CHAPTER 2
It
was a Saturday in October, a warm morning. The air was filled with the sounds
of nature waking up. The birds are singing, their melodies carried on the
gentle breeze. The sun is just starting to peek over the horizon, casting a
golden glow over the landscape. The grass is still damp with dew, and the
leaves of the trees glisten with a fresh, morning sheen. The air is fragrant
with the scent of flowers and fresh grass. It's a beautiful, peaceful time of
day when the world feels full of possibility and promise. But, Ese couldn’t
phantom any. The future feels hopeless, at least the past few months taught her
that the hard way.
Ese woke up that morning with a heavy
heart. She had been struggling to come up with the money for her tuition fees
and now with the deadline fast approaching, she had no hope of being able to
afford it. Ese had worked hard to get good grades over the years, but the
burden was proving to be too much for her family. As she thought about all of
her classmates who were already at the university, Ese couldn't hold back the
tears. She didn't want to, have to stay home another year, but it seemed like
there was no other option. Ese tried to compose herself, but the tears kept
coming. She knew that her future was at stake and the thought of falling behind
was overwhelming. Ese couldn't shake the feeling of hopelessness that had
settled in her chest. She just wanted a chance to succeed, but it seemed like
that chance was slipping further and further away.
As the day went on, Ese tried to push her
worries to the back of her mind and focus on her work. She was a sales
representative at H-Medix supermarket in Wuse II, Abuja, and had a job to do.
It was a busy day and Ese was grateful to have something to keep her occupied.
The second customer to clear their bill
was an old classmate of hers from high school, Jane. “Oh my, Eseosa is this
really you?” Jane said as she was excited to see Ese, who she last saw two
years ago. Ese was surprised to see her and couldn't help but feel a pang of
jealousy. Here was Jane, all dressed up and looking successful, while she was
struggling to make ends meet. But Ese tried to put on a smile and be happy for
her friend.
“Yes,
is me dear. As you can see am just the way have always been. But, you on the other
hand looks good.” Ese said, trying as hard as she could not to sound too
jealous of Jane. “Yeah” Jane said as she
turned around playfully to display how good looking she was. Ese, smiled then
asked Jane how she was doing and was happy to hear that she was doing well. As
they chatted, Ese couldn't help but feel a sense of longing. She wanted the
same opportunities and successes that Jane seemed to have. This led her to ask
Jane for financial help.
“Sure,
you were always good to me back then in school. So, definitely I will help you.”
Jane said as she picked up her phone from her bag to answer a phone call that
came in.
Ese couldn't believe her luck when Jane,
her old classmate, offered to assist her to pay for her tuition fees. She had
always known that Jane was a self-made, ambitious young woman, but she had no
idea just how she had made her fortune. As it turned out, Jane had been dating
older men across the country and using their financial support to invest in
various businesses. Ese was taken aback by this revelation, but she was also
grateful for the opportunity to ask for help. She had always been too proud to
ask for aid, but her desire to continue her education was stronger than her
pride.
So,
she tentatively approached Jane and asked if there was any way she could help.
To Ese's surprise, Jane immediately offered to lend a hand. She gave Ese her
number and promised to help however she could. Ese was overjoyed and couldn't
thank Jane enough. She collected the number and promised to call after her
shift, using a paid phone. Ese couldn't wait to get started on the next chapter
of her life, and she knew that with Jane's help, anything was possible.
At about 3:00 pm, Ese took a break from
her shift at the supermarket to call Jane with a paid phone by the street that
evening. She had been thinking about their conversation all day and was eager
to follow through on Jane's offer of help. As the phone rang, Ese's nerves
began to get the best of her. She wasn't sure what to expect and the
uncertainty was unsettling. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jane
picked up the phone. Ese could hear the smile in her voice as she greeted her
friend.
Ese
took a deep breath and once again asked for her aid. Jane listened patiently,
her tone was sympathetic. She told Ese that the world was a cold place and that
if she wanted to survive, she had to do what she had to do. Ese wasn't sure
what that meant, but she was willing to do whatever it took to get the money
she needed. So, when Jane offered to connect her with someone who could take
good care of her, Ese didn't hesitate. She said “yes”, even though she had no
idea what she was getting herself into. All she knew was that she needed to
find a way to pay for her tuition fees, and if this was the only way, then so
be it.
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