CHAPTER 5

The alarm rang at 5:30 a.m.

Clara opened her eyes slowly, staring at the ceiling as the familiar sound filled her room. She reached for her phone, silenced the alarm, and lay still for a few seconds, trying to gather the energy to leave her warm bed.

Then she remembered.

Medical school.

Her stomach tightened.

“Today,” she whispered.

She sat up and pushed the blanket aside. Morning light had barely begun to filter through her curtains, and the house was still quiet. For a moment, she listened to the distant sounds of birds outside her window before turning towards the chair where she had arranged her clothes the previous night.

Her outfit was neatly folded. Her bag was packed with notebooks, pens, and the documents she might need. Her shoes waited beside the door, polished and ready.

Everything was in place.

Except her confidence, which seemed to have disappeared overnight.

Clara got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. As she washed her face, she looked at herself in the mirror.

“You can do this,” she murmured.

The words sounded uncertain, but she repeated them anyway.

After getting dressed, she brushed her hair and checked her appearance one last time. She had spent several minutes deciding what to wear the previous evening, wanting to look presentable without appearing as though she had tried too hard.

Satisfied at last, she picked up her bag and headed downstairs.

The smell of freshly prepared breakfast greeted her before she reached the dining room.

Flora was already awake, moving between the kitchen and the table. She had prepared breakfast and was now arranging a few things on the counter.

“Clara, you're going to be late!”

“I'm coming!”

Clara hurried into the dining room and pulled out a chair.

“You've been awake for how long?” Flora asked, glancing at her watch.

“Not long.”

“Then why are you moving around as if someone is chasing you?”

Clara managed a small laugh and reached for her food.

“I don't know, Mum. I'm just trying to get everything done.”

“Everything is already done. Eat your breakfast.”

Clara took a few bites, but her attention kept drifting towards the clock on the wall. She checked the time on her phone, placed it beside her plate, and checked it again less than a minute later.

Flora noticed.

“Clara, the school isn't going to disappear before you get there.”

“I know.”

“Then stop looking at the time every five seconds.”

Clara smiled faintly and put her phone away.

For a while, they ate in silence. Flora occasionally glanced at her daughter, who was unusually quiet.

Finally, she set down her cup.

“Clara, you're unusually quiet this morning.”

“I'm just nervous.”

Flora's expression softened.

“That's normal. You worked hard to get here. Don't let fear make you doubt yourself.”

Clara looked at her.

Her mother reached across the table and placed a hand over hers.

“Remember why you chose this path. You wanted to study medicine, and you've spent so much time preparing for this opportunity. Now that it's here, give yourself a chance to enjoy it.”

Clara looked down at their hands.

For once, her mother's words didn't feel like pressure.

They felt like encouragement.

“I'll try, Mum.”

“That's all I'm asking. You don't have to know everything on your first day. You're going there to learn.”

Clara nodded.

“And please, eat properly. I don't want you spending the whole day running around on an empty stomach.”

“Mum!”

“What? Am I lying?”

Clara laughed.

“No.”

“Good. Now finish your breakfast.”

By the time Clara was done, some of the tension in her shoulders had eased. She collected her bag, checked that she had everything, and followed her mother towards the front door.

Flora stopped her before she stepped outside.

“Wait.”

Clara turned.

“What is it?”

Flora straightened the collar of her outfit, then brushed a tiny speck of dust from her shoulder.

“Look at you,” she said, smiling. “My daughter is going to medical school.”

There was unmistakable pride in her voice.

Clara felt a warm sensation spread through her chest.

“I'll make you proud, Mum.”

Flora looked at her for a moment.

“You don't have to spend your whole life trying to prove something to me, Clara. Just work hard, take care of yourself, and do your best.”

Clara blinked, surprised by the words.

Then she leaned forward and hugged her mother.

“Thank you.”

Flora returned the embrace, holding her for a few seconds before letting go.

“Now go before you really become late.”

Clara laughed and stepped outside.

The morning air was cool against her face. She adjusted the strap of her bag, took a deep breath, and started towards the waiting vehicle.

This was supposed to be a fresh start.

No one at the school knew her past or the things she rarely spoke about. She wouldn't have to explain why she sometimes kept to herself or why she took so long to trust people.

She could simply be Clara.

A student.

A young woman beginning a new chapter of her life.

The thought brought a small smile to her face as she settled into her seat.

During the journey, she watched the streets pass by through the window. Shops were beginning to open, roadside vendors were arranging their goods, and students in different uniforms hurried along the roads.

Clara kept her bag close to her and mentally reviewed the things she had packed.

Notebook. Pens. Documents. Phone.

Everything was there.

She glanced at her phone once.

Daniel's conversation remained where she had left it the previous night. Her final message still sat unanswered.

She locked the screen without opening the chat.

Today, she needed to focus on herself.

At least, that was what she intended to do.

When the vehicle finally stopped near the medical school, Clara looked outside and felt her breath catch.

The campus was larger than she had imagined.

Students moved through the entrance in small groups, some carrying backpacks, others holding files and documents. A few stood near the noticeboards, apparently trying to find directions, while several parents accompanied their children towards the administrative buildings.

The place was alive with activity.

Clara stepped out, paid the fare, and stood beside the road for a moment.

She looked at the school sign, then at the crowd moving through the gate.

“So this is it,” she murmured.

She adjusted her bag and began walking.

As she approached the entrance, she noticed a group of students taking pictures together. A young man nearby was trying to convince his friend that they were already late, even though neither of them seemed particularly concerned.

Two girls walked past her, discussing their accommodation, while another student stood near the gate with his phone pressed to his ear.

Everyone seemed to have somewhere to go.

Clara, on the other hand, wasn't entirely sure where she was supposed to be.

She pulled a folded paper from her bag and checked the instructions she had received. After reading them twice, she started towards the building indicated on the paper.

She had barely taken a few steps when someone bumped into her shoulder.

“Oh, I'm so sorry!”

Clara stepped aside.

The girl standing in front of her had several books clutched against her chest, and one of them was slipping from the pile. She tried to catch it, accidentally pushing another book towards the ground.

“Wait, let me help you,” Clara said.

She bent down and picked up the fallen book while the girl struggled to secure the others.

“Thank you so much,” the girl said, accepting it. “I swear, I was doing perfectly fine until I decided to carry my entire life in my hands.”

Clara laughed.

The girl looked at her and grinned.

“I'm Amara, by the way.”

“Clara.”

“Nice to meet you, Clara.”

“You too.”

Amara shifted the books in her arms and looked around the campus.

“Please tell me you're a new student too.”

Clara raised an eyebrow.

“Why?”

“Because if you're not, I'm about to embarrass myself by asking you approximately twenty questions about where everything is.”

Clara laughed again.

“I'm new too.”

Amara closed her eyes briefly and let out a dramatic sigh of relief.

“Thank God. I thought I was the only one terrified.”

Clara smiled.

“Honestly, I was just standing outside wondering if I had entered the right school.”

“Exactly!” Amara exclaimed. “I've checked the name on the gate about three times. At this point, if someone tells me I'm in the wrong place, I'll just go home.”

Clara burst out laughing.

A few students turned to look at them, but Amara didn't seem to care.

For the first time that morning, Clara's nervousness eased.

There was something comforting about meeting someone who wasn't pretending to have everything figured out.

“Do you know where we're supposed to go?” Amara asked.

Clara unfolded her paper.

“I think this building is where our first lecture will be.”

Amara leaned closer to examine it.

“Oh, good. That's where I'm going too.”

“Then we can find it together.”

“Perfect. At least if we get lost, we'll get lost as a team.”

Clara shook her head, smiling.

They started walking towards the building, occasionally stopping to check the signs along the way. Amara talked almost continuously, sharing how she had barely slept the previous night because she kept imagining all the things that could go wrong on her first day.

Clara found herself answering more freely than she usually did with someone she had only just met.

“So, why medicine?” Amara asked as they climbed a short flight of stairs.

Clara considered the question.

“I've always wanted to work in healthcare. I want to understand how the body works and be able to help people when they're sick.”

Amara nodded thoughtfully.

“That's a good reason. Mine is a little complicated.”

“How?”

“My mother says I was born asking questions. Apparently, when I was little, I wanted to know why people got sick, why medicine worked, and why doctors sometimes gave people different treatments for the same illness.”

Clara smiled.

“And now you're here to find out?”

“Exactly. Although, after seeing how many books we're probably going to read, I'm beginning to question my childhood curiosity.”

Clara laughed.

“You'll be fine.”

Amara glanced at her.

“Listen to you giving me advice already. You sound like you know what you're doing.”

“I'm just pretending.”

“Good. Then we're both pretending.”

They exchanged a smile and continued down the corridor.

When they eventually found the lecture hall, students were already filling the seats. Some were comparing timetables, others were discussing their expectations for the course, and a few were trying to find places where they could sit together.

Clara and Amara entered and looked around.

“Where do you want to sit?” Amara asked.

“Somewhere in the middle?”

“Good choice. Not too close to the lecturer, not too far away.”

“Exactly.”

They found two empty seats near the middle and settled down.

Clara placed her bag beside her chair and took out her notebook and pen. She wrote the date at the top of the page, then glanced around the room.

The lecture hall was larger than she had expected. Rows of seats stretched towards the back, and the sound of conversations echoed against the walls. A few students were already taking pictures of the room, while others had their notebooks open, apparently determined to begin the semester as organised students.

Amara leaned towards her.

“Do you think they'll start teaching us immediately?”

“I don't know.”

“What if the lecturer gives us an assignment on the first day?”

“Then we'll do it.”

Amara stared at her.

“You make everything sound so simple.”

Clara smiled.

“Would you prefer that I start panicking with you?”

“Actually, yes. It would make me feel better.”

They both laughed quietly.

A few minutes later, the door at the front of the lecture hall opened.

The conversations gradually faded as a lecturer walked in carrying a folder and several sheets of paper. He placed them on the table, adjusted his glasses, and looked around the room.

Everyone became quiet.

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, sir,” the students replied.

“Welcome to medical school.”

Those words sent a fresh wave of nervous excitement through Clara.

She sat a little straighter and opened her notebook.

The lecturer introduced himself before speaking briefly about the demands of medical training, the importance of discipline, and the responsibility that came with choosing a career in healthcare.

He explained that medical school would require patience, consistency, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. There would be difficult subjects, demanding schedules, and moments when students questioned whether they were capable of continuing.

Clara listened carefully, writing down the points she considered important.

She didn't want to miss anything.

When the lecturer began discussing the structure of their programme, she underlined several details in her notebook and added a small star beside the ones she wanted to remember.

Beside her, Amara was writing too, although every now and then she glanced at Clara's page to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

Clara noticed and quietly moved her notebook slightly towards her.

Amara gave her a grateful smile.

For the first time since waking up, Clara felt herself settling into the experience.

She was here.

She had made it.

Whatever challenges lay ahead, she could take them one lecture at a time.

Then her phone vibrated inside her bag.

Clara ignored it and continued writing.

A few minutes later, it vibrated again.

She glanced at her bag, wondering whether it was an important school notification, but the lecturer was still speaking.

The phone vibrated a third time.

Clara pressed her lips together.

Whoever it was could wait until the break.

When the lecturer finally announced a short break, students immediately began talking among themselves. Some stood to stretch, others hurried towards the door, and several gathered in small groups to discuss what they had just heard.

Amara turned towards Clara.

“I need water. Do you want anything?”

“No, thank you. I'll stay here.”

“Are you sure?”

Clara nodded.

“Okay. I'll be back.”

As Amara left, Clara reached into her bag and retrieved her phone.

Three messages.

All from Daniel.

Her heart gave an unexpected little jump.

She opened the conversation.

Daniel: Good morning.

Daniel: I know you asked me to stop talking to you.

Daniel: But I couldn't let you start this new chapter without wishing you good luck.

Clara stared at the screen.

She hadn't expected that.

After the message she had sent the previous night, she had assumed Daniel would accept her decision and leave her alone. She had prepared herself for the possibility that he might be upset, and she couldn't blame him if he was.

Yet here he was, wishing her well on a day that mattered to her.

She read the messages again, paying particular attention to the last one.

A small smile appeared on her face before she could stop it.

“Good luck,” she whispered.

It was such a simple message, but somehow it made the morning feel a little more special.

She began typing a reply.

Clara: Thank you, Daniel.

She paused, looking at the words.

They seemed too brief after everything that had happened between them the previous night.

She wanted to tell him that she had thought about him. She wanted to explain that asking him to stop talking to her hadn't been as easy as she had pretended.

But she didn't know how to put any of that into words.

Before she could decide whether to add anything else, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Boyfriend?”

Clara nearly dropped her phone.

She turned quickly.

Amara stood beside her, holding a bottle of water and wearing an expression of exaggerated curiosity.

“What?”

Amara pointed towards the phone.

“Who are you smiling at?”

“Nobody.”

“Nobody sent you three messages?”

Clara's eyes widened.

“How did you—”

“I saw you staring at your phone like it had just told you that you won a million naira.”

Clara quickly locked her phone.

“No!”

Amara burst into laughter.

“Then why are you blushing?”

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

Clara shook her head and looked away, trying to hide her smile.

“It's just someone I know.”

“Someone you know,” Amara repeated slowly, sitting beside her. “Interesting.”

“There's nothing interesting about it.”

“Of course. And I'm the president of the student union.”

Clara laughed despite herself.

Amara opened her bottle of water and took a sip before turning towards her again.

“So, are you going to tell me who he is?”

“Who said it's a he?”

Amara's mouth fell open in mock surprise.

“Oh! So there is a he!”

Clara covered her face with one hand.

“Amara, please.”

“Fine, fine. I'll leave you alone.”

Clara lowered her hand and gave her a suspicious look.

“Really?”

“For now.”

“That's not reassuring.”

Amara grinned.

“I'm just saying, if he sends another message, I reserve the right to ask questions.”

Clara shook her head, laughing.

“You're impossible.”

“And you're blushing again.”

“Amara!”

They both burst into laughter just as the lecturer returned to the hall.

Students hurried back to their seats, and Amara straightened up, still smiling to herself.

Clara placed her phone inside her bag.

She hadn't sent the reply yet.

But for the first time since she had told Daniel they should stop talking, she was no longer certain that ending their conversations was what she truly wanted.

She opened her notebook as the lecture resumed, trying to concentrate on the words at the front of the room.

Still, a thought lingered at the back of her mind.

Perhaps giving someone a chance didn't mean having all the answers.

Perhaps it simply meant being willing to discover them.

And Clara wasn't sure she was ready to make that choice.

Not yet.

But she was beginning to wonder if she wanted to.