Chapter 6: Betrayal and Blame

I begin avoid Tobi by force.

From that day, I tell myself say I no go dey near Tobi again. If I see am for corridor, I turn face. If e wan talk, I waka quick.

No dey answer am, no dey arrange fake meeting, no dey follow am waka.

I cut all my waka waka. I no dey pretend again. No more forming.

Tobi notice am.

E sharp, e quick see say my attitude change. I see as e dey try catch my eye for class, but I just bone.

One evening, as I dey go house, he wait for me for outside mama put.

After lesson, as I dey waka go house, Tobi park himself for outside mama put joint. I see am, I hiss small, keep face.

See as I buy puff-puff, he help open am, fold wrapper, give me.

I just carry one puff-puff from tray, Tobi rush open wrapper, fold am well, stretch hand like say he dey serve first lady.

“Morayo, abeg make we talk. I feel say you dey vex for me—why?”

He try use soft voice, as if say na small wahala. E dey look me with big eye.

“Only one puff-puff today? Na for me again? You no go chop?”

I just quiet for some seconds, then I throw the puff-puff enter dog bowl:

I pause, then sharply throw the puff-puff give one local dog wey dey hang for there. The dog happy, begin wag tail, rush the food.

“Sorry, na for dog. If you want am, go beg am.”

I look Tobi, talk am straight. Na so area boys for there begin hail me. "No gree for anybody!"

Tobi shock.

E just open mouth, eye big. E no believe say I fit move like that.

I waka pass am, no look back.

As I dey go, I no send. My shoulder high, my mind clear.

To avoid Tobi, I follow small road go house.

Instead of my normal road, I branch enter one small corner, avoid all wahala.

As I turn enter one corner, that same milky scent hit my nose.

For there, na so I jam that Halima creamy scent. The thing heavy, dey hang for air.

I jam Halima and some rough girls, all of dem dey vape.

I see Halima stand with two rough girls—area girls, dey blow smoke. Their laugh dey loud, dem dey wear short skirt, dey feel like boss.

So na that vape be the milky scent for Halima body.

Na that time my eye open. All the while, I think say na fancy perfume, meanwhile na vape dem dey use—no wonder scent dey strong.

Inside the pale blue smoke, Halima wave me, her eyes full of mockery:

Halima just stretch hand, wave me over. Her face dey form smile, but e no reach her eye. Na mockery full am.

“Morayo, dey go house? Come greet your madams!”

She just dey form big madam, dey show herself for her clique. The other girls dey laugh.

“This one na last for class—she dey crush on my seatmate since. Small girl no even get shame.”

Halima begin run her mouth. She dey tell her friends say na me dey crush on Tobi. E pain me, but I bone.

I frown, wan waka go, but the bad girls rush me, scratch my face with their sharp nails:

I try waka pass, but one of the girls block road, use nail scratch my cheek. The pain sharp, but I no shout.

“You dey follow my brother-in-law abi?”

She raise voice, dey call Tobi 'brother-in-law' like say dem be family already. The others dey cheer.

Before she finish, senior mistress voice sound behind, catch some of dem with vape.

From nowhere, senior mistress voice thunder for corner. She catch two girls with vape for hand.

The girls scatter. Halima, see say e don bad, rush hide the vape for my bag.

Halima quick hide her own inside my bag, as if na me be the owner. Her face steady, heartless.

No time to throw am, dem order me make I stand still.

As the mistress dey come, e order all of us to stand still. My own body dey shake.

“Good afternoon, ma!” Halima greet, her face cold, like nothing dey happen.

Halima just dey greet madam, voice clear. You go think say she be innocent angel.

We no fit talk. We gats empty pocket and bag, of course dem see the contraband.

We begin empty bag, pocket. Of course, dem find vape for my own. I just dey sweat, try reason how to explain.

I try explain, “Aunty, the vape get scent—you fit know who get am!”

I dey beg aunty, dey try tell am say the vape get special scent, say e fit trace owner.

That milky vape, anybody fit trace am!

I dey pray make aunty believe, but e dey look me with doubt. For my mind, I dey beg God—make truth show face, make my name clear.

But before I fit talk more, Tobi voice come from back:

Suddenly, Tobi show for corridor, face hard like landlord wey catch tenant for night, hand for pocket.

“Aunty, na me be Halima seatmate. That smell na her body spray, no be smoke.”

Tobi come defend Halima, talk say na body spray, not smoke. E try act like say e know everything.

“And we all dey top science class. Halima rank number seven—she go do that kind thing?”

E add say Halima na top student, number seven. How e go join bad gang? As if book smart mean say person no dey do rubbish.

As I hear am, my blood dey boil—so na only her matter dey his head.