econdary school, she'd mastered the

ring classes (so she could hear clearly), and still answered questions with that soft voice that sometimes trembled for n

es to someone like her the girl who missed school too often, always carried malaria

t girl wey get sickle thing, if you marry am now, na wido

don't they? Th

being sick sometimes made people more annoyed than sympathetic. L

she kep

ne became her dream, even if it felt too big sometimes. She'd read textbooks she couldn't afford by borrowing from the library. Sometimes s

noise. They shared food, gossiped, helped her with notes when she was out sick. They wer

s something she wore

boy who wasn't supposed to

e too cold or when she winced after climbing stairs. He didn't say much at first, just of

errif

handing her: You're not strong enough to be loved. Not fully. No

most people I know," she laughed. Not because it was funny.

fit the life

think they