Remedy

5. Affections

Raiah

I followed the same 3 am shower routine before going back to bed. Asari's first class was at 8 am. She was studying law. Esi's class was at the same time so I couldn't sleep while Asari was getting ready because Esi was a morning person, unfortunately.

She was up and ready at 5 am. She couldn't keep her voice down. I was usually not irritable but I was exhausted. Her bright and jolly voice wasn't so fun to hear anymore.

She apologised too many times before they headed to their classes. I took a nap that was interrupted when my phone rang. "Are you lost yet?" Mbuso asked. "No. I'll use the map when I'm lost. Then if that fails, I'll call you," I replied.

"They gave you a map?" he asked. "It was in the brochure. It looks simple enough," I said. "Why do you sound like you're in bed? Aren't you going to be late form your first class?" "No. It starts at 10." "Okay. I have to go. Call me if you need anything," he instructed. "Will do." He dropped the call.

I was surprised my parents hadn't called the previous day to ask me how Welcome Day went. Oh- spoke too soon. My father called me. "Tata wam (my father)," I answered. "How are you?" "I'm alive. How are you?" "Your mother is spending my money. She's at the spa right now" he said.

I laughed. "Don't laugh. You won't have anything left when she's through with it." "She deserves to spoil herself. You should join her," I said. "It's women's stuff. I just want to eat and sleep." "You and me both," I answered.

"How did yesterday go? I couldn't call you because I lost my phone and your mother's was flat." "Where did you find your phone?" "In your mother's handbag. She's getting old," he complained.

I smiled. "Welcome Day was fun. I met a new friend. She's very bubbly and loud. Particularly louder in the morning." "Everyone is loud in the morning to you." "I mean it this time, Tata. But I love her. She seems fun. I saw a lot of the campus and some of the stuff they offered.

"I didn't learn a lot of new things. I had researched most of the stuff they told me before applying. My feet were tired by the end of the day. I woke up at 3 am this morning to shower and went back to bed. I'm regretting that decision. It was harder than I thought to fall asleep again," I told him.

"You can rest after your classes today. Your first one is at 10 am right? It's 9:15. You should start getting ready." "I'll start getting ready at 9:30" I said. "No. You should be out of res by 9:30. It's your first day. You don't know your way around campus as well as you should. Be early. Even if it's just for this week," he suggested. I knew it was more of an instruction than a suggestion so I got out of bed. "Okay. I'll talk to you later. Love you. Bye," I said. "Love you, bye!"

I didn't look as aesthetically pleasing as Asari nor as fashionable as Esi but my pale pink crocheted sweater, denim jeans and sneakers would suffice. I tied my hair up. It was a terrible idea not to get braids at the start of the semester. It took me fifteen minutes to get my hair ready and that was the shortest amount of time I've ever used for my hair.

I arrived to my first lecture at 09:57. My dad would be proud of me. I went to the kiosk around 3 pm to get refreshments before my next class.

The Software Engineering faculty had to be further than the music one. Why did Seyiso come all the way from there to the kiosk near my faculty?

He caught me looking at him before I could say anything. I didn't want to suffer embarrassment again. I would've avoided him but he walked straight towards me. "Raiah." My name sounded like the sweetest melody from his lips. Did his speaking voice have the same effect as his singing voice?

"Seyiso." My reply was dull in comparison. His name wasn't dull, of course, but I sounded unsure while saying it. Like it was a foreign language with twists and clicks. It was not nearly as melodic and easy as he had pronounced my name.