CAMPUS CRUSH

ANJOLAS POV.

I sighed in excitement as I locked my room door and picked up my new Techno Camon 15. My dad just bought it for me yesterday, why? I was resuming to university in less than 48 hours. I grabbed my MP3 player and quickly connected it to my phone's Bluetooth. There's an increase in the surge of excitement inside my body as "Money" by Cardi B fills the room, if not the whole house. I don't waste a minute before I swirled around and started dancing. 

"Does she have to play music that loud in the early hours of the afternoon?" James whined as his mom laughed.

"Stop complaining, for the next three months and if not more, no sound or music will be coming from that room" Sarah, his elder sister chided laughing softly. 

James just rolled his eyes in reply. 

"And besides you know she does that when she's either nervous or excited...." Sarah started but got interrupted by James.

"Or angry or has something on her mind" James finished for Sarah whose mouth dropped open. 

"Okay. You know it" Sarah said in defeat. 

"She's also my elder sister you know" James added crossing his legs on the long sofa.

"Stop it already, James don't tell me you won't miss your sister?" His mom asked. 

James huffed before replying "Miss who?" he replied as he got up from the sofa and walked upstairs. 

Mrs. Oladele shook her head for a while as she let the music in the house flow through her ears. Normally she would have yelled at the daughter and would have told her to reduce the volume of the song; but remembering that she might not hear anything for some months made her clamp her mouth shut. Her favorite daughter was leaving the house. 

She still couldn't believe that instead of Anjola to choose universities like University of Ilorin, University of Ibadan or Obafemi Awolowo University or maybe the university here, University of Lagos. Despite these schools had very high standards, with her IQ and level of intelligence, she would have gotten in without any stress or difficulty.  Instead she had chosen Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State. 

Although it was the best technology school in Nigeria; she still couldn't understand why she chose it, well except that her favorite cousin attended the school. It didn't come as a surprise when her name appeared on the merit list and was given admission. Computer science was what she had chosen, that was exactly what they gave her and soon she would be resuming to her new school. 

A lot of things bothered Mrs. Oladele as she sat down in the living room watching the TV. She wasn't worried about her joining bad gangs in the school, she wasn't worried about her being or joining in a cult, she wasn't worried about what worried most mothers whenever any of their children was entering University. What was worrying her was if Anjola would start to interact with her peers at school. 

She was extremely reserved, an introvert and was eerily quiet. She had very few friends. Although she had a crazy side to her, a side only her best friends and her family knew but unfortunately both best friends had chosen different schools and they had also gotten in. 

"Anjolaoluwami" Mrs. Oladele whispered to the empty living room. 

I glanced at the wall clock and stretched my hand to turn off the music. I smiled as opened the door of my bathroom and walked to the sink. I put on the tap and splashed water on my face. Two hours and ten minutes, I was dancing. I cringed and laughed softly as I continued to splash water on my face. 

My phone rang almost immediately as I stepped out of the bathroom. I walked towards the table where my phone was placed as I smiled seeing the contact name, I didnt hesitate as I picked it.

"Hello" I said into the phone.

"Babyyyyyyyy" a voice screeched into my ears and I unhurriedly put the phone away from my ear before slowly bringing it back to my ear. 

"I quite know the capacity of your lungs babe" I said into the phone.

Soft laughter came over the phone "Nervous much?" the voice asked.

"I don't know if its excitement or maybe you are right, Im nervous" I replied sitting on my bed.

"C’mon, you are gonna be fine" the voice said warmly.

"I hope so" I said sighing softly.

"You will. Trust me" the voice quickly added.

"I do trust you" I said with a small smile.

"You said you made a few friends on the school group right?" the voice asked.

"Just two" I replied with a yawn.

A sigh came from the other end before laughter followed.

"What's funny Adeola?" I asked anger slowly creeping into my veins. 

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, Im just playing with you. I almost forgot you have zero sociable skills. How did you manage to talk to those two?" Adeola asked.

 I could still hear the laughter in her voice but I replied anyways. "I needed information about my department, had to message someone but she didn't really have information so she gave the other guy my number"

"Like I knew. Just chat her up and let her know you are coming tomorrow" Adeola said.

"Why?" I asked puzzled.

"So that you guys can be friends Adeola replied.

"Im fine on my own" I said.

"Secondary school is much different from University my dear" Adeola said her tone turning warm.

"Okay ma'am" I replied with a tinge of laughter in my voice.

"What of Paul?" Adeola asked.

"He's expecting me tomorrow" I replied.

"That's good news at least" Adeola said.

I smiled even if I knew she couldn't see it "Yes" I added.

"I'll miss you" Adeola said softly.

"Me too" I replied quietly.

"Bye, I'll call later. Safe journey" Adeola said.

"Thank you, bye" I said as hung up.

I dropped the phone with care on the table and glanced around my room. Boxes were piled upon each other and in a corner laid a huge blue box and two huge Ghana must go. Different kinds of nylons surrounded it including a gas cooker and buckets. Seeing all of these kept making my heart race as I thought about the next day's journey. It was that moment reality struck me. 

I was leaving home. 

Home? My hideout, the place where the people who knew me the most and loved me the most were. I wasn't going to see them for a long while. Merely thinking about me made my mood go down immediately.

I hurriedly stood up and unlocked the door of my room and lo and behold, my mom was standing right there about to knock. 

"Mom?" I called out.

"Can I come in?" My mom asked.

I opened the door for her widely in reply and she laughed softly before waddling inside. She then sat down on my bed. She glanced at my packed load in one corner and I don't miss the look in her eyes. 

"Did you pack everything?" my mom asked.

"Yes" I replied sitting beside her.

"Okay" My mom replied.

An awkward silence filled the room and I slowly played with my hands to ease the awkwardness I was feeling. 

"You are gonna be fine right?" My mom asked suddenly breaking the silence.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Have you made any friends?" My mom asked.

I smiled slightly "Of course I have" I replied.

"Really?" My mom asked in surprise.

"Mom! Do you also think my social skills are terrible?" I asked pouting.

My mom huffed in reply "I don't think they are; they are terrible" my mom replied as we both burst into laughter. She patted my head as I wrapped my hands around her.

I waddled to the kitchen and picked a plate to take my food. 

"Will you give me your former headset?" James asked trailing after me as I turned to pour stew on my rice. 

"No" I replied.

"Why?" James asked.

"Shebi you have money, go and buy your own" I replied walking past him.

"You bought another one James said pouting.

"Im not letting you leech off me" I replied.

"Its not leeching" James replied.

"Its what then sir?" I asked as I turned to face him. 

"It called passing down your old stuffs to your younger ones" James replied as I scoffed at him.

My older sister burst into laughter showing off her perfect teeth and gorgeous smile. 

"Are you serious?" I asked in mock seriousness. 

"Please nowwwww" James continued begging. 

"Go and buy your own" I said to him as I picked a spoon. 

"Give him nah" Sarah said.

"Is it your own?" I asked as she laughed and I quickly turned from her, the image of her laughing in my head. 

I had been envious of my sister right from when we we're little. She was better than me in everything. She was far more beautiful than me. She had this gorgeous smile that could pause the world for a minute, she had these large eyeballs that shone whenever she was excited and happy. It was no surprise when she was barely using a month in Unilag and she was already so popular. She had tons of friends while me? I had two. 

She even had over 200,000 followers on Instagram, how could I not be jealous? But Sarah that she was left no space for me to hate her. She was kind and caring. She gave me all her attention and I couldn't but enjoy it. She adorned me with clothes, shoes and everything I asked for. She held me close and we we're inseparable. And as much as I was envious of her; I was proud to be her younger sister. To me, she was a blessing and is a blessing to me. 

THANKS FOR READING.