Unlock My Heart

Chapter 2

I woke up to the blaring sound of my alarm, groaning as I stretched and reached over to shut it off. First day of classes. It didn't feel real yet. I rolled out of bed, glanced at my scattered notes, and sighed. I hadn't been at Unilag for more than two days, and the excitement I had felt was already being smothered by the dread of the unknown. Classes. New people. New expectations.

I took a quick shower and dressed in my usual: a simple T-shirt, jeans, and sandals. Practical. No need to attract unnecessary attention on the first day. As I sat at my tiny desk, struggling to organize my scattered thoughts, my phone buzzed. A message from Sally.

Sally: Don't forget, CHM101 at 9 a.m. sharp. You ready, babe?

I couldn't help but smile. Sally was basically my lifeline at this point—overenthusiastic, yes, but useful when I had no idea where I was going.

Me: Ready? No. Alive? Barely. Where are we meeting?

Her reply came immediately.

Sally: I'll meet you at Faculty of Science! And get jollof after? You need to eat, abeg.

I didn't have the energy to argue. I grabbed my bag and stepped out into the hallway. The hostel was alive with activity—students rushing around, phones ringing, and the chatter of people who already seemed to have a sense of direction. I envied them.

I took a deep breath as I walked outside, taking in the familiar sights and sounds of Lagos. The sun was already high, beating down on the streets lined with vendors selling everything from puff-puff to iced water in plastic sachets. The chaos of the city was comforting in a way. It was home.

At Faculty of Science

I made it to the Faculty of Science just in time to find Sally standing by one of the pillars, waving frantically like she hadn't seen me in years. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Alura!" she called, rushing over to hug me, almost knocking me off balance. "Omo, you look like you didn't sleep at all!"

"I didn't," I muttered, adjusting my bag. "What did you expect?"

"You could've slept earlier instead of staying up reading for a class that hasn't even started," Sally teased.

I shrugged. "I like being prepared."

She laughed. "Prepared for what? The lecturer probably won't even show up. You know how these Nigerian universities can be."

I raised an eyebrow. "You think?"

"Trust me, half the time the lecturers just drop the course outline and vanish like spirits," Sally said, flipping her braids over her shoulder. "But don't worry. If they're around, you'll know."

As we walked into the lecture hall, I was met with a wave of noise—hundreds of students talking, laughing, and scrambling to find seats. The room smelled like a combination of sweat and stale air, a signature of overcrowded classrooms in Lagos. I sighed. This was going to be my life for the next four years.

We found seats in the middle, and I immediately pulled out my notebook, ready to jot down anything that came my way. Sally nudged me with her elbow.

"You dey carry am for head too much," she joked, referring to my seriousness.

"Someone has to," I shot back, smiling slightly. "We can't all be carefree like you."

Sally opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, the door swung open, and the lecturer walked in. The room quieted down instantly, and everyone scrambled to take their seats.

During the Lecture

The lecture went by in a blur. The professor introduced himself briefly and immediately began scribbling chemical equations on the board. I tried to keep up, but halfway through, my mind started to wander. My thoughts drifted to last night, the party, and that guy... Sean.

His image flashed in my mind—those blue eyes, the way he laughed so easily. Who was he? And why had he seemed so... different? He wasn't like the other boys who'd tried their luck with me. No pushy pick-up lines, no annoying persistence. Just... amusement.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus back on the equations in front of me. Sean didn't matter. Not in this world, where grades were everything, and distractions meant failure. Still, something about him gnawed at the back of my mind. Maybe it was because he hadn't seemed to care whether I liked him or not. Or maybe I was just overthinking things again.

After Class

Sally and I left the lecture hall, and she immediately dragged me toward a food vendor outside. The familiar smell of jollof rice and fried plantain filled the air, and my stomach growled loudly. I hadn't realized how hungry I was.

"You need this more than you know," Sally said, pushing a plate into my hands.

I took a bite of the jollof and sighed. "Okay, you were right."

Sally grinned. "When am I ever wrong?"

I rolled my eyes and kept eating, my thoughts still lingering on the lecture—and on Sean.

"You've been quiet," Sally noted, looking at me curiously. "Something on your mind?"

I hesitated, then shrugged. "Just... thinking about last night."

Sally's eyes lit up. "Ohhh, the party! And that guy! What was his name? Sean, right? I saw you two talking. Anything happen?"

"No," I said quickly, shaking my head. "We talked for a bit, but that's it. He's probably forgotten about me already."

Sally smirked. "Somehow, I doubt that. Guys like that don't forget so easily."

"Whatever," I muttered, trying to brush it off. But deep down, I wasn't so sure.

Later That Day

The sun was starting to set by the time I returned to my hostel. The campus was winding down, with fewer students in sight. As I climbed the stairs to my room, my phone buzzed again. Another message. From an unknown number.

Unknown: So, how was the first day of classes?

I froze. Who...?

Then it hit me. Sean.

I stared at the message, unsure of how to respond. My thumb hovered over the keyboard before I finally typed back.

Me: How did you get my number?

Sean: I have my ways ;)

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. He was impossible.

Me: I'm not impressed.

Sean: Yet.

And just like that, the familiar nervousness crept back. Sean was trouble—I could feel it. But a small, reckless part of me was curious. Curious enough to wonder where this was going, even if I knew I shouldn't care.

I sighed, tossed my phone onto the bed, and collapsed beside it. I didn't have the energy to figure him out tonight. But something told me this wasn't over.