Chapter 3: How It All Began

Second term, first year, we become classmate because we choose art side.

That year, class shuffle. I move from commercial to art. Na so I see Ifeoma for new class, she dey read literature, head bent. I dey corner dey draw map for geography. Na from there our eye first meet proper.

Art Class 25 just start, first exam, she carry first, all teachers begin notice her.

After first exam, result come out. Ifeoma carry first—everybody surprise. Teachers begin praise her. "Na new star be this!" She just dey shy, dey hide her smile. Some girls dey envy, but most dey respect am. Boys dey form tough, but for mind, dem dey admire.

English teacher, Miss Aina, talk say she resemble her pikin. Small time, she begin treat am like her own daughter.

Miss Aina na slim, fine woman, always dey wear iro and buba with matching head tie. She see Ifeoma one day, touch her cheek, "You resemble my Ada." From that day, na so Ifeoma become her own special pikin for school. Some girls dey jealous, but Ifeoma no send anybody.

Miss Aina don divorce since. Her only pikin travel UK with papa, dem never see since. One day for class, as she dey analyze essay, she cry, talk about her daughter. That day, I see say Miss Aina dey lonely.

The day she cry, everywhere quiet. She try wipe eye, but tears flow. She talk, "Sometimes, na student be family." All of us dey look ground. Na that day I see how school fit swallow person with loneliness. Ifeoma wipe her own tears too, but she still smile, go hug Miss Aina after class.

Ifeoma quiet well, dey talk soft, smile like flower wey never open, teeth no dey show. The one wey funny be say, if person look her well, she go blush quick, like ripe mango.

If you see Ifeoma, you go know say na pure girl. Her laugh dey small, her voice dey gentle. If you praise am, her face go change colour like ripe mango. Sometimes, I go tease her, "If your face red small, na fine sign." She go push me, but her eye go twinkle.

No be say she shy, na so she be. I dey always tease her say her face dey change colour.

I go call am "Miss Tomato Face." She go laugh, but na her own way of show love. Even when she vex, she no dey shout, she just go quiet, look ground. I like that thing.

Coincidentally, na the same way Miss Aina pikin be.

Miss Aina go always say, "My Ada dey like that. Quiet, but strong." She dey praise Ifeoma in front of class, sometimes even dey compare handwriting. Everybody sabi say she get soft spot for Ifeoma.

So, Miss Aina just dey favour her.

Sometimes, test go come, she go mark Ifeoma paper first. If Ifeoma miss class, she go send note go hostel. If person gossip Ifeoma, Miss Aina go defend am sharp sharp. People dey call Ifeoma "teacher's daughter." But na only me sabi say na loneliness join two of them.

At first, we no dey talk. Even after half term, we never talk pass few words face-to-face.

Me and Ifeoma, na just "good morning," "good afternoon," nothing pass there. Sometimes, I go look her from far, dey plan how I go start conversation, but I no get liver. My guys go tease me, "Oya now, talk to am!" I go laugh, hide face.

Na only for class WhatsApp group I add her, sometimes like her post for status.

If she post book quote or poem, I go like am. She go reply small, say "Thanks." Sometimes she go post her picture—no filter, just her real face. I go screenshot, dey keep for my phone. My crush dey grow.

One day, I see her video as she dey skate for the small ice rink in the new mall wey dem just build for Awka—everybody dey craze to try the oyibo skating—I drop comment: “I wan learn, abeg teach me.”

That new mall dey craze everybody—first time wey Awka get ice rink. Ifeoma post video, dey spin slow, smile for camera. I see am, courage catch me. I comment, "I wan learn, abeg teach me." For my mind, I dey pray make she reply.

Who go believe say those four words go tie our life together?

She reply, "Oya now, come try." I shock. For my mind, I dey dance. My guys dey hail me, "O boy, e don set!" That small message open new chapter for my life.

Soon after, na she even ask me if I wan go skate.

She send message, "I go the mall Saturday, you fit come?" My mind blow. I borrow small pocket money, clean my best jeans, polish shoe. That day, na anxiety dey my body from morning till night.

Curious, I follow her go rink. I think say e go easy, but I overrate myself. My pride make me fall tire that day.

For rink, I waka like new goat. Before five minutes, I don fall three times. Ifeoma dey laugh, dey tease me, "No be you talk say you go skate pass me?" I no fit vex, her laugh sweet me. Other small children dey skate pass, I just dey drag myself, dey hope make I no disgrace myself more.

Later, as I dey rest, I watch her skate small.

I sit for rink edge, dey rub my leg, dey watch as she dey float for ice, dress dey fly. She be like vision—no wahala, no struggle, just joy. People dey clap for her. I dey smile, dey feel small pride say na my friend dey shine.

She wear long white dress, dey float for ice, her hair dey fly—she be like angel for my eye.

She spin, her hair dey move like palm frond for breeze. Light from mall dey shine for her face. Na that moment I know say my own don finish. I dey look, I dey wish make time freeze.

Suddenly, one line enter my mind: “Still as flower for water, moving like palm leaf for wind.”

I scribble the line for my jotter. My mind dey race. Na poetry dey enter my head. I dey smile like mumu. I dey imagine myself dey write am for love letter.

E fit her well.

If person see her that day, no fit forget. She soft, pure, bright. If I try draw her for book, I no fit capture the real beauty. That line dey ring for my mind till today.

Strange feeling just dey grow for my heart.

My heart dey beat. Na first time I feel love for chest—real, heavy, scary. I no fit talk am. I dey fear, but I dey happy.

She come over, stretch hand, say make we skate round together.

She waka come, stretch hand. Her face dey serious, but her eye dey play. "You go try again?" she ask. I wan say no, but I see her hand. I swallow fear, stand up, grip am.

I fear, shake head. She smile, tease me: “No fear, I go protect you.”

She pull me small. "I go protect you," she talk, smile wide. My mind dey race, but her voice dey calm me. Na she guide me, one small step at a time. I dey stumble, but her hand strong.

Who know say this quiet girl get playful side?

She dey tease me, dey laugh, even do small dance for ice. If I nearly fall, she go catch me, say, "Ah, bros, hold body!" I never know say na her way of show love be that.

I no fit say no, I follow her, stand up.

I look ground, but she pull me up. People dey watch, but I no send. Na her smile dey give me ginger.

Maybe na my mind dey deceive me, but na first time I ever hold babe hand.

Her palm dey soft, but strong. My heart dey beat like talking drum. For my mind, I dey hope say she dey feel am too.

As we dey skate, I dey careful, dey fear make I no fall carry her join.

My leg dey shake, but I dey try pretend. If I move slow, she go laugh, "No fear, I dey here." I dey pray say make we just reach finish line.

But na wetin you dey fear dey happen. Somebody skate come our side with speed. I panic, lose balance, my skate jam her own.

One small pikin rush, jam us. I lose guard, Ifeoma too. Na so we land for ground, her body fall on top me. Crowd dey shout, "Sorry! Sorry!" But I dey blush, dey smile.

Just like film, she fall land for my body.

For my mind, e be like love film for TV. Her face close, I dey smell her cream, her hair dey touch my cheek. She look me, laugh. "See as you fall carry me!" My heart dey fly.

I no know if na so people dey fall for rink, but my small boy heart dey beat anyhow.

Blood dey rush for my ear. My hand no wan let go. I dey pray make time slow down. Na one small joy dey fill me.

Her face near me, I dey smell her hair, even her breath dey sweet.

I fit remember, her hair smell like coconut oil. Her breath fresh, as if she just chop mint sweet. I dey look her eye, she dey look my mouth. My mind dey play film.

Ah, teenage boy heart!

My chest dey dance skelewu. If anybody see my face, dem go know say love don catch me. Na only God save me say nobody dey hear my mind that day.

Her face change small, but she no mind.

She just smile, wipe ice from her cheek, talk, "No worry, na part of learning." Her confidence surprise me. I dey fall more in love.

After skate, time reach to chop. I ask if she go eat with me.

I clear throat, ask, "You go eat?" She nod, say, "I dey hungry die." Na so we waka go food court, find small corner, order jollof rice and moi-moi. I dey happy say she gree sit with me.

She gree sharp sharp.

She no even think am. Na fast yes. Her face dey shine. My own confidence boost. I order extra Fanta, dey hope she go like am.

First time we chop together, both of us quiet, but e sweet, no awkwardness.

We just dey eat, dey smile. No too much talk, but no tension. Sometimes, I go catch her dey look me. I go look away, dey blush.

She no dey eat egg yolk, ask if I want am.

She push egg yolk to corner, ask, "You like egg yolk?" I nod, dey smile. She pass am with fork, dey watch if I go take.

I nod, collect.

I dey try form cool, but my hand dey shake. I collect am, dey hope say she no go notice.

She scoop am, put for my mouth.

She scoop small, stretch hand, put for my mouth. My face dey hot, I dey laugh, but I open mouth. For my mind, e be like love scene.

She laugh, say, "If you like, na baby you be."

I reply, "As long as na you dey feed me." Her laugh open like flower.

Her teeth flash, her eye dey shine. She laugh reach belly, people for next table dey look, dey smile. That moment, I know say my own love strong.

“If you like make you think so.”

Na so she talk, dey smile. I fit remember the way her lips bend, the way her laugh sweet me that day.

From that moment, na so I fall finish.

My own spirit just fall like ripe mango. Na from there love grow deep. Every time I see her after, my heart dey skip beat.

After food, I say make we walk for park. She gree.

I ask, "Make we stroll?" She gree, carry her bag. We waka go small park near mall, under streetlight. My mind dey dance.

Night park quiet, breeze dey blow. Under yellow streetlight, our shadow long, hand hold hand naturally.

Breeze dey soft, our shadow dey follow us. We no talk much, just dey enjoy silence. Her hand for my own, soft and warm. I dey pray make night no end.

Park no big, we waka round and round, as if we dey thief time from fate.

We waka round, pass same place five times. Nobody complain. For my mind, na memory we dey build. I no wan make time finish. Streetlight dey shine, breeze dey blow leaf for ground. E just dey perfect.

After we return, I wan confess.

We sit for park bench. I dey look her eye, dey plan how I go talk. My mouth dey dry, heart dey race. But I no get mind. I just dey smile like mumu, dey hope say she understand.

But I feel say e too fast. I struggle all night, sleep no come.

That night, for bed, I dey toss, dey turn. My mind dey replay every moment. I dey wish say I talk my mind. I dey hope say next time, I go fit confess. Sleep no come till cock crow.

Back to school, we act like stranger. Nobody notice anything.

Monday morning, bell ring, we enter class. Me and Ifeoma just dey act like nothing. People no sabi say we don share sweet moment. I go look her, she go look book. Na only we sabi wetin dey our mind.

Nobody go believe say two people wey no dey talk don share sweet memory.

If you see us for class, you no go suspect. We dey move silent. Even my guys no sabi. Our own joy dey coded, dey hide for inside heart.

Two weeks later, I no fit hold again. After plenty think, I send her text:

That night, courage catch me. I open WhatsApp, write poem for her. I dey shake, but I send am. Na my own way of talk true heart.

[Na you make me believe

say love no need time to grow

na just two soul wey meet again after long break

Before we meet

we don cross path many times]

I dey hope say she go understand. I no fit sleep. I dey count each second, dey wait her reply.

I wait tire.

My phone dey my hand, I dey look screen. Sleep dey run from me. My mind dey pray, "Make she reply, abeg."

Finally, phone light up.

I jump, open message. My heart dey beat. I dey fear, but hope dey grow.

She reply:

[Inside billions of years

our life na just small moment

But even so

my years fit still long and sweet because of you]

As I read her reply, my spirit fly. Her own words dey enter bone. I know say na real love I find.

Na so we start—quietly, like say na destiny.

From that night, love blossom. We dey message each other, dey smile for class, dey share small glance. Nobody sabi. Our own world dey grow, small small.

We dey watch film for weekend, paddle boat, go bookshop dey drink malt and read, go sea wall dey hear wind, dey wait moon, climb hill dey see flower, chase cloud for rooftop, play with fish for river side.

We dey waka everywhere for Awka. We dey buy malt for bookshop, dey read poetry. We dey go river, dey chase fish, dey play for water. Sometimes, we go rooftop, dey count stars. Other times, we go hill, dey look city light. Joy dey full every weekend.

First love happiness just dey full our ordinary days.

My own heart dey bounce, dey sing. Small things dey sweet us. Rain, sun, breeze—everything dey feel new. Even food dey taste better. Na joy everywhere.

Soon, our story spread. I dey happy, think say people go bless us, but na bad belle full everywhere.

Small time, class begin notice. People dey whisper, dey look us. I dey hope say people go wish us well, but na another matter I see. Bad eye full ground. My own happiness begin dey crack.

E happen after PE, as we dey go mama put together.

One afternoon after PE, I tear trouser small, but I no send. I tell Ifeoma, "Make you queue, I go find seat." She gree, we dey laugh, dey joke. I think say na normal thing.

I tell her low: “Babe, just now for ball, something happen…”

I lower voice, say, "My trouser tear for field. I no wan stand for queue." She burst laugh. Her laugh scatter everywhere. I dey form tough, but I dey shy.

She look me: “Wetin happen?”

She look me, eye wide, dey expect gist. I dey form seriousness, but my mind dey dance.

I scratch head, yarn: “My trouser tear.”

I scratch my head, dey talk low. She laugh, "No vex, I go help you." I dey grateful, but e dey funny.

She shock small, then laugh scatter.

Her laugh loud, other students dey look. I dey smile, dey wish make ground open swallow me. But her laugh dey warm, e dey sweet.

I tell her make she stop, say, “Abeg, make we chop first, I no wan make you hungry. I go find seat, you go queue today.”

She nod, dey go queue, dey wave hand. I siddon for small table, dey wait. I dey pray say nobody go notice my torn trouser. My own wahala just dey my mind.

She gree, dey happy.

She dey happy to help. Her mood no spoil. I dey thank God say I get person like her.

But that small thing—

Na from there wahala start. Before evening, story don spread.

Spread for class, everybody hear.

Rumour waka fast—before night, everybody dey talk, "You see that boy? He make babe queue for am!"

“He no be real man, dey make babe queue for food while he just siddon…”

"E weak, na Ifeoma dey carry am! Which kind love be that?"

“You hear? That guy for our class na bad guy, dey bully Ifeoma, dey make her copy homework, dey wash lunchbox…”

Story twist, dem talk say I dey use Ifeoma, dey make her do everything. Some go say, "He dey wash her bottle!" Na so gist dey grow wings.

“See, I hear say the guy na single mama pikin, him head no correct…”

Na so dem dig my family. Dem say, "Single mother, him papa no send." E pain me, but I no fit talk.

“I check am, him papa run leave family, go start new one for another place…”

Dem dey add salt. "Na broken home, e dey show for him character." My chest dey tight. My pride dey wound.

“I hear say for junior school, he chase one girl, wan do something, girl no gree, he slap her, then transfer come here…”

Dem add more lie. Dem talk say I dey violent, say I get bad record. People dey believe. Nobody ask me my side.

Rumour full everywhere, all of them dey twist.

Before two days, whole class don hear. Teachers dey suspect me, classmates dey avoid me. Ifeoma try defend, but dem twist am say she dey suffer for my hand.

Na so I become target.

If I enter class, na eyes go follow me. Some boys go block my way, dey whisper, dey laugh. Some girls go hiss. Even small pikin dey call me bad name for corridor. My spirit dey die small small.

Some boys dey call me "mumu boy", some girls dey whisper, "Na houseboy level." I still remember, one day as I dey waka with Ifeoma for school road, we jam some classmates.

We dey waka, dey talk. Suddenly, three boys block us, dey laugh, dey form hard guy. Ifeoma try dodge, but dem no let us pass.

Dem no hide their bad mouth: “Ifeoma, with your fine level, how you end up with this kind frog?”

One shout, "Ah, Ifeoma! Na frog you dey date? You for find better guy!" Dem dey laugh, slap each other. Ifeoma face change, but she no talk. My own heart dey break.

Even now, years pass, that talk still dey pain me.

Anytime I remember, my chest go tight. That insult still dey ring for my ear. Some words dey cut deep, no matter how time waka.

Many teachers believe the gist, begin dislike me.

Even teachers join. Some begin mark my script hard, dey find fault for my work. If I talk for class, dem go hush me, "You, keep quiet." My confidence drop, I begin fear teacher pass cane.

My pride no let me defend myself.

I no talk. My mouth heavy. I dey hope say truth go show one day. But silence dey kill me more. I just dey swallow pain, dey carry am everywhere.

From then, I just withdraw, dey waka like smoke for cloud.

I dey move slow, no dey talk, dey hide for library or sick bay. My friends notice, but nobody fit pull me out. My own joy dey fade like old photograph.

Na that time my rival start, dey bring Ifeoma breakfast, dey follow her go hostel, no shame.

Chukwudi begin dey overdo. Early morning, he go buy akara, give Ifeoma for class. He go help her carry bag, dey escort am everywhere. Even hostel matron dey notice. "This boy dey serious!" she go say.

He dey try collect her from me.

Na clear challenge. He dey try win her with action, with kindness, with book. Me, I no fit match am. My spirit no gree.

Ifeoma no sabi say no.

She dey smile, dey thank am, but she no see say e get intention. My own pain dey grow, but I dey pretend say e no concern me.

The guy push harder, get support from teachers and classmates.

All teachers dey praise am. Classmates dey encourage. Ifeoma dey act blind. Me, I dey fade more. My confidence don drown.

Na so he just become the person wey dey always beside her.

If Ifeoma dey waka, na him dey there. If she dey talk, na him dey answer. Even for group work, dem dey pair together. Na so e just enter, I dey outside.

As I remember all this, and the way e be now, tears nearly drop.

I dey hostel, dey write this for my diary. My eye red, my hand dey shake. Ifeoma na my happiness, but now na pain dey fill space. I no know how to heal.

Soon, New Yam Festival reach.

New Yam Festival—everybody dey happy. School dey decorate, parents dey bring food, masquerade dey dance skelewu, drummers dey beat talking drum, old women dey sell roasted corn and ube for field. Na event wey dey unite town. I and Ifeoma plan to waka together, see boat race, enjoy.

We plan to go river watch boat race, meet for Peace Bridge by the old pavilion.

Na secret spot. Peace Bridge old, paint dey peel, river dey calm. Na there lovebirds dey waka. We agree, "10am, sharp. No delay."

She reach early. At first, I no understand why she waka go early.

I dey rush, dey hope say I no go late. I dey imagine our first laugh, our memory, how we go snap picture by river. I dey hope say the day go sweet us.

Na when I reach, I see say my rival don "beat me reach there".

As I waka reach, I see Ifeoma and Chukwudi dey stand together for bridge, dey gist, dey laugh. My heart sink. I dey wonder, "How e take know?"

He hear about our date as he dey gist with Ifeoma, he ask, “I fit follow una? Make una two enjoy, I go help snap picture.”

Later, I hear say as Ifeoma dey talk with Chukwudi for hostel, e overhear our plan. Na so e just ask, "I fit join? Make I help snap picture for una." Ifeoma no fit say no. Na her way.

Ifeoma no fit say no. She gree.

She smile, say, "Okay, e good." For her, na nothing. For me, e mean plenty. My joy dey scatter small small.

No be only that, she even gree go chop breakfast with am early.

Before I reach, dem don chop breakfast together—akamu and akara. People dey hail them for canteen, dey snap picture. My own mood don spoil before I reach.

As I reach, two of them dey gist, dey laugh, forget me. Na me be the extra.

I stand for back, dey fake smile, dey nod to their joke. Sometimes, Chukwudi go hand phone give me, say, "Oya, snap us." Ifeoma go smile, no see say I dey sad. My mind dey break, but I dey hide am.

Truth be say, that day na pure disgrace. I just dey follow dem back, because last last, na me dey snap picture for dem.

As sun dey hot, as boat dey race, as people dey sing, na me dey snap memory for two people wey dey collect my own joy. I dey watch as Ifeoma dey smile with Chukwudi, as dem dey talk, dey laugh. My own pain full basket. That day, I know say heartbreak fit heavy pass block for person chest. But I never know say the real wahala still dey front.