Chapter 5: Reunion and Unspoken Feelings

Until the year I finish university, come back my old city, jam old classmates for reunion.

City don change, new mall don spring, but my mind dey on that old time. Reunion na small suya spot, everybody wear fine cloth. Gist full everywhere—who marry, who travel go abroad. I dey look out, dey wait that familiar face.

Seven years don waka since junior secondary.

E be like movie for my head. I dey look old faces, some don fat, some don slim. Old teachers dey, dey shine teeth, dey ask if we still remember them. Me, I dey sip malt, dey wait.

When she enter, I almost no recognize am. The private room door open, tall girl with long hair waka enter. Her skin dey shine—like fine porcelain.

Na high heels she wear, her voice soft. She smile, teeth white, eyebrow neat. Her dressing sharp—ankara blouse, gold earring wey blink for light. I dey look am like say na different person.

Nothing like the girl wey I remember: dark, small, shy.

If you tell me say na her, I for argue. The small pikin wey dey drag bag, dey run for corridor, no dey here again. Na new person I dey see.

True true, girls dey change as dem dey grow. As she enter, everybody just quiet. For that moment, time freeze for my eye.

Na only her heel dey tap for floor, everybody hush. Even boys wey dey form hard guy before, dem mouth close. Old gist pause, people dey peep her.

Her hair, her skin, her cloth don change, but her eye still be the same one wey I sabi.

One guy whisper, "See as she fine now—na slay queen proper!"

Na those kind eyes wey dey hold world inside. The small sparkle, the playful light—e still dey. For that moment, I see my old padi again, through all the change.

Across the noisy room, over all the wahala, our eye jam—full of that old friend warmth.

For that second, the suya smoke, the gist, the loud laughter—everything fade. Na just me and her memory dey dance for my mind. Na like current pass. That smile, that nod—e dey enough. We no need talk, our eye do the greeting. Other people dey yarn, but na only her I dey see.

"Long time no see."

Her voice soft, but e cut through the noise. I fit see small dimple for her cheek. I just nod, dey smile like mumu.

She smile gentle, and I fit read am for her lips.

She tap her bag, walk come my side. The way she call my name, e sweet me. For that brief second, all the old gist, all the sweet and bitter memories, dey rush me like fresh harmattan breeze. True true, some friendship no dey die. E just dey sleep, dey wait make you remember am again.