Chapter 5: Regent’s Secret Test

Yes, na me plan am.

My mind dey rewind the move; small bead for my sleeve, na just one flick I use. If na juju, e no reach half of this one.

My Okoli family no reach princess own, but me—Okoli Yanning—no be person wey dem go just bully anyhow.

I fit no get palace name, but street respect I get am. Even the boys for my street know say I no dey carry last.

As she fall for water, na small trick I use.

I fit act innocent, but na small flex I flex. The way she take fall no be by mistake, na by design.

Nobody see the bead wey I throw from my sleeve.

Na old hunting bead, my papa dash me. E dey always bring luck, but today e work as defence tool.

But that moment, I feel eye dey burn my back.

E be like say breeze stop, but I still feel one kind sharp energy for my neck.

I turn, cold catch me.

Ifedike stand for there, one hand for back, dey reason.

Him eye dey scan everywhere, but when he reach my face, e linger. E be like say e dey see through my mind.

I mess up. I no suppose show off for him front.

I dey wish say ground go open, swallow me. My big mouth for dream, I dey use am anyhow; for real life, na wahala e bring.

For dream, I dey always brag give am say I sabi fight.

I dey talk am with chest. But today, real life catch up with me.

But Ifedike no talk, just waka go.

He just look me small, then turn back, his agbada swing behind am. Na only small nod he give one elder.

People pull princess from water, everywhere calm small.

Dem cover her with wrapper, some aunty dey fan her, dey talk prayer. The men dem help her clean up, but her face don spoil.

Some ladies, no gree, send person go ask Ifedike if e like any of dem.

Dem plan, send messenger wey wear blue lace, go ask am. Everybody dey wait the answer like WAEC result.

Ifedike, wey dey always form, actually answer serious.

For the first time, he talk like person wey wan share mind. The place quiet, even the small children stop to play.

"I no send family background. Na if I like the person matter."

People dey murmur. Some aunties clap small, some dey shake head. E mean say even ordinary pikin get chance.

"She suppose sabi something, make she no dey too fragile."

He look the ladies, eyes sharp. E dey tell dem say beauty no be everything.

"I no want person wey just fine for nothing."

The crowd burst small, some girls dey cover face. The ones wey think say na shape go win, dey almost cry.

As the news reach all the ladies, dem just dey cry.

One babe even borrow handkerchief from friend, dey wipe eye.

Some look their waist—slimmer than their arm—almost faint from tears.

Their eye red, some begin dey adjust belt, as if say na waist matter pass.

Me, I act like say I no hear.

I just waka dey go, dey sing one old highlife song for my mind. E no consign me.

But as I dey leave District Regent house, one person shout,

The voice sharp, e echo for compound.

"Okoli Yanning, you sabi fight, abi? No be you District Regent dey talk about?"

The shout scatter everywhere. All the girls for corridor begin eye me.