Chapter 5: The Accusation

5

Form mistress wan commot, na so she kick something.

She look down, see three wallets.

One pink, one brown, one get cartoon sticker—clear say no be the same person own.

She pick the wallets, her face change, she shout, “Na you thief am? Your seatmate talk say you dey steal. So na your way be this?”

Just like that, she judge me. I remember as my mama talk, "Dem go always blame who dem no like."

I ball my fists, manage no hit her—make I save am for later—then I talk, “Na Rashidat own dem fall from. She dey collect from junior students. You no know?”

“Nonsense!”

She no hear me. “Rashidat fit no be angel, but she no fit do this kind thing.”

She point finger for my face, dey spit, “You be man, you no fit accept your crime?”

I just laugh. “No wahala, I thief am. Later, make the owners come identify me.”

“Good, you don confess.”

She don get wetin she want, carry the wallets, talk, “I go bring the owners come see you. Make the whole school see how thief be.”

She waka commot.

Me, I no shake—na now I dey hope make she rush put me for stage.

The place wey I fear pass before, na im I dey rush now.

Every insult, every wicked eye—I remember all.

Today, I go pay dem back times hundred.

As she dey waka commot, I fit smell her perfume—one cheap vanilla wey dey try cover up fear. My fists still dey tight, but I release am, remember wetin my mama dey talk: "No fight person wey dey blind for anger. E go disgrace demself." My mind dey replay her accusation like broken cassette, but e dey sweet me, because I know say today, the story go change.