Chapter 3: Hearing Aid Heartbreak

As Sani Garba see me dey come, he narrow him eye. Like say e dey vex for Hauwa Bello, he throw basketball wey dey him hand give me.

He squint face, jaw tight. The basketball wey he fling so, e heavy pass normal. People wey dey play for court stop, dey watch. For my heart, fear grip me small.

E shock me, e hit my hearing aid.

The sound loud for my ear, like knock for metal bucket. Everybody just freeze small. I stand there, my hand tremble as I touch my ear, hot tears prick my eye but I no let am drop.

One kind static just full my ear, then my left ear just go dead.

All the wahala for my ear come gather, I just dey see white light. Na so the world just go silent for my left side. I try talk, but my voice no loud again.

Sani Garba no plan make e be like that—surprise flash for him eye before e disappear.

He rush come, voice shaky. Him hands dey shake as he look my face, try touch my shoulder. Shame and fear dey his eyes. E be like person wey wan rewind time but no fit.

He waka come meet me.

He lower him voice, avoid eye contact. Sun dey hit the sweat for him forehead, and I fit smell the small dust from the court. All eyes dey for us, but he no send.

"Zainab, you suppose transfer school. Hauwa get wahala, and because of you, she dey always quarrel with me."

The way he talk am, e be like person wey dey beg but still dey command. He rub back of neck, like say him dey reason big decision. The whole place just quiet like mosque for prayer time.

Just last month, na him ask me:

"Zeezee, after WAEC, you go be my babe?"

Him eyes soft that day, smile warm. I remember as we sit for mango tree, our feet dey touch. My heart dey do kpa-kpa. That memory now be like old photo—faded, painful.

……

As exam dey near, I just wan turn am down.

I no fit let my own happiness dey another person hand. I dey reason my papa, my mama, all the sacrifice dem don make. As night dey fall, I dey count my own courage. Na that kind determination wey only stubborn Kaduna pikin fit get.