Chapter 7: Cold War

Yemisi begin cold war with me.

If we jam for corridor, she go twist face, act like say breeze just pass. Anytime she see me, she go turn face, like say I no exist.

She dey always do like that. Anytime I offend her, na so she go ignore me until I beg. Small time, her own friends begin follow do like say I get leprosy.

I happy say everywhere calm, focus more on my books. My mind free, my house quiet. I dey chop, sleep, read. The drama reduce.

Soon, first mock exam reach.

I prepare well, I sure for myself. All those midnight reading, coffee and pure water no waste.

After exam, classmates gather dey discuss answers.

Somebody talk, "You hear? Yemisi no write exam. Nobody see her since afternoon. Her class teacher dey find am up and down."

Yemisi na celebrity for school. Even though we no dey same class, her gist dey everywhere.

Once dem mention her, everybody go dey gossip. Some dey pity, some dey happy. I no send, I pack my bag, go house go chop.

Halfway, I see Seyi dey hold Yemisi, dem waka come my front.

She don change—cut her long hair, heavy makeup, even black lipstick.

But she still fine. Even with new look, the shine still dey.

Seyi dey show himself, "She skip exam because of me. You think she go do that for you? Tobi, you be loser."

I no even argue. "Na true, loser."

Seyi face show small shame. "I fit talk anything I like. Wetin concern you? Just remain bookworm—no girl go ever like you."

So he think say all girls be like him?

Yemisi hold am tight, dey talk sweet, "A Seyi, you believe now say na you I love pass? I fit give up anything for you."

"No dey threaten me with breakup again. Without you, I no fit live."

Seyi come dey emotional, hold her hand, kneel down. "Yemisi, na you God give me. Thank you for shining for my life."

I just tire, waka commot. I no get strength for their love movie.

Behind me, dem dey hug, dey kiss, like all those Nollywood drama.

Later, to cover her lie, Yemisi injure her right hand by herself, talk say na fracture make her miss exam.

Yemisi mama dey panic. "How we go do now? Exam dey come, how she go read?"

Yemisi no even care. "Worst case, I go repeat class. No big deal. Mama, I sharp—if I read another year, I go even do better."

Her mama just sigh, beg me, "Tobi, your result dey good. Help Yemisi if you fit."

When mock exam result come out, I dey top ten for my grade.

For my last life, my best result just dey outside top ten. Now, my hard work dey show.

Class teacher look me, nod, talk say I fit shock everybody this year.

Before I talk, Yemisi just shout, "No. I no want make he tutor me."

Her mama shame, try cover up. "Senior year no easy. Tobi, focus on your own."

My mama pity her, her eye red, dey ask if her hand dey pain.

My mama raise her like her own.

Yemisi smile, "Aunty, e no pain at all."

When adults leave, she just hiss, "No think say I dey pity myself. Love fit cover pain—wetin be small injury?"

"You just be bookworm. No dey feel big because my mama praise you."

"No come find me again. I no want Seyi to think anything."

She carry the orange my mama say make I peel for her, throw am for dustbin.

"I no go chop anything from you. Na so you dey make me sick."

I ignore her, still dey happy say I enter top ten.

If not for my mama, I for no even show face.