Chapter 5: Enough is Enough

Halima come back from drip for afternoon.

After break, Halima waka enter class. E still dey look weak, but her body language don change.

Maybe she still dey vex, because Tobi own towards me cold pass before. When he dey share papers, he just dump everything for my desk.

Tobi begin share assignment paper. When e reach my side, he just fling the whole pile for my table. Papers scatter everywhere.

But this time, I no catch am. I just let the papers scatter for ground.

Normally, I for rush catch am, arrange sharp sharp. This time, I just look the thing dey fall. E dey pain me, but I bone.

He frown, look back at me.

Tobi surprise. E no believe say I fit do am like that. E turn, frown deep.

I no show face, just talk, “Pick am up.”

I no even raise head, just open mouth, talk am calmly.

“Wetin?”

E ask, voice low, face blank. Na so class go quiet.

“I say, na you throw am—na you go pick am.”

I repeat am, voice steady, no smile. Some people for class dey look us with big eye.

Tobi shock, just pause, then bend down pick the papers, arrange am back on my desk.

E pause, swallow spit, then quietly bend, pick paper one by one. Arrange am well, no talk again.

All afternoon, I no talk to am at all.

Even as e dey try meet my eye, I just dey my own. No single word.

We no talk for evening meal too.

For dining hall, Tobi siddon near, but I just dey play with my food. No gist, no look. E notice, but no fit talk.

After food, for long break, I go throw trash as usual.

Na my duty, I pack all the trash, waka go the trash room for our floor. Sometimes I go use the chance find Tobi gist, but today, my mind blank.

No dustbin for class; you gats waka go trash room for each floor.

Our school no dey play with hygiene, so na only one dustbin per floor. If you like, complain, you must still go waka.

Before, I dey help carry Tobi own too, form say e dey my way.

Before now, I go rush carry Tobi pack, even if e get weight. I dey always find excuse to help am.

Soon, everybody just dey give me their trash.

After a while, classmates begin drop all their trash for my table. E turn me to class dustbin.

But this time, I no send anybody.

This time, I just waka pass, bone face. I no collect anything wey no be my own.

“Thanks, Morayo! I like girls wey sabi work!” Halima smile, hang big bag for my hand.

Halima, as usual, come hang her pink bag for my hand. She smile wide, dey form friendship. Her voice sweet, but her eye dey watch me.

But I bone, “I no be your housegirl! Carry your load by yourself.”

I just talk am loud, no hide mouth. Everybody shock. Halima mouth open.

Halima shock, her eyes start dey red.

She no believe say I fit talk like that. E pain am.

Group of classmates dey whisper for back:

For corner, some girls and boys dey whisper. Na so gossip start again.

“Wetin dey do her today?”

"She dey mad? Na today she get mind?" One girl yarn her friend.

“Nothing, na jealousy dey worry her!”

Some people dey laugh, dey talk say na jealousy dey make me behave anyhow.

“This final year na one chance—she for just help since she dey pass. We get assignment to do.”

Some dey para say, last class year no be when person go form big girl. Dem dey reason their own assignment, no even care about the beef.

Finally, Tobi stand up, follow me run come out classroom.

Tobi quick stand up, as if him dey watch since. E come follow me, voice low, "Morayo..."

He call my name, but I just bone, no look back.

I no answer, just dey waka fast. I no get strength for his drama.

After I waka round field, come back, I see pink pack of sanitary pad for my desk.

When I come back, pink pack dey for my desk, new one, still sealed. I just sigh. Na wah.

Tobi face me, serious, eyes strong, talk soft:

Tobi stand, hand for pocket, voice soft, face hard like landlord wey catch tenant for night, e dey look me straight.

“About this morning... I sorry.”

I dey expect apology, so I pause, look his face well. E rarely apologize. I wonder if e really mean am.

So, he finally understand?

For my mind, I dey reason if maybe e don realize say e fuck up.

He buy this one to beg?

Abi na this pack be his own way to talk sorry?

My hand dey itch to fling the pad back, but I just hold am, face stone.

Just as I wan reply, Tobi add another word. My spirit just crash.

“Halima really cherish your friendship. No let my mistake spoil una own. When she come back, abeg go beg her. You no suppose do her like that!”

So all this wahala, na just for Halima? He still dey push me go beg her. E pain me. My eye dey wet.

Na then I notice, under desk wey Tobi dey block, one big bag full of all brands of sanitary pad—he climb school fence buy am for Halima!

As I peep, I see different brands, colors, sizes. He go buy everything, even jump fence, just to please Halima. Na me he dey use as excuse.

Just to make sure I no ‘disturb’ Halima, he throw me one anyhow—just to push me aside like I no matter.

Na that moment I realize, Tobi no dey see me at all. E just dey make sure Halima happy. My own dey always last.