Chapter 3: Errand Girl

“You hear am? Tobi call class rep ‘Halima.’ Wetin dey happen between those two?”

Before you know, gossip don start. Everybody dey whisper about Tobi and Halima. Some dey laugh, others dey analyze.

Class just dey buzz.

The noise no gree reduce. Even teacher dey struggle to control am. The energy for class don change, everywhere dey bubble.

“Abeg, no talk that one, me and Tobi na just friends!” Halima laugh.

Halima just throw one laugh, her voice soft, but her eye dey shine. She wan clear air, but everybody sabi say that one na wash.

“Oya, enough, face the maths,” teacher try restore order.

Teacher just knock board two times, try restore small discipline, but we all know say gist no go end.

Halima and teacher no even send the teasing.

Dem just dey their lane, as if nothing dey happen. Halima just dey flip her pen, dey shine teeth.

But Tobi dey look Halima with eyes wey soft, e no fit fake.

Omo, as I watch Tobi, I dey see as his face dey melt whenever Halima yarn. E get as e be. Na only love-struck people dey look person like that.

Truth be say, dem fit each other well—top student and fine genius babe.

Sometimes I dey tell myself, e good as e be so. Na fine match—top boy and top girl. E resemble all those Nollywood love story wey dem dey use beautiful soundtrack.

Mint and milk—perfect match.

Tobi get that cool mint aura, Halima get that milky scent. If to say e be advert, dem for just call am 'perfect blend.'

Dem fit dey solve hard maths together, dey watch English film without subtitle.

The two of them dey carry last for nothing. You go see dem dey decode calculus, dey break down movie grammar like say na their papa house.

Me, I no fit keep up with their sharp brain.

Me, if dem yarn, I go dey look like mumu. Dem dey two, I dey my own.

Na just small small things I dey do to try please Tobi.

I dey try show, dey do all the extra, dey run errand, dey find excuse just so he go notice me. My heart dey always beat fast whenever he talk or even waka pass me.

Three years secret love—I read tire just to manage enter top science class, make I fit near Tobi.

Na three years I dey hide this my own crush. I dey hustle, dey push myself, all so that one day he go turn, see me. My mates dey laugh, say I dey do follow-follow. I no send. I believe say, if I just try harder, maybe e go notice me.

But after half year—

Six months run like play, play. All my effort dey look like waste. My own palava just dey grow.

Na only Halima dey his eye. He never talk to me, even though I dey sit behind am.

Even when I siddon just behind Tobi, e no dey look my side. Na only Halima matter dey him mouth.

So wetin if we dey close for seat?

Proximity no mean say I fit enter his heart. You fit dey near person for years, e no go see you.

I still no fit enter his world.

E pain me, but I gats accept say me and Tobi no be the same kind people. Our world different.

As e dey pain me, I skip PE, just lie down for desk dey doze.

That day, instead make I go PE, I just lie down, dey use hand fan myself. My spirit low, energy finish.

Suddenly, person knock my desk two times.

I hear knock—kpa kpa. I raise head slowly, the headache dey strong.

I look up—na Tobi face, proud and cold, dey front me.

I shock. Tobi face hard, no smile, just dey look me with one kind serious eye.

For the first time ever, he talk to me.

My heart skip beat. I never hear Tobi talk to me before. E be like dream.

“Abeg, you fit borrow Halima sanitary pad?”

I freeze, mouth open. So na this reason make Tobi remember say I dey?

I look am, think say my ear dey deceive me. Na me be errand girl?

I shock, think say I no hear well.

I look am twice, wan confirm say I no dey imagine. Maybe na another person he dey talk to?

But why else Tobi go talk to me?

I dey reason am—na only say person dey for class, and person be girl. I no mean anything to am.

Na just say person dey classroom, and the person na girl.

If to say Halima dey, Tobi no go even see me. Na only because she miss class he come my way.

I just give am one, then lie down again.

I stretch hand, bring out one pad from my bag, pass am quick. No need talk too much. I just go back to sleep mode.