Till the end of the day, no lecturer enters the hall — even though it's already the second week of resumption — and I'm grateful that I listened to Eric when he said we shouldn't wait.
There were many Ither things we needed to do upon resumption and I didn't know about this until Eric informed me. We still had to print some important documents from the student portal, have them signed, make photocopies and submit. According to Eric, we won't be considered students if in our final years these documents aren't in the administrative office.
But all I hear Eric say as he explains all we have to do is work, work, work. I was wishing we'll get to sit one place, gist and laugh. But no! We have to work, work, work.
By 4, I'm exhausted and thankfully — even though we're not finished — the offices are closed and we're told to come back the following day.
“Your house isn't that far from school,” Eric tells me as we make our way to the taxi rank.
“My parents didn't want me having to spend much on transport. It'll save cost this way.”
He agrees with a slow nod.
“What of you?” I ask. “Where are you staying?”
Although he describes the place, I have no idea where he's talking about and he gives me a look.
“I just got here,” I say. “It will not pass, I'll come and see you this weekend. On Sunday.”
He shrugs.
We get to the section for Taxis going our way and as Eric opens the door, stepping aside for me to enter first, I'm stopped by a voice that calls Eric's name.
When I turn and see the dimpled guy from this morning, I smile and wave at him.
“You know him?” Eric asks.
“Yeah. He helped me find the hall this morning. You know him too?”
“He's my flatmate.”
“Oh. Wow.”
Dare reaches us and both guys shake hands.
“Debby, right?” Dare says with one eye narrowed.
“Yep. Nice to see you again, Dare.”
He chuckles, probably at the way I mispronounce his name. “I see you guys know each other.”
“Yep,” I say and cling to Eric's arm. “Best friends.”
Eric forces me into the taxi by pressing my head down, prompting a snicker from Dare as I slap Eric's hand away.
“So, how far? Are you going home yet?” Eric asks Dare as I come out of the taxi and slap his atm, to which he doesn't flinch at.
“Yeah. It's my girlfriend that I'm waiting for.” Dare checks his wristwatch and scans the area. “She said she'll meet me here by 4:30 and this is ten minutes over 4:30.”
“Maybe, she's already on her way.”
“Is your girlfriend that girl from this morning?” I jump in to ask.
“Yeah,” Dare replies.
“She's very beautiful.”
“Did anybody ask you?” Eric says to me.
I scrunch up my face. “Was I talking to you?”
Dare laughs. “It seems like you two are cat and rat.”
“This one doesn't just know when to shut up,” Eric says.
“And you like to vex too much. As if I was talking to you.” Pouting, I enter the taxi and look out the other side of the window.
Soon, Dare's girlfriend arrives and another passenger completes the set before the driver moves.
“Please, can you shift?” Dare's girlfriend tells me with a gesture that makes me notice around her wrist the same bangle Dare's wearing.
Ah, so it's a couple bangle.
“Oh.” I move closer to the door and as Dare attempts to move to, she grips his arm, pinning him down with a glare.
I pretend not to see anything as I look out the window.
The two talk in whispers that I hear, even though I'm trying not to listen.
“What's wrong with you?” Dare asks her.
“What do you mean what's wrong with me? Is that not the girl from this morning?” she replies.
“So?"
“So? Dare, so? I hope it's not what I'm thinking.”
“You're always thinking something.”
Because I feel like I'm eavesdropping, I take out my earpierce from my bag, plug it to my phone and block my ears as I set the volume to the highest.
The drive later becomes a quiet one, safe from the music blasting in my ears. Eric is sitting at the front with the last passenger, so I can't hold any conversation with him. The car hits a bump and the head of the girl sitting beside him hits the window, causing everyone to inhale sharply, including her.
“Sorry,” I hear everyone, including myself, tell her as I take out my earpierce.
“When she'll be sleeping. How won't her head hit the car,” Dare's girlfriend says instead.
Shooting a glare her way, I watch as she sneers at the girl while Dare shakes his head at her. His eyes almost meets mine when I look away.
Soon, Dare and his girlfriend alights while the girl sitting with Eric gets out of the front to sit at the back with me.
“Good evening,” I greet her.
“Good evening.” She turns away, laying her head on the window to continue her sleep.
She looks exhausted and possibly didn't mind being uncomfortable as long as she could squeeze in a quick nap.
The taxi reaches our stop and everyone gets down. While the girl takes a bike, Eric and I decide to trek since the distance to my place isn't much.
“Is Dare's girlfriend living in the same place as you guys?”
“No. Why?"
“Just asking.”
He lifts his right eyebrow, but I change the topic by asking him for his phone.
“All I see here are rap songs.” I scowl as I scroll through his playlist.
“You don't know what you're missing," he tells me.
"I can say the same about you."
Huffing, I share with my phone the few songs that I like (not rap songs) and soon, we get to my hostel.
“No light. Mtcheew,” I let out as we walk through the gate.
Some girls laughing at their doorstep stop to stare our way (mostly at Eric) before continuing their conversation. It's not a wonder they stopped to look.
Eric is a catch. It's impossible for any girl to walk past him without looking. Is it his fair skin that is without blemish? Or his abs (seen when he's shirtless) and thick biceps gotten from hours spent in the gym? Eric is a masterpiece, I must say, but it's quite unfortunate that I'm also an onlooker like those girls. Being his best friend makes things even worse.
His phone rings when we reach the main door to my flat. As he takes it out of his pocket, I push the door open.
“I'm at my friend's place,” he says when he answers the phone.
We're at my door when he cusses under his breath.
“I totally forgot. Where are you now?” he asks and my heart sinks at the thought of him leaving. “Okay. I'm coming.”
“Did something happen?” I ask, doing my best to hide my displeasure.
“Yeah. I made an order and it just came in, so I have to go get it. I'm so sorry."
“It's fine.” I smile.
“See you tomorrow.” He flicks my nose and pulls the door, ripping out my heart from my chest as he leaves.
With a lengthy sigh, I turn, about to enter my room, when I see the exhausted girl from the taxi clumping towards the room next to mine, her head thrown back.
“Hey.” I wave at her with a smile.
When she tilts her head forward and sees me, she smiles back and I walk over to her.
“So you live here too?” We ask simultaneously and burst into laughter, hers a bit weak.
“You look really tired,” I tell her.
“Yeah. I got here this afternoon and I've been busy since then. Haven't been able to sit down for more than two seconds.” She bends backwards, her hand to her back as she groans.
“Ow. Sorry. You should go inside and get some rest.”
She chuckles as she straightens. “I should. But I still have to unpack.”
“Why not do that when you wake up? You'll just slump before you're even done.”
She holds a thoughtful look for a while. “You know what? You're right. This life is just one.”
I snap my fingers at her and she chuckles.
“I don't know your name,” she says.
“I'm Deborah but you can call me Debby. What about you?”
“Annabel. But call me Annie.”
“Nice to meet you, Annie.” We shake hands and I'm certain I'll like this flatmate.
It's during the third week of resumption that the lecturers finally decide to take interest in teaching us, however, we all start to wish they give us a break. There's barely time to relax and regroup before the next lecturer enters.It's only a few minutes past one before our schedule clears temporarily. I'm on my way out of the hall with Eric, when a demanding voice stops me in my tracks. It sounds like it's for me, so I turn and see the lecturer pointing my way.When I put my hand to my chest he nods.“I'm coming,” I tell Eric.Before he can ask where I'm going, I'm on my way to the lecturer, Mr Alabi V. Ogunjimi. He's our CHM 110 (Introduction to Organic Chemistry) lecturer, whose class we finished a few minutes ago and apparently, a prestigious lecturer whose tremendous deeds caused the school to name a hall after him.“Good afternoon, sir," I greet.
When we walk through the wicket-gate of my hostel, I'm glad to see there's light. The caretaker didn't really lie. This place is a different breed of Lagos.“You guys are enjoying light here o," Eric says as we approach the stairwell.“You guys don't have light like this?"“Have light ke? It's mostly at night and that one doesn't pass two hours before they take it.”“Ah-ah. So how do you guys survive? Where do you charge your phone?”“One of my flatmates brought gen when he resumed, and that's what we're using. He's connected it so everyone in our flat has light when it's on. We all just contribute for fuel.”“Wow. That guy is nice o. If it's some people, they won't care.”“Harry is a cool guy. He's not greedy in any way.”We get to my flat and I'm surprised to see an unfamiliar face coming out of the room next to Amanda's, an older guy behind h
Annie sings at the top of her voice while Amanda prays like she wants to pull the heavens down, when all I want to do is get a minutes sleep before my alarm rings.“Buzzzzzz!” Too late, my phone blares and I sit up, throwing my pillow to the floor.My nose flares as I huff. Clenching my hands into fists, I prepare to give those girls a piece of my mind. But after a while, I calm myself down. As much as I mean no harm, one of them might see it the wrong way — like I'm overreacting. In the end, things will only get worse for me.Clumping over to my phone on the table, I dismiss the alarm. As I'm about to go to my wardrobe, my phone rings, causing my heart to lurch upwards.For the past week, Mr Victor won't stop calling. Every morning and night, he calls and also sends a text — none of which are appropriate. I wish to tell Eric, bu
It's a Sunday morning and although I should be in bed, I'm all over the place trying on clothes upon clothes.I haven't been to Eric's place before, since he's mostly always coming over to mine. So, since he couldn't make it today, I decide to go over instead.The materials for my joint business with Dare have been bought the day before. I ran out of thread last night, and since it's a Sunday, hardly any shops are opened.Once I'm done dressing up, I grab my bag, food flask. On my way out, I meet Amanda in the hallway."Good morning," she says."Good morning.""I see you're also on your way to church."I spot the Bible in her hand. "Oh. No, I'm on my way to a friend's.""So you won't
Nothing interests me.The guys are filled with enthusiasm as they take turns playing a game of PES, Mariam talking with two girls at one corner of the living room.I'm seated on the armchair adjacent the guys, my legs pressed together as I ask myself over and over again why I'm here. Nothing was stopping me from going back home when I saw Mariam at the gate except my coconut head.Eric only said a hello, not even sparing me a glance as he furiously played against the guys, making a mockery of every one of them that steps in to challenge him.My pee threatens to spill, so I maintain a tightly closed laps. I don't know why now. Why of all times my bladder chose now to be a bastard.Despite my efforts, I can't hold it in any longer. I've been waiting to see if Eric will lose, but it's obvious I
Maybe Amanda is right. I don't think I'm ready for a relationship — even though there's no one to have a relationship with.Perhaps it's for the best that Eric has Mariam. It gives me the chance to be serious with other things in my life: like school, sewing and many other things that I can't think of at the moment.For dramatic effect, I scroll over to my dramatic playlist and play a song that fits how I'm feeling.Confident by Demi Lovato begins as I fold my bandana and scrutinize it to be sure the shape is perfect before tying it around my head.I'm careful not to mess up my room as I pick out a dress and shoes, gather my books into my bag and then check the mirror. There's a new pimple on my forehead, and although I want to pop it, I stay away. Popping it only worsens it, the internet said.
“You told me you didn't give him your number,” Eric says.After our eyes locked, he came and asked me to follow him. Mariam, who had just walked out of the canteen, didn't look so happy to see us together. But I didn't mind her as I followed Eric, mouthing an apology to Caleb when he saw me leaving from afar.We're in one of the empty halls close to where we receive lectures.“I didn't think it'll turn out like this,” I say, unable to meet his gaze.“You didn't think it'll turn out like this?” Eric repeats, disappointment clear in his tone. “Dora, what did I tell you when that man first called you aside? I said that man is worse than the devil's incarnate. What did you think that meant? That it was just a metaphor I was toying with?”“I'm sorry.”
My dress is missing.First, my underwear. Now, my dress. Anger stirs within me, flooding my veins even as I try to stay calm.I love that dress. I made it myself. That dress is the first complicated dress I ever got right on my own, and now, it's missing.As I rummage in my bag, I'm on the verge of tears.It has to be here somewhere, I keep telling myself. Yet, as I dig deeper into my wardrobe, search my bags and hanger, I realize that it's nowhere amidst my stuff. Even my drying rack is empty.Storming out of the balcony, I try to think up a prime suspect amongst my flatmates. There's no way my dress could've grown wings and flown away. Someone must have taken it. But who? Who could've stolen my dress?When I knock on Amanda's door, and she says to come in, I immediately strike her off my list.The only furniture in her room is the flatbed she