Chapter 7: School Lies and Broken Promises

[All the money wey pikin hustle don go again, how e go do now?]

[I no sure say dem go survive reach two weeks. Chijioke and him mama fit die for beating.]

[Chijioke, if you dey see this, abeg, just carry your papa money.]

As I dey read the comment, anger dey boil for my stomach. Na my sweat you carry, still dey press me like cockroach?

Na that bullet comment ginger me.

My mind set. If na so e be, I go do am. No be only him get hand for chop money.

That yeye man—why I no go carry him money? Even if I kill am, e no go reach my anger!

The way my chest dey boil, I fit break door. But something inside me still dey fear—wetin if dem catch me?

I rub hand, wait till he sleep that night, ready to move.

Na so I tiptoe, my foot dey soft for ground. I dey sweat, even with breeze for night.

All him money dey for top drawer for him bedside.

I dey peep am, e dey snore like generator. I dey stretch hand, dey shake.

But as I touch doorknob, I withdraw hand.

My conscience just talk, 'If you go now, you go put your mama for wahala.'

No.

I dey reason say, make I arrange am well first. If I rush, police fit land. My papa wahala no dey finish.

School go start tomorrow. If I carry money run, both house and school no go see me, dem go call police.

I dey count all the people wey go ask for me. Head dey pain me as I dey calculate.

If dem catch me before I find my people, wahala go land.

If dem catch me, na finish be that. I no fit leave mama behind.

Plus, if I just carry money run, how my mama go do?

I dey imagine as he go beat her, blame her. That thought dey choke me pass hunger.

I must arrange for both of us before I fit go with clear mind.

My mind dey strong, I no wan leave mama. E get as e be.

[Where Chijioke go—he sleep again?]

[No dey rush, and you wan change your destiny?]

The comment dey mock me, but I just dey focus. One step at a time, I tell myself.

......

Next morning, I carry school bag, pretend say I dey go school.

I tie lace, arrange uniform. My eye red, but I dey smile for face. I fit deceive anybody.

But na copy shop I go.

The shop dey near junction. I sneak in, greet aunty for counter, she just dey eye me.

After I print fake medical paper wey I make, the shop owner dey look me with corner eye.

She dey tap finger for table, dey raise eyebrow like say she sabi my papa well.

I just lower my head, drop fifty naira, run.

My leg dey run, heart dey beat. For my mind, I dey pray make she no report me.

[He wan do sick leave? No be waste of time?]

[You no understand—he dey fear say school go find am. If dem call police, he don finish.]

[Ah, I see am from another angle, print shop owner know am, don call teacher.]

[I see am too. Teacher dey prepare to call parents.]

[That yeye papa go soon know.]

As I dey waka home, I dey shake. My mind dey boil, but I no fit go back. I go face am.

As I see that bullet comment, my heart fall.

Fear grip me. I dey bite my lip, dey think say wahala don set for real.

I rush go phone booth, call my teacher.

My hand dey shake, the phone cold for my ear. I dey pray say she go hear me out.

"Teacher, abeg, no tell my mama. She sick well well, she no fit handle wahala."

My voice dey crack, my breath dey rush. I dey beg with all my heart.

Teacher voice serious: "So you know say fake medical paper no good."

Her voice low, I dey feel the disappointment. But I get to explain.

"Teacher..."

I start to cry. "My papa don dey beat me since. My body dey pain, he no dey give me money, no let me see doctor... My mama don dey craze from beating too. I just wan get small break to recover."

Tears full my eye, my nose dey run. The phone booth hot, but I no care.

After I beg teacher finish, I rush go school, find her for office.

Her face change as she see me. She stand, pull chair make I sit. For that small room, I feel safe.

For her front, I raise my shirt, show all the bruises for my body.

Her hand cover mouth, tears just drop for her cheek. She dey look me like say I be her own pikin.

Teacher freeze, tears dey her eye.

She squat near me, dey pat my back. She whisper, 'Sorry, Chijioke. Sorry.'

"Chijioke, na your papa do you like this?"

She ask with voice low, almost like prayer. I just nod, my throat block.

"I go call police. This one too much."

She dey wipe her face, voice dey shake. I dey fear say I don overdo.

"Teacher, abeg, no call police."

I hold her hand, tears dey rush.

My hand dey cold, but I dey squeeze her hand. I no wan more wahala for house.

"Na domestic wahala, no be say person kill. My mama head don dey touch already. If dem release am, he fit kill us."

My voice low, I dey look her eye, try make she see reason with me.

Teacher dey worry, dey vex. "But you no fit continue like this."

She dey look window, dey shake head. 'No pikin suppose dey suffer like this,' she talk for herself.

I look up, eye full of tears, beg, "Teacher, fit let me stay for school hostel for now?"

She think am small, then nod. Her voice soft: 'You go dey safe for there. I go approve am.'

Teacher no even think. "Okay, I go approve am."

Her eyes red. She dey look me with pity, the way mama dey look pikin wey dey cry.

"Thank you, teacher. But before that, I need small time to go find my grandpapa make he help me and my mama treat our sickness."

She look me, surprise flash for her eye. She nod, say, 'If na so, I go write leave for you.'

Teacher happy. "Your grandpapa fit help you? Okay, I go approve your leave. These wounds... sigh, I no believe say for house, you dey pass all this..."

She squeeze my hand, voice low. I fit feel the pain for her chest.

"Chijioke, if you ever get wahala, abeg tell me, you hear?"

She dey look me, eyes serious. I nod, my heart dey soft.

I nod, bow, waka go.

As I waka commot for office, I dey thank God, dey pray say this be the beginning of better thing for us.