Chapter 5: Cafeteria Gist and Campus Teasing

Afternoon, I follow my roommates go cafeteria, send Grandma picture of my jollof rice and chicken.

I arrange the food well, take picture for window side where light go make the thing look like party rice.

"This food too sweet."

I lick my lips, dey think of the pepper and how chicken soft. Food for school get as e be, but today, chef try.

"If I fit add cold zobo join, na heaven be that."

I dey reason the zobo, the type wey dey make mouth red.

Grandma no reply.

She fit dey vex? After all, my best food for house na her own coconut rice and chicken.

Or maybe she dey vex because she think say zobo no good for body?

Sometimes she go warn me say too much cold drink dey run belle.

Four of us dey chop quietly when one cup of chilled zobo just land for my front.

I look up, follow the straw go up.

Na Morayo, wear fitted black dress, still get red ear.

Her face no still smile, but she no gree look my eye. She just dey do like say she no send anybody.

"For you."

She just drop am and waka.

All of us shock.

Nobody talk for two seconds. Na Auwalu first break silence.

Auwalu talk, "She dey feel bad say she too harsh before. Since you delete her, she dey feel guilty."

I tear the bag, poke straw, drink zobo big time. My hand shake small as I collect the cup—who dey dash me zobo for free? Abi she wan set me up?

Even if she buy me exact zobo I dey crave, I no go forgive her just like that.

Na small pikin dey fall anyhow, big boy like me no dey rush forgive—at least make I pose small.

I message Grandma: "If girl wey dey talk to me anyhow now dey apologize, make I forgive am?"

I add: "She fine sha, and I bin get crush on her before."

Grandma reply immediately: "No try am! Plus, if you dey crush, how you get time dey chat with me?"

How that one take relate?

I just dey wonder. Grandma wey always dey tell me make I dey do sharp guy, suddenly dey jealous. E con be like say she wan keep me for herself.

I don tell her before say I like Morayo, she even encourage me make I try.

Grandma just dey act strange these days.

I dey reason say maybe old age dey make her dey do like that, or maybe she just dey play with my mind.

After Morayo waka, my roommates start to hail me. "Oya, Ifedike, you don turn celebrity. Next time, na shawarma she go buy you."