Chapter 5: My Song, My Story

I calm down small, begin use sign language talk the story behind the song. My hand dey move steady, my chest dey release small.

Including my real intention. I sign say I write am for person wey I like, say na my feeling I pour for song.

I no know why, but Musa voice come dey hard as he dey interpret this part. Like say something dey bite am for chest.

E be like him no too like wetin I talk. Maybe him dey remember when people thief him own song before.

I look am, confused, but he just raise eyebrow, tell me make I continue. E nod, like say make I talk my mind finish.

The more Halima hear, the more she dey pale. Her face dey lose colour, hand dey shake small.

People begin believe me, because I dey talk detail: how the original lines be, wetin make me change am. I describe every small detail, even down to the kind beat I use for demo.

But Halima no sabi anything about those changes. E clear for everybody eye.

"So na Aisha really write this song?" One girl whisper for her friend, but I hear am.

"Then na true say Halima thief her song? That one mad o."

"Mad? You dey craze? Na thief she be. Real thief." Another boy hiss, clap hand.

As I finish sign, Musa talk calm: "Aisha want make Halima apologize, return her song, and withdraw from competition."

Halima still dey form stubborn: "I no thief! Na my song!" She wipe eye, voice dey shake, but she still dey claim.

She cry so tey, people begin pity am. Some dey whisper, some dey try console am.

School authorities no fit siddon again: "Since we no fit know who get am, abeg bring una drafts." Dean stand up, face strong, as if him no go take nonsense.

I pull Musa: "Dem dey my hostel. My drafts dey for hostel." My heart dey cut like knife dey slice yam, but I gree to go bring am.

He comfort me: "No wahala, I go follow you go bring am." He pat my back, smile small.

But before Musa fit talk, Tunde hand one stack paper give Halima for side. E come like magic, as if dem plan am.

"Na my drafts be this. When I write this song, the person wey I like—Tunde—dey with me. He fit testify." Halima dey wave paper, face dey proud.

She wave the drafts, I see the handwriting well. My mind shake, because I know my own writing, but na Halima own I dey see.

Na Halima own.

Tunde no gree look me, just dey look Halima for stage. E dey pretend say e no see me.

"Why?" I cry, even though I no fit talk. Tunde understand me. My hand dey sign, my eye dey ask question.

He turn face. E no want see my pain.

I trust am too much. I even show am my draft.

Only one way e fit happen—he snap my draft, give Halima.

Halima thief everything from beginning to end.

This whole plan na set up since.