Chapter 4: Watermelon Reunion

That night, me, Efe and Morayo dey chop for cafeteria when—

We dey pick beans from our rice, but nobody dey really chop.

Gbam.

Tray land for our table. I look up, na Halima with her wide smile.

"Morayo, Efe, Ifeoma! Long time!"

Three of us freeze.

Halima no even notice as we stiff. She just dey chop, dey gist.

"Na because our Languages building far from your own. Since I move, I never see una. How una dey?"

Halima dey smile, but we no answer.

At last, I no fit hold am again, I ask, "Halima, you still dey dream say you dey cut watermelon these days?"

Halima blink. "No o, na moi-moi I dey dream say I dey chop now. Why you ask?"

I no even know wetin to talk.

Next thing, girls for next table dey gossip, their voice enter our ear—

"You hear about that murder for girls hostel? Dem say the killer strong so, split the girl head like watermelon."

Halima hear am, her face change. She look us, her face come pale.

"Na me una think kill that English Department girl?"

We no talk, but Halima eye don full with tears.

"Na so una see me? I tell una, no sharp thing dey my room, I dey lock my door every night, dey check every morning. Una no believe me?"

Morayo pity her, "Halima, no be so we mean..."

But Halima no gree hear. She just run comot, dey cry.

Three of us no fit chop again. As we reach hostel, girl from next room come, her body dey do like person wey get gist.

"You hear? New update for the murder case upstairs. Police check all CCTV for our hostel, dem no see anybody enter or commot from the victim room."

"So now, na the three roommates of the dead girl police dey suspect. Dem don carry all of them go chief's court for question."

We shock.

If nobody enter or commot, na one of her roommates do am.

That one no concern Halima at all.

Morayo look guilty, whisper, "Shey make we go beg Halima? If na me dem think say I kill person, I go vex too."

"Beg for wetin?" Efe talk. "We no accuse her, na only dream we ask. If we beg, e go even make am worse."

Efe get point, so we just leave am, go baff, go sleep.

But that night, my spirit no rest. I dey reason, maybe Halima get right to vex. For Naija, once person name enter bad gist, e dey hard to comot am.