Chapter 4: Maths, Friendship and Cold Shoulders

After I reject Olamide confession, the guy come dey carry face like slop bucket, e sure say e dey plan another wahala.

For two days, Olamide no even dey greet me for corridor. Na so e go sit for back of class, dey form busy, but I dey see say e dey plan something. E eye dey sharp like cat wey see rat.

"Sade, abeg help me with this question."

E come meet me, dey drag leg like person wey dem flog for assembly. E voice even gentle pass before.

I check him test paper, just dey shake head.

Na ordinary quadratic equation, but the way e write answer ehn, if my maths teacher see am, e go use red pen draw sad face.

E be like say one Nollywood queen don reborn, dodge all those village juju, wan born correct pikin this time—only to find out say she don turn man. (T/N: Na reference to one popular Nollywood drama wey the character suffer well well.)

The way Nollywood dey carry person twist story ehn, na so this question twist Olamide brain. I just laugh inside.

I try my best to help am study. Even the ones wey easy, I dey explain am over and over, dey patient.

If no be say I get strong mind, I for don use biro knock am for head. But I just dey repeat am, dey patient, dey remind myself say na padi e be.

This time no different. After I finish write the solution, I notice say e dey look Halima.

The way e dey do eye waka waka, if to say dem dey dash award for 'Best Glancer,' Olamide for carry first.

I knock table with my pen.

I bite my lip, dey hold myself. If no be friendship, I for don waka since. My patience don dey finish. I just knock the table so e go face front. I no be ghost tutor.

"Olamide."

E just drag him eye comot from Halima, no even look the answer wey I write.

Like say Halima na magnet, e eye just dey hook for her side.

"Sade, I still no understand. Abeg explain am again."

Olamide fine sha, and when e dey look person, him eye dey always soft, dey playful.

If to say I no strong, maybe I for join all those girls dey crush for am. But abeg, I get better things to do.

WhatsApp group chat scatter.

Dem dey start with, "Ehn ehn, see as Sade dey act tough, but e dey melt for Olamide eye."

[Who fit resist this fine boy wey dey act like puppy?]

[No wonder the supporting babe dey fall. If na me, I go fall too.]

The gist don dey long, people for group chat no go let person rest. Dem go even dey add meme join.

If to dey vex every time I dey tutor Olamide na love, then abeg, na me love pass.

Abeg, make dem no use my patience take do another episode of their imaginary drama. I just dey help padi so e go fit pass test.

"I don explain this thing for you three times already. Teacher sef don do am for class, so..."

My eye just dey cold, like dry harmattan morning.

I give am cold look.

E try smile, but e see say I no dey joke.

"If you no wan hear, abeg no waste my time."

My voice just dey low, but the way I talk am, even the mosquito wey dey my ear fear.

I just squeeze the draft paper, throw am inside dustbin.

No time for long talk. If you no go gree learn, abeg shift make I see road.

WhatsApp dey roll in.

My phone vibrate, notification dey flash like NEPA light for thunderstorm.

[Wetin dey do the supporting babe?]

[She too dey form because she sabi book?]

[Abeg, stop to dey pretend. All your gra gra go end for you leaving big questions just to follow Olamide.]

[......]

Wahala.

As I dey tap biro for table, wahala just dey bubble. If person talk true for Naija, e go be like say you dey form.

I ignore all the insult, bring out fresh scratch paper, dive back into my own wahala of questions.

No time for social media drama. Na my exam get my mind.