~Sarima's POV~

I walked briskly on the tarred pedestrian walkway that had THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS inscribed over the bearings on the entrance or the school's main gate with both my sisters in tow.

We'd just alighted a stuffy Danfo bus some minutes ago, and I prayed that the cheap perfume I'd doused on myself before leaving the house would cover up the lingering smell of the fish that the passenger who sat beside me had carried into the bus not minding that it was causing a massive inconvenience to the other passengers.

Campus shuttles were filled to the brim, moving to and from the gate, and students were all over the vicinity. Some who were behind schedule on important activities were in a hurry, like me, while others were taking their time, like Somi and Homa, who were behind. However, all the activities indicated that ASUU had called off the strike, and resumption had fully commenced.

My head was aching. I don't know if it was from lack of good sleep due to working late into the night, I was supposed to get some footwear and handbags delivered for Ronke, and I didn't want to disappoint.

Or the migraine could be because of the noise from the compound earlier today.

I'd awoken from my short sleep this morning to hear the banshee scream of mama Chidiebere and as usual, she was hurling insults and profanities at her housemaid for Stealing goods and money from her provision store.

While our next door neighbour, Mercy, was barely around and rumoured to be a runs girl, none of my business–was on her usual morning singing marathon that always annoyed me. Somi would say I was a hater because mercy's voice was adorable. As for me, her talent could be well used elsewhere and not in disturbing the neighbourhood's peace.

One of the downsides of living in a public compound.

My phone began to ring, and I dipped my hand into my big bag, hoping it wasn't Onome calling again to say I was late.

I squinted as the sun didn't make it easy for me to make out the caller.

I increased the brightness, getting a glimpse of the impromptu broadcast message received this morning from the course rep following the order of the HOD for a meeting.

I swiped it away from the top of the screen where it was pending as an unattended notification and also swiped to answer the unknown number calling again.

"Hello," I answered, wiping away the sweat that stuck to my forehead with my forearm.

"Hey, Sarima," there was a slight pause as I tried to place the male voice that carried the smooth English but couldn't. "You must be wondering who this should be...I guess". His words were accompanied by a little nervous laugh. Then he muttered something like I don't usually do this.

I was still waiting for him to talk as the call was slowing my steps and keeping my attention divided from my main objective: arriving at my faculty before Dr. Benson Kalio got there before me and would decide to embarrass me with his bad jokes. I'd fallen victim to it too many times and didn't want his interest to be picked by my tardiness again.

"It's Ayo"

Who's Ayo?

Oh

Benz and smooth English Ayo.

So Homa wasn't bluffing when she'd said she gave him my number.

That witch.

I turned back with a frown, my eyes searching for my sisters amidst the many students in motion. But unfortunately, my sisters were nowhere in sight.

Where had they disappeared to just now?

"Hello?, Are you still there?" His voice brought me out of my search as I quickly caught a glance of the blue plaid top Somi had donned with a white Palazzo getting into a sleek SUV.

"Hello?..." He dragged, and my frown deepened as I removed the phone from my ear.

"Hello, I think my network is bad, I'll call you back,"

"Hell..." I made my voice sound as cracked and faint as I possibly could. "Network," I acted frustrated and ended the call putting my phone immediately on airplane mode so I wouldn't receive a call back from him for now.

The grey Lexus LX 600 approached me and stopped just as I expected.

My frown was quickly replaced with a smile when I saw Amira smiling from the wound down glass of the passenger seat. Adams was behind the wheel.

This guy loves his sister o.

I chuckled softly.

The back door eased open. I made my way in as the cool, satisfying air hit me. The car had a whiff of designer cologne that deeply contrasted with the heat caused by the already scorching morning sun outside. I was glad to have escaped it. I almost sighed in satisfaction as it slightly calmed my nerves.

After exchanging pleasantries and gratitude, I was already seated beside Somi, making her lodged at the centre of Homa and me and making it impossible for me to give Homa the well-deserved knock on the head I'd planned for her.

My glance went to Amira, whose flawless skin was glowing underneath the black cashmere top she had on, her gold and white colour-mixed braided hair were let loose, and her well-laid-out edges gave her an alluring look. She was pretty. The turban she'd worn during our first meeting didn't do justice to her looks.

My opinion about people changed like that _yeah.

I peeled my eyes off her when I noticed Adams staring from the rearview mirror. I smiled in response, and then I noticed it wasn't me he was looking at.

It was the person beside me.

I quickly wiped off my smile, subtly observing their exchange through the rearview mirror.

Somi was blushing.

Hmm.

I didn't know if it was a facade or real cause I know my twin from Adam and can't remember Somi ever acting this way towards a guy she'd not even spent time with.

Maybe because he was very handsome.

Her braided hair was packed in an updo bringing her full beautiful face on display. She'd taken off her drop earrings on the road when Homa had noticed they had a washed look leaving her lobes empty.

I wouldn't mind if it were me with the washed earrings, though.

I loved looking good, but sometimes I just didn't care.

Like how I'd sentenced my hair to life in-natural since my 200 level, I didn't see the need to make it; at the end of 2-3 weeks or a month, I'd have it loosened and then go through that process all over.

I'll always claim that I am too busy or lazy for the hair to anyone who cares to listen, but deep down, I knew that I didn't have the money to spend on resources for such luxuries as plaiting or fixing my hair in a good hairstyle.

Thank heavens, my natural hair was soft and pleasant, otherwise, I'd look like someone who escaped a psychiatric home.

Somi didn't mind taking proper care of hers, like regularly plaiting into protective styles, causing her natural hair to become enviously longer than mine.

My eyes rested on Adams, who looked eye-catching in his grey-coloured corporate shirt and black slacks.

At least I could see what he wore beneath from my angle. His crew-cut hair was in waves, and he had a neatly trimmed beard and long, lean fingers gripping the steering wheel.

His eyes would constantly leave the road and rest on the rearview mirror, resting on my twin sister, who I'm sure would be inwardly having a gloat festival now.

The car would have been quiet apart from Amira and Homa's little chit-chat.

I removed my phone from flight mode in case an important call came in. I wouldn't want to miss that because an unwanted caller made me block out my means of communication.

It felt so good to be in this type of car again.

The last time I'd been in a lovely private car like this was when I'd been driven on an errand in Mama T's Avalon to get some make-up equipment while I still worked at the salon.

And the last time I'd taken a ride in one. I could barely remember.

The car stopped close to the convocation arena as Amira and Homa slipped out of the vehicle waving their goodbyes, teeth, and braces on display.

Somi shifted to get more comfortable but not too far off from her view in the mirror.

Adams made a quick glance behind, directed at me.

"You in your finals too?" He threw his question.

"Yeah," I replied with a nod.

"What's your discipline?" He quizzed again.

"Fine arts." I gave him a pursed smile as the belittling feeling that came to play whenever I told someone my course of study when I was a fresher wasn't present anymore.

My naive 18-year-old mindset then had gotten oriented months after my admission, and I was no longer the mumu that felt dumb whenever I mentioned my course of study to any intimidating persona that enquired about it.

I'd applied for a different course and was given Fine arts cause my jamb score was low. Somi was the smarter one, having a very high score and still going for her Biochemistry course despite Our grandma on her neck telling her to study medicine.

"Cool," he muttered. "I'm sure y'all finalists are dying to be done already." He smiled, including Somi in the conversation, his eyes on her through the little mirror.

"Hell yeah," I chuckled in response.

My eyes were trained on the faint sign board that indicated we were close to my faculty. It got more prominent as we got nearer and finally.

"I'm okay here," I sat up as the ride slowed and halted opposite the building. "Thank you," I smiled in appreciation, alighting the car.

"Have a nice day," he waved as he drove off. Finally earning the privacy he'd yearned for with Somi.

I instantly missed the AC from the car as the heat from the sun enveloped me in vengeance from my initial escape.

I hurried into the compound littered with few students, most likely the freshers.

Sighting one of my course mates, Ebi popularly referred to as Chinese, although dark, Ebi looked very Asian in her petite form and facial features, especially her eyes.

Thank God I wasn't the only one late, if I even was.

Chinese was with Oge, our assistant course rep.

Was that a wig I was spotting on Oge's hair?

They both smiled at me, slowing their steps and waving. I returned the smile as I caught up with them, indulging chinese in a small hug, leaving Oge out as we were not yet on that level of acquaintance.

We exchanged pleasantries as my gaze finally rested on Oge, and I couldn't help the guttural chortle that escaped my throat.

I'm not supposed to laugh when the object of my amusement wouldn't find it funny and was even present but I couldn't help it.

"What?" she quizzed, smiling tentatively and trying to catch on to my unrevealed joke.

I knew I was a horrible person.

I laughed harder; forgive me, I can be a sucker when controlling my laughter, especially in profound moments.

Oge was wearing an old wig and badly done make-up. I hadn't seen her on any of these before, but that's far from why I was laughing.

She was the picture of Mr ibu in wigs and make-up.

Makeover gone wrong.

"Are you laughing at me?" Her voice wasn't as cheery as it initially was.

My "no" was choked up in my laughter as Chinese tried to contain hers too.

I know it was humiliating and wrong on my side, but I was far gone.

Barely registering, Oge even leave.

When we'd finally gotten some sanity, Chinese slapped my arm playfully.

"You no fit pretend small?" She asked me.

"Pretend wetin?" I chuckled again as we entered the building and headed for the stairs.

Then we sighted our HOD heading towards the stairs too.

Thank God that Adams had picked us up, o. I'd have been locked out.

Phew.

"Dr. Ben, Good day," we greeted as he flashed his whites in response.

Dr. Ben was handsome even with his visible grey strands of hair and beard; he was Jovial, too, if you're on his good side.

Onome always called him sugar daddy material.

"Sir, let me help you with those," I chipped in, the onyeoma C.Y in me set on stage.

He muttered thanks, handing the files over to me and slipping his dangling car keys into one of his navy blue senator trousers pockets.

We ascended the stairs talking about the stationary hawker and school sheriff, who were both in an argument and taking sides on who was wrong and who wasn't from the cause of their argument. We made so many turns and finally got to our final year boardroom, our destination.

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