TWO WEEKS - Episode 7

The girls returned to their room at 6:30am and Vicky got in the shower quickly to prepare for Linda’s visit.
Annie also went to her room to shower and change but, she had no classes until the afternoon so, she plugged in her headphones and lied on her bed to listen to music until she would get hungry and have breakfast.
At 7:00 am like she promised, Linda was at the door of Vicky’s place. After a single knock, the door was opened and Vicky appeared behind it in a dark, flaring blouse and white denim pants. She let her long gold braids, dangle on her back. Her hair style, along with light facial make up and ornaments, made Vicky look beautiful.
“Hallow?” Linda greeted first.
“Good morning, Linda.” Vicky replied, opening the door wide.
“I see that, you are ready to leave.” Linda reckoned, hesitating to walk inside.
“Yes.” Vicky said. “I’ll just take my bag.” She said and retired into the room to fetch a shoulder-bag from the living room sofas. “So, will you also be teaching me?”
“No, unless you are taking psychology as a minor subject.”
Vicky wore her bag and turned to her. “I will consider doing so.”
“Okay. Have you got all you’ll need?” she asked as Vicky approached the door.
“Yes. I took a few counters for taking notes.” She begun.
“Don’t you have a laptop?”
“Oh I had but, it’s a long story.”
With her eyebrows raised, Linda nodded. “It’s alright. You can ask for a loan from the Admissions to purchase a new laptop. It is payable in three months.”
Vicky closed her door and turned to the lady. “You are in charge of admissions, right?”
“Yes. But, Bard will work that out for you.” she said and begun leading the way out of the floor.
“Thank you.” Vicky said in appreciation. She wanted to ask how much the loan was but, she refrained, thinking that she would sound very poor.
“Have you had breakfast?” Linda asked as they entered an elevator.
“No. But, I’m okay.”
“Let me guess, you are on a diet.”
“No, no.” Vicky denied defiantly. She was fasting.
“C’mon Vicky, I am a professor of psychology. I already guess that, you found some people nagging you about your looks.” She said recalling her last night's talk with Wayne. They must have met and he must have criticized Vicky's appearance.
“Maybe I have but, I have faced the situation before. I get use to it.”
“That is partly good. You have skills to counter offenses but, like you have done this morning, make effort to be fit.”
“Thank you for the advice Linda.”
The lady smiled and said, “It’s alright.”

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Wayne scratched his head bowing it to a clipboard. He had been staring at it for a while, ever since Gregory gave it to him.
The young man also waited in front of Wayne with his hands crossed above his belly.
The two were in a very noisy lecture hall, filled with adults clad in dark suits. The occupants moved here and there, making stories or exchanging materials. Others rehearsed for their representations.
“So, I have to do all these?” Wayne asked, raising his head toward Greg.
“Yeah. None of the group members will.”
Wayne sighed. “And here I thought of leaving.” He said to his disappointment.
“Leaving?” Greg asked. “Where to, while the semester just started?”
“I have other errands, Greg. Tell me, why did everyone back out?”
“Because, they all know that you are the best at this.”
Wayne picked up the clipboard and waved it to him. “I’m not doing this men.”
Greg pushed it back to him. “You are. Otherwise, you are going to lose points for our group.”
“But, it’s too much and really, I have to leave school.”
“Wayne, whatever agenda you have can wait. This assignment is very important. Now, you are the best at it so, take a paper and start building a case.”
“Against, animals?” he retorted. “Are we taking Biology or Law? Do you honestly think that, I can accuse a...” he vainly searched for creatures around the room for demo. “Bee or a toad about his buzzing or maybe jumping style. This is insane!”
Gregory put his hands on the table, bending to Wayne. “I am on your side men. But, this was Mr. Hurts’ idea, not mine nor the group’s. So, let’s agree to get a frog or something and take it to court.”
Wayne was silent, thinking desperately. “Why didn’t you opine for something else? Like the new freshmen intake.”
“I already told you that, it was Mr. Hurts’ idea.”
Wayne drew a deep sigh. How am I ever going to Ohio this way? He thought.
Gregory stretched himself and pat his friend’s shoulder. “You will be fine.” He said and retired to his own seat.
Wayne did not think that he would.

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Vicky was admitted and introduced to her new class after submitting her details at the Administration office.
Her class was full of students from America and many other parts of the world. She found herself lucky that her neighbor was a Nigerian.
He greeted her in Pidgin English and she immediately realized that. “Hi. You come from West Africa, right?”
“Yes. I’m from Nigeria. And you?”
“Tanzania, East Africa.”
“I am Emeka Akwou by the way.” He added, extending a hand.
“Victoria Saa. You can call me Vicky.”
He offered a smile. “Nice to meet you Vicky. That is also the name of my sister.”
She smiled back. “So, are you self-funded or on a scholarship?”
“Scholarship. And you?”
“Scholarship. This place is really nice.”
“Yes. It’s my dream come true.”
She grinned at that. “Me too.”
“Well, I hope that we would be good friends.”
“Sure.” She replied.
The lecturer walked in front of the hall and they turned to the stage.

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