Chapter 7: The Old Apple

Chuka sabi provoke me well-well.

Na true. If provocation dey get award, na Chuka go carry first. Sometimes I go just dey ask God: "Na which kind wahala I carry so?"

But e no always be like this between us.

Before nko? Our story no start with fight. E start with soft feelings and big dreams.

Chuka na poor student for Pearl Class, all the school fees and grants na Ife Group dey pay.

Everybody know say him be scholarship boy. Ife Group—my papa company—dey pay everything. Some people dey envy am, some dey avoid am.

And Chuka different for that class.

He dey quiet, mind him business, always dey read book. E no dey join dem for play-play, but his brain sharp die.

Different because he no dey hear well.

Na him hearing aid dey make am stand out. Some students dey whisper, some dey talk behind am. E no dey mind dem.

Poor, deaf, but na him dey top for class—media rush come dey carry school matter.

One time, news people come school, dey snap picture, dey ask question. Na so Chuka become small celebrity. People dey talk, "See as poor pikin dey shine!"

First time I meet am, reporters dey interview Chuka about scholarship.

I waka pass, see crowd. Reporters dey surround am, microphone for face, camera dey snap. I hide for back, dey look. The smell of fried akara from the school gate dey float reach where I stand, and some classmates dey chew groundnut as dem watch.

One sharp eye reporter see me, almost press me reach wall.

Reporter sharp, as dem see me, dem rush, block me. Na so dem begin ask question, "Na you be Ife? Na you be sponsor daughter?"

"Chuka, your classmate Ife behind you na your sponsor daughter. E no dey awkward to dey see every day?"

Reporter dey loud, dey push camera for my face. I dey shy, dey look ground.

Chai!

Na embarrassment reach neck. My face hot, I wan disappear.

Chuka no even know me.

He never even talk to me before. But for that moment, he show sense.

But Chuka just smile, tell everybody shift, pull me come out of crowd.

He smile small, wave dem make dem clear. He come drag me come out, protect me. My heart dey beat, but I dey grateful.

"Ife na nice person, always dey friendly with classmates."

He talk am, give me small nod, voice calm. My head swell, my heart dey fly.

After that awkward interview, as we dey go back class, Chuka just waka pass me enter him class.

No time for gist, no time for thanks. He just waka go him seat, carry book. Me, I just dey follow am with eye.

I notice something for him ear.

I see the hearing aid, silver small, like jewel. I dey curious.

"If you wear this thing, you fit hear?" I ask.

My voice low, I no sure if I fit ask. But curiosity no gree me rest.

Chuka turn.

He look back, eye calm, lips small smile.

Na that time I realize say I don talk anyhow.

I for cover mouth, but e don late. I dey shame.

But Chuka look back, smile small, reply, "I get another ear wey dey hear."

He answer soft, smile dey lips. My heart melt. For that moment, I know say I like this guy.

If the Ife of ten years from now see am, she go miss that Chuka of secondary school.

The old Chuka get energy, dey laugh sometimes. He dey talk more, dey joke. I go give anything to see that boy again.

That time, Chuka never quiet reach.

Secondary school Chuka dey talk, dey play ball, dey run for field. Life never show am pepper.

But na seventeen-year-old Ife dey here.

Me sef, I still be small pikin, dey find love up and down. My heart dey fresh, my eyes dey see dream.

That kind answer just enter my chest.

The words soft, enter my mind. Na from that day, I start to dey crush.

I start to wan be Chuka friend, so I dey always go meet am. Chuka sabi book, so I use tutorial as excuse dey waka enter him class every day.

I dey carry notes, dey find reason to ask question, dey force friendship. My friends dey tease me, but I no send.

I even dey join their class.

I go dey join their group discussion, dey act like say I wan learn. Na Chuka I dey look.

For group English practice, Chuka say him favorite fruit na apple.

When I hear am, my mind just dey do kpim! Na that day I sabi say him get soft side.

So that Christmas, every desk for their class get red apple.

I run arrange apples, put for every desk, tie small ribbon. Na surprise—students dey happy, dey snap picture.

From that day, everybody for Pearl Class sabi me.

Dem dey call me 'Apple Girl'. My gist spread for school.

But only Chuka know say him own different.

Only him own apple come with special greeting card. My heart dey race as I dey write am.

He get special greeting card, na my own sharpness and love.

Card fine, glitter dey, handwriting neat. I pour my mind inside.

Card write: "You be the apple of my eye."

I write am, smile as I dey sign. My friends dey tease me, I dey blush.

Even though Chuka no reply, I fit feel say him hard heart dey soft small-small.

He no talk, but sometimes I catch am dey smile. Hope dey my mind.

One day after school, I drag Chuka go buy cold malt.

I gather liver, call am go kiosk. We buy malt, sit for bench, sun dey shine small. My heart dey beat.

We sit face to face, I dey reason wetin I wan talk.

I dey fidget, dey tap table. My mind dey blank, I dey reason how to ask am.

Chuka see say I dey struggle, sigh, "Talk wetin you wan ask."

He smile small, voice calm. He sabi say I dey shy.

I smile, dey stir my malt. "Abeg, I just dey curious..."

I dey form courage, dey stir malt, dey act like say I no send.

"I check online, e talk say no be everybody wey no dey hear na totally deaf. You nko?"

I finally ask, voice soft, dey look ground.

Chuka smile soft. "True. Unless sound loud die, near my ear, I fit hear small."

He explain, voice gentle. My heart dey melt.

"You fit remove am?" I ask.

I dey press, wan see how e be. Na play but na love dey inside.

Chuka don dey cooperate these days, he remove am.

He remove the aid, smile for me. My heart dey race.

I lean near him ear, talk louder: "How far now?"

I near am, voice loud, dey test.

Chuka no react.

He just dey look. E no move.

I even forget say him left ear dey hear.

Na then I remember, I dey laugh inside.

I shout for him ear: "I like you!"

I shout am, voice high. People dey look, but I no send.

Now, no be only Chuka know.

For that small moment, na like say world hear my secret. My heart dey pound, but I dey proud. Everybody sabi.