Chapter 2: Ifeanyi No Dey Fear Again

1

"Ifeanyi, abeg, come na—get one gist I wan run by you."

Aisha dey wait for one abandoned classroom, lean for desk, dey play with her hair, small smile for her face.

The sun wey dey shine through broken window scatter golden light for her face. She dey swing her leg like small pikin, her white socks na the type wey only Ajebo girls dey wear, almost fall for ankle. Her skin dey shine like new yam, hair dey pack with blue beads, and her socks na the type wey only Ajebo girls dey wear. I notice say she use coconut oil, the smell dey everywhere. Aisha dey act soft, but for my mind, I dey see through am now. Her soft voice fit make anybody think say she be angel. But my heart dey hard like okuta. I fit feel my blood dey hot, my head clear. E no go work this time.

She fine well well—this her soft, gentle look fit make plenty people lose guard.

Her skin dey shine, eyebrow neat, the way she dey smile fit melt even the heart of stubborn prefects. If na before, I for dey blush, dey arrange grammar. But now, I just dey look her like person dey look masquerade wey dem don see finish. I dey count her every move—nothing she go do go surprise me again.

But for my mind, na only heavy hatred dey boil.

The hate dey boil for my chest like ogbono soup for hot fire—no peace, no cool down. For every way she smile, every way she act innocent, my body dey reject am. My heart dey recall all the tears, the beatings, the shame. I dey tell myself—no pity, Ifeanyi, no pity! My face no show am, but inside me, na storm dey rage. I dey ready for anything.

I no even know why she dey do all this.

Sometimes I dey wonder if na play or if dem send her. Why all this wahala? Why she no just leave person? Wetin she wan gain? As I stand for door, my mind dey work like calculator. Maybe she dey try prove say she fit control anybody for this school. But I no send again.

I no even care to know.

My body just dey cold, like person wey dem soak for rain. I no even wan hear her explanation or story. This time, e no matter why she dey do am—wetin matter be say I no go fall. My chest dey strong, face dey blank, like stone.

As I stand for door, Aisha act like say she vex. "Wetin you dey reason?" she hiss, face squeeze.

Her eyebrow wrinkle small, lips purse like say she dey expect answer. She look me up and down, like say she dey size me. Her voice sharp, but e still get that sweet-girl edge. She wan make I lose guard, but I just dey look her—my face no change. I fit see say she dey expect me to rush talk, to explain myself. I no talk.

I put on that my innocent smile, ask am, "Aisha, abeg wetin you wan from me?"

I draw my lips up, act like say I no suspect anything. My voice dey cool, e dey steady—"Aisha, abeg, you call me come, wetin you wan from me today?" I even bend small, like say I dey humble. For my head, na pure acting. I dey measure her reaction. Her eyes blink fast, she no suspect anything. I dey feel like Bovi for skit.

As I talk am, I waka enter, just like before.

My shoe tap ground, the sound echo for the empty room. For my mind, na memory dey flash—last time I cross this threshold, my life scatter. But this time, I dey sure of myself. Every step I take, I dey watch her, I dey sense everything. For my pocket, my hand dey grip small stone—just in case.

But this time, I lock the classroom door behind me.

Gently, I push the door lock, the metal sound click. The sound loud, like warning bell, but Aisha no notice. I smile for myself, na me dey control the space now. Even if she wan play, e no go reach where I dey.

Aisha no notice, she still dey smile as she bring out workbook, her voice low, "Ifeanyi, I get one question I no fit solve. You fit teach me?"

She slide workbook come my side, her voice dey low like say she dey confess secret. She dey look me for eye, lips dey shine. Her hand dey shake small, but she dey hide am. Na the same method—try rope me in with small request. I gree sit down, but my eye dey everywhere.

I act like say I dey curious. "Why you no ask for your own class?"

I raise brow, act like say I dey surprise. My voice gentle, "You no fit ask your seatmate? Or your bestie for class?" I dey watch her every move. Her eye flash, but she still dey smile. I know say this na pretense.

"Here quiet."

She talk am like whisper, look around like say she dey fear person go hear. Her eye get one sly look, as if she dey measure me. She drop her hand, her finger tap desk. E be like say she dey calculate her next move.

Aisha raise eyebrow give me, her eyes dey shine with some kind meaning, her breath dey touch my ear as she talk low, "We fit... stay here alone. Nobody go disturb us."

She lean close, her perfume choke air, her lips dey near my ear. Her voice soft, but e get weight. Her eye dey shine, like say she dey plan something big. If na before, I for dey blush. But this time, I no move. Na her own trap.

I smile, waka reach near am.

I return her smile, but for my heart, na coldness dey. I move step by step, making sure my back no face window. My hand steady, my mind dey sharp. She dey think say she get me, but I dey ready for her trick.

Aisha mouth corner rise small—she think say her plan don work.

Her smile spread small, dimple show. She dey confident say I don fall. She adjust her skirt, cross her leg, like say she dey settle for movie. My heart dey beat slow—her pride dey show for her face, but I dey watch every second.

As I reach close, Aisha sharply hold my wrist, grip am tight. "Ifeanyi, this question hard no be small."

Her grip shock me, her nails dig my skin. She squeeze my wrist, try hold me like say na proof say I dey touch her. The force hard, almost draw blood. For my mind, I dey reason—so na this move she wan use again.

She press my hand strong, her nails almost tear my skin, scratch marks show for my arm.

She drag my hand for her workbook, her grip dey strong like market woman wey dey fight for change. The scratch dey pain, but my face no move. I dey mark the evidence—she wan use am later say I force her. My eyes dey watch, I no dey shake.

But e no concern me at all. My eyes dey check everywhere.

My mind dey run calculations. I dey scan room—chalkboard, window, cupboard. My back dey towards door, I dey hear small movement for corridor. Everything dey make sense now. E be like say na full setup.

Na fourth floor be this—nobody fit climb window enter.

I check window—na far drop. If anything happen, nobody fit rescue from outside. The air dey heavy. I dey reason, if wahala burst, na only me and her for here. No escape, no shortcut.

Back door block with abandoned desks and chairs. Whether dem lock am or not, nobody fit enter from there.

I throw eye reach back. Old desks, cobweb, all block am. The place dusty, no human fit squeeze pass. I reason say na only front door remain—if wahala burst, na there dem go use come.

My behaviour dey somehow—enough to make Aisha begin fear small.

As I still dey quiet, my face no show emotion. I dey move different, not like before. She dey eye me now, her confidence dey reduce small. She shift chair back, scratch her arm. I fit see small fear for her face, but she dey try cover am.

2

"E no pain you?"

Aisha loose my hand, suspicion dey her face.

Her voice get small shake, her eye dey narrow. She dey expect make I shout or complain, but I just dey smile. Her hand drop, she dey look me like say I be puzzle. The fear wey dey her face dey hide behind pride.

I grin. "Which pain? Na excitement dey catch me sef."

I bring my face close, dey smile. My eye dey shine like person wey win bet. I talk soft, "Which pain, Aisha? Na excitement dey worry me!" She no expect am. She shift head back, her lips open small. I dey use confidence kill her plan.

Compared to wetin I suffer for my last life, this small scratch na play.

For my mind, I dey laugh. Compared to all the beatings, humiliation, and disgrace, this one na nothing. The small scratch be like mosquito bite. I dey look her, dey wait for her next move. I dey sure say she no go fit handle me this time.

She wan leave mark for my hand as evidence say I bully am.

Her eye dey flash for my arm, dey measure the scratch. Na proof she dey gather, so she fit point say I force am. I dey reason her game, I dey wait for her to drop another move. She dey check if blood dey show.

Before people go show, she go rough her own hair small, so her lie go sound real.

I picture am: she go scatter her hair, maybe even tear her sleeve small, then begin shout. When crowd gather, she go cry—everybody go believe am. That be the same script. I dey ready to break her acting this time.

But my reaction shock her, she begin cold.

She no dey expect say I go dey calm. The confidence wey she wear before don begin fade. She dey tap finger for desk, her voice dey low. Na now she dey fear. She dey look door, dey check if help dey come.

Aisha sharply shift back two steps, guilt flash for her eyes. "No worry again, I no need you teach me. You fit dey go."

She stand up, take two quick steps back, her voice dey shake. She dey look ground, her hand dey scratch neck. Guilt show for her eye, as if she dey think say her plan don scatter. Her face dey pale, she wan end the whole show. She wave hand like person wey dey dismiss fly.

"How e go be like that? No be just now we agree? Today, nobody fit stop me from teaching you—even you no fit."

I smile wickedly, voice low, "How you go dey send me away after you call me? No be you say you need help? Today, Aisha, na me go teach you, whether you like am or not." I step close, voice dey steady, my shadow dey cover her small frame. Her eyes big, she dey breathe fast. I dey enjoy her fear.

She shift back, I move close, push am reach one corner.

She dey try shift but wall dey block her. I use body press am reach corner, her back dey touch cold wall. I dey tower over her, my face dey show no pity. Her hand dey shake, eyes dey dart everywhere. Na she dey panic now.

As she notice say e don dey go another way, Aisha start dey threaten me. "No come close o! If you try am, I go shout." she hiss, face squeeze.

Her voice loud, she try use fear catch me. But her tone dey shake. She wan act like tough girl, but her confidence don shake. She open mouth, wan scream, her eyes dey flash. She dey hope say Musa dey near.

"Shout na, make we see who go rescue you."

I cross my arms, voice flat. "Shout well, Aisha. Make we see who fit save you for here." My eye dey steady for her own. I dey call her bluff. The air dey tense, like when rain dey come but thunder never sound.

I pause, suddenly feel like one wicked guy for Nollywood film.

As I dey act like this, my mind dey flash Nollywood scenes—bad guy for film dey always dey calm before storm. I dey even surprise myself. E shock me small, but my heart dey push me. I dey remember all the pain, I no fit pity her. My hands dey shake small from the adrenaline.

From my last life, I know say her boyfriend Musa dey hide nearby.

Memory sharp for my head—Musa always dey lurk for corridor, ready to burst in. I dey hear footsteps faint for outside. Na setup, I know. I dey prepare myself. My heart dey pump, sweat dey for my palm.

Once Aisha shout, the guy go rush in, act like hero.

Na their plan: she go scream, Musa go rush enter, everybody go think say I be devil. That be how dem set me up last time. I dey ready now. I go block her before she fit open mouth.

But I no go give her chance to call for help.

My brain dey calculate sharp. I position myself for between her and door. I dey ready to react. This time, I go scatter their plan before e even start.

As she wan shout, I sharply carry one chalk throw enter her mouth.

Quick as cat, I grab chalk from desk, fling am enter her mouth before she fit form word. She shock, her mouth wide, chalk dey jam her tongue. E funny for my mind, but my face still hard.

Cough, cough—

She begin cough loud, her eyes dey water. The white powder dey spread for her lips, she dey bend, dey try spit am out. Her cough echo for room, her pride dey scatter small-small.

Aisha start dey cough serious.

She double over, hand dey her chest. Her cough dey dry and sharp, tears dey her eye. She dey try recover, but her body dey weak. The chalk dey make her sound like old engine. She never see this one coming.

As she spit the chalk out, I use my hand cover her mouth.

Before she recover, I jam my palm for her mouth, press am down. Her eyes wide, fear dey show for her face. She dey struggle, but my grip dey strong. She dey try kick, but I hold her steady. My face dey close to her own.

I press her mouth down, remember all the bad things she do me, then, no waste time, I land her one correct blow.

My knuckles hard as stone. I remember every disgrace, every tear. My body move on its own—na hot blow I give her jaw. The sound loud for room. Her head snap back, her hair scatter. For that second, everything pause. I dey pant, chest dey rise.

3

Gbam—

Na heavy thud.

The sound ring for my ear. The blow land true—flesh and bone, pain and anger join. The room quiet, only her whimper dey echo.

All the pain and vex I keep for years, I put am inside that punch.

The force surprise even me. I release all my frustration, my regret, my lost future inside that fist. My veins dey pop, my hand dey shake. I dey feel light, but the anger never finish. I dey ready for anything.

Aisha face turn white. She fold for ground like person wey swallow bitter leaf, fear full her eyes as she dey look me.

She drop for ground, body curl like snail. Her lips dey bleed small, her face pale. Her eyes big, tears dey gather, her hand dey shield her face. She dey tremble, dey look me like say I be spirit. Na that moment, she know say her power no reach here.

I dey shake with anger, dey ask her again and again: "Why you choose me? Why?"

My voice crack, my chest dey burn. I squat down, face close to her ear, dey ask over and over: "Why me, Aisha? Wetin I do you? Why?" My voice loud, my veins dey show. She dey sob, she no fit answer. The pain for my heart dey overflow, my hand dey shake.

Her boyfriend na Musa.

Her eye dey dart to the door. She dey hope say Musa go enter. Na him be her backbone, her confidence. I dey see the hope and fear mix for her face. I dey watch every move.

Musa family don donate one million naira give school.

Everybody sabi say Musa papa dey use money control school. Any wahala, principal go sweep under carpet. The school dey bow for their family. That money na their shield.

So school just dey do like say dem no see the two of them dey oppress other students.

Even teachers dey pretend say dem no know. Junior students dey fear to talk, even prefects dey avoid their matter. Everybody dey protect their own job. I dey reason am, my body dey burn.

But wetin I no understand—people like Aisha and Musa, if dem wan beat person, why dem no just do am straight? Why set up this kind wahala for me?

I dey think—if dem want fight, why all this drama? Why dem no just beat person? Why use setup, fake cry, use power ruin person life? My head dey pain. I dey look her, dey expect answer. She just dey sob.

Aisha dey fear my face, she dey shake head, mouth dey tremble, she no even fit talk one complete sentence.

Her lips dey quiver, eyes dey water. She try talk, but only small sound dey come out. She dey shake head, her fear dey real now. She don drop all her pride.

After all, she still be secondary school girl.

Despite all her wahala, she still be small girl. Her voice soft, her tears dey run face. I fit see say she never suffer before. Na privilege dey protect her. For this moment, she be ordinary girl, not school queen.

That punch don scatter all her pride.

Her confidence don disappear. She curl up, her hair cover her face. Her hand dey tremble, her legs dey weak. No more boldness, na fear remain. Her body dey small for floor.

I sure say Aisha sabi something, but she no gree talk truth.

I dey look her, dey wait for answer. I know say she know wetin dey happen. But her lips dey sealed, her fear dey strong. Maybe na shame, maybe na fear. I dey reason her silence, dey wonder wetin dey her mind.

The more I think am, the more my vex dey rise—anger dey burn for my body—

Every second, the anger dey cook like stew. My blood dey boil, my knuckles dey itch. All the injustice, all the years of pain—my head dey turn. I dey try control myself, but e hard. I dey sweat, my jaw dey tight.

Na that time, I hear heavy knock for door.

Suddenly, door shake. The knock loud, like sledgehammer. Fear grip my chest, but I still dey ready.

"Open this door! Come out now!"

The voice loud, rough—na Musa! My heart jump, but my face no show. I dey expect am, my body dey ready.

Na Musa voice be that.

Na so wahala don reach. The bully don arrive, ready for fight. My hand dey curl to fist, my eyes dey sharp. I dey remember all the pain wey he cause me last time. Today, e go different.

As Aisha hear the noise, she gather herself, confidence return: "Ifeanyi, you get mind touch me? I go finish you!" she hiss, face squeeze.

She wipe tears, her face change. Her old confidence dey try return, she dey use Musa presence boost her boldness. Her voice loud again, threat dey her tone. Her eyes flash—she dey look for revenge. She don dey regain her wicked energy.

She grab pencil from ground, try stab my eye.

Quick, she bend, pick pencil. Her hand fast, she swing am towards my face. The look for her eye fierce, like wounded cat. But I dey alert, my sense dey sharp pass before.

But my body dey alert—my sense sharp pass before. I hold her wrist, twist the pencil comot.

My reflexes quick. I grab her wrist, twist am. The pencil drop for floor, roll under desk. I dey grip her tight, her hand dey weak. Her face dey shock—she no expect say I go strong reach this level.

"So you still get mind fight back?"

I hiss, voice cold. "Even now, you still get mind? You never learn?" I dey look her face, the fear dey strong now. I dey ready for anything. The power don shift.

I don pass level of anger.

At this point, no more fear, no more pity. My mind dey like soldier for battle. I dey ready for whatever Musa bring. My hands dey shake, but e no be from fear. Na pure rage.

Next thing—

I brace, ready to release all my anger. The room dey tense, like before thunder go strike.

"Baba Kunle Special!"

I shout the name, my body square. The move na wetin I sabi from Baba Kunle—na street boxing, not just schoolboy slap. My fist dey tight, I dey channel all my pain.

Na move wey I learn from Baba Kunle—correct street boxing, body square, fist dey fly.

Baba Kunle na local champion for my area, na im teach me how to fight for gutter, how to survive for Lagos street. E no be book matter. Fist tight, leg steady, eye clear. Na street, not classroom again.

I begin land blows for Aisha face like say na machine gun.

My knuckle dey pain, but I no stop. For street, you no dey pity enemy. My fist dey move fast—left, right, uppercut. Her cry dey loud, but my anger dey guide me. I dey hit with precision, not just anyhow. The room dey shake with the impact.

"Ah—!"

Aisha scream dey loud.

Her voice high, piercing. The sound fit draw people come, but for my mind, I no dey fear again. The scream dey fuel my anger. Tears dey run her face, blood dey stain her lips.

4

I wan beat her till she tire to shout.

My mind dey hot—I want make her lose all the confidence, all the pride. But her scream dey loud, dey break my focus small. The anger dey struggle with pity inside me.

But the more I beat, the more she dey scream.

Instead of tire, her scream dey gather power, dey spread fear. I dey expect say she go faint, but she just dey shout. The echo dey bounce for wall, my ears dey ring.

The more she scream, the more my vex dey rise, the more I dey hit am hard.

Her shout dey fuel my pain, I dey remember every moment of disgrace. My fist dey land harder, my mind dey blank. The wahala dey escalate—na spiral of pain.

Na so the thing just dey go round.

Anger dey feed fear, fear dey feed shout, shout dey feed my own anger. The room dey turn to warzone. Dust dey rise, my body dey sweat. I dey pant, but I no wan stop.

After small time, Aisha face don change, you no go recognise am.

Her face swell, lips burst, eye dey close. Her hair scatter, uniform stain. She dey sob, her voice hoarse. Nobody fit recognize the school beauty again. Pain full everywhere.

Gbam—

Suddenly, heavy sound for door—like say dem use leg kick am. Door burst open, wood fly scatter. My body tense, I dey ready.

Musa burst the door open, rush enter.

The guy run in, chest dey rise, face red. He dey grip stick, his eyes dey wild. Na serious fight mood. The air tight—tension dey hang for neck.

I grab Aisha hair, slowly turn my head, give am one cold smile: "So you finally show."

My hand dey hold her hair, I turn, eye dey cold like person wey lose everything. My lips form wicked smile. I talk slow, voice deep. The look for Musa face change—small fear dey enter im eye. I dey steady, no panic.

I been think say I go record everything as evidence, later go show the principal, prove my innocence.

For my mind, I dey remember my first life—how I try bring evidence, try reason with principal, dey beg for justice. I plan to use my phone record, show everybody later. But my heart dey heavy.

But when I reason am, for this life, money dey pass truth.

I dey think—who evidence help for Naija? No matter wetin I bring, their money go wash the matter. The school no care about truth. My evidence na waste of time. Power pass justice for this country.

Even if I bring evidence say Aisha and Musa dey bully students, nothing go still happen to dem.

I dey remember how principal sweep matter under carpet, how teachers dey pretend. Even if I carry video, Musa papa go just donate new generator, dem go hail am. My evidence go disappear.

Their family get power, whether dem go school or not, their people go still send dem abroad, arrange their future.

Whether dem pass or fail, their life dey set. Abroad dey wait, big man dey arrange everything. The rest of us dey suffer for ground. My body dey cold from that thought. I know say if I lose this chance, e don finish.

With Musa family power, if I miss this chance, I no sure say I fit get revenge again.

Na only one shot, na only this day. I dey tell myself—if I fail now, na forever pain I go carry. I grip tighter, my jaw dey lock.

Na only one opportunity I get.

This be the only window. No hope for justice, no hope for apology. Na here I go settle my matter. My mind dey clear, my body dey ready.

As I think am, one kind energy just full my body, like say fire catch again.

My blood dey hot, my muscle dey tense. The pain from all those years dey push me. I dey feel like thunder for my veins. I dey stand firm, dey face Musa with all my strength.

"Help me—"

Aisha struggle talk.

Her voice low, weak. She dey cough, blood dey drip from her mouth. She reach hand towards Musa, but her fingers dey tremble. Her cry weak, not like before.

Musa vex, rush me like say he be mad bull.

He no wait, he charge like ram. His face twist with anger, spit dey fly from his mouth. He dey shout, voice hoarse. Na full force he use.

But the guy no strong like that. When he dey bully people, na because of him papa money—others dey fear to fight back.

For street, muscle no dey behind his punch. Na money and mouth he get, not power. I dey see am clear now, no fear again. The guy no be anything without backup.

Musa rush come. I dodge, he no fit stop, he jam desk, gbam, scatter plenty chairs.

I sidestep, let him pass. He no expect am, his speed too much. He jam desk, chair fly scatter. The noise loud, dust rise. He curse under breath, pain dey his face.

I use the chance, jump go front, kick am for back.

I move quick, leg swing, my foot connect him back. The force loud, he stagger forward, almost fall. My chest dey swell, I dey ready for more.

Musa shout, fall for ground. Before he fit stand, I kick am again, this time for yansh.

He land for ground, dey try get up. I kick am sharp for yansh, he yelp like small pikin. The sound sweet me for body. My anger dey cool small, but my eye still dey sharp. I ready for the next round.

Today, no be me go run. If wahala wan show, make e come.