Chapter 1: The Accusation

Pei Yan mean everything to the new girl wey just transfer come from poor family.

For me, everything scatter the day I point finger at her front everybody and accuse her say she thief class money. For our small town, gist dey spread pass kerosene for fire; I wound the girl pride. The classroom quiet reach, even the ceiling fan for corner dey fear make e no blow wahala.

She run comot dey cry, but as she dey rush, she slip for the stairs, injure her leg. The gbim wey her body land echo reach everywhere, boys rush go help am. As she siddon for the landing, tears and rainwater join dey her face. Na so now, before night reach, everybody for street don hear how Tao Mian disgrace the new girl.

To vex, Pei Yan lock me outside for heavy rain that night.

He look down from upstair, voice full of blame. The lamp for balcony cast shadow for him face, make am resemble stubborn village prince. Him words cut me sharp, like ogbono seed wey dey hook for teeth.

"Wetyn give you right to disgrace Xixi like that?"

"If no be say dem talk say you go marry me, you think say you for fit leave village and my family go accept you?"

I stand for rain all night, body soak sotey cold enter my bone. By morning, my finger wrinkle, teeth dey shake like agidi for hot plate. Nobody open door for me—even the cat no gree waka my side.

To try repair the wahala, Pei Yan mama talk say make we engage sharp sharp after secondary school.

But this time, before Pei Yan fit open mouth refuse, na me first talk no. My voice no even shake—be like say rain wash all my shyness commot. The aunty eyebrow fly up.

Pei Yan shock. For the first time for long, he look me like say I be stranger, no be the girl from next compound.

E no sabi say as I wake up, the first thing I do na to apply for transfer. As I sign the form, my hand no shake. I no get any regret. E don do.