Chapter 5: Teacher Palava and Burnt Bridges

To scatter my reading, Olamide first dey talk for class to distract me, then e go hide my notes and test paper.

Na so e dey always do—find small thing to do so I no fit concentrate. E sabi all my weak point. I for vex, but I just dey observe.

Because I no see my test paper, teacher give me serious warning. After class, na so Olamide pull my maths test from him desk pocket, dey do like say nothing happen.

You know that kind fake innocence wey boys dey do when dem do bad thing? Olamide na master for am. E just smile like say e no know anything.

"Oh, I forget to return am after I copy finish."

E voice too casual. I just dey look am. If to say e be small pikin, e for collect knock for head.

E just push am for my hand, still dey form.

Na so e push the paper give me, then try hide smile for corner mouth.

"Sade, na just play I dey play. You no vex, abi?"

You know as Naija people dey take play pass their boundary, then go dey expect you go smile join. Na so Olamide dey form comedian.

I no answer am.

Silence be my reply. If I talk now, dem go say I dey overreact.

At this point, this one don pass play.

E don too much. If I dey count all the time e don use me play, e go reach full exercise book.

During break, I waka go staff room.

I waka jejely, no talk to anybody. My mind don set, I must complain today.

I tell class teacher in a soft way say I no wan sit with Olamide again.

I even add small 'sir' join the end, make e no be like say I dey rude. I use my best gentle voice.

Class teacher raise cup of Lipton, the smell of ginger and milk fill the air. Sip him Lipton, spit the leaf back inside flask, come look me with one kind face.

The way e sip that tea, you go think say e dey judge national case. E pause, look me for eye, then shift glasses for nose.

"Sade, the reason why I put you and Olamide together na because your good grades fit help am. Now wey e result dey improve small, you wan run?"

"And since you two start to dey sit together, e never fight like before."

"You no fit dey selfish just because you sabi book, you hear?"

Na so e talk am like principal wey dey judge stubborn student. You know our teachers no dey ever want change seat arrangement unless dem catch person red-handed.

So change of seat no dey possible. Before I comot, e still dey complain give the next teacher.

I hear am dey gist Mrs. Onwudiwe for Yoruba: "That Sade, na book dey her mind. E no dey like to mix with people."

"I no too like to dey teach class wey get too many girls. Drama too much."

Na true e talk sha. This our class, drama dey everywhere.

Next class na homeroom. As teacher enter, e just shoot me one kain cold look.

E no even talk, just use eye pass message. If to say eye fit slap, my own for pain.

E talk with meaning, "Some people no suppose dey look down on others just because dem sabi book."

I just dey count ceiling, dey pray make time fast go. Na me dem dey shade for that statement, but wetin I go do?

Inside my mind, I just dey beg God make dem free me from all this school drama.

Class just dey buzz. Olamide drop him eye, e look at me no clear.

Everybody dey do small small whisper. Olamide just dey fiddle with biro. E no get mind look me.

E hiss, "Sade, you too dry abeg."

"Na only book dey your head?"

E voice low, but e make sure I hear am. Small snicker dey for corner, some girls dey giggle.

Me and Olamide grow up together—na that normal childhood friends story. I be the pikin other parents dey use as example, na me be enemy of all the children for our area. Olamide na my only padi, always stand by me, dey tell everybody,

Even for compound, if I pass, mama Titi go tell her children, "See am, na Sade be example. You, na so so phone you sabi press!" Olamide na the only person wey no dey jealous.

"Sade too smart and dey try, na why she dey carry first."

But now, e no dey reason like that again.

I no know wetin change, maybe na secondary school wahala or na Halima matter. Olamide no just dey the same again.

As bell ring, Olamide waka go Halima desk, bend down dey talk, make her laugh anyhow.

I see as Halima dey blush, dey adjust her hijab. E pain me small, but I just bone face. I no fit come dey fight babe for guy matter.

I no send, I just carry my bag, comot.

Na so I waka reach gate, nobody greet me, nobody call my name. Breeze just dey blow, I just dey think about test wey dey next week.

Since the day Olamide leave me wait for school gate for one hour because e dey follow Halima go house, I no dey go house with am again.

That day, sun nearly finish me. I stand like signpost, dey wait, dey call am. No show. I gree for myself—no more waiting for anybody.

Olamide choose to protect Halima as friend, me I just remain the cold-faced bookworm for everybody eye.

Na so school people begin yarn say Sade dey form, Sade dey proud. Dem no know say na just wahala I dey avoid.

When Olamide enter fight again and dem call him parents, I dey staff room dey help maths teacher mark papers.

Even maths teacher dey joke, "Sade, if you continue like this, na you go replace me soon." I just smile, mark papers, dey focus.

Story be say: one boy from another class dey disturb Halima. Olamide no fit take am, e fight.

The way dem dey fight, you go think say na Nollywood scene. I hear say Olamide punch the boy well, dem even tear shirt join.

Uncle Adekunle dey promise class teacher say e no go happen again, before e comot, e look me wey dey mark paper, sigh,

Uncle Adekunle get that deep Yoruba sigh wey get meaning. Na silent way to talk 'I wish my son get sense like you.'

"If only you fit be like Sade."

I no talk. After I finish, I see Olamide dey laugh with him friends outside.

From window, I see dem dey run joke. Boys just dey push each other, dey play ball with bottle cover. I just dey watch, dey remember when we small.

As e see me, him guys dey use elbow push am, dey tease.

All those area boys, na so dem dey do. Once dem spot something wey fit use catch cruise, dem go run with am.

"Olamide, you no fear say your childhood sweetheart go vex if you dey waka with us?"

One person even use my voice form:

I hear am, e try match my 'cold' voice but e no fit. Everybody laugh.

"Olamide, you no fit focus on your studies?"

Olamide just cut dem, hiss, "Who she be to dey control me?"

"Abeg, Sade too dry. Na only book dey her mind."

I just smile for myself. Wetin concern conductor wey dey argue with danfo driver for Oshodi?

E just stretch body, talk anyhow.

"Youth na to enjoy life."

Boys begin hail am, some dey slap back, dey shout, "Correct guy!"

I no stop, just dey go.

No time to dey argue with person wey no want listen.

Me and Olamide don dey waka different road since.

My lane clean, no dust, no wahala. I no dey look back.

For back, I hear as Olamide dey panic small.

The way e dey talk, you go know say e still dey fear small, but e go still do as e like.

"Chei."

"Why nobody tell me say Sade dey come out?"

"E no matter, if she hear, she hear."

"Wetin, she go chop me?"

Dem laugh join am. I just dey go my way. No wahala.