Chapter 5 NEW BONDS

After my encounter with Fred, I knew it was time to get serious with my studies. Still, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get him out of my head. His voice, his touch, the way he looked at me, it all kept replaying. I tried to distract myself, but everything reminded me of him.

That morning, I was late for school. I had spent almost an hour picking out what to wear. Nothing seemed right. I didn't want Fred to see me looking plain or tired. I wanted to look effortlessly beautiful, like I wasn't trying too hard but still managed to catch his attention. I hated how much space he had taken up in my mind, but it was the truth. I finally settled on a pair of high-waisted jeans, a fitted top, and my favorite sneakers. I added some lip gloss, brushed my brows, and left the house in a hurry.

By the time I got to school, I was panting like I had run a marathon. I walked quickly to my department and peeked into the lecture hall. The lecturer was already inside. I tried to slip in unnoticed, scanning for any empty seat at the back. I found one and slid into it, praying no one had seen me sneak in.

I turned to the girl sitting next to me. She was pretty, with neatly braided cornrows that framed her round face. Her skin was a rich caramel tone, and her light brown eyes had a playful glint. Her lips were lined with black lip liner and glossed up.

"What assignment did he give?" I asked, trying not to sound too breathless.

She turned to me and smiled. "Oh, he said we should summarize pages ten and eleven of our Media textbook."

"Thank you," I replied, grateful.

"I'm Chika, by the way," she said warmly.

"I'm Vanessa. Nice to meet you," I responded.

"Same here," she said. "I've noticed you for some time now. You seem like a one-man squad. If you don't mind, I could introduce you to my other friends. We're all pretty close."

Her voice was gentle and inviting. I had wanted to say no, to tell her I wasn't looking to make friends right now, but she had asked so kindly, with a soft smile and a sparkle in her eye. I nodded.

"Sure, I don't mind."

Chika led me to another building in the Social Science department. We walked into a classroom filled with laughter and the kind of chatter that only girls in a tight-knit group shared. A few girls were sitting on desks, some leaning on the walls, others crouched beside the window. They all turned to look at me when we stepped in.

"Hey girls!" Chika called out.

They stopped talking and stared at me from head to toe. I felt their eyes scan my face, my shoes, my hair. My heart thudded in my chest. I hated moments like this, when I had to prove myself with nothing but presence.

"So girls, this is Vanessa. Vanessa, meet the gang," Chika said, gesturing toward the group.

"This is Nina," she said, pointing to a very light-skinned girl seated on the desk. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with fine features and pink lips. Her braids were perfectly neat, her posture like that of a model. She had an elegance that couldn't be taught.

"Hi, Vanessa," Nina said with a gentle smile.

"Hi," I responded, smiling back. She seemed nice.

Chika continued. "This is Sandra."

Sandra was pretty too, with fair skin and thick natural brown hair. Her pink lips and light brown eyes gave her a soft look. She was short and slim, but her presence was bold. We exchanged greetings, but I could tell she wasn't as warm as the others. There was something distant in her tone.

"This is Oge," Chika said next, pointing at another girl who smiled widely at me. Oge was dark-skinned, average height, with relaxed hair that looked a bit rough. Her white teeth and bubbly energy made her seem instantly likable.

"And finally, this is Princess."

Princess was stunning in a different way. She had deep dark skin that glowed. She wore a purple scarf and purple-framed glasses, and her black lips had a unique beauty to them. She had an aesthetic, like someone who knew exactly who she was.

"Hello. Nice to meet you all," I said, trying to hide my shyness.

The girls responded with warm greetings, some nodding, others smiling.

Later that day went surprisingly well. I spent time with the girls, getting to know them. They added me to their group chat, shared memes, gossip, and even helped me catch up on class notes. For the first time since I came to this school, I felt like I belonged somewhere.

The following week after Chika introduced me to the girls, something shifted in my routine. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I belonged somewhere. It started gradually. A quick lunch after lectures, then extended conversations, then group chats buzzing with late-night gists, memes, and spontaneous plans.

On Wednesday, Chika invited me to join the girls for suya and drinks at a local spot just down the road from the school gate. The place was small but cozy, with plastic chairs and wooden tables under a big mango tree. The air smelled of roasted meat, pepper, and beer. Laughter echoed from every corner as students unwound after a long day.

Nina was already there, dressed in a simple crop top and jeans, looking effortlessly beautiful. Sandra was seated beside her, engrossed in a heated debate about relationships with Princess, who had swapped her usual purple scarf for a red bandana that made her look fierce and fashionable. Oge waved at me, already halfway through her plate of suya and chips.

"Vanessa, come sit with us!" Chika called out excitedly, patting the empty space beside her.

I settled in, still unsure how I fit into this vibrant group, but as the evening unfolded, that awkward feeling melted away. We shared stories. Chika talked about her dream to become a news anchor. Nina shared tales of her modeling gigs and the weird things photographers asked her to do. Sandra, although not as openly warm, contributed with sarcastic comments that made us all laugh. Oge told stories with dramatic hand gestures, her energy so contagious I found myself giggling at every word. Princess, quiet at first, slowly opened up and talked about her love for poetry and art.

That night, we laughed until our sides hurt, our mouths stained red from peppered suya and our fingers greasy with oil. It felt natural. Easy. Safe.

After that, hanging out became a regular thing. On Friday, we all met up at the campus garden for what Nina called a "mini photoshoot." She had brought her ring light, and Princess had her camera. They took turns photographing each of us as we posed like models, laughing at our awkwardness and hyping each other up. Sandra rolled her eyes at first but ended up taking the most photos. Oge played music from her phone, and Chika kept fixing everyone's outfits like a fashion assistant. When it was my turn, they cheered me on.

"Vanessa, turn around slowly! Yes, like that!" Nina instructed.

"Raise your chin a little," Princess added from behind the camera.

It felt silly at first, but their enthusiasm rubbed off on me. I laughed, spun around, and gave them my best poses. By the end of the session, we were breathless with laughter and had dozens of photos saved in the group chat.

Later that evening, we met at Nina's room off-campus. She lived alone in a self-contained apartment that looked like something out of a magazine. Her room smelled like vanilla and lavender. She had string lights hanging by the wall, soft jazz playing in the background, and a neatly arranged shoe rack that displayed her impressive collection of heels.

We all brought something along. Oge brought plantain chips, Chika came with soft drinks, Sandra brought chin-chin, and Princess, of course, carried her sketch pad and pencils.

We sat in a circle on the floor, sipping our drinks and talking about everything and nothing. Chika and Sandra argued over whether love at first sight was real. Oge told us about a guy who had been disturbing her for weeks, and we all advised her to block him. Nina showed us pictures from her last shoot, and Princess quietly sketched while we chatted, occasionally turning her pad to show us a funny doodle of someone in the group.

At some point, Sandra asked, "Vanessa, how come you never used to hang out before?"

The question caught me off guard. I shrugged. "I guess I just never felt like I belonged anywhere. I've always kept to myself."

Chika placed a hand on my shoulder. "Well, now you do. You're one of us."

My heart warmed. I smiled and nodded, grateful for the moment.

The next day, Saturday, we all decided to go to the school's recreational center for a game of volleyball. I hadn't played in years, but the girls were patient with me. We split into two teams. Nina, Oge, and Princess were on one side. Chika, Sandra, and I were on the other.

Nina was surprisingly competitive, diving to save the ball and shouting playfully when we missed. Oge was everywhere at once, and Princess kept score. Chika and Sandra argued about rules, and I mostly tried not to fall over the ball. We played until the sun began to set, the sky turning orange with streaks of pink, and our faces glistening with sweat.

After the game, we lay on the grass, watching the clouds drift above us.

"Let's do this every week," Chika said, out of breath.

"I second that," Oge replied, raising her hand.

"I third it," I added, laughing.

That night, when I got back to my room, I looked at our group chat and smiled. It was filled with pictures from the day, voice notes, memes, and plans for the next hangout.

For once, my mind wasn't occupied with thoughts of Fred or loneliness. It was filled with laughter, shared memories, and the warmth of new bonds.