FRAGMENTS

ONE

"My chair, thank you so much. Ill be on my way. Ummi can resume fully in the school hostels next week." He turned to me. "See the course supervisor and your hostel dean as well"

"Uba. I know" I seethed.

It was embarrassing enough that my dad had to follow me around my new university, trying to speed up my clearance. Luckily, most students were in their lecture halls and only but a few could see the hefty man in senators attire and his 5'3 daughter, quietly trolling beside him.

I sat there like some mannequin, stiff. Still. In one position, legs crossed at my ankles, hands clasped together. Behind my own show glass, silently watching the Dean of student affairs, Mr Kayode and my dad talk about my admission and resumption.

"You are lucky Miss Sambo. We don't usually admit students mid-term. Especially direct entry students. Your father and I go way back, you may not know but i was one of his best man, we witnessed biafra together, we kept in touch when Abacha was over throwed, when our system of government became democratic. Even while the people in diaspora thought our country was done for, here we are today. In touch, still"

I bet y'all also slew dragons.

A student walked in, excused himself and whispered into Mr Kayode's ears. He nodded and patted his back. We concluded things and decided to leave. I picked up my files, thanked the man before heading out with my dad

"Call me if you need anything ummi"

No, I won't.

"Okay, uba" I said, giving him a side hug. He stared at me for a while and smiled, placing one hand on my right shoulder.

"I know you won't"

As I stepped onto Freeman's College campus, I was struck by its sheer scale. It was vast. The sprawling grounds dwarfed my previous school in Ibadan, leaving me awestruck. But it wasn't just the size that impressed – the immaculate toilets were a welcome respite from my previous school facilities.

Nicknamed, 'The American Dream,' Freeman's College embodied the essence of aspiration. No wonder its students proudly flaunted their affiliation, showcasing their university life on TikTok as content creators, dancers, vloggers, and more. The online presence was staggering, with Freeman's students seemingly living their best lives. My social anxiety was eating me out, somewhere in my stomach, I was checking the group chat i had just been added to continually but it was as though my coursemates had eggs for brains. I had no idea where to go, what to do, how to even breathe.

The Lord loves me.

I spotted the guy from the dean's office standing in front of his locker. "Um... Excuse me," I said, lightly tapping his shoulder.

He turned around, towering over me with a hint of surprise. "Can I help you?"

"Please, where is the College of Science building?" I asked, trying to sound confident.

He raised an eyebrow, a flicker of recognition crossing his face. "You're the girl from earlier. You're new here, right?"

I nodded, my words tumbling out in a rush. "Yes, I mean, no... I'm new, but not a fresher. I wrote direct entry exams."

Why did I stutter?

To my surprise, he smiled kindly. "No worries, I'm Daniel. Let's walk, I'll show you the building."

As we strolled, he asked, "By the way, why Freemans College?"

I hesitated before answering, "My grandma knows the vice chancellor... she helped me get in."