Moving In

It takes a few minutes to get to my lodge, and I must say it's quite far from the school's exit.

The car stops right in front of a cream-colored building that looks freshly painted, with a red ceiling. There are other cars around, loaded with different students unloading their luggage into the building.

Despite not being the only freshman, my palms grow cold and clammy at the thought of getting out of the car.

However, as soon as my mom and Chisom get out, I take a deep breath before stepping out too.

My eyes scan the surroundings, taking in the sight of people bustling about, focused on getting their bags to their respective rooms.

The air is filled with the sweet scent of perfume and cologne, accompanied by loud chatter and laughter.

Both boys and girls are dressed stylishly, with some girls sporting long braids similar to mine, and others wearing revealing dresses.

It seems like many of the girls are here to make a fashion statement rather than focus on their studies. I can't help but glance down at my own outfit, hoping I fit in.

I'm wearing a sleeveless blue jean jumpsuit with a white top beneath, paired with white socks and black and white sneakers. I look decent, don't I?

"Let's start unloading," Chisom says, already heading towards the trunk.

My mom follows suit, and I have no choice but to do the same, along with the driver who opens the trunk for us.

The trunk is loaded with lots of my belongings, including a table and chair, bags filled with clothes and food items, bundles of drinks, and cartons of foodstuffs, along with many other things.

"I hope the room is as lovely as the photos?" my mom asks Chisom, who nods, "I wouldn't choose an unpleasant room," she says with a chuckle, glancing back at me, and I nod in appreciation.

She then looks back at my mom and says, "Let's start unpacking, time is ticking."

"That's right, dear," my mom responds. And with that, we all assist in unloading my belongings from the trunk.

"Let's proceed inside," Chisom says, lifting one of my bags by the strap.

My mom nods, and I pick up two cartons of noodles, while she takes my traveling bag.

We follow Chisom to the building, which has a small entrance hall.

As we approach, I nervously keep my eyes on Chisom's back, anxious about meeting new people. But then, a girl catches my eye - she stares at me as she passes by, and I wonder what she thinks of me.

Her expression is neutral, but I'm still curious about her impression of me and my outfit.

She looks stunning, though - the red crop top and blue jeans accentuate her curves perfectly, and the sun makes her skin glow with a warm, golden brown color.

I manage to tear my gaze away from hers and refocus on Chisom's back; it would be weird if I kept admiring her like that.

We enter the bustling entrance hall, filled with the sounds of footsteps and chatter.

As we walk, we reach a corridor with doors on either side, some of which are open, with people still moving in.

The corridor is somewhat dark, slightly shadowed by the excess amount of people walking by, their silhouettes dimming the environment.

I notice that each person has a distinct scent, which makes me realize my own perfume is subtle. They're all minding their own businesses, some chatting with their fellow colleagues as they walk by.

I wonder if these people know each other from before they started at the university, as some of them chat like they've met before. Well, who knows?

Then, Chisom suddenly stops in front of a door, and I think, "This must be my room."

She tries to open the door by grasping the handle and twisting it, but it's locked. My roommate must not have arrived yet.

My shoulders slump in relief, realizing I'll get to choose the best spot in the room. I'm glad I'll have the chance to pick a comfortable space, rather than feeling awkward if she gets the good ones.

Next, Chisom inserts the key, and the jingling sound rings out amidst the noise.

With a gentle push, she opens the door, and my mom follows her in.

I take a deep breath to steady my nerves, my mind racing with anticipation.

Will my room live up to the expectations set by the pictures Chisom sent?

With a sense of excitement, I push the door open and step inside. But nothing could have prepared me for the sight that greets me.

My eyes widen in utter astonishment, my lips parting in surprise.

In my stunned state, I relax my grip, and the cartons of noodles slip from my hands, landing with a soft thud on the floor.

I turn around, taking in the warm and inviting atmosphere.

The cream-colored walls, brown tiled floor, and white lights on all four sides of the room create a cozy ambiance, making the space feel welcoming.

My gaze lands on a wall wardrobe without no door, featuring a wooden rack - an unusual but charming detail that makes me smile.

Directly in front of me, two doors likely lead to the bathroom and kitchen, while two beds, one on each side of the room, sit opposite each other on bed frames.

I recall Chisom mentioning that the school authority would be providing bed frames in each room, so I had already purchased a bed, which she kindly placed in the frame for me.

However, I didn't realize that my roommate had also bought a bed, and it's now comfortably situated in the other bed frame.

"But which one is mine?" I wonder aloud.

"The one with the red sheet is yours, while the one with the blue sheet is for the other girl,"

Chisom's voice is barely audible over the noise from outside, but I manage to make out her words.

It's like she knew what I was thinking.

I nod, glancing at both beds, which look identical except for the different colored sheets.

"So, I'm guessing you like the room," she asks, and I quickly nod in agreement.

"It's indeed beautiful!"

"Yeah, I must agree, it looks really good in real life. You did a great job," my mom chimes in.

Chisom's face lights up with a wide smile, clearly flustered by the compliment. "Let's bring in the rest," she says, clapping her hands together.

"Okay, let's go," my mom replies, then turns to me.

I nod and wait as they both head out, preferring to walk behind them since I'm new here and don't know anyone or the area.

As I exit the room, I steal one last glance before slowly closing the door.

Minutes pass, and finally, we've finished bringing in all my belongings.

I stand back and gaze out at the sea of luggage and boxes on the floor, my hands on my waist.

My roommate has yet to arrive, and I'm starting to feel a bit anxious.

I let out a deep breath, my lips parted in exhaustion, and wonder when she'll show up.

Then, I suddenly feel a warm, gentle weight on my right shoulder, and I turn to see it's my mom, with Chisom standing beside her, both wearing smiles on their faces.

I remove my hands from my waist and return their smiles, feeling my breath stabilize. But my mom's next words catch me off guard: "I'll be leaving now, Amanda."

A frown instantly forms on my face. "But why?" I ask, surprised.

"I can't help you unpack," she explains. "You need to do it yourself, especially since you have a roommate. You'll have to decide together how to arrange your clothes and belongings, so one person doesn't dominate the space."

"Bu—" I start to protest, but she raises her hand, stopping me.

"No buts, Mandy. It's time you learned to be independent. You're a grown young woman now."

My lips tremble with unspoken words as I realize she's right. I won't see her again for the rest of the year, until I come home for the holidays.

The thought of being apart from her for so long fills me with a deep longing, and I instinctively fling my arms around her neck, holding her close in a warm hug.

I inhale her familiar fruity scent, feeling a sense of comfort and security.

She hugs me back, gently patting my back, and whispers, "You can still call me over the phone if you need someone to talk to."

I nod, trying to put on a brave smile, but my aching heart betrays me.

We eventually pull away, her hands on my shoulders, and she nods at me with a reassuring smile.

"I'll send thirty thousand every month to your bank account," she says, referring to the one my dad opened for me.

"The first bank account," I say, and she nods in confirmation.

"If that's all, I'll be leaving now," she says, removing her hands from my shoulders.

I glance down at my shoulders, feeling a sense of loss, as if my shoulders have been bereft of something precious.

Then, I look up at my mom,  "You don't want me to snap your facial expression and show it to Peter and Nonso, do you?" She asks with a sense of humor.

I shake my head with a smile, and grasp her shoulders.

"I'll miss you, Mom," I say, my voice filled with emotion, and embrace her one last time before pulling away.

I watch with a faint smile as she turns and walks out of my room, closing the door with a gentle click.

As I stand there, I wonder if this is how Chika and Nicole felt when they left for university.

"If you need anything, just let me know," Chisom's voice says, breaking into my thoughts.

I had forgotten she was still there, but I return her smile, "Thanks a lot for your help, I'm really grateful."

She places a hand on my shoulder, "We're like siblings, so it's no big deal. Just let me know when you need anything."

I nod slowly, and she removes her hand, nodding before turning to leave.

As she opens the door, the noise from outside rushes in, but it becomes muffled again as she closes it with a soft click.

I take a deep breath, feeling a sense of determination.

This is a new chapter in my life, one where my mom, annoying siblings, and dad won't be physically present. All I have are their contacts on my phone, and I wonder if things will be different at university.

I take another deep breath, and a smile forms on my lips. I'm eager to meet my roommate and start this new journey.

I walk over to my bed and collapse onto it, gazing up at the plain white ceiling. But my peaceful moment is short-lived, as a soft notification from my brand new phone breaks the silence.

I pull out my phone from my pocket, feeling its slight heaviness - a stark contrast to my old one - and unlock it using the fingerprint sensor.

It opens with a gentle click, and I scroll down to see a message from Daniel: "Hey, are you there yet?"

My lips curve into a smile as I read his message, feeling a warmth in my heart. He's such a nice guy.

But then, another message from WhatsApp pops up, causing my heart to freeze and my eyes to widen in shock.

I lose my grip on my phone, and it lands hard on my nose, making me wince in pain. I can already smell the blood.

What the hell?