Chapter 3: Jollof Reflections and Rival Roles

I slow down, still dey reason.

As I dey return to class, na so I slow down for corridor, my mind dey turn like generator wey no get fuel. I dey try connect all the dots wey everybody dey throw for group chat.

So, na who be the real main guy for here?

Because if you ask anybody for this school, dem go give you different story. For my own head, the thing still dey scatter. Na wah o.

For lunch, after I carry my food—jollof rice and dodo—I find one corner sit down chop and dey arrange the story for my head.

I like that corner for school canteen wey dey near window, breeze dey blow there well. Jollof aroma just dey mix with fried plantain, e sweet my belly. Mama Chidinma dey shout price for back, boys dey drag for extra dodo. Na so I dey pick dodo one-one, dey reason everything for my mind, dey scroll WhatsApp with left hand.

From all these WhatsApp comments, I don gather say this world na one kind Sade and Olamide, who go carry first for love and WAEC matter, telenovela, with Halima Yusuf as the main person.

The way dem dey analyse our lives for WhatsApp, e be like say na one series we dey act, dem be audience. Dem dey give everybody for school role for the drama wey dem write for their mind. Even Netflix scriptwriter no dey try reach our school girls.

This na the current level: the main guy, Nnamdi Okoro, realize say the feeling e get for Halima don too much. To control himself, na so e transfer Halima from better school go Unity Secondary School.

I just dey imagine Nnamdi papa dey carry briefcase, dey sign transfer letter. For real life, na only person wey get connect fit move school like that, but for these group chat storytellers, na normal thing.

Olamide no be small matter too. The way e dey follow Halima for Unity Secondary dey always make the main guy vex for like hundred episodes.

Na Olamide na dem dey call 'loyal puppy'. E no get shame, e go dey follow Halima like shadow, dey do bodyguard.

As for me, na me be the main babe enemy—selfish, dey do anyhow. My mama die when I small, so dem say I grow up dey too sensitive, dey twist things. I no fit bear say Olamide like another person, na so I come dey mad, dey jealous for the main babe.

If my mama dey, she for tell me make I no mind dem. She sabi say Sade head no dey carry wahala.

Sometimes I dey wonder why story always dey paint girl wey dey focus as enemy. Na so dem paint me for group chat too. I just continue dey chop my jollof, dodo dey sweet, but the wahala for my mind dey bitter.

I swallow the last piece of dodo for my plate.

As I dey wipe my mouth with serviette, I just reason am. Wetin concern me with all these love triangle problem?

But abeg, I no fit believe say girl wey get normal sense, dey obey law, no dey even cross road anyhow, and na to dey watch Super Story and Papa Ajasco be her hobby, go just craze because say she no fit win Olamide love.

No be every girl dey run mad for boy matter. Some girls dey, na just their book and family dem dey face. If to say na movie, dem go show me dey cry for night, dey break plate, but abeg, for real life, na lie!

Abeg, e no make sense.

As for Olamide... I tire. Even though WhatsApp comments dey talk say e be loyal second guy, abeg, to call am simp sef dey insult real simps. At least simps dey try. This one just dey look Halima like mumu, no dey talk, just dey protect her anyhow, dey clear road for am—na me be the obstacle.

Na Olamide own tire me pass. E go dey form hard guy but if Halima just cough, e go run go buy water. Simp wey no dey even get hope say Halima go look am twice. Na me dem say dey block road—no wahala, if na so dem see am, make dem continue dey talk.

WhatsApp dey talk: [Even as the supporting babe leave some big questions just to enter the same university with Olamide, the loyal second guy still belong to the main babe.]

[This author no just send the supporting guy at all.]

The way dem dey take this story serious, e be like say dem go fit defend am for court. Everybody dey claim say dem sabi the true intention of 'author.'

SO.

So na so so side character I be?

If na football, na me dem go use sub after first half. If na family meeting, na me dem no go give meat. But life no be film. Me sef go get my own shine.

Whether the author pity Olamide, I no sabi, but I sure say she no like me at all.

But story or no story, I no dey here for person pity. Na my own I dey face.

When monthly test result come out, I sharply check Halima score. Even if I no carry first, with her kind of result, e no possible for her to just jump reach top.

I just dey calculate for my mind—if Halima add one plus one, she go still reach five? I just dey observe, dey wait.

I no send whether I be anybody imaginary enemy—na only myself I dey compete with. I dey fight myself, I just wan be me.

Competition for Naija school no be joke. Even if dem no like you, once you dey carry first, dem go still dey respect you small. I no fit dull myself.