Chapter 4: Awkward Banter and Bottled Feelings

One sharp guy notice me dey hide. “Farouk, you sure say Benin University no be problem for you?”

Halima hear am, her eye shift come my side, like say she dey find gist for my answer. As our eye jam, my heart jump like rabbit for bush. “I never sure yet,” I talk, voice low, fingers dey fidget cup.

The guy just laugh. “Abeg, no form humble. If you no enter Ibadan University, Benin University na sure ticket,” the classmate talk with confidence, dey use hand dey gesticulate.

I just smile, try package: “Thanks, but make I wait for result first.” Inside me, I dey hope make I no fall hand.

I check Halima side, she still dey look me. My heart dey do kpalasa, I just quickly shift eye, dey pretend say I dey concentrate for drink.

After small time, she chuckle, her voice soft. “You no do well for exam?”

I even shock say na me she dey talk to. I look around, no other person. I freeze, point myself. “Na me?”

She smile, shake head. “Who else?”

I look around again—by this time, all the crowd don waka go play games, na only two of us dey for that side now.

I just shy, my leg dey shake. “I manage.”

She frown, serious face. “Na math wahala abi?”

I shock say she sabi my wahala. Maybe na Aisha tell am. I nod. “Na math o. That one almost show me pepper.”

She reason am small, face squeeze like say she dey calculate. “How you estimate your total score?”

I answer, small fear still dey for voice. “I fit manage enter Benin University.”

She look relieved, her face soft, eyes gentle. “Good.” She talk am like say she dey pray for me inside her mind.

After small silence, she ask again, “You get plan for summer?”

I confuse. Today she dey talk plenty. Normally, she no dey yarn me. I even think say she no sabi my name. “I never get plan.” I just smile again, dey behave like say I get everything together.

She nod. “Aisha talk say you get something to do before. I think say you no go show.”

The way the light touch her face, her smile just dey make everywhere warm. As her lips curve up, my heart dey fly, like butterfly for inside bottle. I no fit look away.

“No wahala, I just get small thing to handle. Na why I late,” I stammer, my voice dey tremble like generator wey dey off and on. My palms dey sweat, but I still dey try package.

We look each other small, then both of us look away, dey form shy. The air just dey thick, my heart dey run relay race.

Small silence fill everywhere, only music for background. She talk: “Farouk…”

She never finish, class prefect—Samuel—burst enter with big wahala energy. “Halima, abeg come! This guy still dey argue with me for that question. Help us settle am—my answer correct?”

Before I fit talk, he don carry Halima go, her hand dey drag for back. As she dey waka, she look back at me, eyes soft like say she wan talk something. Then she follow Samuel go front. My heart just dey beat, my mouth dry.