Chapter 6: No Be Only Lead Dey Shine

As I dey chop for cafeteria, I see news about 'Palm Breeze' casting.

The smell of fried plantain and stew dey hang for air, background noise na students dey argue Chelsea vs Arsenal. My rice dey cold, but I dey scroll phone, dey see comment everywhere. Gist dey fly left and right.

After Nnamdi choose him old student Halima as new lead, internet just scatter, everybody dey talk about their relationship.

Everybody wan put mouth—na so gossip dey sweet for campus.

CP (couple) fans full ground:

[This one sweet die, teacher-student love!]

[Fine man, fine girl, classic uncle and small girl pairing, I dey craze for am.]

[I just like this forbidden love vibe—abeg, make e continue!]

I just dey look all these comments, my heart just dey squeeze like say person hold am tight.

For my mind, na me suppose dey there. But internet no dey know old story.

"Amaka, wetin happen? You don white finish," Ifeoma, my friend wey dey sit opposite, ask me with worry.

I try smile, but e no reach my eye. She know say I dey hide pain.

"No wahala... I just dey tired small."

I no wan bring my friend into my wahala. She get her own dreams, her own matter.

Ifeoma look me, still dey worry.

She dey eye me like mother hen. I sabi that look—she no dey ever give up.

She be my best friend. Last life, she act TV dramas, later turn producer, come make am big.

We dey gist about our dreams, dey plan future. Na real sisterhood wey no get envy.

She always dey clear about wetin she want. But since I come back, na only confusion dey my mind...

I dey envy her small—her clarity, her drive. I dey wish say my own heart dey as straight as her own.

"Na because of audition?"

Her voice soft, but e dey push me to open up.

"I know say you like Director Nnamdi films, and you get crush on am. But we still dey year two—no wahala, babe. Today no be your turn, tomorrow fit be your jackpot."

She dey try console me. I know say her heart dey pure.

I just dey poke my rice with spoon, quiet.

I dey wish say I fit talk, but words dey choke for throat.

Ifeoma sigh.

She shake head, commot small laugh. "You stubborn sha."

"No vex. I just get invite for some web series. You wan try? E no reach movie level, but still work."

Her eyes dey hopeful, dey try drag me from sadness.

"I go think am," I talk soft, but my mind dey run up and down.

Even as I dey answer, my soul no dey here. I dey drift inside memory.

Last life memories dey play for my head like film.

Scenes dey flash—award night, laughter, even fight wey we settle with suya and malt.

Things wey I no notice before, now dey pain me.

Na small small things dey make love strong. I dey realize say I miss am pass wetin words fit talk.

I remember: last life, I no even sabi Halima well until after me and Nnamdi go public.

Her face be like shadow for background. E no occur to me say she get her own story.

Halima block us for backstage during press conference.

She dey look me like say na me thief her sun. I no fit read her mind that time.

"She just senior me by one year—why she fit, but I no fit?"

Her words still dey ring for my ear. Jealousy dey show for her face, but pain dey deeper.

Nnamdi quiet for long.

He no wan add fire. His silence na answer on its own.

"No be age matter... I be teacher, you be student."

He voice crack small. I never see am so tired before.

He sound tired, the kind tired I never hear from am before.

His eye dull, as if hope just dey fade.

Halima just begin cry.

She burst, run go corridor. My own heart pain me, but I no fit chase her.

She run, her back look fragile like leaf wey fall.

I fit see her shoulder dey shake as she waka fast.

Later, Halima act many films, but she no ever blow.

Her face dey show for poster, but no lead role ever change her life.

I hear say she follow one company oga, dem later expose am as side chick.

Gist fly round town—people dey drag her for social media.

After people drag her, she kpai herself.

I see am for news. My heart break. I wish say I fit help her, but e too late.

When news come out, Nnamdi lock himself for study, just dey look space.

He no eat, no talk. For days, only silence dey his house. I dey knock, but he no dey answer.

I think say na only student he lose.

I reason say na just guilt, but deep down, I dey sense more.

After that, every year for Halima death day, he go her grave.

Rain or shine, he dey carry flower, dey sit for her grave dey look sky.

I follow am two, three years, till one year I need travel for film festival. I tell am sorry, I no fit go.

I expect make he gree, but his face harden. Na there I first see distance between us.

Nnamdi talk, "You too cold."

E pain me. I dey try, but he no understand.

I shock. I barely know Halima—two years follow you go grave sef don do.

For my mind, na enough. But for am, e never reach.

Why Nnamdi go talk like that for her?

I dey wonder if na love or na something wey guilt plant for him heart.

But I just reason say, maybe as art film director, he dey sensitive.

I forgive am. I believe say time go heal everything.

Later, he apologize, we settle, and he no ask me again to go grave.

Our life go back as before, but small crack dey my chest.

So I no reason Halima matter again.

I lock am for back of my mind, focus on my own journey.

But now, I don understand.

Everything dey clear—his regret, his pain, his unfinished story.

For Nnamdi heart, space dey for Halima. Now, as he come back, he just wan correct him regret.

E wan rewrite her ending, give her the chance she no get before.

He no go ever leave Halima again.

This time, he dey ready to sacrifice anything—movie, name, even me.

Buzz.

My phone shake for my hand, pull me back from my thought. I see message, number no dey my contact.

Suddenly, my phone vibrate. Text from strange number:

[Miss Amaka, your audition impress us well. You go like act as second female lead for "Palm Breeze"?]

My hand dey shake, but my spirit dey rise. Maybe no be only main character dey shine for this life. E fit be say my own starlight just dey warm up.