Chapter 7: Rivalry on Campus

Me and Musa, still dey quiet, waka go school.

For road, we no talk much. Only the sound of shoe for concrete, and early morning breeze dey blow.

We jam for middle of one confession scene.

If you see as people gather for field, everywhere full. I dey wonder why crowd plenty like that, until I see white rose full ground.

White rose full everywhere, dey match the flamboyant tree wey dey blossom.

Sun dey shine, breeze dey blow. Flamboyant tree dey red, white rose just dey everywhere like wedding.

Segun Adekunle bring out coral bead bracelet, dey whisper to Aisha Zainab.

Na big moment. Segun, fine bobo, dey kneel, dey give Aisha special bead. All the girls dey scream, boys dey hail. If na Yoruba engagement, na this kain bead dem dey give.

Male and female leads dey shine, person fit blind.

Aisha dress fine, Segun cloth neat. Na so camera dey snap, everybody dey watch.

Other people be like background, dey envy, dey shout.

Me sef dey among. I dey wave, dey fake smile. My own joy na for show.

I wan waka go, na so I jam eye with Aisha Zainab.

Her eye sharp, e catch me. I freeze, dey reason how to escape.

I sharply join the background, shout, “Campus belle and bobo don finally join body!”

I raise hand, dey hail, dey form happy. My own wahala na to blend in.

“You two go happy oo!”

My voice loud, but e shake small. I dey pray make nobody notice my fake joy.

As I dey do this my fake joy, Musa look me, e mouth just bend small, like e wan smile.

E dey fight smile, but e eye soft. I see small joy for e face, I dey happy.

Wahala, Aisha dey come my side.

As she dey waka come, my heart dey beat fast. I dey whisper to Musa for side.

I nudge Musa. “Sharp sharp, go wish them happiness.”

I dey try push am, make e join the crowd. I no wan stand alone with main character.

Musa fold hand, e no move.

E dey act hard guy, e no wan join drama. E face tight.

I just dey smile anyhow for side. “Bless you!”

I dey use mouth cover up. My own plan na to avoid spotlight.

Aisha look pass me, dey look Musa.

Her eye dey read Musa, like say e dey suspect something. I dey fear for my mind.

“Na coincidence.”

Aisha just talk am low. E voice calm, but e get as e sound. Suspicion dey inside.

Dem sabi each other? Musa get secret?

I dey reason say maybe story twist go land soon. My own mind dey run.

I look am, e no shake body.

Musa just dey act cool, e no dey gree show emotion. I dey watch, dey wait.

Maybe na my mind dey play me.

I dey overthink, but for Naija, you must shine eye for everywhere.

Aisha look me. “Segun like this, I hope e no go bring wahala for us.”

I smile, dey reassure her. "No wahala!" Even if I no believe am.

I wave hand. “No wahala!”

I add small laugh, make e sound real. For my mind, I dey pray say drama no go land my side.

Then Segun Adekunle come.

E step strong, voice loud, e dey look me with side eye. I dey ready for anything.

“Morenike, wetin you dey do here?”

E voice no sweet. E frown, then talk, “Why you dey here? Wetin you want? I don tell you since, our engagement no mean anything.”

E dey show say e no wan main character wahala. I dey gree with am for mind, but my own stubbornness dey high.

If no be say na male lead, I for roll my eye reach heaven.

Na only main character fit talk to me anyhow. For my mind, I dey vex, but I just hold am.

In fact, I roll am—just quick.

I do am sharp, hope say nobody go notice.

“This na school. I pay school fees. I no fit dey here?”

I talk am with pride, but I see say e dey raise tension. I calm down quick.

As I see say my voice too strong for main character, I calm down. “No wahala, congrats to una! And about that engagement, abeg tell Uncle Adekunle too.”

I wave, dey shift body. I just wan melt, commot for wahala.

Right in front of am, I hold Musa hand.

I grip e hand strong. I dey claim territory, dey show say my own story different.

“Abeg, no dey talk engagement again. My boyfriend fit vex.”

My voice loud, I dey let everybody hear. I dey claim my own space for story.

Thank God, for this important time, Musa no push me.

E hand steady, e no even move. I dey thank God for small mercies.

But as dem dey go, I see Aisha eye dey burn me like pepper. For my mind, I sabi say wahala never finish.