Sunday, September 25, 2016

TWO WEEKS - EPISODE 3

“This shall be your apartment.” Linda announced to Vicky, opening a door of a room in the sixth floor of a large dormitory building in the University compound.
The room that they walked into was large and had two joined rooms. One was the living room with red seats, surrounding a low coffee table with a neon lamp on top of it; and the other was a dining room with four metal chairs around a metal table. There was a refrigerator behind the seats and a kitchen place with a counter, oven and microwave.
There was another exit to a corridor leading to inner rooms of the apartment.
Vicky looked around, feeling very excited. “Just like in the movies.” She said to Linda.
Linda laughed. “Yeah. You must be so happy,” She reckoned.
“More than ever. I can’t wait to take pictures and send them to my mom.” She walked to the red sofas and touched the leather of one of them. “This is so original.”
“Yes. And you will be sharing the living room and kitchen with another person.”
Vicky raised her eyebrows in surprise but, not wanting to appear selfish, nodded quickly. “Yes. Where is she?”
“Maybe sleeping in her room. She is my daughter so, you will be in safe hands.” Linda said proudly.
Vicky smiled. “That is good. She must be as kind as you.”
Linda grinned. “I hope so. Anyway, take the corridor, all the rooms in there are yours. Your mate lives next door but, her apartment has had a kitchen problem for a while and she kinda got used to this.”
Vicky nodded silently.
“Her name is Annie.” Linda added.
“Nice name.” Vicky commented and glanced at the front door beside which, her bags were. “So, do I have to leave the doors open?”
Linda laughed a little. “No. That way, someone could invade you. She has her own keys and don’t worry, she won’t appear here until tomorrow.”
“Okay. Please tell me what time I should be ready tomorrow?”
“7. Is that too early for you?”
Vicky laughed at that. “Absolutely not.”
Linda gave her a nod. “I like your English.”
Vicky grinned. “Thanks.”
“Well. Good night.”
“Same with you Linda.”
The lady smiled at her and left.
Immediately, Vicky dropped on the sofa and sighed with relief. “Oh. My God thank you! I’m in America!”
She stared at the lights on the roof hanging above her head and smiled at them. “So, original.” She exhaled and lowered her head to a stand next to the sofa. There was a telephone on it. “When I know to work this, I’ll call my mom.” She planned and rose to pick her luggage from the front door.
She began pulling it to the corridor, just when the door was pushed open behind her.
Vicky turned around quickly and paused, staring at a rather strange spectacle.

A girl with red hair walked in, wearing a short purple dress. She wore a grey sweater on top of the dress and had black platforms on her feet.
She held the door back from a guy, who was wearing a black hood sweater and blue jeans trousers.
“Stop nagging me Wayne!” the girl shouted at the guy. “Get out of my place or else, I am going to call security on you!”
“Oh. I’m scared.” The guy replied sarcastically and laughed, forcing his hands around him.
“Kiss her Kiss her Kiss her.” Some people chorused behind the door.
Vicky remained standing at the corridor way, watching the scene without knowing how to act.
Wayne was the first person to spot the new black girl wearing a traditional knee-length dress with long gold braids on her head, carrying a suitcase and staring at them from the corridor way.
“Heey?” He called, releasing the girl and causing her to turn around to Vicky. “You didn’t tell me that, we’ll be having guests.”
The girl walked away from him just at the time when the people behind the door, made their way in and stared at the new girl.
“Hallo.” Vicky helplessly greeted.
Some guys behind Wayne laughed.
“What’s that?” one of them asked, pointing rudely at Vicky’s dress.
Vicky felt her mom-made khanga for going to America.
“Oh hi.” The first girl greeted kindly. “Are you my new mate?”
“And a fat one.” Somebody else added.
Vicky turned to her. She had already learned to neglect people’s comments back in Bongo. “Yes. Are you, Annie?”
Annie nodded and turned back to Wayne. “Please, leave my place. I want to go to sleep. Now!"
“Wait a minute, Annie,” Wayne replied and turned to the new girl “What’s your name?”he asked her.
“Vicky.” She replied, a bit protectively.
“Where do you come from?” he asked again.
“Tanzania, East Africa.”
“Are you a transfer student?”
“Freshman.” She replied.
“So you are beginning first year at Ortegun?” Wayne asked.
“Wayne. Why are you even asking her all that?” the yellow haired guy posed. 
“Don’t listen to him, Vicky.” Annie said to Vicky, walking across the living room towards her “He’s drunk.”She added.
Vicky was silent, quite embarrassed to be in that position.
“Heey. Why are you saying that? I just want to welcome the new girl to the hood, that’s all.” Wayne defended.
Annie sided with Vicky. “She is not going to join any hood. Am I right, Vicky?” She said and before Vicky had the chance to comment, Annie added, discrediting Wayne and his gang. “They are a bunch of delinquents and you seem like a sweet modest girl. Do you know what I mean?”
“All girls end up like us by the end of two weeks in Ortegun. What would make her any exception?” the girl with the purple hair asked, standing behind Wayne.
Now Vicky decided to take her own stand. “I know what I came here for. My family and my country depend on me. Everyone has a right to choose her own lifestyle in school.” She turned to Annie, “Even you.”
Annie furrowed her eyebrows with confusion. She just said that?
“Creepy.” The yellow haired boy sounded.
Wayne plodded to them. “So, you are telling me that, if I give you two weeks, you won’t change your ideologies of family and ‘Tansania’ stuff and remain as you are?” he asked, coming a foot, in front of Vicky.
She drew back about a few steps. “What on earth could change me?”
Wayne eyed her for her reaction. “We are in New York sweetie.” He replied.
“Yes. It’s cold and beautiful but, that doesn’t affect my beliefs.” She replied, maintaining eye contact.
He narrowed his eyes, awing her confidence.
The rest in the room were silent, watching the scene closely.
“You seem so innocent.” Wayne added. “But, this place isn’t. Have you ever seen a gun before? Up close, on your head? Have you ever seen street fights? Have you ever seen people cursing everywhere and on everything? Have you ever seen people fu-”
“Wayne!” Annie snapped, having had enough of his harm on the incomer.
Vicky gulped but tried to hide her fear. “I know that not everywhere is like that in Ortegun or in New York.”
Wayne still had his eye on Vicky. “So, you suppose to find a sweet spot or something? This shit is the way of life.”
“Well, if there isn’t then, there is a possibility to make one.” Vicky replied.
Wayne was silent, baffled by her responses.
“God changes everything.” Vicky added, looking at all of them.
Wayne drew back. “Two weeks. That’s all I’m giving you. I’ll come back here in two weeks and I swear, I’ll tell you I told you so!”
“I’ll remain unchanged.” She promised him.
He shook his head at her with pity. “This is not ‘Tansania’, babe.” He turned to Annie. “See you around, sweetie.”
“Get out of here!” Annie snapped.
Wayne turned to his gang. “Let’s ditch this joint.”
“I got my eye on you!” the yellow haired boy said to Vicky.
The rest laughed and left the house, with the door swinging open.

                                                                              #

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