Chapter 3: Party Wahala and Second Chances

Kamsi, which one be too late?"

The voice sweet, drag me back from inside dark. E sound like person wey dey whine for club, but e get one kain sugar for the edge.

"You never even drink well. Abeg, take another one."

Na Halima. Her wahala no dey finish. As I look up, I see her smile dey stretch, she dey toast me with wine glass, her teeth white pass Dano milk for advert.

Na person call my name bring me back from my thoughts.

My mind dey fly before. Now, I land for party again, the music dey bounce for ground, the lights dey blind my eye. The smell of fried meat and perfume choke everywhere. Boys dey hype themselves, shouting "Omo, you dey whine me?" as zobo dey pour for cups and suya smoke dey mix with all the fancy perfume in the air.

Na there I realise— I don come back, na my final year be this again.

If person talk say time fit rewind, I for slap am before. But now, I dey here, the same party, the same wahala. My mind dey jump between fear and hope.

Na the school hard guy host the party, invite all of us go him papa empty duplex for Makurdi celebrate graduation.

That house big, fine. The compound fit carry two trailer. For Makurdi, who get duplex, na big man pikin. Inside everywhere, red carpet, even AC dey everywhere. Girls dey snap selfie, boys dey form slay king.

For some people, graduation night na new beginning.

E dey sweet. People dey toast, dey plan future. But for me, na like say my mind dey shadow—if I smile too much, I dey remember wetin happen last time.

But for me that last life, na the gate to wahala.

Na true. That party be like door wey I open go inside fire. I dey smile, but for inside my chest, fear dey.

The person wey just talk na the campus belle, Halima.

She stand with confidence, her gown tight like Ankara for harmattan. Dem say she dey form baby, but if you look well, na calculation dey her eye.

Her voice sweet and dey form baby.

People dey laugh when she talk, dey call her "sweet sixteen." But na only me know say this one na snake wey sabi swallow egg.

Musa Sinian always dey tell me make I learn from her, even say make I dey act like small pikin when I vex— who go fit resist am?

E tire me. "Kamsi, you too dey carry face! See as Halima dey smile, dey act like angel." I no sabi fake smile. My face dey show my mind, na so my mama born me.

Me, I no sabi drink at all, but as campus belle toast me, if I no drink, dem go talk say I dey form.

For Naija party, if you no drink, dem go say you dey too do. So I carry glass, but I dey eye am like say na poison.

But e be like say I reborn for wrong time. I don already drink one glass, my head dey turn small.

The wine sweet, but after one sip, I dey see two Halima. I just dey pray make I no disgrace my mama name.

So no matter as Halima dey ginger me, I no gree drink again.

I dey pretend like say I dey high, but na only small I don drink. I dey form say my leg dey shake, but na lie.

I just hold my glass, dey form say I don high.

I dey look everywhere, dey act like say I no dey hear the gist wey dey fly. Na so Naija girls dey survive party.

Because I still get things wey I go do later— I no fit really drunk.

I plan well. If I high, who go help me? I get mission tonight. My eye dey clear like river after rain.

As Halima see this, her eyes just shine like person wey dey plan something.

Na that kain eye wey dem dey take count money for market. She dey calculate her next move.

She carry her wine glass, announce for table:

"Since the school hard guy no wan drink, I go drink for her."

Her voice loud, people turn look. The boys cheer. "Halima, correct babe!" Even the DJ pause music small to hail her.

I just bend my head, one small wicked smile dey my mouth.

I no go let her win this round. My own game sharp now. I dey smile inside, dey plot my next move.

Na her own glass she dey drink, but she talk say na for me.

Wetin concern agbero with overload? If she like, make she drink river, my own na to survive the night.

For my last life, how I go fit match her?

Halima sabi run her mouth. I remember that night, I just dey nod like say I dey understand. This time, na my own turn to play.

Her mouth sweet pass Fuji singer.

If you hear Halima gist, you fit forget your wahala. She sabi use words charm boys. That night, I just dey watch, dey learn.

I pour myself ordinary water, sip am, dey watch Halima dey do drama.

I no get time for hangover. I sip my water like say na wine. My mind dey clear, but I dey smile like say I dey tipsy.

That time, Musa Sinian don already help Halima make Yao Ade high, carry am go upstairs.

Musa get muscle, e easy for am to carry person wey high. The way dem waka, you go think say na movie dem dey shoot.

Musa Sinian himself don high, dey rest for room near Yao Ade own.

E shock me say Musa too join drink. Normally, him dey behave, but graduation dey make everybody do pass their power.

Halima dey do all this show— e mean say she get another plan.

Halima mind sharp, e dey work like generator. If she dey do drama, na another wahala she dey cook.

Soon, Halima drink till her face red, eyes dey turn, she come lean on me.

Her head heavy for my shoulder. Her perfume strong, my nose almost sneeze. But I gree, make the world see as I dey play good girl.

She raise voice make everybody hear:

"Kamsi, I don drink too much for you o. You must carry me go rest."

She dey form victim, eyes dey water like say she go cry. All the boys nod. "Kamsi, help am na!"

"My life dey your hand o."

Everybody cheer. The DJ play small romantic song. Even girls dey snap video, dey laugh.

"Kamsi, abeg, protect me well."

She drop her voice, act like say I be her only hope. But I see her eyes—no single fear dey there. Na pure calculation.

For my last life, I don high well by the time she talk this one.

I no even remember my name, na Halima dey drag me like wheelbarrow. This time, my brain dey sharp, I dey read her like WAEC past question.

Na only the part say make we go upstairs rest enter my ear.

I gree, but for my mind, I dey plot escape. I no wan wahala again.

Na so, as I dey dizzy, I follow her go upstairs.

People dey wave, dey cheer, "Kamsi, be good girl!" I dey smile, but my leg steady.

But as I don reborn, I see say Halima talk and act get sense pass wetin people think.

This babe, her brain dey work like Lagos conductor. Her every move na calculation, no be luck.

She talk am loud.

She wan make everybody hear, so if kasala burst, na me go chop blame.

Na my fault she drink too much.

If dem ask tomorrow, na me dem go point. "Kamsi make her drink!"

Na me suppose carry her go rest well.

I no fit dodge the responsibility, because na me she dey act for.

As she talk am, she don plant idea for everybody mind—

Halima don sow seed. Tomorrow, if person ask, na my name dem go call. Sharp babe.

Anything wey happen to Halima that night, na my fault.

If Halima disappear, na me. If Halima cry, na me. This campus wahala sweet for people wey no get work.

Plus, as she lean on me dey do like pikin, everybody go think say she harmless.

Nobody dey suspect say this babe fit burn house. Her face fine, her voice soft. Na only me sabi the lion wey dey hide for cat skin.

But nobody know—

Dem dey see wetin she wan make dem see. For back, the real Halima dey calculate her next step.

From where dem no fit see, Halima, wey tall pass me,

She get strong hand, her grip tight like iron. I dey wonder if na gym she dey go.

Her hand wey suppose just rest for my shoulder, dey grip am tight, dey drag me.

If no be say I stubborn, my shoulder for dislocate. I force myself smile, dey pray make dem no notice.

The pain for my shoulder make me frown, so I pretend say I high too.

I use the frown cover the pain. If person ask, I go say na drink dey worry me.

I remove my glasses, use the chance shake her hand off.

Na correct trick. As I adjust my glasses, I drop her hand. She shock, but she gree hold herself.

Then I fall inside Halima hand.

I use my whole body press her. She no expect am. Small pikin trick.

I short pass her, my face round like pikin, I use soft voice, hug her.

Na so I act, my voice small like baby. "Aunty Halima, carry me na."

"Halima aunty, my head dey turn o. I no fit waka again."

I bend like say I wan cry. If na movie, I for win award.

Nobody expect me to do like that.

Everybody shock. Boys dey laugh. "Kamsi don high o!"

Because for their mind, me and Halima dey fight for love.

Na dem sabi love triangle. The girls dey whisper, dey eye us.

Because Musa Sinian like her.

Everybody sabi the gist. E no even be secret again. For group chat, na every morning devotion.

And just now, for truth or dare, when dem ask who I like, I talk say na Musa Sinian.

I no fit lie. My face dey show all my mind. People clap, some dey shout "awww."

Sharp sharp, person shout:

"Wahala! School hard guy don high true true."

Everywhere burst laugh. Even the DJ press horn for speaker.

As I dey hide inside Halima hand, I no talk, just dey form say I high.

I dey use her as shield. Na survival tactics. Make dem think say I dey too high to cause wahala.

From where others no fit see, I just dey smile small.

I dey shine teeth for inside. Tonight, Halima no go run me street.

Halima shock for my move, her eyes clear immediately.

She no expect am. Her face change, but she cover am sharp.

But she need make I carry her blame tonight, so she just gree, no fit push me commot.

She gree play along, because if she push me, e go spoil her own act.

And to make her act real, she don drink well— at least eighty percent high now.

Her steps dey shake, her mouth dey smell wine. The acting don cross enter reality.

Her hair rough, I blink look her.

The Brazilian wig no dey arrange again. I wan laugh, but I hold am.

"Halima aunty, make we sleep together tonight."

I talk am loud, make all the busybodies hear. If na wahala she wan cause, make she dey ready to chop am with me.