na e mind dey lull me sleep. Sometimes, if e just moan soft, my body go dey hot. Who believe say this proud, cold guy dey soft like this for inside? E too… dey sweet.

E be like say God dey use Musa teach me say even stone get soft for under rain.

I dey bite my meat pie, dey look Musa Ifedolapo wey dey sit opposite me. E fine face just dey shine, even smile don dey e face. All those e cold-cold way don calm, na like soft breeze e be now.

I notice say e dey try look my side, but e dey shy. Na so love dey humble people.

As we dey sit, the air between us don dey get somehow. But nobody wan break am—we just dey let e dey.

For my mind, I dey imagine say small touch go fit spark fire for here. But I just dey use spoon scatter beans for plate, dey play safe.

“This seat dey free?”

Na one slim, shakara girl waka come with tray.

For Umuola, all these girls dey always dress like dem dey go audition. This one na full eyebrow, tight gown, gold earrings dey flash. She just enter scene, dey use eyes scan every corner.

Musa Ifedolapo face just change: “E no free.”

The girl look around, smile: “Where the person?”

“Dem go soon come.”

Musa Ifedolapo just dey frown, e no get time.

The girl arrange her hair, smile again: “Nobody dey here now, make I just sit small.”

“Musa, long time no see.”

Musa Ifedolapo no answer am, just carry chicken suya, drop for my plate. “Try this one.”

For my mind, I dey laugh. See as e dey use food block road.

I just smile, the vex wey I dey feel before just clear.

Zainab, as nobody answer am, no even vex. “Musa no gree me, no wahala. Anyway, Baba say make you come chop for house tonight. You go come, abi?”

She throw me one kind look.

Her eye sharp like person wey dey fight for last spoon of jollof at wedding. For my mind, I dey form say I no notice.

Musa Ifedolapo still no answer, e just dey serve me food. Zainab just bite her food with vex.

After food, Zainab block me for door.

“My family and Musa family be padi. We go soon do engagement.”

Her voice dey loud like market woman. Na so she dey announce am, make the world hear.

My better mood just disappear. I sneer, voice cold: “And so?”

Zainab hiss: “Musa just dey play with you. Na me go marry am.”

Her head dey shake, eye dey fire. If to say she get powers, she for don roast me there.

I say, “Ehn? Coincidence o, me too just dey play with your Musa. I no send who e marry—make I first enjoy my own.”

I add small laugh, throway my shoulder like say na play.

Zainab shock, she no fit talk for long.