RUNNING

Chapter Five (Unedited)

University of Ibadan, Present.

“Do not follow vain desires; for verily he who prospers is preserved from lust, greed and anger.” Abubakar (May Allah be pleased with him)

 

“Things can’t be worse than it is.” Maraya thought to herself as she dropped her phone on the bed. She broke down on her bed and gently pulled her hair, she feels so frustrated and at the moment she wished there is something she can do to change the present situation, thankfully her roommate has packed out so she have the room to herself to cry even if she wants. Maraya is not the weak one to cry in front of others, she will never give anybody a reason to pity her, she is strong after all and nothing can break her. She believes in herself and she’s always boastful about her intelligence, beauty and creativity. No one matches up to her among her friends or people she knows, she always top her class and that has been a plus mark for her to her parents.

Despite being the only female and her father’s wealth she never rely on it and she believed in working hard for what you want, this has made her parents to be so proud of her and always talk about her achievements among their friends. She is brilliant, beautiful and has a rich father and brothers who are working hard to expand their construction business. Maraya had opted out of family business and decide to study physiology which is her dream course, her parents were happy about it because they feared that she will not be able to stand up to many challenges in the field of construction. Where Maraya leaves the construction field only chose to follow her passion not that she is afraid to face a challenge. To her “what a man can do, a woman can do it better” that has been her favorite quote as a child and it has always been right for her as she always top her class despite the number of male students that are found in their level.  

She was the best student since her first year, but now that she is getting to her fourth year she just got a call from her friend that she did not come out as the best student in their level for the year. It was the sad news she heard so far in the year, it made her feel miserable  like she had never felt before, she has never lose to anyone before, not in the field of her study and she was more annoyed that she lost to the girl in black.

She recalled her first meeting with her, it was some months ago during the physiology practical class.

-------------------------------------   Flashback -----------------------------------

Maraya was sitting in the physiology laboratory scrolling through her phone before the commencement of the practical. Everybody is sitting in pairs because they normally pair them for their practical, Maraya did not care to choose any partner because she knows she always get new partner every year due to her intelligence many people want to relate with her. it was their first practical class in year three, she doesn’t care much about whoever cares to pair with her as far as the partner will not be distracting her much during the process, she did not have much friend in their class because she don’t want to have unfaithful friends. Maraya knows that her class members are very competitive, being the best student since the years she believed she has earned enough enmity and everybody will be aiming to pull her down once she let her guard down and allow people into her life. To her, life is a race where you need to keep your pace at all time because if you slow down a bit, you will get trampled and overtaken and history never keep record of the second man so if you are not the first you are out of the league.     

“Excuse me?” Maraya heard beside her and look towards the person talking beside her. The sight of her alone turn maraya off in an instant, the lady was wearing a long black gown and wrapped a purple colored hijab, she doesn’t wear make-up but Maraya cannot deny the fact that she is beautiful even without any make-up, she looked so calm and reserved. It was the first time she was noticing her and for some reasons Maraya just felt threatened by her look.