CHAPTER ONE
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2m6KvBtuPp
“They warned her. Her mother cried. Her father shouted. But Abioye’s heart had already chosen Bamidele. Now, standing in the rain with nothing but a nylon bag and a broken heart, she finally understood what disobedience truly cost.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBiG93MKtj
Her name is Abioye Ajenifuja, the 17-year-old beautiful daughter and first child of Chief Oluwole and Bisola Ajenifuja. She had just gained admission into the University of Abuja, and her parents were overjoyed — her siblings too. Her father proudly bragged about her brilliance and focus to his friends.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡap90bnf1ca
A day before her resumption, her parents sat her down.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Fi4LEgsyJ
“Abioye, my dear, please make good use of your time in school. Do not waste it on any irrelevancies,” her mother pleaded gently.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LEliR2liP
“And also,” her father added with authority, “be respectful. Avoid boys — they are distractions to your education. Stay focused, my dear. You are the pride of our family.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqiYOck6gL
“Thank you, Dad and Mum. I won’t let you down,” she replied with a warm smile.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAQ9bwOmu1
They embraced, and her father instructed his driver to take her to her new environment.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gepE72MXG
The drive to Abuja was smooth. Abioye spent most of it gazing in awe at the beautiful buildings and landscapes. She finally arrived in the late afternoon. The driver helped her pack her belongings into the compound and bade her farewell.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKhj4685I8
As she was moving her luggage, a young lady approached her.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWSuXChSGI
“Hi, hello. You must be Abioye. I’m Mercy, your new roommate.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtapYEGARyo
“Ohh! You’re the Mercy I spoke to on the phone?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwCGZFI5cD
“Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosQt3wSpBR
“You’re just moving in?” Mercy asked.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUEWj7VYuQ
“Yes,” Abioye replied.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uz0fx4ETv
“Let me help you.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JpP0xVdIm
“Okay, thanks.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrlhxDagba
“You’ve really missed a lot,” Mercy said, picking up a bag.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9uqnuUByA
“Really?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHGKhZxi9A
“Yes o! Lectures started two weeks ago. But don’t worry, I’ll give you everything we’ve covered so far.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2INMrwbey
“Thank you so much, Mercy.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuIBR7fMeM
“You’re welcome.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtYaEnzrT9
Abioye and Mercy settled quickly into the two-bedroom duplex. They became fast friends, and Mercy often found herself confiding in Abioye.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNL1gvCRtgW
Lectures resumed for Abioye the following week. She and Mercy got ready early to avoid being late. As they walked through the school gate, Abioye was stunned by what she saw.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaLIyDKYUx
Some students were dressed in ways only prostitutes and strippers would be proud of. Short skirts, crop tops, ripped jeans — all sorts.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfjJbLxx8E
She turned to Mercy and whispered, “Is this how people dress here?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mJmfq7VoY
Mercy chuckled. “Yes o. University is a different world. Some departments have uniforms, though. Ours — the Faculty of Law — does. We dress in white and black.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyi5GBg25mS
“Oh, I didn’t see that coming!” Abioye exclaimed.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2RL6n5397
“We’re running late. Let’s hurry,” Mercy said.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7D6sahlZUP
They rushed to their faculty and thankfully, lectures hadn’t started yet. They took seats in the front row. Five different lectures were scheduled for the day. By the time they were done, Abioye was exhausted.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhb7SytPgn
Mercy laughed at her. “You thought university was a joke, abi? You haven’t seen anything yet!”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z35CiwoeZ
They headed home in Mercy’s car. Abioye was so tired she couldn’t lift a finger. Mercy had to do all the cooking that night.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9PwO8OaT8
As they ate, Abioye muttered, “This university life no be beans.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0po7F51NR
After dinner, they did a little revision and went to bed.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1iBBuYGD7
The next morning came too fast. Abioye struggled to wake up because of the previous day's stress, but she managed. They arrived at campus around 9 a.m. Their first lecturer was strict and unfriendly.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZXRQJYAL5
Abioye thought to herself, How am I going to survive in a place like this?
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3QPBXr2lR
After the lectures and a briefing, they returned home. That night, Abioye’s phone rang.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6StmRk5smM
“Hello, my dear,” her mother said. “How are you?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZaXQHg0wR
“I’m fine, Mum.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwXbCEHqBh
“I hope you’re coping well?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTJSYereV1
“Yes, ma.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hiubnxzC9
“How’s your roommate?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Ga3TqsSFp
“She’s fine. In fact, she’s cooking.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhJd4pijy6
“Okay. Be good ooo.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UWmlc5DZD
“Yes ma. Greet Daddy for me.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGLaWkkygR
“I will, my dear. Bye.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSu8QbmDbD
Abioye ended the call.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1LaTRyA6b
Mercy walked in. “Food is ready. Who were you talking to?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqWM3aR2x4
“My mum. She called to check up on us.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlh72XbGJ3O
“Okay. My father just sends text messages and money. The man is always busy.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLliVCoJ4a
“It’s not his fault. He has to fund you through school!”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cVkFoYXdv
They both laughed and continued gisting.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTtManLuOr
The following week, Abioye went to return a book to the school library. As she turned a corner, she bumped into a young man. For a moment, time froze. The guy gently tapped her.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6jHJ1Nws5
“Excuse me. I’m sorry for bumping into you,” he said, bending down to help her pick her book.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNFWMyfUxw
“It’s fine,” she replied with a soft smile.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmCLhqL63E
He returned the smile, handed her the book, and walked away.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0O2S39s8I
Abioye stood frozen, still staring after him, until Mercy appeared behind her and snapped her out of her thoughts.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWFL2A96c2
“Don’t tell me you were thinking about him?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEhq7N0qbK
“Who?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW02EdGaBop
“The guy who just left.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0duiBjezy3
“You know him?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRTCQCwzWR
“Of course! That’s Bamidele Olaosebikan — the most notorious playboy in the entire campus. And to burst your bubble, he’s a 400-level student in our faculty.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2K63x0oRuw
Her eyes widened in shock. “Really?”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSy42523h8f
“Yes. So, he’s a no-no.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwDPCM0M2b
But even as Mercy spoke, Abioye couldn’t shake the butterflies in her stomach. That simple encounter had stirred something in her.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwlXG0DKDU
What she didn’t know was that…
That simple encounter would change everything.
ns18.218.36.242da2
