Chapter 3 ~ Going away

Isere tossed and turned on her bed, she couldn't sleep. She was extra prepared for her journey today.

Suddenly, her alarm rang signaling it was five o'clock  in the morning, she jumped off her bed with a smile on her face, finding her way to the bathroom.

After some minutes, she got out of the bathroom, finding her way to her room. She ransacked her wardrobe looking for what to wear, she sighed; all her outfits were the same but in different colour.

She went on her knees, stretching her hands under her bed and bringing out a black polythene bag that she had kept some of her choice of clothings. She hid them under her bed in case of the future, so that her parents wouldn't find them and burn them.

She gently arranged them in her box, putting her mother choice of clothings on top of them. She decided to wear a grey long sleeve straight gown that covered her legs.

Even though she was going to the university, her mother made no attempt to tell her to go to the hair dresser's shop to make her hair but instead, her mother plaited an all back style for her, telling her she was going to learn and not to do things of the world.

It was fifteen minutes to six when she walked to the living room with her box , her father was prepared already, he was dressed in a black native attire. While her mother was dressed in a long jean blue skirt and a white cotton top, be rest assured as her hair was covered with a turban.

"Agha gba tua," her mother told them. (Let us pray)

Isere joined hands with her mother and father as the mother began to pray.

While her mother prayed asking God to remove any form of satanic people in her daughter's life, Isere referred to her parents as the satanic people and they would finally be casted off her life.

As soon, as they were done praying, her father gave her a polythene bag, inside of it was a phone.

She wasn't surprised with the kind of phone they had bought for her; a button phone Nokia.

None of her age this days make use of a button phone, infact it was rare for any young person to use a button phone except they had an Android phone or an iPhone with it.

Her mother saw the displeasure on Isere's face and spoke out, "what is it? You don't like it?"

"You should be lucky we are letting you use a phone if not that you are going far, you are ungrateful and what did the Bible say about ungrateful people Isere?" Her mother asked her.

"Isere, you don't like it?" Her father asked her.

She didn't like it but she had no choice, so she forced a smile to her face, "I like it sir," she replied him.

"Oya, let's go." Her mother ushered them to move out.

She followed them out to the house, settling her box in the booth of her father's Hummer Jeep and settled down at the back sit of the car.

Her provisions were inside the booth already, her books too.

She was at the state of euphoria as she couldn't wait to leave her home and be free as a bird. All through the ride, her both parents kept speaking in their native dialect, talking about church affairs and programmes.

They didn't bother to include her as they asked nothing. She was unbothered too as she wanted to get far away from them.

'WELCOME TO OSUN STATE'  was written boldly written on the sign board, Isere smiled when she saw it.

She was overjoyed as the air was so different be from that of Lagos State. It was like a new environment entirely, she couldn't believe it.

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Isere parents followed her into her hostel after talking to the man in the gate that they wouldn't waste time wanting to know who were their daughter roommates and also get to know her hostel number so when next they come to visit, it would be easy for them.

Isere felt uneasy as they followed her trail, she didn't like it and if her mother decided to help her settle in, it would be an issue as she had forbidden clothes in her box and some make-up.

They finally reached her hostel, they opened the door and walked in. There was a girl in the room lieing on one of the bed in the room. She stood up to see clearly who her new roommate was.

Isere's mother and father looked at each other before looking at the girl who would be Isere's roomate. She was in a bum short, a crop top with no bra inside, the girl was pretty no doubt with her caramel skin but at the same time, she was dressed unholy and not in the way of the Lord, they thought.

Her hairstyle baffled them more when they saw she had used grey and pink attachment to braid her hair  and  were extremely long too, her finger nails were long and painted green too.

Isere roommate stood uncomfortably from the way they stared at her but gave Isere a tight smile and Isere returned back.

"Agha gba tua," her mother told them. ( Let's pray)

After they were done praying, Isere mother spoke in their native dialect to Isere, "daye na omo kpusoni," her mother pulled her ear. (Stay away from this child)

"You hear me?!" He mother asked again and Isere nodded her head.

As soon as they left, she turned to the girl, "Sorry about my parents," she spoke.

"No problem, i get most parents are always weirds!" The girl laughed.

"I'm Isere Katherine Osagbai," Isere introduced herself to the girl. She had taken a liking to the girl considering how the girl had replied her not in an obnoxious way but in a friendly way considering how her parents had looked at her.

"I'm Ejiro Oghenero," The girl named Ejiro introduced herself.

As the time passed by, Isere and Ejiro could relate with one another as they had similar interest and were both going to be in the same department for a total of four good years.