Journey - Episode 3

 

It's okay,  it's okay.  Tasha's soft voice slowly brought her back to reality. You've been having the nightmares again. Just today.  You haven't had it in years. I know, maybe I'm just stressed. Okay, get dressed or we'll be late and hey. What?  We can take over the world "together". Together forever . Tess said as she smiled,  it was a pact they'd made when they were younger. Back when it all started.
The orientation week flew by, she didn't see him for most of it. But she couldnt shake off the eerie feeling she'd had when he'd watched her that first day.  Pushing it to the back of her mind she threw herself into the first few days with registration and a few other introductory activities before the first round of classes began. She disciplined her mind not to even think of those haunting brown eyes and if there was one gift Tess Johnson truly possessed, it was the ability to focus only on what she wanted to, completely eliminating everything else from her mind. This time the object for elimination was Mr dapper looking with the haunting eyes, strangely she had no idea what his name was. 
No normal being should have to be in class by 7am or worse, have to be up at 5am to get there. Chill out Tess,  it's our first class as collegiate you think could be more excited

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/journey

. School is pointless especially in Nigeria today. We're all here slaving away for a piece of paper and at the end of four years plus an extra year of "national service "  you end up either pounding the streets basically begging for a job or struggling with whatever business you try to run.  Why not send me to business school for a year, give me a 100k and spare me all the wasted years. Okay,  debate queen, I lack the strength and word-power to argue with you so I'm going to shut up and keep smiling till we get to class. Well aren't you Miss sunshine. Excuse me please, is that the General Studies Unit.  Yes it is, but you guys sure are late.  Late,  it's just 7:45. Yeah and the hall gets full by 7am. What....  Theresa Johnson, do not curse.  Sure,  mom.  I'll play mom as long as you shut up and do not launch into a tirade on how messed up the Nigerian education system is. Deal? Just move. 
The hall was packed. There were no spare seats. Each row had ten seats and most students were squeezed between them, sitting on the iron bars that connected one chair to the other. Hey,  Tasha. A group of the girls her sister had chatted with on the bus called out to her pointing at one of the few iron bars left.  Hey, if you can't beat em,  join em. See ya later sis,  she called out as she skipped over to their row.  Standing at the back of the hall, Tess clutched her books to her chest as she fiddled with the handle of her backpack. Maybe being an island in a setting like this wasn't going to work. There were no familiar faces here and she was uncomfortable. 
Tasha squeezed herself into the seat between two of the girls. Hope,  the light skinned one with the bright red hair asked, what about your sister. Where's she going to sit. Tess? She's literally a fire breathing dragon. I'm sure finding somewhere to sit won't be a problem for her.  She'll just chew someone up till they want to crawl under their seat with shame and probably end up offering it to her. Sounds like a bully to me, the other girl, Tasha couldn't remember her name muttered. She was about to defend her sister, then thought better of it.  When they got to know her, they'd love her she thought to herself.
Three rows behind them Phillip saw Tess scurry to sit with a few girls he remembered from the bus. Where was Tess,  they were always together. Looking back he saw her. Looking extremely uncomfortable but hiding it extremely well under the I don't give a damn attitude. The woman sure was stubborn. He'd stayed out of her way for most of the week but that didn't mean he hadn't been watching her.  He wondered if he should put her out of her misery or continue to watch her.  Seeing the lecturer on the corridor before the one next to their hall, the decision was taken out of his hands.  Tess,  he called waving to her. 
This was probably the longest three minutes of her life and suddenly she heard her name and saw him waving at her. She'd recognise those eyes anywhere even though he kept them hidden under a hat with the inscription Moschino on it. Grateful for the lifeline, she quickly weaved her way towards him.  
As soon as she reached him,  Phillip stood up from the chair, stepped between the iron bars and sat. Sit,  he said as she stood there gaping at him. As soon as she settled into her seat, he smiled at her and said I'm Phillip by the way.  Smiling slightly at him she said, thank you and just a few seconds later the lecturer stepped in but in that moment as he smiled to himself, Phillip knew a friendship had been born.