Chapter 4: Breakfast, Burger, and Big Mistake

She try well, soon message me on time:

"Udara tree dey come, you fit come downstairs in few minutes."

At this point, my mind dey race. I dey even brush hair, check mirror. Wahala dey, but I still dey arrange face.

"You sabi how udara tree dey, abi?"

Which kind question be that?

I reason say na normal tree, but as she dey ask, my mind dey shake small.

If I no sabi, why I go buy?

But as wahala plenty, I just reply okay. For Naija, sometimes, na to pretend say you sabi pass everybody.

Two minutes later, my food delivery reach first.

Food first, tree later. At least, make hunger no kill me before supervisor wahala land.

I no wan make person carry my food, so I go downstairs with my pyjamas and slippers.

No time for shakara—pyjamas na Naija uniform for hostel life.

As I collect my food, think say udara tree go soon reach, I sit under the old mango tree for front of hostel, plan chop breakfast dey wait.

I dey reason say make I use small time cool my brain, at least eat before wahala increase.

I just bring out my burger and gala—Naija breakfast for when pocket no too strong.

As I just bring burger out, one bicycle zoom pass me.

This one no send, e just dey speed like say na race.

The bike too close. I dodge, burger fall from my hand, roll enter under the bike wheel, squash am proper.

My mouth open, but words no come out. Burger don turn pancake for ground.

Me: "……"

I dey look my burger like say e fit resurrect. Na only God know why today bad like this.

I look my burger, still dey wrap but now e flat like akara. I just bone face look up.

The person wey do am don stop, dey look back at me.

E stop, eye dey shine. I dey look am, he dey look me. Small tension dey air.

Na guy.

E tall, e fine. Na the kind wey girls go dey trip for.

I bone face give am, then I notice—this guy fine no be small.

I reason say, make I no fall hand. I arrange my face, look another side.

Make I just change face.

I no wan make e feel say I dey watch am. But as I glance, I see am well—e really fine.

E get sharp face, the kind wey dey serious by default, small small wicked look.

For my mind, I dey reason if na athlete or cultist, but as I see badminton racket, I relax.

Skin brown, black short-sleeve sportswear, muscle just dey show for arm and leg, badminton racket for back—na sports guy true true.

Guy fit run marathon, the way e stand.

Fine sports guy.

Within one second, I reason: me wey no dey eat or sleep well, two steps sef I dey breathe heavy, I no fit do anything.

I just dey pray say e no go vex, abeg. My wahala don reach quota today.

The insult wey wan come out my mouth, I just swallow am.

Sometimes, for Naija, silence dey save life pass gra-gra.

Lucky say e get small conscience. E park bike, jog come, pick my flat burger, come talk: "Sorry."

E voice deep, e even try smile small. I still dey vex, but as e talk, my mind cool.

I wan talk say, "No wahala, flat burger still dey okay."

But shame dey catch me, I dey reason if to collect or just throw am.

After all, this Tamtim burger na flat even if nobody match am.

I dey remember say last week sef, the burger wey I buy, flat pass this one. E no go kill me.

But as I reach hand collect burger, my mouth sharp pass my brain: "Thank you."

As e be so, na automatic. My brain say make I keep quiet, but mouth run go front.

Shame just catch me.

For my mind, I dey wish ground fit open swallow me. Na Naija hostel life be this.

Handsome guy: "……"

E look me with small surprise. Maybe e dey reason say, 'Na only burger make this girl dey thank me like this?'

As I realize wetin I talk, I look up, see as e dey look me like say I craze.

I quick wave the flat burger, force laugh, try cover up: "Thank you, na flat burger dey sweet me pass. You try for me."

I dey try use cruise cover shame. I smile, but my teeth dey shake.

E shock small. "Ehn, so you… you get taste o."

I hear small laughter for him voice. Maybe e dey enjoy the scene.

After that, e look around, then e eye land on me. Just one second, then e look away.

E for talk more, but e hold am. I just dey hope make wahala pass.