Chapter 9: Sharp Girl Strategy and Sweet Victory

That night, my roommate send me Teacher Folarin personal contact.

E sweet me, I dey feel like FBI.

When I wan add am, I pause. If I tell am who I be, he no go accept.

My mind dey plan strategy. Na sharp girl I be.

I think well, type: [Hello, senior. Abeg, I fit ask you about graduate school? No vex.]

I use that innocent tone. Men dey like help pikin wey dey reason future.

As I send am, I feel like genius.

My head dey swell. If to say na exam, I for carry A.

Ten minutes later, he accept.

E quick. Na sharp guy. I dey happy.

I quick check his WhatsApp status—still no photo, but at least some daily-life gist. E be like human being, no be just old-school teacher.

E dey post small small things—like how light no dey for staff room, or how pikin break window. E dey real.

Me: [Good evening, Teacher Folarin~ I be Ngozi, Chibuzor sister.]

I drop the message with style, add wave emoji.

Teacher Folarin: “?”

Na just question mark. I fit imagine him face now—eyebrow raise, lips tight.

I know say him dey wonder—how I take get his personal account.

For his mind, e dey think, "This girl dey everywhere!"

After small, he reply: “Wetin you want? We fit talk for my work account.”

He no gree open up. E dey guard personal life.

Me: [I get something, but e no fit talk for work account.]

I dey use suspense catch am.

He come dey interested: “Wetin be am? Talk.”

Curiosity na man weakness.

I type, dey laugh: [I wan talk about person wey dey chase you.]

I dey play the sharp babe, dey tease am. My mind dey run, but my face calm.

He dey type… for three minutes.

I dey see typing, typing, typing. My heart dey beat—wetin e go talk?

Then, his message drop like bomb:

[Sorry, Miss Ngozi, make I clear you. I no dey plan date anybody now. No waste your time for my side. I no too like girls wey junior me. You dey alright, you fit find your own age people. If nothing again, abeg delete me. [fist][fist][fist]]

E use fist emoji three times. Na old-school packaging.

Plenty talk—especially those three old-school emoji. I nearly faint.

I drop phone, laugh roll for bed. But I dey expect am. E be like say e dey carry himself like school principal.

No wahala. I dey expect am.

I bone am, change topic: [Teacher Folarin, you fit bring food for me tomorrow? Your school food too sweet.]

I drop the cruise. Na food na food, no shame.

He shock: “Ah?”

The ah long—e no expect the sharp turn. I dey imagine his face.

I hold laugh, threaten am with Chibuzor again.

E don dey used to the threat. But I still dey try my luck.

[If you no gree, I go disturb Chibuzor.]

E go soft for pikin matter. I sabi am.

Teacher Folarin: “...... Senior year dey come. Workload too much, you still wan disturb am?”

E try reason with me, but I dey play rough.

Of course I dey play, but I still dey tease am: [Yes o, but your school food na correct. Na you go help me, or I go use Chibuzor.]

He go quiet, dey calculate. If na him, e for dey laugh by now. But e dey try bone.

Teacher Folarin quiet for ten minutes. I fit imagine as him dey reason am.

I dey lie down, dey check TikTok. I no dey rush am. My mind dey cool.

I no rush. I slowly clean makeup. When I come back, I see his reply:

[Okay, wetin you wan chop.]

I see am, I dey roll for bed. Victory na victory!

Honestly, Teacher Folarin too funny—na real example of person wey mouth dey say no but heart dey say yes.

If na court, I for win case sharp sharp.

So I send am menu for one week, add note:

[8 a.m. for breakfast, 12 p.m. for lunch. See you then, Teacher Folarin.]

I press send, smile wide—this life sweet if you know the right fence to squat for!

I fit dance shaku shaku for this victory—who say persistence no dey pay?