Chapter 5: Pain, Medicine, and a Threat

9.

Room leader Musa sabi Ola gist. For once, he no insult me—just look me and Ola, scoff: "Tch, you sabi pick roommate sha. Perfect match." Ola eye Musa sharp, no talk—pressure alone enough. Musa face change, drag Tega: "I dey hungry, make we dey go. If I stay here again, I go lose appetite." Tega no talk, him eye dey my face, as if e dey wait me talk. After, he sneer, walk down stairs. I pull myself, waka up like nothing. But every step, I dey peep him shadow. To say e no pain me na lie.

My feet heavy, but I raise shoulder. People dey peep, hiss, shake head—half disgust, half gist. Tega shadow linger pass him body.

"Na that one you dey like?" "Abeg, he no even fine reach."

Suddenly, Ola voice land for my side, make me jump. I miss step, tumble for stairs. Dry season, only cargo shorts. My hand, knee hit steps, pain rush me. Face white. Ola still calm, help me up, pat back. "Why you dey fear like this?" "I see the trending post. I no blind." I shock, forget pain, stare Ola. Na so this legend dey chill?

He help me up with strong hand, hold my Ghana-Must-Go. I wince, brush dust. He shake head, small smirk for mouth. "Next time, focus your eye. No dey trip over man matter."

10.

"I think say Obiora go move off campus." "But I forget about Ola."

Outside hostel, no Ola, Musa start again, face full of contempt, dey sneer. "Now two perverts dey together—tsk, building don spoil." Tega stop, face Musa: "Wetin you mean? Who be that guy?" Musa pause, blink, remember: "Oh true, you no go know as straight guy." "That guy wey dey with Obiora na Ola from sports department, one year senior. Girls rush am, craze for am..." Tega frown deep: "Talk straight." "Na so, relax," Musa say. "Chemistry fine girl confess for public, guess wetin?" "He just talk say, he like men, come out there." Tega eye darken. Chest dey up and down, then talk low: "He... maybe just talk am to run the girl." "Everybody think so, but later, people see am for GAY forum." "So say he like men, na confirm." Musa lean closer, voice weird: "You no hear am, tell Obiora to sleep for his bed tonight?" "Ola 601 na just him alone, now both dey gay—who know wetin fit happen..." "Tega, where you dey go? You no dey chop again?"

Tega just quiet. For first time, doubt show for him face. Musa dey confused as Tega hand form fist. Some wound no dey bleed, dem dey cold inside.

11.

That fall pain me. My knee swell. As I sit for empty lower bunk, pain make me squeeze face. At first, Ola think say I dey form, act like pikin. But as I lift leg, he see blood, him face change, scratch head. "You be glass? Small thing, you don bleed." Me: ... Na so all sports people be? You no dey bleed? I wan reply, but meet Ola deep look. Then I see say he dey stare my leg, lost for thought. "Ola bros?" Ola come back, lazy face. He go desk. I wan sigh, but shadow cover me. Ola pull chair, sit by bed, shift closer: "Move small. Make I put medicine for you." "This one dey work fast, but e go pain you. Just bear am." I blink, think, how bad e fit be? Next thing—"Ah! E dey pain! E dey pain!" No, I no fit bear am. This medicine bite well! "No move!" "Open your legs small!" "I no fit reach am well!" I dey dodge pain, make am hard for Ola, so he just grab my leg, pin am for waist. "If e dey pain you, just hold my waist." I no send how e sound. In pain, I grip bed, knock am. "Guy, e dey pain... abeg small small, you dey bruise my thigh... ah!" Medicine sting, body shake. Ola laugh small, "You dey shout like woman wey born pikin."

But before I talk, door bang. No be hand—na like person kick am hard. Both of us freeze, look door. Next thing, Tega bone-chilling voice from outside: "Obiora, if I count to three and you no open this door," "I go break this door today."

The whole hostel hold breath—tonight, something must break.