Chapter 1: The Day Everything Scatter

After school bell ring finish, na so Aisha—the school beauty—wave me make I follow am enter one empty classroom. My chest dey drum, I no know say wahala dey wait.

As I dey look her from corridor, my mind dey reason fast. I remember how Chuka, my guy, always dey warn me: "Ifeanyi, shine your eye o! Fine girls fit carry wahala." Even my mama go talk, "No let pretty face use you do mumu." My mind dey do me one kind, like when NEPA light dey blink before e go off. But as I see Aisha smile, e be like say my sense just dey float.

That day after the final bell, the hot sun still dey shine like say e no wan go house. Chalk dust dey everywhere, and the faint smell of moi-moi from the kitchen dey enter my nose. Everywhere dey noisy as students dey rush go hostel, but Aisha just stand for corridor, her fine face dey like say she dey wait for person. She smile small, wave make I follow her. E be like film—na only me and her, as if she don pick me for something special. For this school, everybody dey always look Aisha side. Na her fine, but also the way she dey waka, like she sabi herself die. I just dey reason am, heart dey beat small-small, say maybe she wan ask me question or maybe na test paper she forget to do. For my mind, I dey try arrange my words, dey hope say nothing go spoil.

I think say she wan yarn me something. But as I just step inside, she start dey shout say I dey bully am.

Before my leg even balance for ground, na so her voice rise like market woman wey dem cheat for tomatoes. "Help! Help! Ifeanyi dey bully me!" The echo loud for the empty room, scatter my head. My chest freeze. Wetin? I never even open mouth talk. My legs dey shake, but I just dey stand, dey try understand if na prank or real wahala.

Her boyfriend wey be notorious senior for our school rush enter come break my teeth.

Na so Musa, that big senior wey everybody dey fear, rush come like thunder. His face tight, eyes red, before I fit even beg, im fist don land for my mouth. Blood taste bitter for my tongue as I stagger fall. Some juniors peep from corridor, but na fear make dem disappear sharp-sharp. For that moment, I know say nobody go help me. Na pure humiliation.

The principal no gree let the matter rest. For every morning assembly, he go dey use me do example, dey disgrace me for everybody to see.

The next morning, principal waka stand for assembly ground, dey look everybody like police inspector. "Let Ifeanyi’s story be lesson to all of una!" im voice loud, echo for the dusty air. Na so dem use me shine example—everybody dey point, dey whisper. Even teachers dey look me with one kain eye, as if na my head dey house bad luck. Shame wan kill me, I dey wish make ground open swallow me.

He even talk say, for the sake of the school name, dem beg the school beauty make she no carry police, say I suppose thank the school for how dem handle am and thank the girl for her so-called forgiveness.

One day for assembly, principal clear throat, wear im fake gentle smile. "For the good name of our school, we don beg Aisha make she no involve police. Ifeanyi, you suppose dey grateful say we handle the matter internally. Aisha, thank you for your forgiveness." Everybody clap like say na award dem give her. My body cold—imagine thanking person wey just ruin your name!

I turn to person wey everybody dey avoid, like rat wey cross road—anywhere I go, na spit dem dey use greet me.

From that day, my life finish. For class, people no dey gree share chair with me. For dining hall, dem go comot plate if I wan sit. If I waka for corridor, person go hiss or spit ground, some go even cover nose as if I carry curse. Even the school cleaner dey avoid me. For night, I dey hear my name for their gossip. My eyes dey red from cry, but nobody send me.

Before long, my mind scatter—I no even fit write WAEC, I just drop out by myself.

The thing choke me so tey my head begin dey spin. When WAEC reach, I no fit even focus read. My mind just dey dark. The shame, the silence—e too much. I just pack my things one morning, waka comot. Nobody even notice say I no dey school again. No send-off, no letter. I just vanish, like person wey dem chase spirit out of town.

Few years later, na bad news I hear:

Years waka pass like harmattan breeze. I dey for one small kiosk dey try manage life, na so I dey hear gist. Dem say Musa papa don kpai, leave big money—Musa inherit billions, buy car, dey flex. Dem say Aisha don marry senator, turn big madam for Abuja—her wedding full everywhere for social media. As for principal, dem organize send-forth party, call am pillar of discipline. Everybody dey praise dem, as if na them holy pass. Me, I still dey struggle, my name still dirty for my area.

The school bully inherit billions, the school beauty turn big madam for society, and the principal retire with respect.

Sometimes, I go sit for beer parlour dey reason life. Wetin I do wey bad pass their own? See as dem succeed, while I dey count coins. Na so person fit suffer for this country, and the wicked go dey shine. If you talk, dem go say na your destiny. Tears dey my eyes sometimes, but nobody dey see am. Everybody get their own wahala.

Na so I die with my heart full of pain, blood dey my mouth.

The sickness catch me like thief. Blood start dey come out from my mouth, body dey weak, I no even get money for hospital. My people just dey look me, some dey whisper say na curse, some say na karma. Before I know, darkness cover my eyes. Pain full my chest, like stone wey dem press for my heart. I just dey regret everything. I die, nobody send me. My spirit heavy, pain full everywhere, blood taste still dey my mouth.

As I open my eyes again:

Suddenly, I dey inside darkness, but e no reach two seconds, na familiar smell and hotness hit my body. I open eye—wait o, na the same day, the same corridor! Everything just replay for my front. My spirit shock.

Na the same day when the school beauty first lure me enter classroom I land back.

My mind dey do like generator wey no wan start. Wetin dey happen? How I take return here? As I touch my face, e still soft—no scar, no broken teeth. I dey wear my old uniform, everything fresh. The air heavy with dust and the distant sound of junior students dey play ten-ten. I rub my face—everything fresh, no scar. Na this day, the day wey everything scatter. For my mind, na second chance be this, but e get as e be. I promise myself, this time, I no go let anybody disgrace me again. God, abeg, make I no waste this opportunity.

This time, I no get time to explain anything.

I no get energy for long talk. I no fit trust anybody. I just dey sharp. No more innocent Ifeanyi. I go do wetin I gats do, make dem no use me play again. I go use street sense. I dey ready—if trouble wan show, I dey wait am. My heart dey beat like drum.

First, I go lock door—then we go talk.

I smile small as I dey waka towards that classroom. This time, na me get control. Na me go set the stage, not dem. Even if na only God dey see me, I no go fall for the same trap again. I reason the plan for my head, chest dey rise. My hand dey my pocket—just in case. Na now dem go know say Ifeanyi don change.