They Have Started Again!

  Lanre wakes up to the disturbing alarm ringing. She turns it off and lays her head back on the bed. "What's the time?" Ify asked in a muffled voice. The sleep was still rubbing off on her voice. "It's 5:30 am!" Lanre said while yawning and then she falls back her head on the bed. "Ok!" Ify replies putting her head back on the bed. Then as if something just occurred to her, she lifts up her head at once then she picks up Lanre's phone because it was the only phone on the bed. Lanre always has the habit of sleeping with her phone in her hand or in the bed. Ify check the time only to see that it was already 15 minutes to 6 am. That means Lanre's alarm must have been ringing for 15 minutes. 

Ify rush out of the bed. "Lanre! Lanre get up!" She called. Lanre raises her head and frowns at her. "Kilode?" Lanre asked in her native Yoruba language which means, "what". She eyes Ify and muffled something about not being allowed to sleep in peace. "Lanre today's Monday and you know we are supposed to be in class before 7am. Remember Professor Chukwudi will be giving us test on Mac 442 and he has fixed it for 7 am. That man is very strict,if he gets to class before us, we won't write that test!" Ify said. Lanre hissed after Ify was done talking. "Is that why you are fretting like a chicken that knows Christmas is coming and it might get used to prepare stew? Omo relax! If we no write test we go still pass!" Lanre said boastfully. She has always been confident of herself that no matter what may come up, as long as she can sit for exam, she will still pass because she is intelligent. And all she just needed to do is see the book. She is one of those students who hate to stress themselves walking to class early in the morning, even if she missed test she was never worried. Her slogan is "las las, I go still pass!" Which means "at the end, I will make it!". 

"See, you know you are intelligent and can always meet up. As for me, I am working hard to raise my grades. Third year wasn't funny at all! My grades really dropped. Besides we still need to leave early so we can arrive class before Professor Chukwudi. Is not always you will be missing test. All those test you missed, if you had written them, you will be graduating with an outstanding performance in first class honours". Ify said to Lanre. Lanre bows her head knowing what Ify said is true. Then as if to cover it up, she smiles and then raising her head she told Ify to go and bath while she irons their Monday wears. Every Monday, all students in the department of mass communication are expected to wear a sky blue shirt and black trousers or skirts matched with black shoes. So they are all expected to dress cooperate. "I hate Mondays!" Lanre whispered as she opened the wardrobe and took out two blue shirts that were hung. She felt grateful that there was power supply that morning. 

Ify finished taking her bath and came out to meet Lanre still ironing but she was on the second shirt. She was already done with one. "Lanre thank you so much! I don't know if I would have iron if not for you!" Ify said appreciating the fact that Lanre has ironed her clothe. "You are welcome! Are you eating before you go to class?" Lanre asked. "Yes! Golden morn! What about you?" Ify asked Lanre after answering her question. "Omo, I don't know what to eat o! I think I will just get okpa after the test!" Lanre said. "Okpa" is a meal made by the Igbos from a particular specie of beans and mostly wrapped in small nylons or put in tins and is in firm of moi moi. She didn't like having only cereals in the morning when she knows she might stay out for long. To her it is a waste. If it is not something solid enough to keep off hunger for at least 5 hours, it is not worth eating. 

Ify looks at Lanre and shook her head. She wonders where all the food goes which Lanre usually eats. Because for the past three and half years getting to four years that she has known Lanre, Lanre has been eating a lot but has never gotten fat. "I wonder where all the food you eat goes to!" Ify said. But Lanre didn't even answer her a word. She just whistles and continued ironing the clothe. Soon Lanre finished ironing and then went to take her bath. 

Unlike other students who are unable to afford a good accommodation, Lanre and Ify live in a flat. It consists of one bedroom, a sitting room, bathroom and toilet and then a kitchen. And they pay over two hundred thousand naira for it every year. But they have been able to afford it up until now. "Please help me with my toothbrush! I got it new and has forgotten to keep it in the bathroom!" Lanre said asking Ify to help her get her new toothbrush. "Where did you keep it?" Ify asked not knowing where Lanre had dropped it. Lanre hits her head as she herself can not recall where she dropped it. She got out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her chest. She told Ify she can't remember where she dropped it. She would need to look for it herself. 

Lanre took 10 minutes looking for her toothbrush. She was already cursing hail and brimstone having not found the toothbrush. "What is the meaning of this na? Is this the handwork of village people or what? Hey! They have started again o! They want me to miss this test!" Lanre said with both hands on her head.