Chapter 4: Boys Wey Sabi

I no too sabi Bashir Danladi, but we don jam for road before.

Somehow, system dey always drag our leg jam for strange places. One time na market, another time na one burial for town, another time for car park. Fate just dey do anyhow.

As I dey chase Tunde Ajibade since I be sixteen, and Bashir Danladi na him close padi.

Dem two be like indomie and egg, always together for school. If you see one, expect the other.

For Makurdi, and with the surname Danladi, you go sabi say the guy get level.

Dem get house for Old GRA, and police for checkpoint dey always greet dem like governor. That family fit get their own table for church, or even special greeting from police for checkpoint.

I no know the kind babe Young Master Bashir dey like, so I just spend the whole weekend for house, dey think about all the times wey I don see am for my past lives.

I even carry small jotter, dey list events. Na so e be when person dey find answer for life.

As I arrange my timelines, I shock say for every life, I still jam Bashir Danladi one way or the other.

I reason say maybe na system dey set am, or maybe na village people dey try change my destiny.

First time we meet, na for the same school.

That school get fence wey high, so only serious pikin dey try jump am. Bashir and Tunde na those wey fit scale that fence just to buy meat pie for break.

I be JSS1, he and Tunde Ajibade dey SS2, for the same class.

I dey still dey form small girl, dey look senior boys from far. Dem be like small celebrities for that our small world.

That time, I just bind with system, Tunde Ajibade na my target.

System dey hype me, say 'Just try, Morayo, you fit win!' But Tunde head dey another place.

I go dey show for their class door almost everyday—sometimes na water I bring, sometimes banana, sometimes the latest comic from the market.

Sometimes my hand go dey shake as I dey give am, but I go still do am. The girls for my class dey gossip me well well.

But Young Master Tunde just dey form. After I don give am things for one term, he no even send me.

E dey behave like say I dey bring sand for him garri. My spirit no break, but sometimes I go cry for hostel.

Na him padi, Bashir Danladi, come tire for the matter, come tap am for shoulder, dey joke:

"Tunde, abeg, this junior fine and dey try. If you no want her, I go collect."

"Hey, junior, why you no leave am, come follow me? Me easy to win o."

I smile shyly. I no fit look Bashir eye that day. Na so everybody for class burst laugh. The matter no even pain Tunde.

...

One day, some bad girls block me outside school, na Bashir Danladi waka pass.

Na that senior boys for block just dey look—nobody wan drag Bashir matter. Na that senior girls wey dey always trouble JSS pikin. My heart nearly jump comot from my chest.

Without talk, he just rush come stand for my front.

"I no dey beat girl o, so make una no force me break my rule."

He sound like old school James Bond. The bad girls just dey eye am.

"Morayo dey under my protection. Anybody wey touch her today go regret am."

I shock. My hand dey shake, but I no talk anything. Na Bashir dey do all the talking.

...

Their leader no sabi am, after she hear him yarn, she just hiss, come call all her uncles and brothers.

Na that hiss get weight. If na ghetto, fight for don burst.

Bashir Danladi roll up him sleeve, as if say na die he wan die today.

I dey look am, the thing dey fear me and sweet me join. At least, person dey fight for my matter.

Me, I just dey shake, no sabi wetin to do, na him he grab my hand:

"Run, Morayo."

The thing dey film me. My heart dey beat, but my leg still move.

That afternoon, me and Bashir Danladi run hand in hand for Old GRA area.

Na film style run o. Slippers nearly comot leg. My heart dey race, but Bashir no look back. E just dey drag me, dey assure me say nothing go happen.

Luck shine for us, we escape.

We hide for one mango tree compound till dem tire. As we dey catch our breath, Bashir just laugh, say, 'You sef! Which kain wahala you dey find?' I just smile, no fit talk.

Before end of term exams, Tunde Ajibade dey go university, so I gather courage, go confess.

Na so I arrange myself, comb hair, borrow my friend powder, wear the best socks. The whole day my mind dey shake.

He reject me sharp sharp.

No sugarcoat, no story. Just look me for eye, talk, 'No.' E pain.

System talk say my strategy fail. First week of holiday, dem diagnose me with sickness.

I just dey weak. Mama dey pray, papa dey look for solution, but body no gree.

The sickness rush me. I no even reach SS3 before I kpai.

Doctors no fit explain. System just dey look me. The end, quick.

System go just flash light for my eye, next thing I dey another body. No time to even say bye to my people.

Second life come quick.

This time, I still be their schoolmate, but na the same grade.

I dey try blend. Sometimes I dey form tomboy, sometimes I dey do gentle girl. System dey advise me make I try new style.

Tunde Ajibade and Bashir Danladi both get sense, enter one of the best three universities for the country.

Them dey carry last for nothing. Na the boys wey get both brain and money.

As usual, na Tunde Ajibade I dey pursue.

Na only his side I dey look. Bashir just dey waka pass.

Even with new body and face, he still bone me.

Na like say the boy dey use one eye dey see spirit. I try everything—no way.

Because he get money, fine and smart, girls full for am for school.

I dey hear gist say girls dey form queue just to greet am. My own, e no reach that level.

As expected, na me dey try pass.

I dey do all the class rep work, dey carry assignment, dey look for any angle to reach am.

First year finish, Tunde Ajibade still dey do as if I no exist.

Na so I dey reason say maybe na my village people dey do me.

I begin lose hope, even dey reason say maybe he no dey send girls.

I dey suspect am. E fit be say him own different.

I wan ask Bashir Danladi, but hear say the two no dey talk again.

Friendship don spoil? Abi na girl wahala? I dey calculate.

Wetin happen? No be besties them be for secondary? Abi boys friendship na wash?

I dey try recall if fight happen, but nobody gree talk.

First long holiday, I go back Makurdi—my second life hometown too.

Makurdi sun dey hot die. As I dey waka for town, dey chop kilishi, my mind just dey remember old school days.

For that my third life, I no even chop nkwobi before system wipe me.

One day, I dey browse bookshop, jam familiar face.

The AC for that shop na heaven sent. As I dey pick novel, I spot Bashir for corner.

I just greet am:

"Bashir."

The way he look up, e be like say he dey calculate who I be. E shock me.

He look up, face confuse.

E look me like person dey try remember last night dream. Like say person forget where him keep money.

I come realize say for this life, he no sabi me.

Na so system go do, wipe memory, start fresh. E pain me.

Even though we dey the same university, we never talk before.

I wan form make the thing no dey awkward, but e still dey strange.

I quick explain:

"Erm, we dey same university. I be Morayo from Mass Comm Department."

My voice low, but e hear me.

He just nod, still dey cold.

Na the kind nod wey person dey give stranger for danfo.

For checkout, one small pikin jam me, my book fall.

My heart skip—hope no spoil. I no wan buy another.

Before I pick am, one hand pick am first.

Na sharp move. As I look up, I see Bashir Danladi hand.

I look up, na Bashir Danladi.

He no give me book immediately, just dey look the comic.

E dey check if na correct title. Maybe him get the book for house already.

I thank am.

I dey smile, hope say conversation go start.

He finally wake up, give me the book, him face look like person wey get wahala for house.

E be like say bill just reach am unexpectedly.

Na only that one time I see Bashir Danladi for my second life.

The thing no go anywhere. My hope die quick.

Not long after, I confess to Tunde Ajibade, fail again, system wipe me.

System go just flash light for my eye, next thing I dey another body. No time to even say bye to my people.

Heartbreak dey hot, but gunshot hotter. The life short.

For mall, one thief shoot me for head.

Na just like film. No time to beg. The end.

Third and fourth life, I dey run into Bashir Danladi more—maybe because him and Tunde Ajibade don settle.

Friendship rekindled. Them dey do things together again. E sweet me small, e make the work harder.

By the fifth attempt, both of them don graduate, return Makurdi, dey work for their papa company.

Na real big boys dem be now. If you see them, you go know say na dem get street.

That night, some rich pikin go camping for Zuma Rock. I follow.

First time for that kind trip. Big money, big matter.

I confess to Tunde Ajibade for cliff.

Na big drama, like telenovela. Everybody dey look.

As I dey wait for answer, he just talk with that him cold voice:

"Morayo, abeg stop dey disgrace yourself. Even if you turn to ashes, I go still sabi you."

E talk am again, like say he dey play tape recorder.

"Make I tell you, even if I jump from here, I no go ever follow you."

My leg weak. I fit faint that moment.

Na like thunder strike me.

The world stand still. My head blank. E pain me as if mosquito bite me for inside heart.

Morayo—na my first life name be that.

So, Tunde Ajibade don dey see me finish since.

I shock. Na then I know say all my disguise na zero work.

For five lives, I just dey do mumu for him front—jump, die, jump, die.

If to say na village, dem for don say na ogbanje level. My own don pass normal.

Or maybe, for him eye, I be like spirit—person wey no dey gree die.

The thing get as e be. I dey fear myself join.

After Tunde Ajibade expose me, I waka go down the mountain.

My leg dey shake. My spirit wan collapse. I just dey count small stones as I waka.

This run don fail be that.

The score na zero. Na only shame remain.

I know say system go soon wipe me, I no just know which kind death go reach me this time.

My body dey on alert. Even cockroach wey pass, I dey suspect.

As I dey wait, my body just dey shake, fear and wahala full my mind.

I dey pray make e no too pain this time. I don tire.

Tunde Ajibade don sabi my matter. Even if I start again, no hope—unless him lose memory.

I dey reason whether to beg system make e help me press reset for Tunde brain. But I know say e no work like that.

Fear catch me, I call system, but e no answer.

Na then, SUV park beside me.

Tyre dust just dey fly. I nearly run, but na only car for road.

Window wind down. Na Bashir Danladi.

He wear plain t-shirt, no smile for face. E look me like say e dey try read my mind.

For fifth life, we no too close, so maybe na just pity make he stop.

Maybe e dey do community service. My face no too familiar reach that level.

"You dey go so early?" he ask.

His voice low, calm, as if he dey talk to him younger sister.

I force myself calm, nod. "Mm."

No need to explain story wey long.

"From here to the bottom na four hours waka. Enter car."

He no even get time for small talk. Me, I dey reason whether to gree.

Honestly, I no wan enter. After five lives, I still no close to Bashir Danladi. Plus, I know say I fit die any moment. If system decide drop meteor while I dey inside him car, I no wan drag am join.

I dey reason say abeg, make my own bad luck no spoil another person life.

E sound funny, but after I don get shot for head before, I believe anything.

For this my life, anything fit happen. One time system wipe me with food poisoning—imagine!

So I talk say I no wan enter.

I use mouth say, 'No need.' I dey form strong, but inside my mind, na fear dey dance azonto.

Bashir Danladi frown, face serious:

He raise brow, mouth straight. That one alone fit make market woman for Wadata keep quiet.

"Just so you know, police dey always get report say single girls dey get wahala for this area."

Na that one burst my brain. I no gree die that kind death. I enter car sharp sharp.

I no wan be breaking news for AIT. I just buckle seatbelt, arrange my bag for lap.