Chapter 2: Table Slap and Table Turn

After I talk, "I like you," the person wey shock pass no even be Tunde.

Class dey bubble before, but as my word land, na PE prefect first shout. Everybody face me. My own don finish today.

The PE prefect stand by him desk. "What? Morayo, you talk say you like Tunde just now?" E be like say dem give am microphone, because even people wey dey copy assignment stop to write.

Him voice make my small confession loud for the whole class, drown the normal noise.

I dey wish make ground open swallow me. E remain make person blow whistle. Everywhere quiet small.

During break, our class suddenly pause. My heart dey beat anyhow. For my mind, I dey count how many dey look me. I dey regret.

Then laughter burst like firecracker. Dem dey slap table, some dey shout, "Orobo no dey fear!" The laugh choke. Some dey hold belle. Even SS2 students for corridor dey peep inside.

"Omo, Tunde na correct guy. Even the fat girl for our class like am." Emeka, the class clown, yarn am loud like say dem dey share award.

"Tunde, you don reject so many babes, but na fat girls you like? This one funny sha." Dem dey use me catch cruise. My face hot pass pepper soup.

Tunde wipe smile comot, look me. Smile disappear like PHCN light. Him eye no dey smile again. People quiet small to hear am.

He yarn calm, "You dey serious so?" E just dey look me like ghost. Him talk soft but e cut like razor blade.

Amidst the laughter, my face dey burn. I just look down, speechless. I dey wish make my desk swallow me. My hands dey shake, I no fit talk. Shame dey do me like fever.

I never expect Tunde to vex because people laugh at me. For my mind, I dey wonder if na me cause the wahala. Why I no keep my mouth shut?

Maybe I for wait after school before I confess. Regret dey choke me. Na after school suppose better. Now, wahala set.

Suddenly, loud bang bring me back. Everybody jump. Even teacher for corridor peep.

Tunde stand, kick desk. Noise loud, chair scatter, everybody quiet. Only my heartbeat dey echo.

All him books scatter for my front. I just dey look book for ground, dey wonder if I suppose pick am. My hands dey sweat.

Classmates wey dey laugh just freeze. Dem see say Tunde don vex. Eyes wide, whisper dey fly. Dem sabi say Tunde no dey play.

He size me again, small mocking smile for face. Use eye check me like say I be suya for market. I feel naked.

"I just dey wonder, what make you think say you fit confess to me? You feel say I get some kind weird taste?"

I just freeze, no fit move. Stiff like dodo wey dem forget for fire. My mouth no gree open. My hand dey shake.

If to say mirror dey, I for check how my face be. But I know say I don pale.

Tunde slow, like e dey reason well. "Hey, Fatty. You no dey shame? You no feel say you dey disgusting?"

Every word na thunder for my head. E be like say ground dey shake under me.

Since small, people dey style insult my body. Na so so "orobo," "puff-puff," "fatty bom-bom" I dey hear. Dem laugh anyhow. E pain but I go just form say e no concern me.

Because of that, I just dey withdraw. I dey hide food for break, waka for back during assembly, no dey talk plenty for class.

Until Tunde come be my seatmate. First day, I fear say he go join tease me, but he just face him book. Sometimes, he even help me chase troublemakers.

He never look me anyhow. When people mock, he go fire them back with eye.

One day, he warn Fisayo say if she try am again, e go collect her biro. People surprise. Me sef begin see am with new eyes.

That time I dey lonely, but Tunde na my small happiness. Na him presence dey make school sweet. I dey look forward to Monday. When he smile or gist, my heart dey dance kpalanga.

I no know how I go survive tomorrow for this class.