Chapter 4: Old Flames and Schoolyard Secrets

At the end, all the tie wey I tie na waste.

All my effort, e still end as usual. But I no vex, na marriage matter be this.

After, Olumide carry me go bathroom go clean up.

He no let me stress. E go fetch warm water, e go bring towel, dey pamper me.

He just look down, him breath touch my head.

I dey feel safe, even as I dey shy. Na the first time I go feel like real wife.

"Suleiman invite us for dinner next week. You get time?"

He dey talk like person wey dey plan for future. My mind dey travel go all the old times.

"He just open lounge wey him invest for, invite all our secondary school people. You sabi them," he explain.

I dey remember all those our small small boys and girls for Unity College. Their faces dey flash for my mind.

Old school reunion, abi.

I rub my chin, dey reason if I fit face those old faces. Some people fit still dey judge.

Suleiman invite Ifeoma?

The name bite me for mind. I wan ask, but I hold am.

I think for two seconds, then shake head talk no.

I dodge am with work excuse, even though my mind dey restless.

"Because of investor wahala, I need add one important female character for my script last minute."

I dey talk with seriousness, make e no be like say na lie.

"Plenty scenes dey wey I go change. I wan join crew soon, so I no go get time."

I list my wahala, dey pile up excuses. My mind dey pray make Olumide no ask more questions.

"Sorry."

I talk am soft, dey look ground. I dey hope say e go understand.

Suleiman, Olumide, and my brother na childhood padi.

Their bond tight. Na them dey run things for our street back then.

We all go same secondary school.

Unity College, Surulere. Our set dey notorious for jollof and gist.

When I dey SS1, Olumide dey SS3.

I dey look am like role model, dey wish say I fit grow fast.

I dey always follow my brother and their group.

Anywhere dem dey, na there you go find me—like handbag. My brother no dey complain, but sometimes e go laugh me.

Because I dey crush on Olumide, and because I be shy person,

If anybody look my direction, I go hide face. But I dey peep Olumide anytime, dey note wetin he dey do.

I just dey listen as everybody dey joke and gist.

I go dey laugh for corner, dey hide my teeth. My laugh dey small, so dem no go notice me.

I go dey look Olumide for corner eye, dey try know wetin him like, so I go fit near am.

I dey notice say he dey like plantain chips, and he dey always dey sit for back of class. I dey take mental note.

When I dey do physics exam, I go purposely fail some big question,

I go write wrong answer, dey hope say my brother go beg Olumide to help me for night prep.

Just to get reason to go meet Olumide for help.

I go bring my note, dey form serious. Inside me, na joy dey bubble. I dey chop puff-puff for corner, dey watch Olumide dey gist with my brother.

Till next term, when Ifeoma just transfer enter Olumide class.

She waka enter with her own swag. Her skin dey shine, her smile bright like Christmas light.

She sabi book well, get lively spirit. Not only say she know Olumide before, she quick blend with their group.

She dey make everybody laugh. Even teachers dey call am to read morning news.

But I no expect Ifeoma go find me alone.

I dey hide for library, dey jot story ideas, when she tap my shoulder.

"Abeni, you like Olumide?"

Na so my biro fall for table. My heart do 'gbim gbim.'

My eyelash just dey shake, I no even know wetin to answer.

I dey look book, dey avoid her eye. I no wan lie, but my mouth heavy.

Nobody—even my brother—know say I dey crush on Olumide.

I dey keep am like family secret. If my mama hear, na tease she go use finish me.

Ifeoma tilt head, smile small as she look me.

Her smile soft, but her eye sharp. E be like she dey read my mind.

"But Olumide talk say he see you as small sister."

That one pain me. My chest tight. But I just nod, dey pretend say e no pain me.

"I wan tell Olumide say I like am. If he gree, then..."

The confidence wey she get, I envy am small. She just dey bold.

"Abeni, abeg, no dey use study as excuse to near Olumide again, abeg?"

I just freeze. Her tone no harsh, but the words dey heavy. I just gree, dey nod.

After Ifeoma talk her mind to Olumide,

Dem begin dey move together for school. People dey whisper, say na love dey blossom for Unity College.

She even come meet me for one 'heart-to-heart.'

She call me for mango tree, dey talk like big sister.

"I know Olumide since small. Na because of am I change school, and na because of am I fit enter Unity College for second term of SS3."

She talk with pride. I dey listen, dey wonder if true love dey real.

"I plan say after WAEC, me and Olumide go dey together, but since I don get admission already, I no wan wait."

She dey wise. Her mind dey future. I dey wish say I fit get that kind confidence.

"Small sis, focus on your book."

She pat my back, dey act like mentor. I dey try swallow my own pain, dey smile.

After that—

I no know how, but Ifeoma and Olumide break up.

The gist fly for school like wild fire. Some people say na long distance. Some say na another babe.

When that song 'White Moonlight and Red Mole' blow everywhere,

Every girl for hostel dey sing am, dey dream of their own first love. E remind me of my secret.

For one gathering, people dey talk about first love.

We dey drink Fanta, dey gist for veranda. Everybody dey share their story.

Suleiman laugh tease:

"Olumide get one. Na why he never get babe since, he dey wait for person."

Everybody burst laugh. Olumide just dey smile, no talk. But I dey look am, dey wonder who dey his mind.