Chapter 5: New Year, New Wahala

Maybe because I don dey under pressure too long, for New Year's Eve, I watch cartoon for phone till 4am before sleep catch me.

I dey press phone, dey chat, dey laugh for TikTok. The whole house quiet, only me dey giggle like mumu.

By 9am, I hear person open door. Then I hear that voice wey dey always fear me: "Amara, wake up, food don ready."

The voice cut through my dream like alarm clock. My body stiff. I dey wish say na aunty voice, but no—na mama.

Mama really come early morning, but I no wan see her, I just pretend say I still dey sleep.

I squeeze eye, turn face to wall. My heart dey beat. For my mind I dey beg aunty, make she handle mama.

Aunty drag mama go: "Today na first day of New Year. Wetin dey rush? Make the pikin rest small."

Her voice calm but firm, the kind wey even stubborn people dey respect. She lead mama go parlour, tell her make she sit down.

Mama shame to cause wahala for aunty house, so she just sit for chair near door, dey wait me.

She cross leg, dey tap her phone, but I know say she dey boil for inside. I dey count minutes, dey pray make she tire.

Aunty sabi say I don wake, so she snap one funny picture send give me: [Your mama no dey tire—she still dey treat you like small baby.]

The picture funny sotay I almost burst laugh, my pillow soak with smile.

[Aunty, we still dey go cinema?]

My fingers dey cross, heart dey hope.

[Of course. Sleep small. I go run your mama commot.]

She add laughing emoji. My spirit dey dance small.

Aunty do as she talk. That afternoon, I finally watch that film wey I don dey long to see.

Cinema cold, popcorn dey hand, aunty dey gist with me and Titi. Na pure joy. I no even wan make film end.

Last year and the year before, mama promise say she go carry me go cinema, but she always disappoint. So I no dey expect am again.

As I dey watch the film, I dey think: na so promise suppose be. E sweet to trust person.

Because of that, I value this chance, snap my movie ticket, post am for my WhatsApp status make everybody know say I still enjoy New Year.

I add filter join, caption am: "First movie of the year!" My friends begin comment, dey ask me for gist.

I no hide am from my parents. But as mama see am, she vex. She call aunty dey shout: "Na only play you dey carry Amara go. She no go read? If she no enter university, you go take responsibility?"

I dey hear her voice for background, the wahala no dey finish. My chest tight, aunty dey roll her eye for phone.

Aunty sef vex: "Amara dey do well for school. How she no go enter university?"

She no dey let mama win, her voice no dey shake.

"Do well? Na 139.5 she get for English, you dey call am do well?"

Mama no gree drop the matter. Her voice loud sotay even people for corridor fit hear.

...Aunty no fit talk again, my body just cold.

The phone quiet, aunty just sigh. I hold her hand, tears gather for my eye.

139.5 again. 139.5.

For my mind, I dey scream: Make dem rest! Person nor fit make mistake?

So because I no reach 140, na big sin?

I dey calculate how many people wey wish say dem get my score, but for my house, na only failure dem see.

139.5 na fourth for class—why mama no dey ever see my good side or hear my own voice? Why she always dey on top me like boss?

I dey ask God inside my heart: When mama go ever look me finish, see me as her pikin, not her project?

That moment, I just feel say me and mama na enemies, maybe only one of us fit survive.

The thought pain me, but na so my chest dey heavy.