Chapter 11: Standing Up, Standing Out

Few people dey classroom. Only three heads I count. Sun dey try enter window. Ikenna dey there too. He dey rest head for desk. I dey worry say e dey sick again.

I see am lie down for desk again, I rush come. I drop bag, touch im back. "Your belly dey pain again?" My voice soft. I dey ready to help am if e need.

He slowly lift head, answer softly. He sound weak. I dey pity am. He look me, then close eyes, lashes dey shake. Lashes long, I dey envy.

"I wan go buy medicine but forget the road to sickbay. I see you downstairs just now, but you dey talk to one boy, I no wan disturb you."

He dey try talk. My mind dey cut small. E be like say tears dey his eyes. I see the wetness. I feel am. He try hide but I notice. He look pitiful. I wan hug am, but I hold myself.

"Morayo, e dey pain me o..." He press belly, face squeeze. I wan cry for am. I just pity am. I squeeze hand for im shoulder.

"Make I help you buy am. Wait here." My voice sure. I ready run for am. Ikenna hold belly, try stand. He want follow me. I no gree.

"Make I follow you, so I go remember road." He no wan stay alone. I nod. We waka together. I support am as we dey go sickbay. My arm under him armpit, we dey waka slow. People dey look but I no care.

As we dey go down stairs, we jam Tunde. Na so we run into am. E look us, face hard. Ikenna just lean on me, head for my shoulder. He mumble,

His head heavy for my shoulder. My heart dey soft. "E dey pain me, I no fit walk. Abeg, make I rest small."

His voice break. E sound sincere. I open mouth, but as I hear him voice dey shake, I no fit say no. I just nod, dey rub him back. Na so Tunde dey look us with eye.

Tunde just dey look us, eyes cold. He no talk, but e clear say e dey vex. He just wan come our side when PE prefect and Zainab call am. Dem dey wave, dey shout his name. He pause.

PE prefect see us, shout, Voice loud. Everybody look. "See am o, Fatty and Ghost Brother—wetin be this?" He dey laugh. People dey join.

Ikenna, wey just weak, suddenly stand straight. Back straight like soldier. Eyes sharp. He look PE prefect, voice cold. The way he talk, e shock everybody. E hard.

"Wetin you call her?" Eyes dey flash. People hush. PE prefect shrug. Raise shoulder, dey form boss. "Fatty. I talk lie? If she no fat, na me fat?" He talk am with pride, like say e win prize.

Ikenna just smile. Smile sharp. Eyes narrow. "No, you no fat. You slim." He talk am with style. Some people dey whisper.

Before PE prefect talk, I quickly drag Ikenna go. I pull him arm. I no wan fight. When we reach sickbay, I just relax. My heart dey calm small. I drop bag, check his pulse like nurse.

"Thank you, Ikenna. But next time, just ignore am. He win taekwondo championship; if you fight am, na beating you go collect."

I dey warn am, dey laugh small. I no wan see Ikenna for wahala. Ikenna just smile small, eyes get small mocking look. Eye dey shine. He dey plan something. But I no mind.

But as he look me again, eyes soft. Voice warm. E dey sweet me for inside. "But he dey bully you. Morayo, I no fit allow anybody bully you."

The words land for my chest. Na new feeling. I gree smile.