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IMADE
I ran my hands over my head hoping it wasn't my bright blonde hair that called their attention.
"Fuck them" I mumbled.
I inhaled as my heart continued to pump -not necessarily in excitement. I was in a whole different country and I was the only black person I had seen in over two hours.
I was bloody nervous.
"The keys to your apartment, Miss Imade" Noah, one of the students from the university who picked me up at the airport handed me a bunch of keys before moving away from the view of my new 'home'.
Noah was blonde with blue intense eyes. He was quite friendly but he rambled a lot though.
I caught him staring at me and I sighed.
Had they never seen a black woman with short blonde and curly hair? Or maybe it was because I wore mom jeans?
I thought they made my hips and ass look nice.
Instinctively, I cupped my ass and pouted.
I eyed him and looked at the flat in the student estate. I would be staying here for four to five years.
Tears welled in my eyes as I thought about my mama. I missed her already -she would have screamed in my ear like she was the one who got the keys to the house.
Even when I did get the scholarship, it seemed like she was the happier one. I combed my fingers through my curls and sighed.
"Thank you, Noah. I appreciate all the help" I smiled, looking up at him while one of the students walked past us, a female who eyed me -not necessarily in disgust but in curiosity.
"Oh! I have no problems with that. Zero! Zilch! Nada! I was too happy to Uh...to come pick you up. If you want to go out to lunch, we could go..." he trailed off and I raised a brow at him before thinking about it.
If I were back in Nigeria, it would have been a straight up 'No' but I was in a foreign country. I needed all the help I could get.
His cheeks had turned rouge and I shrugged.
How did they get so red though? It was cute.
"That's alright but I'm feeling really tired and I need to arrange my things. So tomorrow?" I offered politely and he nodded.
I took a step back as he walked towards his car. He combed his fingers though his hair and glanced at me, running his tongue over his lower lip.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Miss. Imade and I do hope you enjoy California" he smiled at me and I returned the smile.
"Thank you, Noah" I waved at him and he climbed into the convertible before diving off.
I stood by the curb and watched his glossy black car drive off into the distance till there was nothing in sight.
I held the keys in my hand up. I already missed my mama but I knew this was for the best. Besides, she promised to come see me in six months.
I stepped into the flat and inhaled. It smelled like air freshener. It was definitely different but I wasn't sure if I was prepared for 'different'.
However, I couldn't deny how cute the apartment was. There was a large window in the living room with a pillow resting on it, I could already picture myself reading a book there. The living room was furnished with a TV and two light blue couches. The kitchen wasn't too far and my three large suitcases and single carry on sat on one of the suitcases rest on the walls of the hallway that probably led to my room. I walked down the hallway, grabbing my carry on with me.
There were two doors and I sighed, pushing the one on the left. The door opened and my jaw almost dropped. It was absolutely amazing!
There was a fairly large bed to the left of the room with blankets on the bed while a table was on the right with a lamp and a chair tucked in. There was a closet beside the table and a dressing table opposite the door.
The best part was the view of the large window that was closer to the table. Baby blue curtains that matched the couch and the sheets hung from the sides of the window and I walked to it.
I let out a small laugh and stepped into the room, looking around. I assumed the other door was leading to the bathroom.
There was another student apartment next to mine but it didn't overshadow the view of the sun and blue clouds.
"It's beautiful" I whispered to myself and exhaled, placing my carryon on the floor before stepping out of the room to check out the bathroom.
Squeaky clean, as I had expected. I turned to glance at myself in the mirror. My blue plaid crop shirt had rumpled from the twelve hour flight.
I exhaled and reminded myself that I needed to arrange my things and that was all I did for three bloody hours.
I snapped black bonnet on my head and walked around my house, admiring my finished work. I was moving some of the foodstuff I got to the kitchen and I hoped I could find something to eat without stressing.
The scholarship was only given to me by luck, I was sure of it because I was convinced that scholarships never worked out. I simply filled it out in my moment of desperation.
It was a scholarship to study at a university in California. I would be given a monthly allowance and an apartment in the student estate for the duration of my course. My school fees would be paid for by the scholarship board. All I needed to do was pass my exams.
I was desperate.
Hell, I graduated secondary school when I was fifteen. A's in all subjects and I passed all of my exams but I still couldn't get into the university of my choice why? Because you needed to know someone who knew someone before you could get into a university.
I tried again after another year. I passed in the whole damn rainbow color but still stayed at home for another year but still didn't get into the university -I decided to learn a skill on my mother's insistence.
I took makeup and hair making classes for nine months -at least I graduated with that and got a certificate.
"What? No food?" I grumbled as I stared at the empty fridge.
Wasn't food supposed to come with the scholarship?
I was glad I brought some food anyways. Just a few of my favourite biscuits and a pack of chewing gum.
Two more years at home after writing exams and I still couldn't get into the university. My classmates -who had more influential parents- were either in their final year or had already graduated.
I was tired. Of everything. Of having to write the same bloody exam for five years. So, I decided to humor myself and sign up for a scholarship in a university halfway across the country.
I'm glad I did.
I only managed to sneak in five packs of indomie so that my mama didn't see them. I was a sucker for noodles.
