4: TDH

My stupid alarm refused to ring.

I'd set it to go off by six, so I'd get enough sleep but still wake up early to have time to get ready for school. However, the stupid thing decided to disappoint me. Although my phone shows me I missed the alarm, I can bet it's lying. There was no way.... My sentence trails off as I recollect blocking my ears with my pillow at the sound of the alarm.

“Mtcheew. It's a lie. That didn't happen.”

On my way to my wardrobe, I stop to glare at my door, flaring my nose. It was the sound of Amanda singing loudly that woke me up. As much as I'm grateful for it, I can't help how angry I feel. It doesn't make any sense: praying loudly. My dad does it all the time. He sings and prays at the top of his voice and there's no stopping him. Because... Well, because I like my life.

I finish taking a shower and I'm about getting dressed when Amanda finishes with her prayer session. A sigh of relief escapes my mouth as I thank God. I just don't get why people pray for as long as forever and on top of that, they pray loudly. Like, didn't you read the part that said close your door and pray silently because God who also sees in secret can hear you and will reward you?

When I'm finished dressing up, I reaffirm that I look okay by checking my reflection in the mirror for the umpteenth time before leaving my room. In the spacious hallway I see Amanda coming out of her room. I wave at her with an effort to smile genuinely and she smiles back as she waves.

After I find a taxi to achool, my mom calls and I feel bad for forgetting to return my family's call.

She asks how I'm doing, if I have any problem and what I have planned for the day, all to which I answer. After a few minutes, we say our goodbye and I tell her to greet the rest of the family when she gets home. 

Soon, we hang up and I call my dad. Shockingly, he's calm and doesn't sound upset that I didn't answer his call the night before. We talk for a lesser time than the one spent with my Mom, before we hang up.

The taxi stops at the gate and I get down.

Staring up at the school's name boldly written on the wall above the archway, I take a deep breath to calm my pounding heart.

“This is it,” I think to myself. “University.”

It's hard navigating my way through the students in the taxi rank and finding my classroom, especially when there's no guide book of anything. For close to ten minutes, I stand at an intersection, trying to decide which way to go when I see a dark boy in a white T-shirt and black pair of jeans come my way.

“Hi.” I stop him with a smile.

The tall, dark and handsome boy doesn't look annoyed that I've stopped him and I'm grateful for the dimpled smile he offers when I ask where the Pharmacology hall for 100 level students is.

“It's this way.” He points to his left. “Although, you could've gotten that information from there.” I follow the direction of his pointing finger and it makes me turn back to see the board behind me. On it are names of different Halls, their locations specified with arrows pointing either to the left or the right.

“Are you kidding me?” I chuckle, embarrassed. “I didn't see that there. But they didn't write pharmacology hall.”

“Yeah, the halls aren't named according to their departments. For 100 level, we won't be having our classes in our departments. There's the Alabi V. Ogunjimi hall, Science Lecture Hall one, two and so on like that. Most of the Halls are named after lecturers though.”

“Ah.” I nod.

“Dare!” A girl from across the road calls and it's when he turns I realize that's his name.

He tells her he's coming as he waves, his raised hand bringing the handmade woven bangle around his wrist to my notice. Although the accessory looks simple, it's beauty and engravings catch my eye. The only words I can make out before he puts his hand down are: A, N, I.

“Sorry, but I'll have to go now,” Dare tells me.

“No problem. Thanks a lot for your help.”

“You're welcome. I didn't get your name though.”

“Deborah. But you can call me Debby.”

“Alright, Debby. I'm Da—”

“Dare,” I complete and he chuckles, the dent on his cheeks making him ten times handsome.

“Alright. Take care.” 

He faces the road, looking to his right as he waits for the oncoming tricycle to drive by before crossing.

I turn and start my journey to my classroom, a hollow in the pit of my stomach. I had been so happy about leaving home and coming to the university that I forgot to consider how lonely it gets when you're new to a place. It didn't cross my mind because I thought Eric would be there all the time, but now that it's this way, it brings the realization to play.

After stopping a couple of times to reassess my steps, I finally find my hall: Science Lecture Hall II (SLH-II). 

Students saunter in and out of the hall, making me wonder if I'm late. Checking my time, I realize I spent thirty minutes searching for this place, that is after the ten minutes spent getting here. In total, forty minutes, so it's possible the morning class has finished.

When I enter the hall, I'm overwhelmed by the crowd I find, endless chatters in the air as a few chase after their companions. It's not what I expected but I can't complain. I'm also not in a learning mood.

The front seats are taken, so I have to walk to the back to find a vacant seat.

The excitement in the air doesn't move me as I rest my chin on my palm, looking out and hoping to find Eric among the crowd. I almost give up when I spot a broad back in semblance with his a couple of distances from where I'm seated. 

Although it's his back I see, it's more than enough to prove that I'm right. I've known Eric for close to five years and I might not be his mom or girlfriend, but as his best friend and secret admirer, I have no doubt it's him.

Something stirs in me. My heart flutters and the excitement in the air finally seeps in through my pores, reawakening my system. 

I leave my seat but stop to check how I look using my phone's camera. After drying my sweaty face with my handkerchief, I powder my face and then tip-toe his way — though I don't need to. Luckily, the girls with him are so engrossed in their shared conversation that they don't notice me until I reach his back.

“Boo.”

Eric's not startled as he turns to see me, impassive even as I smile.

“I knew it was you I saw from afar," I ignore how stoic his expression is as I say.

“When did you get here?” he asks me, his arms folded over his chest with a book in his hand.

“Not long ago.” I check my phone. “Yikes. It's been two hours already?”

He takes a glance at his wristwatch.

“Eric, we'll talk later, okay?” One of the girls says as she pat his lap and I watch her with a sneer.

“Alright,” he tells her.

The two girls leave, not without shooting me a glare that I return. 

Go get your own best friend.

I redirect my gaze to Eric and my shoulders drop. “Are you still angry at me?”

“Do I look angry?” he asks, even though his face speaks volumes.

“You didn't answer my call yesterday. You didn't even call back and right now, you don't look too happy to see me.”

“I'm not angry.”

“Liar.”

My stomach grumbles next, and his eyes, just like mine, dart at it.

“You didn't eat before leaving your house?”

I stare at him with a silly grin. “I woke up late, so I didn't have time to make something.”

“How many times have I warned you against leaving the house without eating?”

Slightly tilting my head upwards, I tap my cheek. “I can't remember. You know you nag too much.”

“So, I'm now a nagger?”

Laughing, I playfully punch his arm. “Someone cannot play with you again.”

He gets up from the table and begins to walk away.

“Where are you going?" I ask him.

He walks on without a word, so I decide to follow him. Slipping his free hand into his pocket, he walks out of the hall and I hasten my pace to catch up with him.

“Where are we going? What if the lecturer decides to enter the class?”

“Then we miss the class.”

“What? I can't believe you just said that. I'm the one that should be saying that since I barely like classes or enjoy it sef. Sometimes I wonder why they made schools in the first place. It feels like an unnecessary burden to me—"

Eric stops my rambling by slapping his book to my mouth. “You talk too much.”

I scowl at him and then cross my eyes, causing him to laugh as he taps my head with the book. 

“Ow.”

“Don't ever do that,” he says.

I chuckle. “I knew it'd make you laugh.”

We continue our journey to the canteen as I bombard him with more questions.

...

Words/phrases and their meaning:

* Mtcheew: a form of sigh that shows disapproval.