Chapter 2: Halima Shine Pass Everybody

Halima na the new transfer this semester. She fine well, na dance student.

If to say you see her, you go know say na special pikin. Her skin dey shine like fresh palm oil for morning sun, voice soft like fresh pap.

Her arrival scatter everywhere.

The day wey she enter, even teachers dey smile special. Boys wey never dey talk to girls before, all of dem dey find excuse to near her locker.

That time, girls for class dey talk say Halima na heroine for campus love story: she dey gentle, but na bad boy for school notice am.

Rumour fly pass mosquito, and na so gist full every break time. Some girls dey vex, others dey copy her dance step.

Then the school bully con dey humble for the good girl.

Na the first time I see senior boys respect small girl. One even carry her bag go hostel. Everybody dey use her gist do late-night talk.

Plenty people dey chase Halima that time. Person even joke say na only Brother Musa remain.

All of us just dey count, dey wait, like say na lotto game.

Musa just stretch body, look the person: "She reach?"

E be like say him dey blow own trumpet. The kind pride wey show for him face na only pikin from big house get.

See as him proud that time.

I just roll eye, but for my heart, I dey wish say maybe na play.

Before, I no believe say Musa and Halima dey together, because I never see am with my eye, or hear am talk say him get new babe.

Dem fit dey gist, but for my front, Musa no dey talk love talk. Sometimes, I go wonder if he even like anybody at all.

But now, I understand. Time reach for me to free am, keep distance from Musa.

The pain wey dey chest no be small, but wetin I go do? I no fit fight destiny. Make I just dey my lane.

Before, na me and Musa dey go house together every day. I no even remember when e start, but him always get one excuse make I dey go house first.

Sometimes, na stomach pain, sometimes na extra lesson. I just dey accept, but I sabi say e dey find space.

Truth be say, him fit just tell me. I no go hold am for neck.

Na the truth be that. If you like person, but e like another, make you no dey force yourself put.

After all, me and am never even start anything.

All those hopes na just dream wey dey for my pillow. E never reach mouth talk.

Sunday, we return school. Homework suppose collect for night prep.

The compound dey smell fresh, rain water never dry finish. Everybody dey drag leg go hostel. The smell of akara and burning kerosene from the food vendor dey mix with the noise for corridor.

Musa na stubborn boy. If class prefect ask, him go just say, "I no do am."

Na so e be from junior class. Im voice dey carry weight for school.

Before, Musa dey hear my word.

Once I beg am, him go do assignment sharp. Even teachers sabi say na only me fit calm am down.

Everybody sabi am, so anytime e happen, dem go run come report give me.

Junior boys go rush, "Aunty Ifeoma, talk to Musa, o!" I go just nod, handle am for corner.

Na so e still be now, but dem no even fit see Musa.

Since Halima enter, Musa just dey waka disappear after class. E come be like say me and am no dey the same school again.

Because as class finish, na so him waka go find Halima.

Before bell go ring, e don vanish. Sometimes I go stand for window, dey see him shadow dey waka go hall.

"Ifeoma, Musa no do him homework again o, nobody sabi where him dey. You..."

Small junior dey stand for front of me, book for hand.

"Just submit am give teacher," I smile shake head. "From today, if him no do him homework, no dey tell me again."

The junior look me like say I get horn. E pain me small, but I gats do am.

As dem hear am, dem just nod. After all, the rumour say Musa get girlfriend na true.

Word don spread for hostel. Girls dey whisper, boys dey use am joke for field.

See as I talk, dem believe am more.

Na so talk dey sweet people ear. E dey pain, but na truth.

After class start, I bend head dey solve test paper.

My biro dey sweat, but I gats focus. Make I no let wetin dey my mind scatter my score.

Before Halima enter, I dey plan to follow Musa go Makurdi.

We dey always gist about university, future plan. E be like say na dream wey I no fit get again.

Now, I must work hard by myself, make I enter Makurdi University, chase my dream.

E pain me, but I gats do my own. Life no dey wait for anybody.

Musa no show for night prep at all. Teacher for front just dey frown, dey ask where Musa dey.

People dey whisper for back, some dey look my side. I just focus my face for book.

Everybody for class dey look me, but I no even raise head.

I press my pen for paper, dey count time. E be like say all eye dey my back.

Second period, na then Musa finally waka come from outside.

Him shirt rough, tie hang like old dog chain. Him just slip inside, try hide.

Him sit down quietly, until one classmate tell am say form master dey find am for office.

The boy wey sabi gossip just dey point Musa, dey talk low.

Na that time him stand. As him waka pass me, him pause small.

E be like say him wan talk, but as I no look up, he just shift leg.

I no look up, because I dey battle last maths question. Every time, na only first part I dey fit do, second part my head go blank.

Na this particular question dey worry me since. As I dey struggle, I dey hear Musa shoes drag ground.

As I finish, my seatmate just lean come, dey ask me small small about me and Musa.

She lower voice like say gist go disappear. Her ear dey sharp.

"Nothing dey."

I answer quick, no wan let story fly.

"True? But before, if Musa no do homework or skip night class, na you dey worry pass everybody."

She no dey believe, but wetin concern me?

My seatmate no gree believe. I just blank for small, then tell am, "That one na before. From now, I no dey worry about am again."

Her face soft, she dey pity me small. Na only her sabi the pain for my eye.

"Ah." She cover mouth surprise. "So, na true say Musa girlfriend na Halima..."

E shock her. I fit see am for her face. School wahala dey sweet for mouth.

I just drop eye, no talk again.

The weight heavy for chest, but I no fit cry.

After bell ring for second prep, Musa waka enter class slowly.

Him step dey slow, like person wey carry problem for head. Nobody talk to am.

After small time, I see note: "You go first after school."

The paper na small, handwriting rush. My hand shake as I collect am.

I just pack the note, continue my work.

I press the note inside my book, like say if I press am, story go end.

Classroom dey always crowded and noisy after school. I still dey my seat dey pack my things.

Na so boys dey throw bag, girls dey laugh. But my own head dey empty.

Suddenly, everywhere quiet. My seatmate cover mouth, dey look one side. I follow her eye.

E be like say wind just blow enter, because everybody stop to talk.

For door, na Halima stand. She just tilt head, signal Musa, then waka go.

Her shoe dey click for ground, e echo for my ear. She just sharp like that.

I no fit hold myself, I look Musa side, see am just smile small, then follow her waka.

That smile no reach eye, but e clear say e dey happy for her side.

Na so classroom burst with gist.

Gist just explode. Everybody dey talk, dey look my side. I just bone face.

"E shock me, na true o."

"Na so. This one no be play."

"Before, I think say Musa and Ifeoma match well: bad boy and bookworm. But now, bad boy and dancer fit pass."

Some girls dey nod, others dey dey form pity.

"Abeg, you too dey talk. But I be the only one wey feel say Ifeoma dey pity?"

"E pain her, I sure."

"Dem grow together o."

"Since primary three! Na wa."

"As e be, childhood friend no fit reach the one wey fall from sky."

Na so dem dey say am for Nigeria. Sometimes, e be like say who get old key no fit open new door.

My seatmate bite lip, wan console me. I just carry my bag, my heart dey pain me, but I still force smile, hold my tears.

She hold my hand small, squeeze am. "Ifeoma, no worry. E go better."

I no fit let anybody see say I dey sad, else from tomorrow, na my matter dem go dey use do gist.

If I cry, dem go carry am reach hostel, before morning all school go know.

"I dey alright. Me and Musa na just friends. I dey go, see you tomorrow."

I adjust my bag, try smile. Even my voice dey shake small.

She still look me, wave: "See you tomorrow. Make you dey careful."

She dey look me with concern, her eye dey follow me as I waka. True friend dey rare for this life.

As I waka comot from the noisy compound, I grip my bag strap tight, bite my teeth.

I no wan let voice shake. For under school almond tree, I stop, wipe tears quick. Harmattan breeze dey slap my face, but e no cold pass the one wey dey my chest.

But tears just dey drop anyhow. My chest just dey tight, pain me sotay I no fit breathe well.

My heart dey drum for my chest like Igbo talking drum. I wish say time fit rewind.

How e take happen say him just start like another person?

I ask God for my mind, na so life dey be? Na so friendship dey end?

My eye dey blur, but for my ear, na Musa sharp proud voice dey ring:

I fit remember all the time him dey form strong head, dey promise say e go protect me.

"Young Master Musa fit do anything. Ifeoma na person I go protect forever."

That memory dey sharp, dey cut me like blade for tongue.