Chapter 4: Exam Day & Showdown

4

For exam hall, I focus.

Bell ring, I drop my pen, like warrior wey keep sword.

For that moment, all the noise for outside, all the gossip, everything vanish. Na only me and my answer script dey remain.

At the same time, I see latest barrage about Halima Yusuf:

[Halima dey chill, sleep throughout exam, even dey drool. Too cute!]

[Ahh, I dey wait for when supporting character go chop slap after the swap. Go Halima!]

[Wait, una sure? The supporting character dey answer her paper well—she no look like person wey wan swap score at all...]

The kind talk wey people dey yarn fit make person lose focus, but I just brush am aside. For my mind, na my future dey on top table now.

E be like say Halima Yusuf no hear my advice. Jamb road don close for her. But I no plan make she see another road, either.

Class teacher arrange make everybody guess their scores.

Halima Yusuf first talk: "710."

Class shock:

"That one too high! You never pass 670 before!" teacher shout.

Halima Yusuf raise brow, smile at me.

The confidence for her body fit fill generator tank. She face me:

"What about our forever number two? Wetin you estimate?"

I just answer, "About the same as you."

Halima Yusuf burst laugh.

Her laugh loud, the kind wey make everybody turn face. "The same? You never reach me for monthly test, now you dey claim 710 too?"

I nod. "Yes."

She no believe, she think say I dey prepare for swap.

She give me one look:

"If na so, na our class get jamb best! Na big news—my papa go call media, when results come, we go do live broadcast."

"Morayo, you no mind, abi?"

I no just mind—

For my mind, I dey say, "Let them bring camera, bring everybody. This one no go be like before."

Na exactly wetin I dey wait for.

Especially as I know say the day results go come out—

Na the same day my mama, Aunty Grace, plan to introduce me to my real parents.