Chapter 10: Secrets, Signals, and Suspicion

Everybody look my side. I just smile small.

The smile weak, but I gree show say nothing dey my mind.

"Person wey no fine like me no fit relate to Senior Tunde wahala."

The table burst small laugh. Na so everybody come dey relax. The tension just reduce.

"True?" Tunde face just cold.

He dey study me, like say he dey find something. Other people no notice, but I see am.

Till mixer finish, he no talk again.

He just dey sip drink, dey look window. I dey reason if na me cause am.

I just reason say, him still dey with Kamsi, yet dey show for mixer. Everything just dey tire me.

The night dey drag, music low. I dey hope make day break quick.

As we dey go hostel, Halima tap me, vexed. "He dey give you signal! Why you no answer?"

Her mouth sharp, she dey shake me like generator wey no gree start.

I talk, "I no dey like guy wey no dey respect boundary."

Her eye wide. "Boundary ke? For Naija guy? You sure say na the same Tunde?"

She shock. "How?"

I wan show her Kamsi post when Tunde cold voice enter:

"Anu."

The voice loud, my body jump.

Halima jump. "I get something to do, Anu—I dey go!"

She run leave me and Tunde.

The way she run, you go think say spirit dey pursue am.

Moonlight pass through leaves, light just scatter for ground.

Night get that UI feel—cool breeze, frogs dey sing. Moonlight dey touch everywhere.

I ask, "Senior Tunde, wetin happen?"

I try use cool voice, make e no be like say I dey fear.

"Something."

His face serious, voice low. I dey wonder wetin dey his mind.

He go straight: "Last time I ask about Sade Ayo—you sure say you no know her?"

His voice tight, eye dey search me like say he fit see through soul.

"I no know."

My mind dey calculate, but my face no show am.

Tunde just laugh small. "You sure?"

His laugh short, but e get meaning. E sound like say he dey catch lie.

I nod.

That time I pretend be Sade Ayo, I use fake picture, fake name, even change voice. To dodge video call, I tell am say my family strict, my parents dey check me anyhow. Sometimes I send voice note, dey form baby voice—totally different from my real one.

All my drama, all the script I run, dey flash for my mind. I dey pray say he no go connect the dot.

I sure say he no fit recognize me.

I come act: "Senior, why you dey find her? Something happen? I fit help you ask people, maybe she dey another school..."

I talk plenty, Tunde just quiet, dey look me. After small time, he smile.

The smile ehn, e be like say e know pass as e talk.

"Nothing happen. I just get... one debt to clear."

His voice heavy, like say the matter deep. I just nod, dey waka slow go hostel.