Chapter 5: Tension and Turning Point
As I dey reason if I go just slap Halima make everywhere scatter—
The way my hand dey shake, na only small thing remain for me to lose guard. But I hold myself. If I slap am, na me dem go expel. I no fit use my hand spoil my own matter.
Even the chalk for board pause, as if e dey wait for next episode. Footsteps land for door. Tobi enter.
Classroom door creak, everybody turn. E be like end of Nollywood part one. I almost forget say na this general studies class I fight register with Tobi, so we go attend together.
My mind flash back. I remember how we plan am together—say we go sit front, dey help each other with attendance.
Him face look rough, eyes red as he dey look me. E be like person wey no sleep. Him beard rough, eye red. Everybody dey look two of us.
I dey hope say e go clear my name, talk truth. Small hope dey my chest. After all, na bad thing to dey accused wrongly. If na me, I go talk for my own person.
But Tobi no talk anything. He just lock eye with me, then look away. My heart fall.
Bullet comments just dey mad.
[Ahhh, na so, official couple chemistry dey mad. Just dey look each other dey sweet me.]
[Main babe, abeg cry! Once you cry, main guy go soft, push this supporting babe commot, announce you as him babe.]
[I no like the main babe now. The guy no sleep all night, miss him important experiment, now he dey break down. Make the babe stop to dey stubborn.]
[I no understand o. Na the guy mess up, but everybody dey blame the babe? This bullet comment world like men too much.]
E be like say na me dey mad, but the world dey run their own movie.
In the end, I no beg Tobi for help. I just look away, pack my things. No tears, no beg. I just gather my books, stand up. Tobi just hiss, waka pass my seat, go sit down near Halima.
As e waka pass, e hiss one kain, like say na me offend am. E pain me, but I no show am. That move just confirm wetin Halima talk. Her face shine, she squeeze him arm sharp. Everybody dey watch. Halima look me with pride, then rush hold Tobi arm. She grip am like say na prize she just win. I look away. Tobi no push am. He relax, no struggle. For my mind, I just laugh.
Just like that, the gist say I be homewrecker spread for school, even reach school WhatsApp group. Every department group dey talk am, even people wey no sabi my name dey send meme. The thing spread pass fire for harmattan.
I dey waka like normal, but for my mind I feel like everybody dey whisper. Even security man for gate dey look me somehow.
Even for group work for my department, nobody wan team with me. I dey enter lab, nobody dey greet me. If I greet, na only two people dey reply, and dem dey fear make Halima no catch dem. But I still do my work well. I lock in, carry the group project for head. My result must still shine. If nobody wan do group work with me, I go just do am myself. Na so I carry assignment for head. If dem like make dem mark me absent, result go show. After all, most group work na one person dey finish am last last. Who do work, na him name go show for result. I dey sleep well.