NEVER LET THE HAIR DOWN 🌸🌸🌸 Chapter Three

First day of school.

I'm so happy I don't have to write stupid compositions about certain events in my life anymore. If not, I don't know what I would have written about January 10th.

Let me try and recount it for you though. I got ready pretty early in the morning but had to wait for Chy to get dressed so she could help me get to my department.

She was very kind. She led me all the way to FASA building A... B? Whatever. I soon found my classroom and boy was I glad to find some backseats vacant.

I had three classes that day, I think. One was by an albino man who I heard was a tutor. I didn't learn much; he didn't teach much either. He just kept telling us to buy his textbook.

I had to check if CRS was part of my courses because I didn't understand the second class. A lady just came in and began to preach about God and hand out invites to her church. Somehow , she reminded me of my Thai aunt who was a deeply religious Buddhist. I wondered what my course mates would think if my aunt came into the classroom dressed in yellow saffron and started preaching about the great Buddha.

The third class was on HIS 101; introduction to history. I enjoyed it for two reasons. One, I love history. Two, the lecturer was a good looking, intelligent and funny young man.

After class, I waited a little. The doorway was full of social people. I didn't want to mingle, yet. I changed plans when the girl beside me tried to gain my attention for a chat. She probably wanted to compliment my face (I had covered my hair with my hoodie) but I left before she could.

The journey down the stairs and out of the building was a nightmare! I missed my way and everyone's eyes were on me. I tried to blend in but every eye contact I made told me that I was clearly odd.

"Too many eyes," I muttered as I retraced my steps to the road that led to Pharmacy building. I slowed down a little as I passed CDEL building. The green lawn was eye-catching. The trees around the Guesthouse were magnificent. They were blooming with purple-pink flowers that twirled and fluttered down the tree gracefully. They fell on the road and painted the black with beautiful spots.

"Pretty," I said and forgot all about everyone. The environment reminded me of somewhere in Thailand. I tried in vain to grab the childhood memory. I sighed quietly and enjoyed the environment. I wished the place would always be like that; the sunlight through the trees, the endless shower of flowers, the peace and tranquility. It was like I was in Thailand again, a place where I didn't have to worry much if people would accept me for looking different.

The daydream ended when I reached Pharmacy building and realized I had forgotten my way back.

"Oh, no. What did Chy say again? Go left? That doesn't sound right. Just great. I'm lost," I muttered. A deep breath did little to calm me down. I was getting nervous of the number of green shuttles that parked nearby in a single file.

"It's okay, Chanok. They're just shuttles, filled with students. Lots of curious nosy two faced..."

"Hi!"

I trembled in surprise as a girl stopped before me and smiled at me. She was a little over average with a slender figure that protruded from her body fitting palazzo trousers and button shirt. Her eyes were big and brown. They were the prettiest part of her face which was chocolate brown like the rest of her body.

"Um, hi."

"You're my classmate, aren't you? I remember your face; the pretty girl with the black hoodie," she said half to herself and half to me.

I smiled and tried to remember if I had seen her in class. I would have had better luck if I weren't so self conscious. "History?" I asked just to be sure.

"Yes. Room 214."

"Huh?"

"You know, the classroom with the maps and the pictures of dead dudes."

"Oh," I said. I hadn't noticed that my classroom had the same number as my hostel room. I also found it amusing that she saw Nigerian heroes as nothing more than dead dudes. I hid my grin behind my hand. She saw this and smiled.

"I'm Fumnanya. What of you?"

"Marahadum," I said. I waited for remarks like, "Wow!" or "What a mouthful." Instead, she rested her chin on her open palms and exclaimed, "Awwn. What a cute name."

"Thank you. Em, Fumnanya..."

"I know. My name is pretty long," she said suddenly thoughtful.

"No. It's great," I said.

"I should probably shorten it to Fumzy or Nanya. How about..."

"Fumnanya sounds great," I put in before she said anything else. Obviously, I had run into a talkative. "Look, I just resumed recently. I don't really know the routes. Do you by any chance know how I can get to Okeke hostel from here?"

"Oh. Why didn't you say so? Of course I do. Okeke is near my hostel. Actually, it's near Presidential hall which is next to my hostel. I know the way well. I resumed last year. Here, let me escort you."

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome."

She was quiet as we crossed the road. Then, she started talking again.

"What do you think of the school?"

"I think it's great."

"I think it's great," she mimicked me. I looked at her and she said, "I love your intonation. When I talked about my name being too long, you were like, "Fumnanya sounds great." You also said that you weren't familiar with the routes. Someone else would have called it road but you called it routes and you pronounced it like my Diction teacher in secondary school would have pronounced it."

I chuckled, unsure of what to say. I hoped she wouldn't start talking about my skin colour too.

"I like your voice too. So quiet and gentle."

"Thank you," I replied. What next, I thought, my face?

"Well, here we are," she said and I smiled at my white walled hostel with relief. "My hostel is this way. It's Akintola. I had better go now."

"Thank you so much, Fumnanya. God bless you," I said happily.

"You're welcome. Amen, dear. See you tomorrow," she said trying to mimick my accent. I laughed and watched her wave before I turned and  ran for room 214.

When I touched down on my bed, I began to think about this unique character. I kinda regretted not getting her number. I didn't feel that way for long. Something told me I would see that loquacious funny accent-mimicking course mate sooner than I wanted.

To be continued 🧣