Chapter 2: Bathroom Blues & Rivalry

2

For break between classes—

Halima Yusuf waka come my desk with one kain wicked smile.

"Morayo, na second again? Abi you dey wait make I teach you small?"

The sound of her voice dey loud, make sure everybody hear. She dey shine her teeth like say na White London toothpaste she use. I feel people for back dey already dey whisper, dey try see wetin go happen.

Morayo—na the name my mama give me.

One time I complain say the name dey sound somehow, people fit use am laugh me.

My mama just hiss:

"You think say you too good for the name I give you? Bastard, you kill your papa as you born. I still try name you 'Morayo'. You dey complain?"

Her words dey cut like blade. For my heart, I dey carry this name waka everywhere, as if na signpost for my own wahala. Even for school, dem dey use the name catch cruise.

But na this name make dem drag me enter bathroom plenty times because of Halima Yusuf clique.

Dem go push me near toilet, force my head down:

"No be Morayo you dey call yourself? Oya, check whether this shit dey smell nice!"

The smell of Izal and gutter water dey mix, my eye dey water. And the smile wey Halima Yusuf dey do that time—

Na exactly the one wey dey her face now.

If you see her lips, e curl up small small, eyes dey shine, as if na only her sabi the joke for this life. For inside that bathroom, the smell, the laughter—e dey haunt me sometimes for night. E fit make person hate school.

I look down, no gree look her eye.

"No need, Miss Halima. Your time dey precious. Focus on your own study."

My voice small, but I hold my ground. For my mind, I dey pray make she waka.

"Oh? Morayo, you really care about me o."

Halima Yusuf just dey do like she know everything. She sure say I wan make her read so I fit swap her score. She dey happy, ready to finish me later.

Her body language dey bold, as if nothing for this world fit shake am. For Nigeria school, person wey get money dey always carry shoulder up; Halima no be exception.

"Make I tell you, from tomorrow I no dey come school again. Teachers here too slow. My family hire five correct tutors for me, one-on-one, to clear all my weak points."

"By the time jamb come, the gap between us go big pass before."

She dey form, and the barrage dey hail her:

[Halima too sharp! She talk say she get five tutors to make the supporting character believe say she dey serious, so the girl go try swap score.]

[But true true, our Halima no even dey read—she just dey flex and enjoy her life. At the end, the supporting character go collect nothing.]

[No wahala, as rich babe, Halima fit buy any foreign university offer. Na so leading lady suppose be.]

As expected, after that day, Halima Yusuf no come school again.

Everywhere come quiet small. Some people dey gawk at me, dey wonder if I go still dey pursue first position or if I go just give up.

One day, as the barrage hint me, I waka go one lounge to spy her.

The lounge dey smell of fried suya and cheap perfume. I hide for corner, dey watch. Halima Yusuf dey with some boys wey bleach hair. Dem dey flirt for dark corner, drink, laugh. Before you know, dem kiss, then enter hotel for night groove.

This kind nightlife na normal for people wey get money for this city, but for me, na another world. I just dey observe from corner. I no talk anything. All of us don grow, everybody get their own life.

As for me, I still dey wear my big school uniform and thick glasses, dey do my own thing.

My uniform na hand-me-down, ironed until e almost tear. My glasses dey fog sometimes when heat catch me for Okada. But I no mind. Na my own way of waka.

No Halima Yusuf to disturb me, I get more time to read. But I know her spies still full class, so for public, I dey act like I no send—leave class early, then go hide for empty classroom to read.

I dey always watch my back, dey hide my book for bag. Because for Naija, if dem see say you dey too serious, some people go just find way to disturb your peace. Since Halima Yusuf wan act, I go join the play.

I really wan see—

When Halima Yusuf see say the scores no swap, how her face go be?