Chapter 1: The Confession and the Bet

I took Amina’s spot as the best student in our year, and the very next day, her childhood friend came to confess to me.

As I dey talk this thing now, e still dey play for my mind how everything just change sharp sharp. That Sani, the kind boy wey girls dey trip for, carry himself come meet me like say I be queen for palace. People for our school even dey look am like gist, dey gossip for corner. People dey corner dey chop puff-puff, dey whisper my name like say na latest Nollywood gist. Na me, Halima, wey nobody dey look two times, Sani choose!

With that fine face wey fit scatter city, he ask me:

His skin dey glow like groundnut oil for market. Smile wey get dimple for one side, and that low cut, fresh like morning dew for Zaria. As Sani stand near me, the air just carry faint scent of rain-soaked earth mixed with suya from the junction. E be like say even the sun pause to look. E just talk, voice calm but sharp like razor:

“Halima, abeg, leave all this book wahala—make we just dey flex small, no vex.”

I know well well say na sweet trap him be, but I still jump enter am with my full chest.

E get as person go just talk to you, your spirit go dey turn body before your mind fit process. Me, I feel say na test, but I ready. Who no wan see wetin dey for the other side?

From that day, I stop to read, stop to dey study, just dey follow am dey do anyhow, forget about sense.

For class, as bell ring, na him I dey follow waka. My exercise book dey gather dust for under locker. Even the small pikin wey dey sell chin-chin for gate notice say I don change. Teachers begin dey call my mama for PTA. But me, I dey enjoy the ride—one kain freedom wey sweet and fear me at the same time.

Na so e be, till the day wey WAEC finish, when he kiss me for the first time—by himself—and ask make I follow am go polytechnic.

Rain fall that day, soak everywhere, but I no even feel the cold. The smell of wet earth dey enter my nose, and from far, person dey roast corn by the road. The kiss dey rush my head like first gulp of cold Fanta after fasting. He hold my hand, voice soft as he dey beg make I join am. "Halima, follow me go poly, abeg."

That time, I clear: na the real reason wey make am dey near me be this.

E just clear for my eye—Sani no dey here for fun. E get mission. Na me be the target, and I don dey answer am since. For my mind, I dey weigh my options.

But this time, I just raise my University of Ibadan admission letter for him to see.

I raise the paper like say I dey show WAEC result for compound, my chest dey rise like person wey just win scholarship. Paper still fresh, ink never even dry well. I look am eye to eye, the sun wey dey shine for window catch the UI logo. My heart dey drum, but I no shake hand. "See, Sani. Na UI I dey go."

“I really enjoy this year with you.”

My voice almost shake. For inside my chest, old memory dey knock. But I hold myself. I really mean am; every moment sweet me, even if e pain me join.

“But my future too important. I no go follow you again.”

I talk am slow, let am sink. As I talk finish, I fit see as small shadow cross Sani face. Him eyes no fit meet my own again. Me sef, my chest dey heavy, but I no go look back. For this Naija, if you slack, na you lose.