Chapter 5: Truth, Tears, and Tunde’s Message

I stand for office, head up, dey face teachers wey dey eye me.

Their office dey smell old book and biro ink. The window dey bring small breeze, but my armpit dey sweat like say I run marathon.

"You don check CCTV. You suppose know say I no cheat."

My voice steady, but my mind dey shake. Na only God know say my hand clean.

"True," dem answer. "But Anu, we just dey wonder—how you take jump over hundred marks for exam?"

The way their eyes dey shine, you go know say dem no believe am fully. One teacher dey tap biro for table, another dey check my file.

I press my lips. "Because... I dey control my score."

I no wan sound proud, but na the truth. My mind dey flash all those midnight lessons, all the beg-beg wey I do.

Our school get special scholarship for students wey improve well. If you jump over hundred marks for JAMB compared to your last big exam, na 500,000 naira scholarship.

I clear throat, look them one by one. "My family no too get. I wan help my mama small."

Teachers just look me, their face dey somehow. One sigh. After small time, my class teacher come rub my head.

"No worry. You be state arts top scorer—your scholarship go even high pass."

Her hand cold, but her smile warm. Na that kind teacher wey dey fight for poor people pikin.