Chapter 5: Food, Friendship, and Small Beginnings

For canteen table, four food and soup dey: ofada rice with designer stew, moin-moin with crayfish, fried dodo, and catfish pepper soup.

As dem dey serve us, all the aroma dey mix for air. Na real party for mouth.

No wonder dem say na the best school for Palm Grove—their food na correct.

Even people from home dey talk am. Once pikin enter here, dem go fat.

I scratch my head again. "Chai, I order too much."

The food full tray, pass wetin two girls fit finish. I dey fear make dem no talk say I dey waste money.

"I no like waste food. You never chop, abi? Make we chop together."

I use gentle voice talk am, make she no feel say na pity.

Halima Sanni quiet for small time, then finally carry spoon begin chop small small.

She still dey guard herself, but hunger no dey hide for her face.

I look her wrist wey dey show from her sleeve—thin like stick.

My heart pinch. Poverty dey show for skin, no need prophet to explain.

Truth be say, na girls like prefect really need help. But because dem no fine, dem no dey cry for help, dem just be like grass for our memory, nobody even see dem as main character for any love story.

Society no dey remember people like her. Na only when dem disappear people go notice say something dey miss.

This life, I wan help myself and help her join.

My mind strong, I no wan waste this second chance. I go make sure I no let people like Halima waka alone again.

With mind made up, I talk:

I clear throat, act like say na normal talk. "Ah, circle geometry dey hard oh. I no dey understand am at all."

Halima eye flash, e show say she dey sharp.

"Prefect, you sabi book. How you go see am if you tutor me?"

My voice soft, but I dey serious. I dey beg with eye.

Halima Sanni, with one piece of meat for mouth, look me like say, "We reach that level?"

Her brow raise, her lips no move. The meat almost fall from her mouth.

I no give her chance to say no.

Sharp sharp, I use my left hand put my arm for her shoulder, smile: "E don set. I go pay you for the lesson."

She no fit argue. My own na action, no be mouth.