Chapter 4: Empathy, Pepper and Public Wahala

Dem put Kamsi for front of Timi.

She sit for class, dey adjust chair. For break that day, na so teacher put her for Timi front, say make she dey help pass assignment to back. As dem dey, e sure say drama go show.

For break that day, she turn back, talk, "Timi, you fit stop to dey drink cold water?"

She talk am with small voice, eye dey blink like torch. E be like she dey beg, but stubbornness dey her tone. As she talk, some people for class begin dey watch.

Timi frown. "Wetin concern you with wetin I drink?"

E no even look her face, just dey form bad guy. Boys for back dey snicker, dey clap hand low, dey hail Timi for acting tough.

Kamsi pout. "Because anytime you drink cold water, my belle dey pain me. We get empathy, you never notice?"

The class silent. Some girls dey whisper. Me I dey bite biro, dey look Timi face to see wetin e go talk.

Timi just look am anyhow. "You dey craze."

Everybody laugh. Even class captain dey hide smile. But Kamsi no gree. She just look Timi steady, no talk again.

As she mention empathy, I remember wetin comments talk. My face change.

My heart dey race, palm sweat dey my hand. Na so everything begin dey make sense. If na real, wetin I fit do?

Timi think say I dey vex, e hold my hand under desk.

E squeeze my palm small, use thumb rub back of my hand. Na sign say make I calm down. But e self dey fear.

Kamsi no gree: "And abeg, stop to dey chop pepper anyhow. Anytime you do am, my stomach dey run like say I chop wrong suya."

Her voice dey shake small, but she stand her ground. Na so I dey look her with side eye, dey measure her courage.

Timi just fire am, "Abeg, stop to yarn with me. Sade no like make I dey near other girls."

E voice loud small, as if e wan make sure I hear am. Some boys for class dey look me, dey whisper, "See as dem dey do love for public, na wa o." I just bone, pretend say e no enter my ear.

Kamsi eye me, turn face waka.

She hiss, pack book. She no even look Timi again. Girls for her side dey tap her back, dey whisper sweet nothings.

Comments begin para:

[See as e talk to our girl! Guy need to beg for love o.]

[When romance go start? Na only guy dey do follow follow for childhood friend. E never know wetin dey?]

[No worry, this empathy matter go join dem together.]

[Childhood friend no fit win person wey fall from sky. Supporting babe, abeg comot for road!]

All the group chat dey blow. Even people wey no dey our class dey drop their mouth. Everybody get opinion for love wey no concern dem.

Comments dey vex me.

My body hot. I dey wish say I fit throw phone for gutter, block all group. But my duty as prefect no gree me rest.

Timi see say my face dey dark, e begin pet me, "Sade, no vex. Ignore that dream girl."

E voice dey soft, e eyes dey beg me. Na so e rub my back, dey whisper sweet words. "Sade, na you I want, abeg no let wahala enter us."

E eye dey shine, dey look me like loyal dog.

E dey do puppy face, like say if I no smile, e go break. I try form hard babe, but small small, my face dey soft.

I ask am, "Timi, you go always dey with me?"

My voice low, but na hope dey my eye. If e fit promise, maybe I fit rest small.

E nod well. "Of course. Childhood friends, no go ever separate."

E talk am with confidence, tap chest. Some boys for back dey clap hand, dey hail us. I blush small.

"Even if I no fit enter your dream school, I go buy house near am."

E talk am, eye dey shine. As if to say, even if life scatter, e go find way reach me.

"If I no get work, I go sell puff-puff for school gate. Hundred naira for everybody, but for you, two for one hundred."

I burst laugh. "You dey craze. Na me go buy all your puff-puff finish."

E make me laugh.

Na that laugh dey sweet my body. Na so I forget wahala, for small moment, happiness dey reign.

"Timi, this weekend na my eighteen birthday."

I drop the news small, dey look am for eye. E face bright.

E tilt head, confuse. "I remember. I don buy your gift."

E dey form surprise, but I fit see say e dey arrange something for my back.

I lean, whisper for e ear, "I mean, I don be adult now. Maybe we fit do... adult things."

I whisper low, my face dey hot. My heart dey beat. As I talk, e ear turn red, as if sun dey shine for only am.

Blush just cover Timi face. E fine no be small.

E shy, dey look ground, but e smile. For my mind, I dey happy say e still dey see me as special.

Everybody eye dey my body, as if dem dey wait make I cry.