Chapter 7: The Last Temptation

Next day during break, Morayo waka enter our class, still wear white shirt and short skirt.

Her walk get confidence, her head dey high. Boys dey whisper, girls dey hiss. The air for class dey tense.

As she enter, all the boys dey look her anyhow.

Dem dey bite finger, dey look leg. Some dey adjust seat, others dey hide face, dey peep.

But this time, she dey raise head, as if she dey enjoy the attention.

She dey smile, her eye dey shine. She fit wave at one boy, wink at another.

Morayo come meet me. As she see say I dey do English reading, she bend come close from back.

Her perfume enter my nose, her hair touch my cheek. I pretend say I no see her.

She near me, dey praise me, "Hmm, you don improve well."

Her voice low, sweet like honey. Some girls dey eye her, some dey tap table.

Her hand touch my shoulder soft, but me no be that small boy again.

I no dey shake, I just dey read, dey pretend say she no dey near.

My seatmate no dey, so I quickly stand, go sit for him chair, give space.

I pack my books, cross leg, act busy. People dey watch us, dey wait drama.

Morayo open mouth small, look like say she no happy.

Her eye dey ask, "Why you dey run from me?" She try smile, but e weak.

"Na to make am jealous I snap that picture, Ikenna. No vex."

Her voice low, she dey play with my pen. She dey try explain, her voice dey beg.

She hold my wrist, dey form pity, dey blink eye.

Her hand soft, but my body no move. I just dey look her, dey wonder why she no learn.

She sure say I no go blame am.

She dey act like say na my duty to forgive her, because of old time sake.

"I go explain give am. He no go disturb you again."

She dey promise, but her voice no strong. My heart dey cold.

I pull my hand back, nod.

I just dey look her, no word come out.

Na that time she smile, dey tease me, "But you no fit tell my mama about me and Sunkanmi o."

She dey use baby voice, dey try form play. I no talk, I just look her.

As she dey talk, she bend, her breath hot for my ear.

Her lips close to my ear, but I shift. I no want make people think say anything dey.

"As long as you dey listen to me, anything you want, I fit do for you."

She dey whisper, her eye dey sharp. I just sigh, carry my book, stand up. I fit hear boys dey laugh, girls dey hiss. For my mind, I talk say, "This time, e no go work for me again."