Chapter 3: Amara Wahala

As I first see Amara, I know say she no like me at all. She gather her small clique, dey bully me steady.

For corridor, Amara and her girls go block road, dey snap finger, dey roll eye. For canteen, dem go laugh anyhow if I make mistake. But I no send dem. I just dey waka my own, dey observe.

I no ever reply her, but one week before the Inter-School Joint Exam, I purposely no come school.

That week, I just lock my door, dey watch old Nollywood film. Make dem miss me small. Make dem dey wonder where I dey. My phone dey ring, I ignore am. Sometimes, for Naija, silence dey loud pass voice.

Royal College don dey under shadow of the nearby Unity High for long, but my result always dey on top. The school no want make I miss exam.

My principal sef dey call my number, dey beg me make I show. For assembly, dem dey always mention my name—'If not for Mimi, we for no see trophy.'

When my form teacher call me, I form small fear: "Aunty, abeg, I fit change class?"

I use that my innocent voice, dey drag syllable, so she go feel say I be victim. For Naija, if you too sharp, teachers go fear you. If you show small weakness, dem go protect you.

"Change class?" She quickly notice say my voice dey shake.

Her voice soft, she dey use that her motherly tone. She sabi the trick, but she still dey fall for am.

She calm down: "Who dey disturb you for your class? No fear, I go fight for you."

She even add, 'No let anybody oppress you o.' For Nigeria, teacher dey like mama for school, once dem carry your matter, case fit close that day.

"N-no. I just no dey blend," I stammer.

I drag the words, make e sound like say my spirit don break. Na acting, but she believe me.

After call, I drop the fake shyness.

As I end call, my face just clear. No emotion, no stress. This life, na only you fit protect yourself.

I know say I no be good person.

Some people go call am survival, me I call am sense. If you too play good girl for Naija, street go swallow you.

I dey always pay people back.

My motto be say, 'If you do me, I go do you.' No time for long talk.

Two days later, my form teacher call me come school.

She look me from head to toe, eye dey shine like torchlight. I know say something don happen.

Every school get CCTV. She spend whole day watch the video.

She even carry school IT man come join. Dem rewind, pause, play. Na so my case take enter staff room like NTA news.

After she see say Amara don dey attack me, both open and coded, for two months, she report am sharp sharp.

She no waste time. Form teacher no dey play with her star pupil.

The school take am serious.

Next assembly, principal enter, face hard like cement. You go know say matter don serious. Teachers dey gather, all eye on Amara.

Amara stand under flag, her eyes red, dey choke as she dey read her apology.

She hold paper, hand dey shake. Sun dey shine for her face, sweat dey mix with her makeup. Students dey video am for back.

She lose all her respect for school, since then she hate me die.

That day, na only shame remain for her body. As bell ring, even her friends avoid her. That kind disgrace for school? E dey pain pass cane.

"Na her cause am. If no be say she sabi book, teachers no for dey protect her."

Dem go dey whisper for class, dey look me like say I get juju. Some people no fit bear another person shine.

"Fake girl. Green tea proper."

For Naija, if dem call you 'green tea', e mean say you dey form innocent but your mind dey hot. I just pretend say I no hear am.

"Tunde, you go help me or not?"

Outside one coffee shop, Amara dey cry dey hold one boy.

She squeeze him sleeve, mascara dey flow for face. That kind fake cry wey dey tire person. Shop owner sef dey look her like say, 'Wetin dey worry this one?'

He calm her with low voice: "No cry. Me and Brother Seyi go handle am."

Tunde voice low, like say he dey try calm mad dog. Boys for Lagos sabi act tough when babe dey cry.

"For real?" Amara look up, her nose red from crying. "Wetin you want make I do?"

She blink, dey look for hope. That kind question wey get hidden agenda.

"Find person wey go knack her, then snap the pictures, send am to the group. Make I see why that girl dey form high and mighty."

Amara voice full of poison.

She talk am like snake. If na film, na here the villain music go start. Her eyes sharp, no pity inside.

The boy tall and bouncer-like, carry her for chest, laugh anyhow:

He open teeth, laugh scatter. He hold her waist like say na trophy. For Naija, if bouncer boy dey involved, matter dey get k-leg.

"Na just poor girl she be. She worth your tears? No worry, once I handle am, she go dey ground dey lick your shoe."

Everybody laugh for background. The way he talk am, I fit see say people dey underestimate me. But I dey wait, dey plan. Lagos no dey smile for slow person.