"Heyyyyyyy!" My seatmate's sudden yell snapped me out of my drowsiness.
I jolted awake, rubbing my eyes before looking over at her.
"Where were you last night? You look like you’re about to pass out," she teased, grinning at me.
I stretched my arms out, trying to shake off the sleep that clung to me like a heavy blanket.
"Oh, nowhere special. We just had mid-week service at church, then a sleepover at my aunt’s place. Spent half the night chatting away with my cousins and friends,"
I explained, stifling a yawn as I fought the urge to drift off again.
She chuckled, nodding in understanding before turning back to her notes. Meanwhile, I blinked hard, trying to stay awake.
Three and a half hours of sleep—thanks to our endless gossip session—had left me running on fumes.
I had no regrets though. It was fun, but now, all I wanted was to crawl into bed.
We were in the classroom, waiting for our last subject of the day.
With every passing minute, my excitement to head home and get some much-needed sleep only grew.
Finally, our teacher walked in and began the lesson.
For the next hour and a half, I fought a losing battle against my eyelids, which felt heavier than ever. But at last, the class ended.
The moment the clock struck, I grabbed my stuff, packed up quickly, and was the first out the door.
As my classmates called after me, I waved them off, not even bothering to look back.
I was a girl on a mission—to get home and collapse into the sweet embrace of sleep.
I made a dash for the exit gate, the afternoon sun casting long shadows as I hurried toward freedom.
Normally, I would walk home with a classmate who always made sure I got home safe, but today, I had told her I’d catch a tricycle instead.
Now, I stood on the side of the road, scanning for one of the trikes that usually zoomed by, watching other students do the same.
I waved at a few friends passing by on their way back to their boarding houses, exchanging tired smiles.
But as minutes ticked by, no luck—every tricycle that passed was already packed.
Where are all the tricycles?
I’ve been standing here forever.
Frustration bubbled up as I checked my phone. 5:10 PM.
Great, I thought, 'if I’d walked, I would’ve been home by now.'
I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down.
'Patience is a virtue,' I reminded myself, echoing a phrase that had been swirling around in my mind since last night.
I’d been thinking about it all the way home.
It had faded from my thoughts earlier, but now it resurfaced as I stood there, waiting for a ride.
A small smile crept onto my face.
Is this what that phrase means? I mused.
Patience—learning to control yourself in frustrating situations like this, maybe that’s it.
Just as I was lost in my thoughts, I heard the hum of an engine pulling up beside me.
Opening my eyes, I saw a familiar ranger pickup.
YOU ARE READING
POV
Non-FictionLife often presents itself as a series of hurdles, each one taller than the last. These hurdles, though daunting, are not meant to break us but to shape us into who we are meant to be. It is through our darkest nights that we gain the strength to fa...
