Chapter 3: Hiding and Eavesdropping

I waka go find one corner for the hall, just siddon with my drink, dey hide from the wahala. The fan dey make small noise, the light dey blink anyhow. As I siddon, na so I hear two girls whisper behind me.

“Even the school fine boy no reach for her—who she even like?” Na so dem talk, the sound small, but the words enter my ear like mosquito. I swallow spit, pretend say my drink dey sweet me. I just bend head, pretend say I no hear.

True talk o. If Emeka no reach, who I be? My own confidence just drop, like pure water for ground.

Before you know am, people don forget the failed proposal. As if nothing happen, boys begin toast Halima again, dey try run their package. Na so party life be for Naija—if you fail, another person go enter the pitch.

She be the sharpest student, always dey represent school for debate, maths competition. Her skin dey glow, teeth dey white, laughter dey sweet, e get why boys dey rush am. She na real campus queen, everybody dey shine teeth for her matter.

After she get direct admission to Ibadan University, her gist spread reach people wey no even sabi am. Even teachers dey call her name for morning assembly. Plenty boys dey crush on her—me sef join queue. My crush no be small.

I just hide for my corner, dey sip drink, dey look her shine, dey grip my glass like say na steering wheel. No fit near, fear dey catch me. My tongue dey heavy. I dey drink, dey try drown my shyness.

Before long, Halima waka come near, siddon for the empty chair close to me. My mind burst. Surprise first jam me, then happiness rush me like Harmattan breeze. I just freeze, try arrange myself, dey act cool.

She close her eyes, rest head for sofa. She look tired, like person wey don run marathon. Her braids dey scatter small for her face, she no send. Her braids dey smell of coconut oil, the kain scent wey remind person of home. I dey peep am, dey wonder whether to talk or just respect myself. Her body language say she just wan breathe—people dey always follow am everywhere. Before I know am, crowd don gather, the corner wey quiet before now don turn gist center. Na so party dey go.