Chapter 4: The Rooftop Pact

No be say I never try read book. But to get better result hard well well. Even with the knowledge wey I collect from that my classmate, I only manage first term. From second term of first year, my result fall. Maybe some people just no get head for book. Me, I no get.

Sometimes I go carry torchlight, dey read for night, but sleep go just carry me. The things no dey enter. Even for lesson centre, my brain dey block. The only thing wey dey sharp for my head na that wicked plan.

To plan how to kill person na even easier.

If you see the way I dey draw plan for note, e go fear you. I dey write step by step—how to waka, wetin to talk, how to cover track. Sometimes, I go even practice for mirror. I don dey see myself like person wey get two head.

For my three years of secondary school, I dey read detective novels like craze. I even watch plenty true crime documentary. The way police dey investigate dey shock me—not only say dem dey sharp, dem get all those technology wey dey make am hard for criminal to escape.

One time, I even reason say make I become lawyer or police, since I sabi crime like this. But my heart too dark for that one.

I plan different ways to kill Ifeoma, but none sure—too many wahala. If police find out say na murder, dem no go rest. So I gats make am look like accident, just like before.

I even ask myself, if dem catch me nko? I go fit lie well? My chest dey heavy, but my mind dey focus. I gats survive.

After plenty thinking, I finally get one plan.

For night, I dey press pillow, dey imagine police come knock our door. Sweat go dey my back, but I still dey plan.

I dey pray make my hand no shake when the time come. Even for dream, I dey see Ifeoma face, dey beg me. But I dey wave am commot. For this life, na only the sharp survive.

Even though Ifeoma dey act like good girl, sometimes she dey do things wey dey risky—like follow bad boy, or smoke for toilet. I decide to use this her side, push her make she enter wahala by herself.

One time, I see am dey gist with that SS3 boy wey dey ride okada for school gate. I know say she no be saint. I just dey wait for my chance.

Two days before we finish school, I dey hint Ifeoma make we do something crazy for our last night. I ask her whether she get liver to sneak go school rooftop drink during night prep. At first, she dey fear, ask how we go carry drink enter school. I say, "You dey craze? Just tell one day student make dem bring am."

I put small wahala for my eye, act like say I dey vex. Ifeoma no like make anybody call her chicken. She begin reason am, dey look ground, dey bite her lip. For my mind, I dey laugh small.

She no answer quick. I no push her, I just talk, "Abeg, if your liver no strong, I go run am alone. No wahala."

My voice dey shake small, like say I dey really fear. I dey use reverse psychology wey I see for film. E work sharp sharp.

"Who talk say I no get mind? I just dey reason which drink to buy."

She form hard girl, dey look me up and down, then nod. I fit see say she no wan lose guard.

As I expect, she fall for am. I still dey push am: "Make we just buy beer na."

Ifeoma look me one kind, then form big girl say, "Beer too dull. I go tell my guy bring whiskey for you."

Her voice sharp, like say she be queen for street. I just smile inside, dey arrange my plan. I tell her, "Na you get mind o! I dey fear you."

I hide my laugh, act like say I dey jealous, dey praise her.

I even give am high five, dey talk, "Na you be baddest!" Inside me, I dey count down.

...

The night before we finish school, Ifeoma really bring two bottles of whiskey. As we wan go upstairs, I hold her sleeve, act like say I dey fear:

"Ifeoma, make we no try am. If principal catch us nko?"

My voice small like baby. My eye dey look back, dey check if anybody dey watch us. For my chest, heart dey jump like say dem dey beat drum inside me.

"Abeg, wetin go happen? Even if dem catch us, dem no fit do anything. Exam dey come, dem go still pamper us."

She dey form, dey shine teeth. She hold my hand tight, like say na me dey give her boldness. Her perfume dey smell vanilla, but small dust and sweat join body.

She hold my hand, drag me go. I just resist small, look the stairwell camera as we dey go up.

As she dey pull me, I look up, dey act like say I dey fear. I turn check back, my heart dey beat kpokpo. Rain don start to drop small for zinc.

The rooftop door just get chain, no really lock. I follow her from back. After she remove the chain, throw am, I enter rooftop with her.

If you hear the way the chain land for floor, e sound like bell for my ear. Rooftop breeze dey slap my face, smell of rain dey everywhere. Ifeoma hair dey fly like say she be madam for music video. Sky dark, cloud dey everywhere. My body dey cold but I gree follow.

The early rainy season breeze dey sweet. Ifeoma happy, dey hyper. She rush make I pour the chin-chin wey we buy, then she open the whiskey sharp sharp, pour am inside two disposable cups.

The rooftop dey smell like wet concrete. Ifeoma dey bounce for leg, her eye dey shine. She dance small, throw chin-chin for air, catch am. I just dey nod, dey pretend say I happy join.

"Cheers!" she shout, before I fit talk, she don finish her own whiskey. From her face, I see say e bitter well. I dey fear say she no go drink again, if not, wetin I go do? But everything even go smoother than I plan.

I raise my own cup, pretend say I dey taste am. Ifeoma laugh, say, "You dey fear? Small whiskey dey make you shake?" I force smile, but my hand steady pass before. As I watch her drink, my heart calm—like say the devil inside me don finally smile.