What is Love? It's a question, what is Love?

***

IT WAS raining. Mercy used her hanky to wipe the dewy window of the car for the umpteenth time to get a clear view of the beautiful street of Lagos. It was still quite novel to her despite it wasn't her first time passing this side of the big and busy city. She had gone through this side thrice with her parents- when she wanted to seat for University of Lagos (UNILAG) post utme exam, when she wanted to secure an accommodation and when she wanted to register for the first semester in the university.

Mercy was born and brought up in Lagos, but asides from the schools and churches she attended while growing up, she knew no other place. She was the typical "omo get inside" kind of child. Because she was an only child, her parents were too overprotective of her, which was the major reason she was enrolling in UNILAG, even when she wanted to school away from the state where her parents wouldn't easily frequent her. Even to stay in the school hostel, her parents initially didn't want that but she fought against it.

She wanted freedom.

She wanted to be able to move freely as she liked without having to worry so much about if her parents were close by watching or not.

But well even if I'm not away from Lagos, I'm finally away from home. Mercy thought as she peered outside the window. The rain caused a traffic jam on the road. The last thing she wanted was for it to rain on her first day of leaving home and moving to settle in her hostel in UNILAG. But it didn't bother her much. She had longed for this day so the rain couldn't kill her joy.

Mercy moved away from the window and sat in the middle of the car seat at the back looking at both of her parents. Her dad was silently driving while her mum was on the passenger seat staring outside the window. Her parents were devout Christians. Matter of fact, her father was pastoring a church named Saint Convention and her mum was the head of the evangelist team, so that made Mercy a frequent church attender.

Mercy could be anywhere but church. The orthodox, monotonous and sanctimonious activities and people in the church wasn't just her cup of tea. Females could wear trousers and expose their hair in the secular world but couldn't do that in church. Mercy thought that hypocritical and that was just one of the many unseemly things she didn't understand in the church. But unluckily for her, she always just had to be there every single day her parents were there. The only reason she hadn't died from going to church was because she was in the choir. Mercy loved music and she was a lush singer. Whenever she soloed a song in the choir, the congregation was always moved by her beautiful voice and that gave her some satisfaction. Asides that, church was a sleepy backwater. She doubted if she'd ever attend a church service now that she was going to the university.

She wondered how life in the university was going to be like for her. She had heard stories from her pen friends and some of her secondary school friends that were fortunate to get admitted to the university immediately they were done with secondary school. They had all given similarly different testimonies but it all encapsulated in that school was fun to those that wanted to have fun and serious to those that wanted to be serious. What did I want? She thought to herself. She wanted to have fun in school and at the same time be serious with her academics.

The previous year when she was denied admission to UNILAG because she had flunked the post jamb exam even when she scored two hundred and sixty in the jamb grade, she knew exactly what her parents response to failure was like. Her parents grounded her for six months- no phone, no TV, no going out except church services. Just her and her books. Mercy could have died, but what doesn't kill makes stronger. The punishment made her more studious and prepared for the next jamb and post jamb exam, which she passed with flying colours.

After hours of being on the road and the rain had subsided, Mercy and her parents finally got to the building of the prestigious UNILAG. Mercy's heart started to beat rapidly. She didn't know if she was beginning to grow cold feet or she was just way too excited.

"Unilag." Mr Anifowose, Mercy's dad said with a dramatic effect to his voice as he drove slowly into the school. Her mum turned back and flashed her a smile. Mercy returned the smile.

The security man at the gate handed a pass to Mr Anifowose which he received and continued to wend his way along the beautiful street of UNILAG. Mercy admired the cute looking boys and pretty girls that walked along the school road pavement, some with books in hand while others just moseyed around. It was Sunday so she wondered if they had lectures on Sundays too. I'll be with you all soon babies. She thought excitedly.

Mr Anifowose pulled up at Moremi girls hostel which happened to be the hostel Mercy was going to be moving into.

"We're here." He said, relaxing on the car seat. "Get down now to get your stuff from the boot or what are you waiting for?" He said to Mercy.

Mercy got down from the car and took out her luggage and a Ghana-must-go bag containing all the basic things she could ever need, like some food stuff, beverages, pomades and the likes. The bag was heavy.

"Take care of your stuff." Mrs Anifowose said. "Make sure you're always in your dormitory. If you're not there, be in the library but be sure you entrust a friend with your stuff so nothing gets stolen. You know I've told you, people are thieves in a school hostel. You'd be cooking and the moment you turn to get an ingredient, your pot of food and cooker would have disappeared. So be careful."

Mercy signed in exasperation. Her parents had given her series of advice and talks about the whole university thingy so she wasn't in the mood for another session of long talks again. Especially not when she was in the school already. "I know, you've told me several times. I've heard you, I would be careful."

"Listen to your mother, Mercy!" Her dad chimed in. "This one you're acting like you have it all figured out, I want to believe that you've taken all our advice and you'd be a good girl."

Mercy smiled without mirth. Her dad was the more overprotective one. "Yes dad. I'd be a good girl. You both should not worry too much about me. I'm now in the university. No longer a baby o."

"You're still our baby whether you like it or not." Her mum said. "My baby, I'd miss you." She hugged Mercy and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Whether Mercy was going to miss them or not, she was happy she was finally away from home.

"I'd miss you too mum." Mercy said, a bit embarrassed because there were a few female students strolling in and out of the hostel.

"Mercy, remember what we agreed on-first class or second class upper, nothing less." Her dad said walking toward the boot and closing it.

"Yes sir." Mercy said as she and her mum pulled apart from each other.

Her dad walked close to her. "Don't lose yourself. Stay away from the wrong association. Don't forget the child of whom you are. And remember, read your Bible and pray everyday."

"Read your Bible and pray everyday." Mercy completed the statement with him. "I know. I haven't forgotten all that you've told me. They are forever scored in my heart dad." She didn't mean what she said.

"That's my girl. Come here," Her dad beckoned at her with outstretched arms and she enclosed him in a tight hug. "Apply all principles dear. Daddy and mummy loves you and we'd be praying for you."

"Alright dad." Mercy pulled out of the hug. "Time to go. Bye."

"Who will help you carry this to your dormitory?" Her mum asked gesturing at the ghana-must-go bag on the floor. Mercy shrugged her shoulders.

Her mom beckoned at one of the female students that had been standing outside the hostel and furtively watching Mercy and her parents all the time they were hugging and bidding one another farewell. The girl whose name was Ada immediately walked up to them. She was light skinned, slim and tall. She could pass for a model.

"Good evening." Ada greeted Mercy's parents.

"Good evening." "Hi dear!" Mr and Mrs Anifowose responded simultaneously.

"Please can you kindly help Mercy with carrying her bag to her dormitory." Mrs Anifowose requested. "She's a fresher."

"Obviously." Ada muttered.

"Thanks." "Thank you." Mr and Mrs Anifowose said concurrently as the girl agreed to help.

"Welcome to Moremi hostel. What's your room number?" Ada asked Mercy as they both struggled to carry the bag with lopsided gait to the dormitory. Mercy had not expected her to strike an overture.

"B040." Mercy answered.

"Oh my goodness! What a pleasant coincidence! That's the room I stay too!"

"Wow, really?"

"Yes girl! There are just three of us in that room. I'm glad we have another person joining us finally."

"Are you a fresher?" Mercy asked.

"No, this is my first year second semester."

Mercy was itchy to pelt her with different questions about the university and its hostel life but she thought better of it. Since Ada was her roommate, there was enough time to do that later.

Soon, they got to room B040.

"Here we are!" Ada said as they dropped the bag at a corner in the room close to the door. Mercy had expected better from the room interior, but it wasn't all that bad. The room was small and congested. There were two bunks placed on opposite sides of the room. The bunks had two beds each with one fixed on top of the other and roommates luggage and bags arranged at different corners in the room. Two other girls were in the room, one was lying supine on the bed below the bunk at the right side and fiddling with an iPhone X while the other was reading a book that looked like a Holy Bible on the other bunk at the left side. Mercy got the two girls attention.

"So guys, we just got a new roomie to step the liveliness of this room up a notch. Her name is Mercy. She's a fresher." Ada said to the others.

"This one that looks like a secondary school nerd." Brianna, the girl that was with a phone deadpanned with her throaty voice after which she reclined on her bed and got back to what she was doing with her phone. She was wearing a brassier and a Jean short and her hair was put into dreadlocks. Brianna was one of those "cool babes" in the university that didn't have time for school and its boring activities. All she wanted was fun and boys, actually men. She wasn't fond of attending lectures. Because she and Ada were studying the same course and were in the same level, she would tell Ada to sign her name in the attendance and sometimes take tests for her if need be, provided she was going to pay Ada or take her on an enjoyable outing. She had so many "men banks" where she got money from so money wasn't her problem. Mercy had concluded in her mind that not only was Brianna rude, but she was also the ugliest in the room.

"Ah ah Brianna! That wasn't a nice thing to say to our new roommate." Ada chided.

"Whatever! I'm sure our new roommate can take a joke like a mature adult." Brianna said, looking at her phone. Mercy was outrightly irritated by her attitude and she couldn't help but wonder how she was going to put up with her.

"Don't mind her." Ada whispered. "She's not always like that."

"She's lying. I'm like this o." Brianna said, still not taking her eyes off her phone.

"Anyway, this is our mummy GO in the room. Her name is Faith and she's really a lady with so much faith in the word of God. She can read Bible for Africa." Ada whispered the last part to Mercy.

"I heard that o, Ada." Faith said, "Anyway, hello Mercy. Welcome to Unilag. Hope you enjoy your semester."

Faith was the typical boring and uptight goody two shoes. She was a paragon of virtue and she couldn't compromise her standards for anything. If she wasn't in class, she was in the library studying her books or in her room reading her Bible or in the school fellowship centre. She didn't have time for boys or frivolities. However she happened to be so unlucky to share a room with girls that were completely different from her. But she had learned from the Bible to be patient toward all men.

"Thank you." Mercy flashed Faith a warm smile and said to Ada. "So I need to go get my luggage and bid my parents my final goodbye."

"Alright, no problem." Ada said.

Mercy went down to where her parents were standing and waiting for her and she gave them her final hugs and goodbyes. Her parents said a short prayer for her before releasing her and leaving the university finally.

Mercy returned to the room with her luggage and to her surprise, the room was silent. Ada was already lying on the bunk bed right on top of Faith's own, fiddling with her own phone.

"So this bed is the only vacant one right?" Mercy gestured at the bunk bed on top of Brianna.

"Yes." "Yeah, it's yours." Ada and Faith responded.

"Alright, thanks." Mercy said. She felt awkward staying in a room with three other girls. She had never stayed with people in the same room before so she knew it was going to take her a while to adjust to this new environment. She would have to learn to coexist. But she was ready.

Everyone in the room was busy. She didn't know what to do, so she changed into her pyjamas and climbed up the bunk to her bed to sleep. She was tired.

Mercy shot her eyes open when Brianna kicked her bunk bed from under and asked, "Girl, are you a virgin?"

"Brianna!" Faith and Ada chided.

I GIGGLED as I closed the book and kept it in my bag. The first chapter already got me hooked, but it was late and I had no intention reading the book into the night. If I did, I would be sleeping in class and I couldn't afford for that to happen. After putting off the light, I laid on my bed and fantasized about my crush David before I eventually drifted off to slumber land.

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How was this chapter? What do you think about this story so far?
And I'm sure a vast majority of us are doing well this lockdown period cuz we're introverts and staying at home is our hobby.
That's a joke!
I need you all to please tell your friends about this book! You all are the fuel that rev me to write! Thanks for all the support on my other books. If you haven't read Daniella, what have you been doing on wattpad? Lol, I think that was cocky