Chapter 7: Final Corridor Wahala

When I return school, I ready to submit my study abroad application to counselor. I package my file, iron my shirt. My heart dey beat small, but I dey steady. Na new Morayo dey show face.

As I leave hostel, I jam Tobi. My mind never prepare for am. As I open gate, I jam am face to face. Na awkward moment. Lately, I dey see am often, since Halima dey live this hostel too.

E go dey hang around, dey buy suya for Halima, dey wait for her near gate. Na so love dey sweet for new relationship. Tobi go buy her breakfast, wait go class with her, at night walk her back like say na ritual. Na all those small small things wey I dey beg for before. Now e dey give am like say e dey dash biscuit to pikin.

So all those ‘busy for lab’ wey he dey tell me before, na story. If person wan do, e go do. If e no wan do, story go full ground. I just reason say, even if I end up with Tobi, he no go treat me like he dey treat Halima. For my mind, I don already accept am. No be by force. No be say he no fit do am—na me he no wan do am for. Truth clear like daylight. Na person wey him mind dey for, e dey show.

Tobi raise him eyes, look me cold, like say he dey wait for me to make move as usual. The old Tobi—always waiting for me to do first, to talk first. I no fall for am again. I ignore am, begin waka. I pass am, my shoulder square. No time for drama.

As I pass, he grab my wrist. Na so e shock me. E hold me, grip tight. People dey slow down, pretend say dem dey press phone, but everybody dey watch. Him eyes dey on top my application form wey get ‘study abroad’ for the heading. E sharp eye see am. Him mouth open small, e dey fear but pride no gree show.

Him voice dey shake small: "Wetin you dey hold?"

I look am, my face strong. "You no sabi read?"

E pain am, I see am for him face. I still try free my hand—counselor office fit close any moment. My heart dey rush, I dey pray say he go free me quick. But Tobi grip tight pass before. "You wan go study abroad?" E no gree let go, hand dey tight. I just dey reason whether to shout make people intervene.

Just then, Halima come down from stairs. As she see Tobi hold my hand, her eyes red immediately. Halima eye dey burn like fresh pepper. She squeeze her bag like say she fit tear am. People for corridor begin whisper. Even cleaners stop dey mop, dey look as scene dey hot up.