"Make sure you behave yourself."
Daniel nodded his head coolly, his brown eyes, so light they were almost golden, twinkling with an intellect that surpassed the norm. Mr. Adebayo let out a slight smile, clearly proud of his son.
He was quickly pushed aside by his wife, Bisi, who hugged her son tightly."My boy, please stay safe, and remember the home form which you are from. If there is any problem, you are free to call me, for anything at all. Andā¦"
"You've said all this a thousand times before." Daniel said in exasperation, carefully extricating himself from her grip. His magnetic voice rang out, turning a few heads.
"I knew you should have just stayed behind in Abuja. Maybe you should just move in with our son instead." Mr. Adebayo said jokingly, shaking his head with a small chuckle.
"See who I had to force to come with us. If you keep talking, maybe I'll have to pay a visit to the shopping malls within Akure. I heard their things are a bit pricey." She said casually.The man scratched the back of his head, laughing awkwardly. That was a nightmare he wasn't prepared to go through all over again.
The couple said their final farewell, and Mr. Adebayo took the opportunity to whisper into Daniel's ear with a teasing expression."You can chase all the girls you want. Just don't give us a grandchild for now."
Daniel laughed sheepishly, and his mum lightly pinched his dad on the arm, having clearly heard what he said.
The couple got into the car and sped off, with Daniel waving at them.When they were out of sight, he turned towards the beautifully made gates before him and took in a deep breath.
'A new chapter begins.'ā¦
"Excuse me, how do I get to Bisi Balogun hostel?"Daniel asked a girl passing by at the North Gate entrance to FUTA (Federal University of Technology, Akure). She didn't momentarily answer, stunned for a few moments by his appearance.
17 year old Daniel Adetola Kendrick was a full 185 centimeters tall, inheriting his height from his father. He had neatly combed afro hair, balanced features with a barely visible beard, high cheekbones, and even hunter eyes.
With fair skin and pink lips, he would have been mistaken for a British Aristocrat if not for some predominantly African features, and the fact that his skin was tanned and not pale.
His physique wasn't heavily built, though he certainly had muscles, but was a nearly perfect inverted triangle, with broad shoulders and a thin waist.
Even though he only wore simple sweatpants and a jersey, the attractively lazy aura that he exuded combined with his handsome appearance and made him stand out like a peacock amongst chickens.
*SNAP*
Daniel snapped his fingers, startling the girl out of her daze."Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah, sorry. What was the question you asked?"
Daniel sighed softly.
"I asked how I'm supposed to get to Bisi Balogun hostel. I'm new here, you see." He gestured to his baggage.
She nodded and pointed to some Keke Napeps parked a short distance away."You can enter the Keke here. Just tell them your destination, and they will take you there."
"Thanks." Even as he walked away, he could feel the stare on his back, and let out a wry smile.
"Bisi Balogun."
"Five hundred Naira." The driver answered casually.
Daniel merely nodded and hoisted his luggage into the tricycle.Relaxed, he took out a sleek iPhone 15 Pro Max in a black pouch ā his favorite color. He put on his right airpod and set it to half the volume, listening to classical music as he curiously watched the receding scenery.
'This is going to be my school from now on.'The journey took less than three minutes. When they arrived, he paid his fare and set down his luggage, pondering how to take it inside the hostel.
Even though Daniel was physically above-average, the luggage wasn't small either.
It consisted of a Louis Vuitton bag containing the bulk of his clothes and a few shoes, along with a traveling bag that contained a few more clothes and shoes, his creams, perfume and jewelry.
Apart from these, he was with a medium-large Ghana-must-go bag that contained his cooking utensils and three buckets ā One for cooking, one for bathing, and one for reserve.Add the student mattress and his backpack that contained his electronics, he was a bit overwhelmed.