campus dreams

Kelvin walked cautiously through the vast campus, gripping his worn-out backpack tightly. His eyes darted around, trying to find the lecture hall listed on his course outline. His heart pounded,not just from the fatigue of last night's chaotic events, but also from the anxiety of stepping into a completely new academic world.

He was studying Civil Engineering, but at that moment, he felt like an architect of confusion, lost in a maze of towering buildings and unfamiliar faces. The sun was already high, casting sharp shadows as students moved in different directions, chatting in groups, some hurrying, others lounging as if time didn't exist.

Kelvin felt out of place. His sweater, the only warm clothing he had, was slightly oversized and hung awkwardly over his body. His trousers, zipped halfway up due to a faulty zipper, made him self-conscious, and he kept tugging at his sweater, trying to cover the embarrassment.

Finally, after walking aimlessly for a while, he spotted the hall marked on his schedule. Lecture Hall 3A , Faculty of Engineering. It was a large, intimidating building with wide-open doors. 

Taking a deep breath, he straightened his shoulders and stepped inside.

The hall was already packed. Rows of students filled the seats, their chatter fading as the lecture had begun. A sharp silence fell upon the hall as soon as Kelvin entered.

Every single head turned toward him, including the lecturer's.

Kelvin froze.

The lecturer, an old man with thinning gray hair and thick, outdated glasses, peered at him over the rims. His potbelly rested lazily against the desk and his brown coat probably older than some students in the hall hung loosely over his shoulders. His face had a permanent frown, as if life itself had disappointed him one too many times.

Kelvin cleared his throat, unsure of what to do. The lecturer, without a word, extended a hand towards him.

Kelvin, thinking it was a gesture of greeting, stepped forward and shook the lecturer's hand firmly.

The entire hall erupted into laughter.

Kelvin's confusion deepened as students whispered and giggled. Some banged their desks, others leaned into their friends, whispering jokes at his expense.

The lecturer sighed, then leaned in and whispered, "Young man, zip your trousers."

Kelvin's face burned. He instantly grabbed his sweater and yanked it down harder.

A student shouted, "Hata wenye wanadai wako broke hawajafika hii level!" (Even broke students haven't reached this level!)

The lecturer raised a hand, silencing the laughter. "Find a seat, young man. Quickly."

Still dazed, Kelvin scanned the room, trying to find an empty seat. As he squeezed through the aisles, students whispered and made remarks.

"Ameingia na style mbaya kabisa." (He's started campus on the wrong note.)

"Kama ameshindwa na zip, atajenga barabara kweli?" (If he can't fix a zipper, will he really build roads?)

Kelvin pretended not to hear as he shuffled past occupied seats, his eyes darting around for a free spot. That's when he heard a voice from the back.

"Hey, over here!"

Kelvin turned. A familiar face smiled at him,a girl.

His eyes widened. It was her.

The same girl from the night before. The one who had nearly torn his face off trying to grab her underwear that Brian had thrown from the third-floor balcony.

Kelvin swallowed hard and hesitated, but she patted the seat next to her, signaling for him to sit.

As soon as he settled, she turned to him with an amused smirk. "I don't think you remember me."

Kelvin let out a nervous laugh. "Oh, I do. You're the girl who.."

"Don't say it!" she cut him off quickly, her face turning red.

Kelvin grinned. "Lilly, right?"

She nodded. "And you are...?"

"Kelvin."

There was an awkward pause before Lilly spoke again. "You looked lost when you walked in."

Kelvin sighed. "I was. And to make matters worse, I embarrassed myself."

Lilly laughed. "Don't worry. You've already made a name for yourself. 'The Unzipped Freshman.'"

Kelvin groaned, "Great. That's what I needed."

Lilly chuckled. "Relax. Campus is full of embarrassing moments. You'll survive."

The lecture droned on, but Kelvin's mind was barely in the room. Every few minutes, he found himself turning toward Lilly, stealing glances as if trying to decode some mystery about her. She must have noticed, because after a while, she sighed and turned to him.

"Okay, seriously, are you going to keep staring or just ask whatever is burning inside you?" she whispered, raising an eyebrow.

Kelvin blinked, caught off guard. He hadn't even realized how obvious he was being.

"Uhh… I was just wondering… Those guys you were with yesterday, they…" he hesitated, his brain scrambling for the right words. "I mean, they looked… and you were just…"

Lilly chuckled, shaking her head. "You mean, what was I doing hanging out with third years and walking into a men's hostel like I own the place?"

Kelvin exhaled in relief. "Yes! That! Exactly!"

She smiled, stretching her arms lazily. "Well, for starters, this isn't my first year in campus. I was a criminology student before switching to engineering. So technically, this is my second year."

Kelvin's eyebrows shot up. "Criminology? No wonder you had the reflexes of an assassin when grabbing your—"

"Don't finish that sentence!" Lilly cut in quickly, smacking his arm playfully.

Kelvin laughed, rubbing his arm. "Alright, alright. But honestly, criminology suits you. I can already see it—you, in dark glasses, investigating campus drama, uncovering mysteries. I should probably hire you to help me figure out my weird roommate."

Lilly smirked. "Weird roommate?"

Kelvin nodded. "Paul Kimani. The guy nearly turned our room into a crime scene with his smell last night."

Lilly laughed. "I guess I dodged a bullet choosing a single room."

Kelvin leaned in, lowering his voice dramatically. "And then there's this mysterious girl… Viola."

Lilly's smile suddenly faded. She straightened up, her eyes widening slightly. "Wait… did you just say… Viola?"

Kelvin raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, Viola. You know her?"

Lilly shook her head in disbelief, then leaned back with a smirk. "Oh, wow. You really don't know, do you?"

Kelvin frowned. "Know what?"(Pretending not to know anything)

Lilly sighed and crossed her arms. "First of all, Viola is not just some girl. She's Viola Wanjiru. The student leader. The queen of this campus. The only woman who can walk into any place on this campus and have everyone's attention without saying a word."

Kelvin blinked. "Huh. Sounds important."

Lilly chuckled. "'Important' doesn't even begin to describe her. She's rich, smart, and untouchable. Every guy on this campus has tried to shoot their shot, and guess what?"

Kelvin leaned in. "What?"

Lilly smirked. "Rejected. Every single one of them. Viola doesn't do campus guys. She's way out of your league, bro."

Kelvin scoffed, crossing his arms. "Pshh. Out of my league? Please."

But even as he said it, his mind was already drifting away, painting a grand fantasy in his head…

The scene shifted in his mind. Kelvin saw himself, dressed in a sharp designer suit, standing tall as paparazzi cameras flashed from all directions. By his side? Viola, stunning in a long, flowing red dress, her hand delicately resting on his. They weren't just walking… they were gracing the red carpet, stepping out of a black Rolls-Royce, making headlines.

"Kelvin and Viola ,The Power Couple of the Year!" one reporter shouted.

"Kelvin, how does it feel to date the most powerful woman on campus?" another asked, shoving a microphone in his face.

Kelvin grinned confidently, adjusting his sunglasses as he turned to Viola. She looked at him with admiration, her voice soft yet commanding.

"Kelvin, my love, the world is watching us."

He smirked. "Let them watch. We were made for this."

The cameras kept flashing, illuminating their perfect moment. The crowd cheered. This was it. He had made it. He and Viola were a couple.

(Back to Reality)

A sudden burst of white light flashed in his face, snapping him out of his dream.

Kelvin jolted, blinking rapidly. What was that? A camera? Was the paparazzi real?

Then he saw it.

Lilly, waving a small hand mirror in front of his face, laughing hysterically.

"Yo, dream boy, are you still in there?" she teased.

Kelvin groaned, rubbing his face. "What the hell was that for?"

Lilly smirked. "You were completely gone. I had to check if your soul left your body. The lecture ended, people left, and here you are, daydreaming about heaven knows what."

Kelvin sighed. "You wouldn't understand."

Lilly shook her head, picking up her bag as they walked out of the lecture hall. "Oh, I understand perfectly. Someone is in love with Viola."

Kelvin scoffed. "Love? Nah. I was just... considering the possibilities."

Lilly laughed, shaking her head. "The possibilities of getting ignored? Keep dreaming, my friend."