"Are you scared about these exams?" He asked and I sensed genuity and something else. Maybe fear. Maybe he's just here because he has something on his mind concerning the exam and he needs someone to tell it to.
"Are you scared?" I asked back.
"Do you always answer questions with questions?"
"You are doing the same bro." I tucked my tablet back into its purse. The girl who was practicing was already preparing to leave and when I checked the time I realized it getting near to the field's curfew. Once it is seven the gate to the field will be locked. We had just twenty minutes.
"We have twenty minutes to leave here or we'll be locked out," I told him.
He took his football and we started to move.
"I'm not scared because I do not care what I get. I just know I won't fail."
"What?" he laughed. "You do not care? It's strange hearing that from a 100-level chaplain's daughter. Are you scared he will expect more from you?"
"I dunno" I muttered. He was speaking the truth. I must do well. I never realized that. It hurts that I cannot bring myself even to study.
"Hm, I understand you. It seems like we are even in the same shoes. I have this upcoming match in my head and my sponsor would want a good result. I don't want to disappoint them But I can't study. I just can't."
"Sponsors?"
"Yes, state scholarship."
Oh...
"What level are you? I didn't ask..."
"100 level "
"What?" I expected him to say 400 or 300. Why should a 100-level guy have achieved so much with his life?
"I know what you're thinking." He laughed." It is my second degree. I had studied something else before but I came back to study business administration."
"Wow." My slow processor brain digested his word quietly.
"Why business administration? And why didn't you just pursue a master's degree instead?"
"Ah," He scoffed. "Too many questions. It's a long story... I didn't complete my first degree. I missed a major exam and I..."
"Because of a match?"
"Something like that."
"So I just wrote jamb and went for what I wanted."
"And that is business admin?"
"Obviously"
"What were you studying before?"
"Animal science."He laughed and I joined in too.
"How come you chose to study animal science? Were you dreaming of becoming a veterinary doctor?"
"I wanted to be a doctor. Even before I became a footballer. My football skills got me into the state team in my second year. You know that course they give you as supplementary when you do not reach their cut-off for medicine."
"Wow."
This guy is literarily telling me the story of his life. How am I supposed to respond to this?
"So you want to pass this time huh?'
I got an idea.
"Yes, I need this degree."
No question. You already know more than necessary. I warned myself.
"I have an idea."
"Why don't we study together here this week? Like seeing someone studying might be motivation 'cause I'm also struggling with reading on my own."
"Here."
"Yes, you practice and then study or you study and then practice."
"I'll study before practice. It's a good idea. Thank you."
"You're welcome." I smiled.
We parted ways at the hostel gate. I wished we never did.
***Esther's POV***
I went to bed a few minutes before 12 midnight that day, deliberately because I didn't want to go for the midnight prayer meeting at the senior Adeola.'s room. Christine was on me at twelve on the dot and I had to give up.
"I never thought you would be so hesitant to go to a place of prayer Esther you of all people." I knew her sole aim was to make me feel guilty for not wanting to go.
"I'm not hesitating. It is natural for anyone to fall asleep at this time." I protested, in no time we were in room B102. First, i realized she had only invited us and then her roommates. We started with praise and worship. I forced my heart into their space convincing myself that I was there to worship God and that whatever I thought about the organizer did not matter.
God, I am here because of you. I do not like this sister. She looks like someone who would readily judge anyone who doesn't live up to her spirituality.
And you're scared you can't live up to that? My subconscious questioned.
No, I can. No, I can't. I may not be now but maybe I can. But... i do not believe in so much show of spirituality. Is God not majorly interested in my heart? Why do I have to show off my beliefs like every other person's stand is nonsense?
"Let's begin to ask God for mercy, In any way we have sinned against him, The bible says that all have sinned..."
Everyone echoed the prayer and I joined in. I saw Christine praying like she had never before. She seemed to have found a role model in Adeola and she was ready to be serious with her Christian life. That brought me nothing but joy. I was motivated to pray for myself.
As the prayers continued, Adeola dropped prophesies while she encouraged us to blast our tongues. Some of them baffled me but I just shoved them off judging myself for being too judging. After half an hour the prayer died down everyone was soaked in her sweat. That was when Adeola put on the fan in her room. I almost cursed aloud. Why did she put it off in the first place? Did the bible say we should pray in heat? What is going on here?
"You see guys, this is what we call prayer. When you pray and you sweat out all our problems." She said. "Even the bible says Jesus Christ prayed till he sweated blood. This is how we should pray. Pray let every atom of the air know that people are praying..."
I sniffed. The odor in the room was nothing to write home about. And her word, was irritating. Thank God for the spirit of self-control, I would have walked out of that room without apology.
I was absent as the conversation began, CHristine seemed to be flowing well with them but I... I remembered that for the few minutes that I slept, I had a dream. I prayed silently for the Holy Spirit to remind me but nothing came.
"The thing that is happening in the chaplaincy unit now is nothing to write home about. I want you all to be exceptional..." She said. It was then i realized that all her roommates were also members of the chaplaincy. Wow, this looks more like a chaplaincy meeting than a casual prayer meeting.
"You all should not be like..." It felt like they were gossiping. She mentioned names of people who weren't behaving well in the group and asked us to describe their behavior and how we could be better. Everyone rained praises on her as the only good model for them in the chaplaincy unit. I just sat there, watching how the same people who had just sweated in prayers slandered other characters who were not there. Then Adeola brought some cookies from her cupboard and shared them. It was when she gave me mine that I remembered my dream, This was the exact thing that happened in it. She gave me cookies and Christine slapped my back to wake me up.
"This looks so freshly baked sister Adeola" It was after my words were out of my mouth that I realized that it was the first sentence i had made since we gathered to talk. I saw her smile, probably happy that i was finally with them.
"Yes, my parent brought them today. I kept them for us."
"Thank you"
"Tastes so good."
Comments from others tempted me to eat. It had this "Cookie-chocolatie" taste that brightened my mood immediately i started to chew. But then after it got in, my body system changed. I raised my head to examine the look on the face of others, they had this blank look like they were out of their bodies. Just when i was about to check on Christine and our host, i felt my brain go off. All i sensed was darkness while i blacked out.