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This is purely a work of fiction. All form of resemblance to living or dead persons are purely coincidental.

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“ Dad, Daddy” I screamed at the top of my voice when I got to the bottom of the staircase in our sitting room.

“ I'm coming” He responded from up the stairs, his room. I sat happily on the sofa in the sitting room, looking around for the umpteenth time in case I forgot something I will need. I was finally resuming to the University as a fresher after two months of waiting expectantly. Expectantly because my best friend and maybe only friend who also lived in the same Estate as I had left for school in Canada over two months now so permit my over excitement to go to school.

After waiting for a while I left the sitting room to go and check my room for the umpteenth time also in case I left something important. I had woken up very early in the morning to take my bath due to the adrenaline rush I had been feeling since yesterday evening.

My Dad and Granny were still dressing up, Dad didn't have to wake me up because of my adrenaline rush even though I slept late, I was choked with expectation, too busy imagining my new life in the University. I woke up myself without the need of an alarm at 6am sharp, and now it is some minutes past 8am. We woke up early because my University, Fortress University, is in Lagos and we live in Ibadan.

As I walked into my somehow empty room, I patted and dusted imaginary dirt from the bed, stood up and paced the room humming a song. I stopped in front of the sticky pictures my Mum gave me on my 15th birthday a few days before she died, The first picture was a picture she took when she was pregnant with me, the second picture was the picture taken on my 10th year birthday with my favourite gown.

I chuckled at the memory, I don't even know why I liked the gown because looking back it wasn't as stunning as I thought it was, My Mum had already bought me a new gown for the birthday, but I insisted strongly and cried and cried for me to wear my favorite gown. The last sticky pic is a writing, my Mum favourite phrase for describing me.

" You are God's golden princess"

It was almost as if Mum knew she was going to die, A tear rolled down my face as I remembered her last words

“ Wuraoluwa, always look up and know that He that made you is faithful”

That was the last sentence I heard from her. It's been two years since she died, it hadn't been easy but I'm glad we had come this far. It was just like yesterday when a taxi parked in front of our house, and we heard Grandma shouting Femi, Femi, my Father's name from the front of the gate. To cut the long story short, we saw Granny with huge bags and I knew for a certain that Granny was coming to live with us for good. I have enjoyed her stay though because it's always fun to see her shouting at my Dad to do this and do that, She often complains that it looks like she is training two teenagers, my Dad and me. My Dad is just like that, nonchalant about some things.

The loud sound of my phone ringing jolted me from my thoughts, it was my Dad calling.

“ Wuraoluwa, are you not going again” My Dad said after I picked up the phone

“ I'm coming” I replied and quickly pulled the first sticky picture along with me.

“ See my baby all grown up, You are now going to University” My Granny said as she dragged one of my pink suitcases, the one with my provisions and toiletries. I quickly walked up to her to help with the suitcase.

“ Grandma, I know you are going to miss me” I said with a pout, she smiled at me with a look like I would rather not let you go

“ Although I can't go with you, I will always pray for you and visit you” My Dad said, He too didn't want me to go but he had no choice. Fortress University is one of the best private schools in Nigeria with affordable fees and it was he and Mum's plan for me to school there, but with everything that has happened, he isn't really that happy to let me go. He asked if I wanted to go and of course I said yes, I had also always wanted to attend Fortress University if not school abroad. The plan was to go the Fortress University with my best friend, but that didn't work out because she is in another University now.

We said a quick prayer in the car after placing my luggage in the car's booth, and we were off to Lagos. We bought a lot of eatables during our journey because we were on the road for a considerable long time due to Lagos traffic and Nigeria's road problems.

We got to the University around 1pm, I haven't been to the University before but the sight before me was impressive. We proceeded to the hostel management office to get my room number and I managed to get one of my heavy suitcase to the room and got one of the room occupants who offered to help me with my other luggage. Dad and Granny hugged me and prayed for me and left because they still wanted to get back to Ibadan that day before it gets dark, and for some minutes I was sad that they had left and walked back to my room to unpack my things.

My room was pretty cool, with two bunk beds and four medium-sized wardrobes and reading desks. The only empty space was the bottom part of the second bunk bed, so I asked a very fair girl I met in the room if I could take the space and she gave me a go ahead, so I located the empty wardrobe left and also a reading desk.

I was still in the middle of unpacking my things when a tall, dark-skinned girl who looked my age walked up to my bunk space and sat on the bed I had just laid.

“ Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry I didn't realize the bed was laid” She apologized and tried to smoothen the bed.

I was annoyed but I still answered politely" It's okay” I said with a smile

“ Stephanie, were you blind that you didn't see her pink bedsheet” The girl lying on the other bunk bed said

The other girl who sat on my bed who I assume to be Stephanie rolled her eyes at what the other girl said.

" I'm so sorry, I promise it won't happen again” She apologized again and I told her it was okay.

“ I'm Stephanie by the way, Accounting department and your bunk mate” She said with a smile

“ Wuraoluwa, Accounting department too” I said with a big smile, I was happy I met someone in my department.

“ Wow, nice to meet you. I love your teeth” She said and I smiled broadly, That was weird, I have a fairly nice set of teeth people usually envy but no one has ever voiced out to me that my dentition was lovely.

“ Thank you, are you a fresher?” I asked curiously because although she looked my age, she didn't look like a fresher to me, with her very long braids, red gown, long nails and a mischievous look on her face.

" Of course, I'm a fresher, everyone in this room and hostel block is a fresher” She replied smiling emphasizing the fresher

“ Wow, you don't look like a fresher” I blurted out and she laughed, in fact the other girl listening to our conversation laughed.

“ Why don't I seem like a fresher” She asked after laughing?

“ Wait, are you a Christian? Like a gim gim Christian?" She asked again.

“ Yes, why did you ask?” I said wondering.

“ I asked because you are putting on a skirt and a round neck with stud earrings and no makeup on the first day of resumption” She said and I became a little self-conscious of what I was wearing. Was I supposed to dress more elaborately?

“ Wow, I'm a Pastor's daughter so I don't really dress elaborately” I said, placing emphasis on the Pastor's daughter because I feel at this point I shouldn't hide it.

“ Because you are a Pastor's daughter doesn't mean you can't dress elaborately. Is there anywhere in the Bible that says that” She said and I nodded in concession, I wanted to avoid extending the discussion.

“ Well, I think we will make good friends” She said with a smile and hugged me.

“ Wuraoluwa, please vote for me to be our class representative” She said jumping around me.

“ Really, you want to be the class representative, wouldn't it be stressful for you” I asked arranging my books on my desk.

“ No, you don't understand” She said dragging the No

“ Wuraoluwa, it has been my dream since secondary school to be the class representative” She said sitting on my bed and this time I allowed her.

“ Okay, I will. Have you met our other course mates” I asked?

“ Wuraoluwa, I haven't introduced myself to you. I'm Promise, Banking and finance a fresher too," The girl who was lying down on the other bunk said after coming down from her bunk.

“ Nice to meet you” I said with a smile and extended my hand for a handshake but she side tracked me into a hug.

“ When did you guys resume” I asked

“ I resumed on Friday” Promise replied

“ I resumed yesterday” Stephanie answered, looking up from her phone

“ I hope we become wonderful roommates” She said, walking into the bathroom. I looked towards Stephanie to see her tapping furiously on her phone.

After some while she stood up and asked me to follow her to meet with the other Accounting students she knows and I reluctantly followed her after so many persuadings.

By the time we got back to the hostel I headed straight to my bed to video call my Dad and Granny, and we talked for some minutes because they wanted me to fill them the details of what had happened to me, I told him about Stephanie and my Father told me to be careful when choosing friends but I think he liked Stephanie from the little he heard of her. I said a little prayer before sleeping and slept because tomorrow was going to be a long day as Stephanie told me.

Please vote and comment❤️

Gim gim christian means a fervent christian.

A fresher means a person who just got into a school and is new to the University system.