Chapter 7: Facing the Past

When I reach, most people don already dey there.

The noise from inside dey loud, but as I open door, everywhere just freeze. Old classmates dey look me, some dey try remember my face.

As I enter, everywhere just quiet.

Na so everybody pause. Dem dey look, dey try match my face to old memory. The air dey thick.

I sit down alone for the chair near the door, wipe my smile commot.

I no wan show weakness. I just arrange my bag for leg, dey look my phone, dey pretend say all dey okay.

Class captain adjust him glasses, break the silence. “Ifeoma, you come?”

E voice dey happy, but I fit sense small surprise. Dem no expect say I go come.

I nod head.

Na only that I fit do. My voice dey somewhere for throat, e no wan come out.

One girl wey I no dey too flow with, Halima, just hiss, talk sarcastic. “See our bookworm Ifeoma. If I see you, my appetite dey spoil. Somebody warn Seyi—make him no show face today...”

Halima always get sharp mouth. She no dey hide her mind. Some people laugh, others dey look ground.

Nobody sabi why I drop out that time, but everybody know say I like Seyi and I give am gift.

Some go even whisper for back, say na Seyi disgrace Ifeoma. Dem no sabi say na bigger thing dey behind my own pain.

The girl beside Halima pull her sleeve, try stop her.

The girl eye dey beg am, like say "abeg, rest." But Halima no dey hear word.

Class captain frown. “Abeg, Halima. Seyi dey find Ifeoma for eight years. If you tell am, e go just happy!”

E voice rise small, e dey try defend me. The room dey tense.

Halima snort, laugh. “Seyi too soft. Who dey apologize because dem no like person...”

She talk am, cross leg, dey look for who go support am. Na so some people just hiss, dey shake head.

“Eight years just dey find Ifeoma to say sorry!”

She raise voice, dey scatter ground. Some dey look her, some dey scroll phone.

“E bad to no like person? Everybody know say Ifeoma shame catch am because of Seyi, na im make she transfer. You dey talk like say na Seyi like her!”

She clap hand, dey drag the matter. Some dey cough, dey side-eye her.

“No be say Seyi get babe already? Dem say she get money, fine well. Apart from face, wetin Ifeoma get wey person go remember? Papa wey leg no straight, family poor, nothing.”

The words cut me, but I just dey look ground. I know say some people dey reason the same thing for mind.

“That one don do...”

Somebody for corner just talk, voice low, like say make she stop.

The more Halima talk, the more she dey overdo. Other people just dey frown.

E be like say the thing don dey too much. People dey adjust for seat, dey form busy.

I stand up, no vex. “I no go chop dinner, so your appetite dey safe. I just wan see una—now I don see, I dey go.”

My voice calm, no shout. As I dey talk, I fit see some people dey nod, dey respect my move.

With that, I open door waka commot.

I adjust my scarf, carry my bag. I no let dem see say my hand dey shake.

I no look back. My step dey steady. I dey tell myself say e no good to beg for friendship where dem no value you.

Class captain run follow me, hold my hand, face serious. “Seyi really dey find you for eight years. You no go wait for am?”

E hold my hand tight, e face dey beg. Na like say e dey try fix old wound.

Seyi face flash for my mind—fine boy, eye sharp.

Na old memory. Even for now, Seyi still dey handsome for my mind. But all I remember na that one smile wey e give me that year.

But anytime he look me, na only that mocking smile dey for him mouth, no warmth.

Na cold feeling, like say e no see me as person. Just story for gist.

I shake head, smile. “I dey hurry. If you see am, abeg tell am say I sorry. Really... I sorry well.”

As I talk am, my eye dey shine. Na my last peace I dey drop for ground.

Class captain just stand there, shock.

E mouth open, but e no talk. I just waka pass, enter street. The breeze cool my face.