My songssss

Joke's POV

"Joke"!

That's my name right? Sounds like it.

"Joke"!

That's really my name. I'm trying to answer but no words are coming out. It's as though my voice has been trapped by an unseen hand strangling my throat. I couldn't have turned dumb already, could I?. With all my strength with my hand tightened together into fists and sweat dripping all over me, I managed to scream.

Then I opened my eyes abruptly. My eyes met a very scared look on an man's face. He should be around his late 40s and a confused look spread on my face.

"Mr. Chike?"

"Yes iz me my dota, wetin do u? Shey u drim bad tin ni? Because I dey call you since but u no answer me. You don afraid me o. See we don get to una skul. Oya clean your face, make u no luk like zombie for there." He laughed loudly making me laugh as well. But the scene that took place few moments from now seems frightening to me. What really happened....

  Immediately I set my eyes on the gate of the University of Id all my thoughts vanished and my hands became sweaty. UI, here I come!

I said to myself.

_______________________________________________

"So what's your name little pumpkin?" The short plump girl who could not stop asking questions asked me. Compared to her, I'm way taller and also slender. It took me by surprise that she's 2 years older than me but I seem to have been forgetting that I am used to be the tallest back then in Hiltage and I had beautiful, slender, long legs of course.

"Um, my name is Adejoke." I said with a small smile.

" You say"? With just one look on this girl, it seems like she just wants to force some words out of my mouth and I doubt if i can cope any sooner. She just wants to keep on parroting and I am the type of  girl with little words unless I am at home. She definitely heard with I said, I'm sure of it.

"Just call me Joke" I said unenthusiastically.

"Oh, Joke. Wow, What a beautiful name". Okay now I blushed. Stupid right? But that isn't going to change my opinion about her.

"My name is Oluwashindara. Just call me Dara or Shindara or the full if you don't mind" she said with a wink.

Wait is this girl actually normal? That name is too beautiful to be compared with mine. She's flaunting again.

"Okay". I said without emotion but jealousy was boiling inside me deep down. I shouldn't be jealous but I am, I just hope it won't display itself in my attitude.

"Joke, we still have one more roommate. Her name is Flourish. Hottest girl on Campus! See just prepare to enjoy partiessss. She should be back soon. She went to settle things with her boyfriend. That guy is a mess..." I had to cut in

"Oh, wait you are in your second year right?"

"Yes." She said like it meant nothing

"Wow, I'm sorry to have called you by name the other time. I did not know. I'm sorry, Senior Dara." I said humbly with a small bow. I guess it's normal to show respect to seniors so it was already part of me.

"Are you for real?" Dara laughed. "Come off it jor. You are no longer in the secondary school. This is the university and there's nothing like seniority. Although you might want to show respect in one way or situation, you understand what I mean? But don't use the word 'senior' okay? Don't let them take you for a fool".

"Okay ma. I've heard you. I want to use the toilet." I said intentionally to escape from the whole discussion. Like I said I don't talk much but I'm certainly not snobbish either.

I took my phone along with me to the toilet because I knew I was going to take a lot of time there. I opened the door to the toilet and it was nothing I could have ever imagined. I almost vomited at the sight of someone using the toilet. The stench was horrible. I wonder what she had eaten. I immediately apologized before she said anything and took to my heels. I did not care what she said right at my back. I just hope she does not come across me or recognize me because I will definitely deny it, but what could she do to me seff? Nothing. But still, I was in fear.

"Wait. I've not called my mom. Eii my mom would have called endlessly" I said as I swipe up the  lock screen of my phone only to find 5 missed called with the name - superwoman appearing five times.

Just as I was about to call her back, she beat me to it. With a deep sigh, I gathered courage to  accept everything she would say to me. I know my mom to be extremely good at lashing. Especially when she says it in Yoruba. I'm in for it today.

________________________________________________

"Flourish just forget about guy. He's of no good to you after all. He can't even kiss u for once. That guy needs to be given a thorough beating for wasting your time and starving you ...." Dara said to the average height girl causing her to laugh a bit, throwing a hand across her face. Doesn't seem to be a slap but that was the scene I met when I walked in.

"Joke! You are back. Quick? Anyways meet Flourish. This is the girl I told you about" Dara pointed to the girl sitting on her legs with both legs crossed on her bunk. She was dressed in a loose short pink dress with some with flowery patterns. Her face isn't even ordinary. She looks so beautiful that I really wanted to area that look.

"Hi. Nice meeting you". I said, not knowing what else to say.

"Same".

That doesn't sound friendly like Dara. But it's cool. I really have nothing to discuss with her either. Then I just lied on my bed staring blankly at the bunk above me. I sat upright and took my earpiece to listen to some music.

Because of the family I have and the kind of way I've been brought up, I am only allowed to listen to gospel songs. Actually it's already part of me and i have already fallen in love with it. So I am just going to listen to - What A Beautiful Name  by Hillsong. Slowly the song started lifting me making me feel like I've grown wings and every word of it kept on caressing my cheeks as my hands  became sweaty and my heart was overflowing with joy that I knew Him.

♪♪♪You were the Word at the beginning

One With God the Lord Most High

Your hidden glory in creation

Now revealed in You our Christ

What a beautiful Name it is

What a beautiful Name it is

The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a beautiful Name it is

Nothing compares to this

What a beautiful Name it is

The Name of Jesus

You didn't want heaven without us

So Jesus, You brought heaven down

My sin was great, Your love was greater

What could separate us now♪♪♪

I did not know when tears started falling from my eyes. I did not know when my mouth opened to sing. I did not know when I couldn't feel my body anymore. I did know that I was not the same person few minutes ago. The feeling isn't actually strange to me. I was already covered with tears and sweat and deep inside of me I felt complete peace. I wish I could actually see the person behind this pleasant feeling and at times I wish it were really human. This was what enveloped my mind until someone dragged my right arm and I felt i just landed from heaven, coming back to my senses.

"Huh?" I blurted out unconsciously. 

"So you want to turn this room to a church right?" Dara asked as she laughed at me mockingly. Now I'm starting to feel bad. She's too ignorant and I'm sure she's not born again. One of these days I would need to speak to her, she needs a change of lifestyle.

"Will you keep staring at me or follow me let's go get some food."

  "Oh yes. Food. I'm seriously famished. I'm coming let me grab my slippers."

_________________________________________________

"See over there, that's one of the males' hostels. That's where you can find the hottest guys, you know what I mean" Dara used one of her charming winks on me again. Wait doesn't she have anything to do than these.

"I don't have time for boys yet. My main focus is to come and read and make my parents proud. Period."

Unfortunately this girl called Dara wasn't even listening, meanwhile, she was eyeing a guy not too far from us. He doesn't even look modest at all. He had this scarf or whatever it is on his head with his left ear pierced twice because I can see two ear-rings in it. He was even sagging. Eww! I'm not even looking again, enough of my analysis.

"Um, Joke you know what? Just go straight then just along your way, you will start seeing different bukas and restaurants. Just choose your choice. And call me when you are done. I want to see someone. Take my number." She said as she took out a pen from my bag and a book too writing her number on it. My diarrryyyy! This girl.

"Hey! That's my dia..." I wanted to protest when her back was already facing me and I saw her jump into the arms of the tall, fair and muscular indecent guy. Before eyes become corrupted I looked straight and went my way. Then I spotted one restaurant on my left where I could see a guy taking a guitar coming out from.

I hastened my steps as I was very hungry.