chapter 1: Jenny's world
Chapter 1: Jenny’s World
Jenny strutted through the gates of Wellspring University like she'd owned them her whole life. It was her first day, but she carried herself with the confidence of a goddess—head high, shoulders squared, and zero hesitation. She was late, but that didn’t matter. If anything, it made her entrance more powerful.
Walking into her faculty building, she noticed the lecture hall was already filled with students. Without an ounce of fear, she walked straight to the front of the class, greeted the lecturer in a loud, clear voice, and took her seat in the very first row. The entire class watched her in silence, struck by her boldness and charisma. One thing was clear—Jenny was daring.
As she scanned the room, a few faces stood out. Three girls near the middle row were chatting loudly, their laughs too forced, their makeup too heavy. Jenny disliked them instantly—they felt fake. But then her eyes drifted to the back of the room. There he was.
A guy sat alone, focused on his book, completely unbothered by the noise around him. He looked calm, almost invisible, yet something about him pulled at Jenny. His presence struck a quiet chord in her.
She blinked, pulling herself back. Her mind wandered to the life she’d left behind at home—three siblings, a single mother, and memories of a father lost too soon. She was only twelve when he passed, and since then, she'd watched her mom hustle endlessly just to put food on the table. There was never time for affection, never room for emotional conversations. Jenny had to grow up fast, learn to carry her own weight, and find comfort in herself. Her strength was self-built, her confidence carved out of years of solitude and survival.
The lecturer struggled to gain the attention of the chattering class. After several attempts, he finally introduced himself.
“I’m Dr. Lolade,” he said, pushing up his glasses. “Ph.D. in Chemistry. Welcome to your first lecture.”
Then came the inevitable: choosing a class governor.
"Any nominations?" he asked.
Before he could finish the question, nearly every hand in the room pointed toward Jenny. She didn’t flinch. In fact, she’d expected it. Her entrance alone had made the choice obvious.
Later that afternoon, Jenny sat alone at the campus cafeteria, quietly munching on her favorite snack—plantain chips and a milkshake. The day had been long, but the taste of something familiar brought her comfort. She looked up casually, and there he was again—the quiet guy from earlier, headphones on, walking toward the school exit with his head slightly down.
There was something about him. Something different.
Who was this guy?
And why did his presence stir something in her?
She didn’t know. Not yet. But one thing was sure—she intended to find out.
And with that thought, she smiled faintly to herself, took another sip of her milkshake, and let him slip from her mind—for now.
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