The Bookworm's Awakening

Chapter One

Mainland Lagos.

9 a.m., Monday morning.

A time that was supposedly late for morning classes.

Sarah Martins stood along the road and carefully pushed her medicated glasses to the bridge of her nose where they had fallen off.

It keeps falling off because she wasn't that plump sixteen-year-old girl anymore when she had first gotten her medicated glasses.

She was eighteen now and in her second year at university. The school, the many classes attended, and the walk under the scorching Nigerian sun had burned her, making her shrink, look slimmer, darker and smaller than her own age.

She called it the Nigerian sun because she doubted that other countries experienced the same level of heat, even during their own hot weather.

Even during Harmattan days when the road would be dusty and carry waves of dark orange-looking haze through the air, she still felt the sun, the heat, beating on her skin.

She checked her watch, at the time, and sighed. If no bus driver stopped by, then she would miss Mr. Ola's class, or worse, enter during when he would lecture and meet his scrutinizing gaze that would bore into her, making her aware of her oversized woolen top until she found her seat.

Even though she would dislike the embarrassment, it would only be temporary, and she would have the opportunity to learn. After all she loves his lectures. She adores books, enjoys studying, appreciates everything intelligent, smart, and more.

Sarah started pacing, wondering when the bus would stop in front of her. Maybe they would come when Mr. Ola's class had ended.

A lady, who dressed formally-too formally with a suit too big that it swallowed her petite frame and a skirt too long that it would have passed her entire leg but for the heel she wore to let it rest up-stood beside her.

She flashed Sarah a warm smile, a smile that seemed both genuine and forced. Sarah nodded at her, her mouth closed tightly as she looked away.

She did not talk to strangers, or maybe she did not know how to talk at all. If she had, she would have simply greeted the woman with a good morning.

However, she avoided conversation because she knew that a simple greeting could lead to a lengthy conversation she did not want.

If this were Lekki, where the air was warm and cozy, and where there would be a bus stop with a roof and a bench where they could sit and wait, she would have taken one of her romance novels from her bag and become engrossed in it. So engrossed, that she wouldn't have noticed the bus arriving until it blew its horn.

"Why does everything in Lagos have to be so difficult?" said the elderly woman beside her, her voice strained, frustration evident.

She did not speak like this woman nor let out her frustration even though she too wanted to say the same thing. To make matters worse, she had become used to it: the heavy traffic, the late arrival of buses, the streets too busy, too tight, the air that carried so much dust.

She would have stayed at the hostel close to school. Then she wouldn't have been standing here; she wouldn't have been late for classes.

But she hated the hostel. The loud daily chatter, the noise that disrupted her reading. It irritated her during the first week she had stayed there for her freshman year, and she had immediately told her parents that she wanted to stay off-campus.

At first, they refused because the hostel was less expensive, and she still had two younger siblings who were in high school.

However, she managed to persuade them by initially lying about a school project and hostel bills to get them to send in money.

She diligently saved up while looking for a house for rent nearby. Unfortunately, most of the good houses she came across were already taken, so she had to venture further into town until she found a place that suited her taste.

The house had a kitchen, a toilet/bathroom, and a single room with long windows overlooking the river and lush green grass. It was a tranquil sight, and she instantly knew she had to have it. However, her savings were not enough, prompting her to request for additional funds.

The landlord could have easily found another tenant, so she earnestly pleaded and ended up paying half of the required amount. Eventually, after a month of hard work and determination, she managed to pay the full sum and move in. Despite now living on her own, she took up odd jobs to earn some extra income to support herself, even though her parents had finally agreed to cover her rent until she completed her education.

"Main town, main town, school campus, two hundred naira only," the bus conductor's voice snapped her out of her daze.

She heard the woman beside her exclaim "thank God" and quickly board the bus, causing her to follow suit as the buses filled up rapidly.

As she leaned against the seat at the end, with her head pressed against the closed window, she noticed the stuffy air that filled the bus. The long chatter and noise from the hefty voices of potbellied women, whom she was sure were not pregnant, along with the lanky men with half-teeth, made her close her eyes.

She would have picked up her book and started reading, even if it meant reading just a page, but she couldn't focus due to the overwhelming noise that hindered her concentration.

Finally, the bus reached her destination. As she was getting off, she noticed two students from her school inside.

One of them was Alero, a Yoruba girl with shiny fair skin and a bright smile. She was tall, always neatly dressed like today, in a purple flare skirt, a body-hugging white shirt, and black leather boots. Many girls envied her despite not being very wealthy.

Sarah would often gaze at Alero in awe, admiring how effortlessly beautiful she looked. Perhaps Sarah envied her because of her close relationship with her crush, Alfred. Sarah knew that Alero wasn't dating Alfred, but she couldn't shake off the jealousy whenever she saw them together.

Alfred was tall, athletic, with a calm face and a friendly smile. He had dark skin and was often the subject of envy among other boys. Sarah fell for him when she found him in the library, reading quietly. He seemed more relaxed and ordinary compared to other days when he was surrounded by different students.

The other student on the bus was Alero's friend, Salima. Sarah was familiar with her, considering her a wannabe. Salima wasn't as attractive, but she always tried to assert herself wherever she went, even though hardly anyone noticed her.

"Don't do too much, don't do too much," Salima said as they jumped off the bus, with Alero laughing and racing towards the school gate. Sarah wondered what "too much" meant.

Sarah stepped out of the bus, readjusting her glasses with a sigh. She needed new ones.

As she began walking towards the school gate, she caught sight of Alfred. He was smiling at Alero and had his hand on her shoulder.

Several of his friends were gathered around him, including Salima. It seemed like they either didn't have classes or had chosen not to attend, it was a common thing for them to hang around the school compound even during class hours.

Sarah looked away from them, but when she glanced back, Alfred was staring at her, his eyes narrowed.