Chapter 2 ROOM 24

It was finally the day I'd been dreaming about my first day at the university. I was so excited, filled with joy and nerves all at once. I knew I'd miss my family, but the thought that I could always come home on weekends made it easier. UNILAG wasn't that far.

As I packed the last of my things into the taxi, my siblings gathered outside, their faces a mix of pride and sadness. My dad gave me one of his warm hugs, the kind that made me feel safe no matter what. "Go and make us proud, Nessa," he whispered.

I smiled, waved them goodbye, and stepped into the taxi.

The two-hour drive went by in a blur. My mind was too busy imagining my new life my course, my roommates, new friends, late-night reading, and endless campus gist. I didn't even realize we had arrived until the driver said, "We're here, ma."

"That fast?" I replied, blinking as reality sank in.

I stepped out of the car and took a deep breath. This was it.

The building in front of me was tall and neat, with the name "DIAMOND HOSTEL" boldly written in capital letters across the top. My heart fluttered as I dragged my luggage out of the boot. Dad had already paid the fees and made all the necessary arrangements. The key to my room had been handed to me the day before.

Room 24. That was my new space. My new beginning.

I looked up at the floors and scanned the door numbers. "Room 24," I said softly to myself with a smile. I climbed the stairs, the wheels of my box rattling behind me, until I reached the door.

I dropped my bags on the floor and unlocked it slowly.

The door creaked open, revealing a small but neat room with two beds, two wardrobes, and a single window that let in the soft afternoon light. My roommate hadn't arrived yet. That gave me some time to settle in and breathe.

I stepped inside, took it all in, and whispered to myself, "This is the beginning of something new."

I had just started arranging my clothes into the wardrobe when I heard a knock on the door.

"Who's there?" I asked, curious.

No response.

I hesitated for a moment but walked over and opened the door anyway. Standing there was a girl with a warm smile and a soft-spoken voice.

"Hi, you must be my new roommate," she said, stretching her hand forward. "I'm Joy."

She was pretty dark-skinned, with full virgin hair packed neatly in a bun. Her tight red gown hugged her perfectly shaped body, and although her face had visible acne and dark spots, they didn't take away from her natural beauty. She radiated confidence and warmth.

"Hi, I'm Vanessa," I replied, shaking her hand. "Please, come in."

She smiled as I helped her carry her bags into the room.

It felt good knowing I wouldn't be alone. I had a roommate someone to talk to, maybe share gist with, someone to laugh with when school stress became too much.

As we unpacked and settled in, the room slowly began to feel like home.

Joy hummed quietly to herself as she folded her clothes, and her vibe was calming. There was something about her presence that felt familiar, almost comforting. We didn't say much at first, but the silence wasn't awkward it was peaceful.

For the first time since I arrived, I exhaled deeply and smiled to myself.

Maybe, just maybe... everything was going to be okay.

After unpacking and arranging the room to our taste, it was finally time to rest. I lay back on my bed, stretching a bit and letting out a sigh of relief. I glanced at my phone, it was already past 7 p.m. I was hungry and tired, but before anything else, I wanted to call my dad to let him know I was settled.

I dialed his number.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Still unreachable.

"Maybe he's busy," I thought to myself, trying not to overthink it.

"So, where are you from, Vanessa?" Joy asked, breaking the peaceful silence in the room.

"I'm from Imo State," I replied, sitting up slightly to face her. "What about you?"

"Are you serious?" she gasped. "I'm also from Imo State! Wow it's good to know I've got a sister here as my roommate."

That was sweet of her to say. It warmed my heart a little. I smiled, truly excited to get to know her more. She seemed like a genuinely kind person.

"What course are you studying?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light and polite. First impressions matter, after all.

"Accounting," she replied. "And I'm guessing you're studying Law, right?"

"Oh no," I laughed softly. "I'm studying Mass Communication."

We both chuckled.

Our conversation seemed to be going smoothly, and I kept staring at her because she reminded me of one of my friends named Chineye. Chineye was someone I met during my JAMB exam. She had softly approached me looking kind of confused.

"Hello, please, where do they do thumb printing?" she asked politely.

"That's where I'm heading to," I responded, and just like that, we started vibing naturally. Even though she was soft spoken, she had a way of making one feel at ease. We exchanged contacts, chatted on WhatsApp, and followed each other on all social media platforms. Everything seemed normal.

Then one day, we decided to go for a swimming hangout. That was when I discovered the truth about Chineye.

"I love your swimsuit," she said as she poured out our drinks beside the pool.

"Oh, thank you. I ordered it from Shein. I could help you order if you don't mind," I replied cheerfully.

"Thanks, I appreciate," she responded with a smile.

The water was cool and soothing. The weather was hot, which made swimming the perfect escape. "Cheers," we both said in unison as we clinked our glasses.

But in less than a minute, I started feeling dizzy. Everywhere was spinning. I quickly came out of the pool and headed toward my towel, holding onto my head. I couldn't understand why I was feeling that way, especially since we were drinking fruit wine, not alcohol.

Because of how unwell I felt, we decided to lodge in a nearby hotel. Chineye booked the room while I leaned heavily against her shoulder. I felt completely weak. The moment we got into the room, I collapsed on the bed like a log of wood and passed out.

The next thing I knew, it was morning. I woke up with a severe headache and body pain, like I had been beaten mercilessly. My eyes were heavy, and my body felt strange. I looked around and realized I was naked. Chineye was nowhere to be found.

Panic surged through me. I searched around the room but couldn't find any trace of her. I checked my body again, my arms, legs, then finally my vagina. It was sore. That was when the truth hit me hard I had been raped.

I broke down in tears.

The shock was overwhelming. I laid there for almost an hour, crying my heart out. Then I picked myself up, dragged my aching body to the bathroom, took a long shower, cleaned myself up, and dressed. I checked out of the hotel and went home.

My family was extremely worried about me. I hadn't told anyone where I was going. My dad had already considered filing a missing person report. When he saw me, he looked both relieved and confused. But I couldn't talk. I just went straight to my room and cried all over again.

I tried calling Chineye. She didn't pick. I texted her, sent voice notes, even tried video calling her. No response. She had blocked me on all platforms. I couldn't believe it. I kept wondering how she could do such a thing to me. Someone I trusted. Someone I called a friend.

I slipped into depression for months. I couldn't eat, couldn't laugh. I would just stare blankly into space, sometimes cry myself to sleep. No one knew what was wrong with me. I kept it all to myself. Till this day, I don't know who did it, I don't know if she sold me out or if she drugged me and left me at the mercy of some predator. But what I know is that I lost my virginity that day. Not by choice. Not by love. But by betrayal.

Sometimes, I call myself stupid. Because I trust too much. I always see the good in people, even when I shouldn't. I wish I wasn't soft. I wish I could be wicked. Maybe if I was, none of these would have happened to me.

Sometimes, I wish I was like my younger sister Faithful. Dad never had to worry about her. She never stayed out late. She never gave trouble. She was the perfect daughter.

"So, Mass Communication," Joy said suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah," I replied, blinking quickly to chase the tears threatening to fall.

"That's cool. You look like someone who would do well in that field," she said kindly.

I chuckled. "Well, I hope that aura works during presentations because I get nervous talking in front of crowds."

Joy laughed. "You'll get used to it. We all do eventually."

The room fell into a comforting silence again. I looked at the time. It was getting late. We decided to eat. Joy offered to prepare dinner and I helped her in the small kitchenette section of our room. We made noodles and fried eggs and gulped it down with chilled juice. We sat cross-legged on our beds, chatting softly under the dim yellow bulb that lit up the room like a sunset.

I would say my first night here wasn't so bad after all.

Not just because of the meal or the new environment. But because, for the first time in a long time, I met someone who seemed genuine. Someone who didn't try too hard to impress. Someone who didn't give off fake vibes. Joy seemed like a person I could trust, and I desperately needed that.

After all I had been through, Chris, Chineye, I needed to start fresh.

As I laid on my bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to Joy hum a slow tune from her side, I allowed myself to feel a little peace. The kind of peace that comes after a long storm. The kind of peace that comes with healing.

I didn't know what the future held in this new phase of my life, but I was ready.