Chapter 5: Class Party and Sharp Tongues

The next time I see Tobi Okonkwo, na for class get-together.

Na school hall, full of noise and egusi soup smell. People dey snap picture, dey hug anyhow.

Parting dey always make people emotional.

Even hard guy dey wipe eye with handkerchief. Everybody dey form big family.

And the way I dey chase Tobi, I don become gist for people mouth.

No be today—my matter don turn folk tale. My gist na everywhere—WhatsApp, Facebook, even inside principal office.

"Anwuli, you still wan confess to the brainbox?"

That na Emeka, him voice always loud. Him teeth dey shine as he dey talk.

One person start, others join sharp sharp.

Group laughter follow, some girls dey whisper for corner.

"He reject you again, abi?"

"How many times now?"

"Why you no just agree for her? She be rich babe, yellow and fine."

"If una two date, you go suffer less for some years."

"……"

Classmates dey use me catch cruise, the comments no gree rest too.

Everybody dey look Tobi like say na him be Messi for love field.

[Make these people free the matter—the main guy just gather courage, dem wan scatter am.]

[True talk, see as the main guy face don change.]

[He dey try hard to catch up with Anwuli, to fit her level.]

[Chai, see as his love humble—na this kind love I like.]

[……]

As if say me dey disgrace myself, confess nine times, make whole class dey laugh, na better thing.

Shame dey hook me small, but I bone face. Na my life be this.

To be honest, Anwuli, you suppose try me instead.

Class joker, Okey, just cut in. E dey try drop soft line, but I no send.

"Brainbox, how you see am? If na me dey chase her, you go mind?"

Class prefect dey joke, but his eyes serious.

If to say na movie, na this kind question dey start love triangle.

"Anything," Tobi just answer coldly, no even look my side.

Him voice dry, like sand for harmattan. Everybody hush.

Some girls don fix new braids, boys dey shine shoe like say na interview. Everybody just dey look me with pity and small mockery, then person talk—

Even the quiet girls dey use side eye look me. Na who go chase man reach nine times?

"So what if she get money? She just dey do mumu love."

"He no like her, she still dey chase—see as e shameful."

"I even see her papa interview. If he know say na so his pikin dey behave for school, e go still dey laugh?"

[Na wa o. Why the main guy no help her talk?]

Somebody for comments ask.

Their wahala no dey finish. If Tobi talk now, dem go still yarn another gist.

But me, I know say Tobi no go do am.

He no dey talk for crowd. Him pride dey hold am like keke brake.