Chapter 8: Fresh Start, Old Faces

But life get as e be.

E fit throw you curveball like onions for fried rice. The way e take run, person no fit predict am finish.

After school start, na so dem do orientation. One evening, I stand by Awo Hall pond, dey look sunset for water, dey reason life.

The water for pond dey calm, frog dey croak, breeze dey blow my scarf. My mind dey fly waka—future, family, my lie life.

Suddenly, familiar voice enter my ear: "Excuse me."

I turn. Na Tunde. White shirt, tall, fine like iroko. As he look me, eyes low, him front hair dey touch his eyelash, sun dey shine for am.

The sun just dey give him face one gold colour. My heart beat quick small.

As I dey look am, Tunde smile small. "Abeg, how person go reach fresher hostel?"

His voice steady, no stress, like say na regular question. But my inside just scatter.

I just talk am, "Why you dey come UI fresher hostel?"

E shock me say my mouth loose. I try patch am with smile, but I know say I don fall hand.

As I talk am, I regret. As expected, Tunde raise eyebrow. "Ehn? Junior sabi me?"

His eyebrow high, eyes dey shine like say he wan read my whole history for face.

My brain dey run. I talk, "I be No.1 High School product. Senior Tunde na legend for there."

I dey try form junior wey dey respect legend, but my hand dey shake for pocket.

"You sef be No.1 High—" He drag the word, pause, then sharply ask, "You sabi one girl for your set, Sade Ayo?"

...Na the fake name wey I use catfish am online.

The name land for my ear like thunder. My eye just blink twice, I reason how I go dodge am.

Him and Kamsi dey together now. Why he still dey find me? Abi he wan revenge?

I just shake head. "No vex, I no know her."

My voice calm, but my stomach dey turn. I dey pray make him no catch my lie.

Tunde eye me, like say he dey study me. Small time, he bring out phone. "Thanks, junior. Fit drop your WhatsApp?"

He dey try play cool, but I see am—his finger dey tap phone, leg dey bounce, like person wey dey wait exam result.

"I... ehm, I no carry phone."

I dey hope say he go let am slide.

He just reply, "No wahala. Drop your number, I go add you."

His own na follow-up wey no get brake. My leg dey shake, I dey search for escape.

My head dey hot—I no get excuse to dodge.

I dey sweat for palm, but I still dey find how to escape.

Luckily, as Tunde eye dey sharp, my roommates finish chop, come meet me.

Their own shout sharp: "Anu, evening training dey start o!"

I look Tunde, relief for my face. "Sorry, senior, I gats go. Next time."

I carry my bag, waka quick. Thank God for campus wahala.