Chapter 3: New Lives

As I dey look this excited Chinelo, I come understand wetin dey happen.

Na now everything clear for my eye. All those times she dey ask me funny question, dey monitor my account balance, I no too notice. But now, e be like movie replay.

Not too long ago, she borrow money from me buy zobo, and by mistake she see my account balance—seven figures. The shock nearly make her faint; she check am again and again.

I still remember as she dey press her chest that day, like say spirit wan come out. I even fear say she go collapse.

"Ifedolapo, how you take get all this money?"

Her mouth open like fish. She no believe say ordinary classmate like me fit hold that kind money. She dey shake small.

"Na my mama dey give me fifty thousand naira every month. As I dey save am, e just pile up."

I say am with small pride, but even me dey wonder why my mama dey try like that. Chinelo just dey look me like say I be money ritual pikin.

"Your mama… she too get money! Wetin she dey do?"

"She dey run plenty companies."

I no fit even mention all the business name. All I know be say, any time my mama return from trip, different people go dey greet her like president.

"Ah, na wah o. You too lucky," Chinelo talk as she dey drink her zobo. "My own mama na just housewife, she too dey manage. She dey give me only five hundred naira for lunch every day. If not, I for no dey borrow money from you."

Her eyes blink, she try smile, but I fit see say e dey pain her. The way her voice low, e show say she no want make people pity am, but na truth she dey talk.

I just dey look her, my throat dey dry as I dey look that zobo for her hand.

For my heart, I dey think, "How pikin fit dey manage like this, but still dey smile?" E touch me.

Truth be say, I self dey envy her.

As I dey think am, I dey remember how her mama dey always wait for her for gate. I dey wonder how e go feel to see your mama everyday, even if she no get plenty money.

Because since I turn ten, I never drink zobo again, or taste that kind happiness.

All my own life na rules and time-table. No room for error, no sugar. I just dey survive, no dey enjoy.