Chapter 13: Public Shame, Private Pain

Thank God. Because I get plenty students that summer, I open separate work account. After I accept him friend request, Tunde just dey look screen, finger dey rub am like he dey think.

His eyes steady, you go think say na chess game him dey plan.

After small time, he look up, smile cold. "Junior, you dey run your lesson hustle well."

I remember Kamsi, smile back. "Senior, you too dey try."

We dey play safe, dey speak in code. The air thick with unspoken things.

As I reach school, everywhere don dark. On my way back hostel, I notice people dey look me twice. As I dey wonder, Halima call.

Her call sharp, her voice dey shake. You go know say wahala dey.

"Chai, Anu, person just expose you for confession wall!"

If you see the way my hand dey shake, you go know say this one pass regular campus gossip.

Her voice dey shake. I click the link, see say hottest post for campus confession wall na:

"Finance fresher Anu use AI fake photo take deceive people for money and love."

Dem claim say I ugly, no sabi book, use AI photo catch people online, date many at once, scam people, collect free lesson. Somehow, I even turn state arts top scorer. Dem post my worst high school photo and the AI babe I use.

As I see the photo, na so my mind scatter. E be like say ground dey open, I wan enter inside.

My old face, hair rough, pimple full forehead, dey there for everybody to see. The AI babe fresh die—if dem put us for the same place, na only village people go say na the same person.

That time I get fever, never wash hair for two days, hair stick for head, forehead full of pimples. Compared to the AI babe, the difference too much.

Some girls doubt, but most boys don dey insult:

"Ugly fairy."

"The guys wey dem scam go get nightmare."

"Dem say she even cheat for JAMB, education board investigate am."

Some dey laugh, some dey curse. Even my lesson students dey type small, dey ask, "Aunty Anu, na true?"

I scroll comments, tell Halima no mind them, then keep phone, waka go. Face just blank.

I no even get energy to reply. I just waka slow, dey feel as people dey watch me like TV for electronics shop.

As I reach hostel, I jam Kamsi. This year result tight, even with her 350, she no enter UNILAG. But because of Tunde, she still apply Lagos school.

She dey stand for corridor, dey press phone, dey form boss.

"Anu," Kamsi greet me with her usual fake smile. "Where you dey come from?"

Her voice get that her regular sugar, but her eyes dey bite.

I look her cold. "Wetin concern you?"

My own patience don finish. I no get time for drama.

Her smile freeze, she drop act. Face hard, she warn, "You go see Tunde again, abi? Anu, you don look yourself for mirror? You use fake photo scam am for one year. Tunde dey vex for you—why you think say he go ever notice you?"

The words dey sting, but I bone. I dey form wall, dey try hide my pain.

Evening don reach, students dey pass, some go night class. Because of that post, people dey look me already. As she dey shout, everybody stop dey watch.

People dey peep from their door, some dey whisper, some dey record with phone.

For UI, once gist land, na so crowd go gather. Some dey use phone dey record. Even security dey peep from gate.

With all eyes on me, I just reach grab her collar, eye her. "How you take know say I use fake photo scam am for one year?"

Na that time her mouth weak. Her body dey shake small, but she still dey form strong.

She hiss, "Na Tunde tell me—"

She wan talk, but her voice dey shake.

Before she finish, Tunde appear for corner, dey rush come. Him usual cold eyes now full of worry. He stop in front of me, call, "Anu..."

You suppose see the way people just quiet. Even the crickets pause. My own heart dey pound.

I cut am. "Since you sabi everything, and you dey with Kamsi already, why you still dey disturb me?"

My own chest dey burn. Everybody dey look, but for that moment, na only me, Tunde, and Kamsi dey this world. Wetin go happen next, even I no sabi. But my chest dey ready—make breeze blow.