JUST FOR YOU

《1》New school.

It's Saturday morning, few minutes past ten am. My mum barged into my room making me groan. I loved being awake and just laying on the bed doing nothing. Ten am was quite early for me to be awake since I had been at home for the past three years with nothing to do except long and wait to get admission into the university of my dreams. UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS AKA UNILAG.

I wasn't even allowed to learn a hand skill while I was at home, more like I didn't want to learn but I was fed up of staying at home. The dream finally came true three months ago and now I was leaving home away from my parents troubles and my servantship.

Forgetting about my mum still in the room, I tried to close my eyes to go back to bed when she yanked the cover off my body and said, "won't you get up from bed? Or isn't it daybreak already?" I yawned very loudly as I still struggled to pull myself together.

"Don't forget you have to arrange your stuff or don't you want to resume today?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm definitely resuming today, I can't spend one more day with you guys." I replied, now sitting up on the bed.

"Okay then, hurry up we have a long drive ahead of us." She said and left the room.

I got up, arranged the rest of my clothes into my box and took my bath. I got dressed and carried my stuffs into the car.

My fourteen year old brother, James, who was already taller than me at fourteen and I still didn't understand why I stopped growing, walked up to me and said, "sis, I'm really going to miss you."

I scoffed. "Miss who? I know the only reason you'll miss me is because I cook for you and help you with your chores, now reality has dawned on you." I remarked.

"That's not true." He tried to defend himself but I knew deep down that, that was the only reason.

"You can't deceive me." I replied. At a loss for words, he left and went back into the house.

I took the rest of my stuffs and made sure I wasn't forgetting anything. The last thing I needed was to forget an important stuff and need to come back to this house to get it.

I couldn't believe I got admission into the prestigious University of Lagos. A school known for it's reputation of being very hard to get in to. But I guess with a JAMB score of 290 and a very good WAEC result and an excellent performance in the Post Utme exams, admission was sure.

I deserved the admission after taking JAMB for three years and rewriting WAEC because I failed mathematics which was one of the compulsory subjects required for admission and the first two years of JAMB, my results were not admission worthy.

I heard a lot about universities. The freedom you get, nobody cares if you attend classes or not. Lecturers don't know the students one on one. I also heard I'd be having classes from 8am to 6pm, that was a really long time to have classes. Who on earth drafted the timetable? That person deserved to be beaten.

I couldn't wait to get into a mature relationship, date a really nice guy, handsome, tall and rich. The guy I dream about always. Unlike my secondary school relationships that were quite childish. I mean, they don't even deserve the relationship title because whatever we did was child's play.

My mum interrupted my train of thoughts. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked, concern laced in her voice.

"No, I don't think so, I'm nervous and I don't like eating when I'm nervous. I tend to get an upset stomach afterwards and that's the last thing I need right now." I replied.

I recalled my first JAMB exam. I was at my aunt's house because my exam centre was close to her house and the exam was as early as eight am. My aunt had forced me to eat that morning and the results afterwards was quite unpleasant. I had gone to the toilet more than twice before leaving the house.

When I got to my centre, I had the urge to go again. I prayed silently for the feeling to disappear cause there was no way I could go around there. Luckily for me, the feeling left after a while and I wrote my exam hurriedly and raced home.

Probably the cause of my poor performance, I thought to myself.

"Alright then, I'll pack the food for you, when you get to the hostel, you can eat it."

"Thanks mum, you're the best."

My dad came out of his room to the sitting room.

"Good morning sir." I greeted.

"Good morning my baby, hope you've taken everything you need?" He asked.

"I have."

"Good. You're to come home every weekend. I'm not sending you to school to make friends, make sure you face your studies." He ordered.

I nodded my head in response. In my mind I was like, "who's going to listen to all these rules, I'm going to the freaking university, I'm a big chick."

"Make sure you pray always and don't get into any trouble." Not like I get into any trouble, I've always been a good kid. He continued, but this time, he prayed, "MAY THE LORD ALMIGHTY BE WITH YOU ALWAYS AND CONTINUE TO PROTECT YOU."

"Amen," I said with seriousness in my tone. My dad can be very religious (which Nigerian parent isn't?). He never jokes with church.

"Stay good, don't join bad gangs and always remember the family you come from." He continued.

I will, I won't and I will. I contemplated on which response was suitable. I decided to nod instead not like he cares about what I say, all he cares about was, if I was listening and understanding what he was saying.

"And finally make us proud." He concluded and reached out to hug me.
I was startled at first, my dad was not a hugger. He had this reputation, you know –– Nigerian parent reputation –– barely showing affection.

"Yes dad, I will." I said and hugged him still surprised.

Even though I hated to admit it, I would definitely miss home and everyone. But like, this wasn't my first time leaving home. I stayed six good years in boarding school but I've gotten so used to staying at home and I kind of don't want to leave.

I know it's my introverted side that's feeling that way but I'm sure by the time I'm among my mates, I'd forget about home.

*******

Yayy!! First chapter down, more to go.

I really hope you enjoyed it.

~Frances ⭐