The other woman's DAUGHTER

Chapter 10

6 months later

Maryam and Zarah stared at the room skeptically, this is the third room they're checking out and this one looks more hazardous than the last one. Infact, the first room looks to be in the best condition. When the matron saw their alarmed expression, she chuckled softly.
     "Listen, I've already told you the hostels were built on ranges......"

      "You absolutely did not" Zarah squeaked loudly before exiting the room in utter disgust. Maryam chuckled softly, because she did remember hearing the older woman say so. But Zarah was so bent on seeing the Zuma hostel because it had the fanciest name according to her. Okay, the truth is the other hostels aren't very fancy with names. They were named after the greatest women in Nigerian history. The names ranged from Kuti to Kale, but each hostel had a payment range and had Zarah not concluded she wanted to go to the Zuma hostel, which is a surprise since Zuma isn't named after a woman unlike the others, she would have realized the Kuti hostel stood highest on the hierarchy of hostels.

     "These hostels are all on a range, the lowest paid accomodation is......"

     "The us the highest, and take us there right away" Zarah interrupted, the same way she had interrupted the woman the first time. The woman glared at Zarah, but she was so busy arranging her veil she hadn't noticed she was getting on the older woman's last nerves. They walked a total of 15 minutes with Zarah hissing and complaining throughout the not so long journey. Baba direba was literally parked in front of the Kuti hostel, Zarah glared at Maryam who beamed innocently at her making Zarah smile too. She knew it was partly her fault for making them end up in that hostel.

The woman used the key and pushed the door open tiredly. Maryam and Zarah threaded behind her as she walked in. The scent of the fresh flowers planted around the courtyard is definitely a sign of comfortability.
     "Most of the rooms have already been occupied, most students want comfort. I have two rooms for grabs, are you going to be sharing a room?" The woman asked Maryam because with all indication, Zarah is most definitely not her favorite person at the moment.

     "It depends on the size" Zarah volunteered making the woman scowl, much to Maryam's amusement.  She nodded slowly then stopped on the room no 9. Zarah practically squealed on seeing the space, she walked giddily into the room as she imagined how she would set it all up, until it's a replica of her room. It had a bed frame and ofcourse a table and chair on each side of the room. There was a smaller version of a walk in closet at the end of the wall and ofcourse an adjoining bathroom on the right side and the adjoining kitchen on the left side.

     "I love it! Is there any difference between this room and the second option?" Zarah asked blinking cutely at the woman who smiled. It turns out, Zarah could be less irritating if she was getting what she wants.

     "Not at all. It doesn't have an adjoining bathroom, you'd have to share with the people from the next room" the woman explained. Zarah turned to Maryam awaiting approval, when Maryam nodded, she jumped giddily and told the woman they would be taking the room. The funds were paid into the supposed bank account, and all the paper work signifying the proof of payment were stamped and just a few weeks from now, Maryam and Zarah would be starting the new university in Abuja.

After her mother had persuaded her, Zarah came to terms with studying in Nigeria, where as Noorie stood her ground. Infact she made it perfectly clear she would rather learn a skill than school here. Maryam was never the type to make a fuss, so Alhaji Matazu had called a friend of his, who is now the Vice Chancellor at Kwali university, Abuja. It took six months, but he secure admission for Maryam and Zarah.

Kwali University, Nigeria was named after the sensational Ladi Dosei Kwali. It is one of the oldest universities in Nigeria which had still maintained it's honor. It has a very high standard and only the smarty pants attended this university. Zarah isn't a smarty pants like Maryam but she knew field well enough to pass the entrance examination and secure herself an admission there. Where as Maryam was prepping to be a medical doctor, Zarah is obsessed with Law. The girl could literally talk her way out of any trouble, ofcourse being a lawyer is the only thing that would suit her.