Chapter 13: Fresh Canvas

But before I fit ask make we meet, he vanish from school.

Like magic, he just disappear. Even for class, nobody see am. E shock everybody.

He just drop me WhatsApp message:

[Family wahala, I don go house, go return in half month, no worry.]

The message short. No emoji, no call. I just read, archive am.

I no find am, no ask where he really go.

I dey reason say if person wan run, make e run. Me, I dey face my own life.

Even him roommate come ask me,

“Temi, you no wan know wetin dey do Ifedike?”

I shake head, “Nothing I wan ask.”

E surprise am. He dey wait make I beg, but I no send.

“Erm… he say if you disturb me for the truth, make I tell you: he go find Halima. She get problem, but he go come back in half month, and no go talk to her again. He hope say you no go worry or cause wahala, just wait for am.”

Him roommate dey scratch head, dey talk with pity. Me, I just dey look wall.

“Oh.”

My voice flat. I no even blink. The guy dey look me, dey wonder if I be human.

I no even want know, no even send. Even as I hear, I no feel anything.

My heart empty, my head clear. I dey focus on my tomorrow, not him today.

As he dey away, I sell all my masters prep books.

I carry am go buy used books for Junction market. I use the money buy new paint, new canvas.

I never even want go Unimak, I no like the course. I just dey do am for Ifedike.

The realization pain me, but e free me. My real dream na art.

Now, that reason don finish. I no need all those things again.

I gather everything, arrange my small corner. I dey set my life again.

“Temi, since you no dey go masters again, make we flex?”

Ejiro dey tease me, dey wave invitation up and down. She want make I bounce back, enter enjoyment.

“No.”

“Why now?”

She dey squeeze face, dey beg with eye. Me, I dey smile like Mona Lisa.

I smile, bring out my japa application form.

I flash the form, Ejiro mouth open. I dey ready face my own future, leave all the campus wahala behind.

“Now, e serious pass when I dey read for masters.”

Ejiro hug me, dey shout. "Na my girl be this!"

I leave library, spend all my time for art studio. My wallpaper change from Ifedike to my own face.

My self-love dey glow. I dey paint every day, dey see new joy. Old pictures, I delete. New me, I dey grow.