Chapter 5: Smoke, Gala, And Broken Trust

I jam Amaka again for gym corridor. Sweat still dey my face, PE just finish. I dey carry volleyball net, dey reason my next move.

I just finish PE, teacher send me go keep sports equipment. Na routine—Madam Sulaiman dey always say, "Lanre, abeg help me carry basket go store."

Amaka wear one cheap leather jacket, metal for her ear, heavy make-up. Her school uniform dey smell small of smoke and cheap perfume now—no be the Amaka wey I know. Her jacket big pass her, like say she borrow from big brother. She tie scarf anyhow, earring big reach shoulder, face dey painted like Lagos Christmas.

I never see her for some time. Since Seyi enter her life, she dey dodge me. Na only for school yard I fit sight her. Art class and Unity class dey two floors apart. If she no find me, we no dey see. We dey like two people for the same house, but different worlds.

Besides, I just dey focus on my studies, no send all their gist. Me I no get time for amebo. If I no read, who go read for me?

As she see me, Amaka just light cigarette, blow smoke. E shock me—since when my Amaka begin smoke like Shitta street girl?

She just dey behave like street girl. She dey balance leg, dey pose, dey look mirror with one eye. She dey form like say e no dey pain her, but I sabi her reach. How I go forget—she always feel say this kind life na cool.

From pikin, she dey use mouth say "Ah, see as that Danfo driver dey speed—e too get swag!" Rebellion dey her blood.

Uncle and Aunty Ifeoma get only her, so dem dey strict well. Dem treat her like egg, even PTA dey always praise them for their discipline.

Amaka always dey act like good girl since small. If visitor come, she go kneel, bring water. Only me dey see her wild side.

But sometimes, when she hear car dey race for road, she go peep window shout, “So cool! Na so youth suppose be!” Na that "I wan be free" spirit dey push her go meet Seyi.

She always get small rebellion for body. She dey snack on gala and La Casera, dey gist with Seyi for back fence. I dey pity her parents. Dem no sabi say their pikin dey dream biker girl.

Seyi enter her life like fire for petrol—everywhere just scatter. Na wahala dey sweet her—since Seyi land, na like she find partner for crime. This wahala make her heart dey rush, make her stop to hide who she be. If you see the way her laugh change, you go know say freedom don enter.

As these touts show, class prefect wey follow me fear, hide behind me. Our talk about math competition just stop. Before, we dey yarn about quadratic equation, but as Amaka land with her boys, my seatmate just fade back.

I look her, talk gently, “Prefect, abeg go back class go rest. Small thing remain, I go keep the equipment.” I smile, try calm the girl. I sabi say she dey fear wahala pass snake.

Prefect look me with thanks, eye these touts, hesitate, but still say, “No wahala, make we go together.” She no wan leave me for lions den, but fear dey push her leg.

Amaka click tongue, dey vex. Her boys quickly talk, “You no see say our madam wan talk to am? If you get sense, clear for road!” Na one short boy talk am, him teeth brown from chewing Kolanut—Shorty Kolanut. Amaka just dey enjoy the drama.

Her smile wide, like say she dey watch film for front row. I tell prefect, “No wahala, you go. I go solve that maths for you before evening prep.” I fit sense relief as she waka sharp-sharp.

As she waka go, Amaka raise brow, ask, “Lanre, I hear say you and one girl dey close—na that one?” Her voice carry small jealousy, but na form she dey form. She wan chook eye for my matter.

Last week, after seat change, class prefect become my seatmate. Na so she dey ask question, dey bring meat pie for me sometimes. The girl dey try, I no go lie. She enter our class with lowest score, but she dey try. God dey always bless person wey dey work hard.

I dey encourage her, sometimes she dey show me drawing of Lagos Island, dey talk of dreams. My grades better, so she dey ask me questions—even for canteen, she go find me. People dey reason say we dey date, but na just learning dey join us.

But I no owe Amaka any explanation. If she dey jealous, e no concern me. My life no be her property. I just talk, “E no concern you. Tell your boys make dem shift, I dey rush.” I keep my tone calm, no dey give her power.

Amaka complain, “How e no concern me? We grow together! If you dey date, you no go tell me?” She dey try guilt-trip me, like say I owe am update.

“I dey tell you, your prefect na just fat girl. If you date her, you go shame to carry am outside! I no know wetin you see for her.” See as she dey yab person—body shaming no even tire her. I just dey look.

She wrinkle nose, face full of disgust. Like say person drop ogiri for her hand. “Of course, if you get babe wey fine reach my level, I no go talk anything.” She dey rate herself high, like say beauty na only currency.

She blow smoke for my face, just dey play. The smoke choke me, na so I start to cough hard. I no expect am, inhale the smoke, start to cough hard, tears just dey rush my eye. My chest dey pain me, asthma dey near, but she just laugh dey go.

I get asthma, if I breathe this thing, e dey trigger am quick. She sabi, but she still do am. She wan show say she fit wound me. Her boys dey laugh, like say na talent show. She and her boys just laugh. The echo for gym loud—dem no get single fear for teacher.

Na that moment I realise—Amaka always know say I like her. All these years, she just dey use my affection play ten-ten. Na why, for my last life, she use am against me.

I dey blame myself—if no be love, how she for get this kind power? I think say she fall for me, see my good side. But truth be say, she like people wey dey make her heart beat fast, not people wey dey protect her. I just dey deceive myself. Na my kindness dey blind me—now I dey see clear.

After a while, I talk: My voice no soft, my chest no shake. “Prefect get sense and get good heart. No be only face matter.” She dey look me, dey size me up, but I no send. “We just classmates. No be everybody youth dey about love.” My words no soft. I dey tell am say life no be romance novel. My own na books.

Amaka face change, she throw away cigarette. “Lanre, you too boring!” She shout, voice sharp. Her boys dey hiss. She kick plastic bucket of equipment, shuttlecocks scatter everywhere. Everything fly for ground. The echo loud for hall.

Still no happy, she step on top the shuttlecocks as she waka pass. Her boots dey crush them, like say she dey stamp authority. Her boys copy am—Big Mouth Chima even shout, “Na so!” Dem dey look her, dey copy—make dem no fall hand for her side.

I just stand dey look the crushed shuttlecocks, my mind dey wonder—If na before, I go run go pick am. But now, my heart just dey wonder—wetin make me dey love this kind person? Which kind person I even fall in love with all these years? Maybe na time to ask myself beta question for life.