Chapter 6: No More Mr. Nice Guy

Final year dey fly, first mock exam dey come soon. Pressure dey everywhere. Teachers dey remind us say only those wey pass mock fit collect testimonial.

I go soon see the result of my effort. I dey pray say my book no go fail me. My mama dey fast for me, my papa dey buy beans for me—everybody dey expect.

I rush chop dinner, just come out canteen when Amaka block me. E shock me—she dey wait like say she be EFCC. She hold my arm: “I know say I go meet you here! Lanre, abeg help me!” Her grip tight, fear dey her voice. E no resemble the stubborn Amaka of before.

I wan shake her off, but she just hold tighter. If na normal day, I for free myself, but her nail dey enter my skin.

“Exam dey come, I never learn anything! If I fail, my mama go send me that strict lesson centre.” She dey cry small, voice dey shake. I dey pity her, but my mind dey block.

“How I go see Seyi then? Without am, I go die.” Her face serious, but I sabi say na manipulation. I dey look her, dey weigh my options.

“Lanre, abeg—give me your notes, I swear I go read!” She dey beg, like say na last bus stop. That pity face again. If na before, I for don melt. Now, I just dey cold. She sure say I no fit refuse. She dey use old pattern—bambi eyes, soft voice. E no dey move me again.

I just talk straight, “You talk say you no need my lesson again. So I never even write notes lately.” My tone steady, no shakings. Na true. I dey cram key points, dey solve questions—no need notes. All my work na inside my head—if you see my jotter, na only formula dey inside. And my notes too short, she no go even understand. I fit write one page for whole subject. Amaka go just dey look.

Small smile show for Amaka face: “No wahala, as long as you go help. I need the notes sharp sharp, so abeg, stay up this night arrange am—if you do all night, you go finish.” She dey plan my life, as if I be houseboy. “Give me tomorrow, abeg. If not, I no go get time read am.” If I no submit tomorrow, wahala go land. She don already plan how to use me before she come. She sabi say I dey read, she wan make I suffer for her head.

I shake head: “I no fit help you. If I do all night, I no go get strength for this week exam.” I dey protect myself, no apology. Amaka no expect say I go refuse. She frown, her voice come sharp. She shock, her mouth open small, eyes dey roll.

“How you go say you no fit do all night? When you dey teach me before, you dey always do am! Why you change now?” She dey bring up old favour, dey reason say I go fall. She act like say na her right. She dey reason say I be permanent help—no dey see say I too be person. Like say I suppose always dey do wetin she want—indulge her, no boundary. All these years, she no fit see say I get my own wahala.

I clear am: “That time don pass, when you still wan learn. Now... I no wan waste my time.” No be fight, just fact. My future dey important pass her manipulations.

Amaka glare, point my nose, dey insult:

She dey try wound me, but I dey laugh inside. “So what if you be bookworm! I dey tell you, many bookworm no dey make am for life!” She dey try spoil my spirit, but e no enter. “With your kind sense, you think say you go succeed? Dream on!” She go soon see who go dream tire. She no fit hurt me. My chest strong, old wound don heal. If na before, I for dey cry. Wetin worse pass wetin she talk for my last life?

After that kind dying confession, nothing fit pain pass. She drop her venom, but as she dey go, she slow down. For her mind, she dey hope say I go still beg, like before. She dey wait make I run beg am, say I go help with notes. Old pattern—she go pretend dey go, then look back, expect me to chase. Like before, I really call her back. But this time, I get another plan.

Amaka turn, arms cross, dey look sure. Her pose na sign say she think say she win. But life no be so again.

I continue, “Oh, you never tell your parents say lesson don stop, abi? If you no talk, I go tell them.” I dey drop bomb gently, her eye dey open. “But I no sabi lie. If them ask me why, I fit talk the truth by mistake.” Her body stiff, she dey reason am. She know say if I open mouth, e go red.

As she hear, Amaka face just change: “See this Lanre, you go see!” Her eye red, like say she wan slap me. But na only threat—my own no dey shake again. That look—like say she wan kill me. If she fit use eye kill, I for don die since. But I no send again.

I dey protect my peace, my heart dey steady. Between her and my future, I choose my future. I suppose don realise since. If to say I know early, maybe my life for sweet.