Chapter 2: When Rivalry Be Like Pepper

After the first mock exam results drop, I still dey first for the whole district.

As I dey waka for corridor, teachers and students dey hail me. "Morayo, our star girl!" The way dem dey look me ehn, if care no dey, person fit begin walk with shoulder high like peacock. But I just humble myself, greet them back with small smile.

And Halima, the girl wey come from that poor mountain village, na she be number two for the whole school.

Halima na correct girl. Her English dey smooth, her smile dey genuine. Even though her shoe dey old, she dey waka with pride. People dey respect am because e no easy to come from that kind place reach this level. Some dey jealous, but Halima no dey carry anybody matter for head.

She dey generous and sure of herself. She reach out to me. “Morayo, congrats again for getting first for the district. Your future dey shine! If you become number one for JAMB, abeg no forget us o.”

Her handshake strong, her eyes steady. You go know say she no dey envy, she dey talk her mind as e be. I fit feel small heat for her palm, like person wey dey fight for better life.

Next thing, bullet comments just start to fly:

[See as supporting female dey form. Our female lead congratulate her, na that kind face she give?]

[So what if she be Abuja big girl? Our Meibao hustle from primary school, use her own hand enter top secondary school as number one.]

[But Morayo na only top 50 when she enter SS1. When time reach to choose subjects, she insist say she go do science with our Meibao. If no be her family money and parents wey invest since JSS, she for fit collect first from Meibao?]

[No worry, our Meibao get that swap system. For JAMB day, she go purposely drop her score, then swap and become number one.]

[That Abuja big girl go end up for one yeye university as number one.]

All these anonymous people, na their mouth dey sharp pass their real life. I just dey vex and laugh at the same time. If na real life, dem no fit look person eye talk half of these things.

Halima get first for entrance exam. She hold that position all through SS1.

Everybody for our set sabi Halima story. When she first land school, her result cause wahala. Teachers dey argue say computer make mistake; principal self call meeting. At last, when she write placement test, na perfect score. After that, respect full ground for her.

Then, when e reach to choose subjects and share classes, the class teacher ask her, “Halima, your strong point na arts. Why you wan do full science?”

You suppose see the way students dey look her that day. Everybody dey expect say she go dodge chemistry and physics. But Halima na person wey dey face challenge like say na suya.

She reply, “Aunty Grace, I wan challenge myself. If you dey always dodge hard things, life go hard you pass. You fit run from everything?”

The classroom just scatter with claps. Even boys wey no like book join dey clap. Teacher just nod her head, say, “I like your courage.” That kind day, e dey sweet to be Nigerian—when person use ordinary mouth inspire everybody.

That day, everybody for class clap for her.

Clap wey reach ground, nobody jealous, na real pride for her. Na that day I reason say this girl no be ordinary.

But after dem share classes, Halima grades begin fall anyhow.

E pain people for heart. Some dey talk say science no be for everybody. She go dey waka for corridor, some girls go whisper. Even me, I dey notice the way her face dey change, small worry dey hide for her eye.

Meanwhile, my own grades climb from top 50 to top 3.

I dey steady rise. My parents, dem happy no be small. Mummy dey call me professor; Daddy dey buy me new calculator every term. As my result dey climb, the pressure self dey climb follow.

Then straight to number one for district.

Na serious matter. Teachers dey use my script as example, dey show other students. Sometimes, I dey feel like say the whole school dey expect make I shine for them.

From that time reach this first mock exam, I never drop from first.

I no go lie—pressure dey. Sometimes if I see my name for top, heart go beat like generator wey dem just start.

Na because I dey wake up 5am every day to solve past questions, give up my lunch break to do two more sets, and I dey read pass 11pm.

Na true. Even my parents don dey beg me to rest sometimes. I dey jot formulas for mirror, solve maths for keke when I dey go lesson. Sleep no dey sweet person wey wan reach first.

Any small free time, na practice paper I dey do.

Even for church, if Pastor dey preach long, I go dey inside jotter dey arrange past questions under Bible verse.

I don finish all the practice sets from lesson teachers and all the final year papers wey dey bookshop.

The pile of paper for my room big pass some people mattress. My younger brother dey call am 'Morayo Mountain.' If you see the mountain of papers wey I don solve, e high pass me. Sometimes, I go just stand dey look am, dey wonder how I manage reach this level. Some nights, e dey feel like say I dey climb real mountain.

This my first position, na from class work and hard study e come.

Na sweat. Nobody fit talk say e come easy.

How e come turn, for bullet comments people eye, say na my family money buy am?

Sometimes, the way people dey reason, e dey tire me. Because say person get small advantage, dem go write off your struggle. Na Naija wahala be that.

“Halima, before result come out, who go be number one never sure.”

I swallow my feelings, smile for her. “Fit be you go be number one.”

My smile dey gentle, but inside me, e dey pain. But na so e suppose be—make person no show finish for front.

[See as supporting female face be. Dey mock our female lead abi?]

[No mind am, no be mock—na prophecy.]

[Our Meibao don dey form strong head. I wan see as she go disgrace her.]

Wetin be all this? If person smile, wahala; if you no smile, wahala. Na their mind dem dey use judge everybody.

Sense of superiority?

I just twist my mouth small.

My face just do like say I dey taste bitterleaf. Na so e be when people dey use their own fear project on top you.

Na only people wey dey insecure go dey twist ordinary talk into insult.

True talk. If you sure of yourself, another person success no go pain you like pepper.

Swap system, abi?

E good well.

If life dey easy like system, everybody for don swap reach heaven.