Angela woke up. Her body ached in various places. She'd thought the banging knock on the door came from her dream but she could clearly hear it now that she was awake. She checked her phone and it was 10:32 am. She got up lazily and dragged her legs to the door.
"Who's there?" She asked.
"It's me," a female voice answered.
Angela didn't recognize the voice but she unlocked the door anyway.
"Hello, good morning. My name is Maliah Stevenson and I need your help."
The girl had this tiny voice and innocent eyes. Her black hair was slicked back in a tight bun. She looked very beautiful. Angela was thinking about where she'd met her but her face looked unfamiliar.
"Come inside," she said.
Angela led her into the room and asked her to sit on the bed since she hadn't gotten a chair and a table yet.
"I'll be right back. Let me go wash my face and brush my teeth, then we can talk."
After Angela got back from the bathroom, she asked the girl what she needed her help with. She could see Maliah making mental calculations on how to start. Whatever the girl needed help with was really important.
"I've told you my name already. I just got admitted into this university and I'm even done with my registration. My problem is that I don't have a place to stay. I've been looking for a lodge since I came but I haven't found a decent and affordable one. The girl I was squatting with during my registration has asked me to leave by tomorrow, so you can see how desperate I am."
"Okay, so did you find a vacant room in this lodge?" Angela asked.
She was hoping to be done with Maliah before 11:30 am because she was very hungry and her stomach was already grumbling. She had wanted to ask Maliah to wait while she prepared noodles but she waved the thought thinking it was rude of her.
"Yes, I checked with the caretaker and he said you're the only female living alone. He suggested I take a room for myself but I can't afford it right now," said Maliah.
Her face dropped as she said she couldn't afford the rent but then she looked up at Angela and she said, "I was hoping you'd pair up with me so I'll give you half of the rent."
Angela also wanted to have a roommate if not for her parents' decision against that.
"Oh, I'm sorry dear but my parents wanted me to live alone," Angela said apologetically.
Maliah's face dropped again. Angela didn't know why, but she felt bad about that. Strangely, she felt the urge to help Maliah. It was as if she'd known her all her life because she felt this connection to her.
As she was about to speak Maliah stopped her, "please before you say anything can I get their number so I can beg them, you're my last hope really."
Angela thought for a few seconds and realized that she'd be at an advantage if Maliah moved in. Besides the fact that she could use the extra money, she'd be so lonely and bored if she continued living alone. At least now she'd have someone to talk to and Maliah seems sociable.
She smiled. "There'd be no need for that. You can move in, I'll explain to them later."
"Not that they even need to know," she said in her mind.
Maliah couldn't contain her joy. She hugged Angela out of excitement and thanked her profusely.
"So when are you moving in? I just moved in yesterday," Angela said.
"I could move in today or tomorrow. Which do you prefer?" Maliah asked.
"I prefer you move in today so that we can finish arranging the room. I'm famished. Let me have my bath and set up breakfast then I can help you bring your stuff. That's if you don't mind."
"I'd love that," Maliah answered.
After taking her bath, Angela made noodles for breakfast. Maliah joined her and they ate together with Angela's insistence.
Within a few hours, they had packed Maliah's stuff and arranged the room to their taste. They got along so easily.
Maliah was going to study psychology. She was really friendly and interesting. Angela warmed up to her within the few hours they've stayed together. They had something to talk about at every point.
By the time they were through with everything they were doing, it was already 9:48pm. They had their baths and got ready for bed. Since the bed was large enough, they shared it and Maliah didn't have to buy another one.
With her eyelids closing, Maliah heard Angela say something faintly, "huh? What did you say?"
"I said goodnight," Angela drawled.
"Sweet dreams Angel and thank you so much"
"You're welcome Liah," Angela said before drifting off to sleep.
*****
"Rise and shine, sleepy head."
Angela woke up to some movements in the room. She opened her eyes and saw Maliah already dressed. She had totally forgotten that she got a roommate yesterday. She squinted her eyes to look at the wall clock in the dimly lit room.
"5:34am! Where are you going this early morning?" She asked Maliah.
"Good morning to you too and I'm getting ready for class," Maliah said.
"Sorry good morning Liah. Why would you be going to class by this time? What sort of lecturer asks his students to come to class by this time? He or she must be a wicked one"
Maliah laughed. "No, my lecture is by 8:00 am but I'm an early bird. I like to wake up early so I can do everything I need to do and still meet up with the time."
"Oh, I see," Angela said and laid back on the bed.
"Angel, don't you have lectures this morning?"
"Actually, I do"
"Well, get up already and depending on how fast you are, I might wait for you," Maliah said while dragging Angela off the bed.
By the time it was 7:00am, Angela was ready and they went out together.
"I'm hungry," Angela said.
"There's still time so we can get breakfast from the eatery down the road. I think it's called Royal Cuisine. What do you want to eat?" Maliah asked.
"I think I'll go for noodles and fried eggs," Angela answered. "What about you?"
"I like having a light breakfast so I'll get a cup of tea, bread, and egg."
When they got to the eatery they placed their orders. During the meal, they had little chit chat and when they were done, they paid up and left.
At the school gate, they went their separate ways because Maliah's faculty was just after the school gate while Angela had to board a bus to take her to hers.
However before that, Angela gave Maliah one of their spare keys.
"You should have this." She said,
"Oh! I totally forgot. Thanks." Maliah replied.
When Angela got to her lecture hall, she was the third person in the hall. She took that leverage and sat at the front seat by the window so she could have a clear view of the lecturer and also be able to look outside.
After waiting for like an hour, the hall began to fill up and then a lecturer walked into the hall. He introduced himself as Dr. Kingston. He said he would be taking them on General Biology, course code—BIO101. After lecturing for like an hour, he left the class.
Different lecturers came in teaching one G.S course or the other. By the time they were through, it was already 2:00 pm and their next lecture was by 3:30 pm.
Angela decided to go to the library— She loved reading novels so she borrowed some. She also checked some biology textbooks in a bid to write the assignment Dr. Kingston had given them.
By 3:00 pm, Angela was already seated in the hall waiting for the arrival of the lecturer. According to the timetable, they were supposed to have CSC lectures by 3:30 pm.
Loud music blared into her ears from her headphones when the lecturer walked into the hall. She removed the headphones on seeing him. He introduced his course as Introduction to Computer Studies—CSC101. He gave them the course outline, an introductory speech, and by 4:00 pm, he left the hall.
Angela was angry that she had wasted her time in school that evening just to get the course outline that she could have gotten from her class rep. She consoled herself with the fact that she had signed the attendance slip— to be qualified to sit for exams, a student had to have 75% attendance to lectures.
Instead of taking the bus, Angela decided to walk home. With her headphones, she didn't give much attention to her surroundings. She walked, sometimes stopping to cut branches off the shrubs on the short path or to hit small stones lying in her way. She hummed Lewis Capaldi's "Someone you loved", sometimes, even singing aloud. Being someone who loved dancing, she even twirled on her toes not bothered about who was looking at her.
*****
Exhausted and tired, Angela fell on the bed with a thud.
"Now the day bleeds into nightfall, and you're not here to get me through it all," she continued singing aloud.
"I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug," Maliah came in from the kitchen singing along.
"I was kinda getting used to being someone you loved," they sang together.
"Wow! That's my best song," Maliah said.
"Mine too!" Angela said. "I'm so famished and drained. What time did you get back?"
"I came back 4 hours ago. I also made lunch if you'd care for some," Maliah said.
"Liah, I don't only care for some: I'm dying for some food right now."
"Well, good for you, I made spaghetti."
"I can't wait to taste it, it smells so nice."
"Don't get your hopes up young lady," Maliah said.
Angela hated cooking, so she appreciated every meal she ate. Cooking isn't one of her strong suits however, she's a good cook when she wants to be.
Savoring each mouthful of sweet, hot and spicy spaghetti, Angela blessed the day she accepted Maliah as her roommate. The girl was a pretty good cook. Angela thought of ways to compensate Maliah for the future meals she was going to enjoy at her expense, then she figured she could help Maliah with her laundry sometimes. Somehow, she felt Maliah was one of the best decisions she has ever made.