CHAPTER TWO

It was not until the next morning that my roommates returned to the room and I was busy arranging my corner.

I had intended to arrange it and put everything in order the previous day but tiredness had gotten the better of me. I had even slept of and forgotten to eat and had woken up not until 9pm the next day. I looked up from the stuff I was doing as soon as they entered the room, Ashley was a real mess, her hairs were tangled and her eyes red.

"Good morning o" I greeted them.

"If u see how Ashley embarrassed me yesterday, she was claiming she could talk a lot of alcohol without getting high, so they dared her in the party yesterday, and guess what, she started talking rubbish and throwing up" bolu said laughing loudly and sarcastically.

What was I supposed to say, how was I supposed to react to this, these girls were something else, I would never go to a night party and sleep over my dad would kill me if he found out, i said to myself.

"Ohh really, not everyone can take a lot of alcohol and still be sober" asley defended.

"Bolu if you were the one that took that you won't even be standing here to talk", ashley said slumping on the bed looking very stressed out.

"That tall guy you danced with did he ask for your number? Bolu asked as she pulled her heels and massaged her ankles.

"Bolu you are too boy crazy please, he did but I didn't give him, I don't give out my number anyhow and you know it, besides I don't like the man".

"Come of it please, you don't like him and you agreed to dance with him seriously...?

"It was just a dance and nothing more, didn't you see he was all over me, I just wanted him to let me be that's why I danced with him so he could stop disturbing me".

"Forget this one you are saying Sha, me I know you kpakushed yesterday, so how was it like".

"Jesus I didn't for Christ sake" Ashley blurted shyly.

I was lost here, what the hell was the meaning of kpakush, this girls are something else, I thought.

"Me I won't lie, I did, like, that Ruben is hot...you needed to see the way he was taking it slowly with the cool music again" bolu said laughing.

It was then it dawned to me what they meant...these girls are defiling my ears I thought walking out of the room. I had come from a very serious Christian home and my disciplinarian dad had taught me to move out from where they talked about sexual escapades and all those stuffs. sometimes my friends back at home says I was too old fashioned.

"I want to go for and finish up my physical clearance at the auditorium, bye" I said at the door.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

As I stepped out of the hostel front gate, fresh cool breeze blew on my face as I walked down to the auditorium silently with my air pod in my ears listening to my favourite music end game by Taylor swift.

Then some one tapped me lightly on my shoulders and I turned..

"You startled me, what do u want".

"I'm Daniel sorry, I don't mean any harm" he said giving me one handsome smile that sent butterflies down my belly....

"Emm... I'm Mirabel I said stammering.

"Mira, nice name...are u a fresher? He asked looking me over from head to toe.

"Of course, I'm even going to the auditorium for my last clearance.

"Ohh, thought as much with the files on your hands, I'm walking towards that side.

"Alright" I said clutching the files was holding on my chest as I caught him staring at my breasts.

"Hope you don't mind me showing you around later, anytime you are chanced?

"Emm alright, maybe later in the evening" I replied wondering why he cared.

"Alright, please can I get your contact please, I mean no harm, just to contact you later? He asked."

" Alright, no problem" I said. Then he gave me his phone and I saved the number.

We walked down the road silently until I got to the auditorium and we parted ways.

This guy was actually hot I must say, and his smile, God, it made him more charming.

As I was about to enter the main hall where the clearance would take place, I was restricted by a security man who asked me for my entry slip, I showed him and got into the Hall.

The queue was very long and I only but wondered when I would be cleared and out of here today.

I sat there for some hours, and it wasn't yet my turn. I took my phone from my bag and listened to music. After waiting for what seemed like eternity it got to my turn and the clearance officer cleared. He didn't have much problem attending to me, only that he found it difficult in pronouncing my native name.

After I was cleared, I went back straight to the hostel, sweating profusely because the weather was very hot and sunny.

I prepared noodles and ate hurriedly, I didn't Know I was this farmished.

I hadn't realized I had fallen asleep until i was awoken from a call on my phone. It was an unknown number.

"Hello, good evening, this is Daniel" I had unconsciously forgotten we were to meet this evening, I looked at the wall clock and it was already few minutes past four.

"Hey Daniel" I replied almost short of words.

"I am almost close to your hostel, remember I promised to show you around this evening" he replied.

"Yes I know, but emm...I haven't prepared anything for dinner yet, I want to make something before going out" I stammered.

"We could grab something later for dinner at my favourite spot, trust me you would like it" he replied.

He sounded like someone that always got his way and wouldn't take no for an answer.

After considering it for a minute I decided to go.

" Okay just give me some minutes, I'd call you when I'm ready" I replied.

I picked up a blue dress to wear. After that I applied a lip gloss. I went further to apply some mascara and a thought came to my head ' c'mon it's not like you are going on a date. I placed the mascara back to where I got it from and headed to the door.

My roommates weren't in so I locked the door and took my own key. Daniel was already waiting for me in front of the hostel.

I had wanted to call him before I got a glimpse of him sitting at the bus stop in front of the hostel. He said he liked my dress, he also said I looked pretty. I knew it was true, almost every guy I meet say the same thing, and I always confirmed that when I look at the mirror.

After showing me around the faculties, school library and some important places, we went to an eatry as he had promised.

" This is Kilimanjaro, I usually come here to eat because there food is very nice" he said as we went inside.

After eating silently for some minutes I

broke the silence by commending the food. It was actually nice as he said but rather too spicy...

We had a few discussion in which he did most of the talking.

" This agitation for gender equality, and feminism stuff that's going on in the country lately, what do you think about it? I asked after eating the last spoon of rice and gulping the orange juice.

He looked up from his plate and his face looked like a lot was going on in his mind.

"I don't know, but I think other countries like the U.S and other Western States has almost achieved that, and our country is also putting some effort in achieving that, but I don't think it will be achieved a hundred percent because there's this African mentality that always sees women as subjects and men as their superior". There are other important issues arising in this country that needs to be addressed and I think feminism is the last" he added.

"Are you serious right now? So you think it's not a serious matter that should be..."

"That's not what I meant, he said cutting me off, of course it is....as in women should be given equal right to do what they want. I just meant there are more important issues to be addressed in this country, and I am just sick and tired no one's doing anything about it. And I think there are more important things women should put more effort in, like taking care of thier home and children, being so close to their children that they can tell them anything. Ok for example one lady in the neighborhood I lived before, not that she was full time working class lady, she never had time for her only daughter...I recently heard that a house keeper she hired to be taking care of her child has been sexually abusing the child for months now and she never found out, it was her neighbor that accidentally suspected it and the man was later caught, that was when she broke down in tears saying she had been noticing sadness and strange attitudes from her daughter but didn't know what was wrong. The girl had refused to talk because the man has threatened to kill her if she told anyone, if the woman was close enough with her daughter and had this mother to daughter relationship she would have told her no matter what. I just think that women in quest for this gender equality should also keep a close eye on their children especially the their girl child, crazy things are happening, but that time wetin the woman know na to dey carry feminism up and down for her head" he added in pidin English.

"That's too bad, I lamented, I hated hearing of rape case and molestation especially on kids. I wondered if people who involved in it her humans. "May God keep us from all evil, I said forgetting the topic I even brought up and thinking with rage in my eyes what I'd have done to that man if I was in the position to punish him ,he would surely join Lucifer his father to rot in hell.