Dear Raven

CHAPTER ONE:DEAR RAVEN

The buzzing sound of the alarm clock jolted me up from my sleep, checking the time it was 7am,

“Damn!!! I am going to be late for school”

I told my self as I jumped up from the bed, which sent me straight for the floor...

bam! I hit my head on the table at the side of my bed,

"Serve you right girl, for setting alarm you won't ever wake up to"

I said to my self as I chuckled and run straight for the bathroom.

After spending about 30 Minutes in there doing absolutely nothing but Standing under the cold running shower, humming and Fantasizing about how being in College would be like ..

Until I am brought back to reality by the voice of my mum who screamed like the earth was about to lose form,

"You'd better get your a*s down here young lady, you about to run everyone late",

"Alright Alright"

i said,

"I will skip breakfast then"

"No one asked"

my nosy a*s younger sister screamed,

"It's 7:47am Air head, and you know what that means I better get to school before 8:30"

I quickly ran out of the bathroom, i got dressed in my baggy Yellow joggers, a black Oversized T-shirt and a pair of Black Vans Shoe and tried to apply some make,

but it became a total disaster.

I grabbed my bag from the hanger on the wall, picked up my books from my bed and made sure I looked round one last time before rushing down stairs...

off we all went in our black Van..

"How do you feel?, Nervous? anxious or a mixture of both?"

my mum said to me,

"I don't really know what to feel and what i feel but it should be scared, i am scared"

i replied her,

"It is only normal for you to feel that way, it is your first day at a new school and a new beginning, we all feel that way right?"

my mom didn’t try to have any other conversation after that,

I guess she was trying to be considerate or in total didn’t know what to say to make me feel better,

but that's one of the reason I love her so much she just knows when not to say anything..

I haven't introduced my self right? well

My name is Raven Smalls but my friends calls me Rave.

Truthfully I don't have any friends and no one calls me that.

I'm 18yrs of age and I just became a student of Covenant university.

How did i become a university student so early you might think?

well I started school way ahead of most of my peers and i was pretty smart, I must say about my self. So I graduated High School on time.

I am about 5'10 with a pear shape,

I weigh 70kg and Dark in Complexion Dark long hair and brown eyes.

My family consists of my Dad, Mum and Two Younger Siblings.

My Dad is Australian, He is Not that Tall about 5'9, Very slim, Dark hair with blue eyes and he is very handsome,

He Works at an architectural company called Maxoncraft Integrated Services Limited and he is very Good at his job.

He might Always be busy but in his free time, He Takes us out for camping, vacations and he treats us to nice meals every now and then...

My Mum is African, Nigerian to be précised, 5'10ft tall, Hour Shaped with 4c long hair, a brown eyes that glows.

She is the most understanding woman/Mum any daughter/any one could ask for.

She is a Doctor at Covenant University Teaching Hospital and she works mostly all the time but makes time to be with her kids even when its not her day off.

But she gives us no room, to not feel her love and care, you can talk to my mum about anything and that makes us feel safe.

Mum and Dad are Alumni of Covenant university, that was were they met and decided to have a family and have us to, so you can say it is a family thing to go there.

Raliey, Oh Raliey, My dearest immediate Younger sister.

It may seem that we are almost on each others neck most of the time but it is not true, we love each other so much but find it to clingy to show it.

She is two years younger than me which makes her sixteen and she looks exactly like my dad, She is my only friend and I find telling her anything safe..

Ryan, Our last born and everyone's favorite, He is two years younger than Raliey, Less troublesome and much more understanding than anyone I have ever known, He looks exactly like my mom and is extremely quite and shy.

Everyone says I look nothing like my family and sometime one might feel like I was adopted, well not until I met my grandma from my mum's I look everything like her.

I was the last one to get dropped off and mom only gave me a piece of advice as I step down from the car..

"You just have to be your self, you smart, cool and I know you got this"

I simply replied,

"I love you mom"

and gave her a big kiss on the forehead, this makes her to smile and she gave me a kiss on my cheek too.

I was now on school grounds but I still do not know where to go to find my class,

F**k! I am so late what was I going to do?

I dived deep inside my bag to search for the map which shows you around campus but I couldn't find it..

I looked around to see if I could find a bench or maybe a surface i could sit on and properly search for the map, to my great luck there was one right behind me.

As i empty the content of my bag on the bench, out flew the map as it was stuck in between one of my books,

"Thank Goodness! now I can find my way".. so I taught but the opposite was the case.

while Walking straight ahead, holding the map, even made me more confused about where I was and where I was going and that didn't give me time to look at what's in front of me as I bump into something or someone as I could not tell because the bump send me flying like a squirrel who was shot by a hunter's gun..

while trying to stand up, I wondered to my self what I hit could have been but my head hitting the tree gave me a mild concussion, at that moment I heard a voice..

"Hey!, are you OK?"

At first I didn't actually know if I was the one the voice was referring to or it was meant as a sign of mocking so i didn’t even respond and pretended to be deaf, then the voice came out calling again this time it was closer than before...

Hey!, are you OK? I am sorry for hitting you, I was in so much in a hurry I didn't see you there..

No....no! i am OK, I was actually not looking at where I was going either so was actually my fault too.

No it was mine, look you on the ground and I am here standing, let me help you up.

I didn’t respond after that because i didn’t want to go on and on of who is to blame,

if you say it you then its you, I have never been bullied or anything during high school but I was always falling for planks, so when she offered to help me up all my mind could think about was a prank at sight.

Don't worry I will help myself, I wouldn't want to bother you taught you said you where in a hurry?

Its OK, I know what you afraid of it is not a prank, just let me help me up..

what! How did this person know what I was thinking? I better get myself up before something else happen..

After finally leaving the ground, I look round to see if anyone was looking at me as I was already embarrassed of my self, to my greatest surprise no one cares everybody where so busy running somewhere to notice an insignificant girl like me.

I was still lost in taught when the voice came again...

My name is Aliyah, and I am new here, My major is Microbiology, What is your?..

My Name is Raven, and I am also new my major is Microbiology too..

Oh that's wonderful, can we be friends?

Friends? Mm mm Well Sure why not.

So aren’t we both late for class?

that's true, but I don't know how to get to class

well! you in luck cause I know everywhere around campus..

Sarcastically she said

At first I was shocked to hear she knows everywhere around campus when she her self was supposeing new but she laughed it made more sense.

Aliyah can really talk, I taught in my head, she made the journey to class like a journey to the moon, it was so painful and my ear bleed from all the words she said, if it was measured I bet she spoke ten thousand words in just a second and I am not exaggerating one bit, ok may be a little but she talked that much..

I just listened like I was actually hearing her but I wasn't, all I could hear was blah blah blah, I am not trying to be ungrateful as she was basically leading me to class but the only thing she actually said that I heard was,

"Since your house is very far, why don't you stay in the hostel?"

I won't lie that I haven't actually taught of that but I don't know if my family will actually allow but then again, they might..

Finally! Our Journey to the moon has come to an end and i was so glad to get to class, first period was almost over and the moment we open the lecture door trying to sneak in, the professor caught us on sight...

Hey! Hey! You there!

We both acted like we didn't know it was us he was trying to call out, and keep on moving like rats trying to escape a cheese trap...

Ponytail and Tomboy!

To this the whole class became noisy with laughter, what was actually funny I didn't really know was it the ponytail or the tomboy or the fact that we heard the first time and didn’t reply we can never tell but this time we come to a halt as there was no way we could pretend like we didn't hear him..

Sir!!!

We both echoed

Good! Now that I have your attention, do you mind explaining to the class what AAS means?

"AAS? What is that? Do you know it?"

Aliyah asked me in a whispering tone

"I don't even know what class we are in talk more of what is AAS, like it could mean anything you know.

She quickly look round to figure out the course as that could help us understand what this AAS could mean..

"It is chemistry,"

Aliyah whispered again

"How did you know?

I Asked if there is one thing I have found out Aliyah that out of a 100th words there is at least 40% lies..

"Look at "

I followed her eyes to be marker board at the front and I could barely see the Ch of the whole word chemistry,

"If it is chemistry then AAS would stand for Atomic absorption spectroscopy "

"Do you know what is means? I don't know what that means i have never heard it before, can i say this so you can explain?

Aliyah asked looking all curious

"yes! Go ahead"

I said

"You have ten seconds to answer this question, unless you are ready to kiss the rest of the class goodbye and be ready to come back next year for ...."

"Atomic absorption spectroscopy"

Aliyah with a high pitch said, cutting off the professor...

"And what does it mean?”

He said

"Atomic absorption spectroscopy is a spectroanalytical procedure for the quantitative determination of chemical elements using the absorption of optical radiation by free atoms in the gaseous state. Atomic absorption spectroscopy is based on absorption of light by free metallic ions"

I said quoting it like I was reading it off a book, I mean I was smart what do you expect?

"Good!!

At least some people came ready for school, but why are you late to class?

"My friend had a little accident on our way to class so we got lost looking for band aids that's why we came late"

Aliyah said before I could reply, no but it not like there was no element of truth in what she said but then it is with a twist, I would never have taught about this,

"You can go and sit down"

He said with out asking any further questions, now I kind of admire Aliyah for thinking on her feet because I would have said I was late and probably get kicked out of class and then get kick out of my home for having to repeat it.

I am just exaggerating things...

He went back to the stand at the front of the class took out his pad and went.

Aliyah Berners

Raven Smalls

"Sir!!!

We both echoed not expecting him to call our names out.

"That will be all for today, Good day class"

He said walking out of the class and the whole class replied

"Good day sir!!

Like their life depends on it but you could see what they really want to say to him but they couldn't and they wouldn't dare..

"Wait! Did he just call our real names? No we have been marked"

I said panicking

"Why did I wake up late? Curse on that alarm"

"Calm down calm down, it was just a roll call to know those who was in his class"

A voice came from behind us causing us to turn..

"My name is Maya, and I most say you are very lucky, I am in my second year but I got to take his class again because I failed it"

She said

"What? Really!!!

We both screamed a little out of the shock

"But don't worry, you got to answer your name but be sure prepare for his next class"

She said as she smile, we couldn’t even utter a word for a while until we both shook our head and shaking each other vigorously..

"Today is your lucky day"

This made Maya bust into laughter and we also joined

"You guys haven't introduced your self yet, you most have been friends for a long time"

"No, we not we practically just met today on campus"

We both said

"My Name Is Raven, my name is Aliyah nice to meet you too Maya"

Taking turns as we introduced our name..

Maya is the total opposite of Aliyah, she is less talkative and more reserved, and she is so much smarter than me, it makes me wonder what could have happened to make her repeat this course but then again its not like I could ask her, I just met her..

"So did you guys hear about the fresher’s party coming up next week end?"

Maya Said with a grin on her face, you could feel like she wanted buddies to go along with her..

"How are they like?"

I said because basically I have never been to a party before, not because my mum wont let's me but because I never asked..

"Erm..its a Party, with fresher’s and you get to meet new people too"

She explained

"Hell yeah, I am in for party, if we all go together it would be much much fun, we won't be so lonely because we have each other"

Aliyah said shaking both hand and flipping hair like a party wild animal, I couldn't believe my eyes, is this what party does to people? I am grateful I didn't attend anyone..

"I would have to ask my mum first, if she let's me then I would come"

I said looking all amazed at her

"Girl! You in the university now you can do what ever you want with out asking anyone"

Aliyah said

"I know but I still live under her roof, I should inform her"

I replied

"That's why I told you to move to the dorm so you can do what you like"

She replied.

"I still have to talk to her about that too before anything"

I replied

"Its Ok if you need permission from you mum because I do too, it OK if want to come to school from your parents house too, like I basically just moved to this dorm this year and that's practically today and I am 22"

Maya said

"See! She gets me"

I said without looking at Aliyah face, like I can tell this girl will be a bad influence In my life and I want to w**d her out before it grows, remember the saying "bad company corrupt good manners", when I did notice her, she immediately looks dull, like she was about to cry. Like she had so much to say but she didn’t know how to say it, I could feel she had cried a river in her heart..

What did we say wrong, I thought because i have always been a person who is careful with words.

Could it be because of what Maya? said? Or because i said she gets me?

After that whole discussion, Aliyah did not say a word to either myself or Maya, I guess she was focused on the next class or didnt want to say a thing but the Aliyah i know can never not want to say a thing .

while Maya was just slacking or maybe learning more since she doesn't have any other class for the day...

What could we have said wrong i kept on thinking during the lectures, oh! Was it because of our mom we kept on saying? I thought to my self, come to think of it she have not even mentioned anything about her mum since we met.

Is she dead? Is that why she is hurt? I can not really tell I have to find out.

Immediately the second class ended, I tried to strike a conversation that would break this awkward silence between us,

"Erm.... Aliyah

I called out her name, expect crickets, but she responded immediately

"Yes!..

" So You haven't really told me about your mum, why?

I tried my best not to sound insensitive just incase she doesn't have a mum..

"She's cool"

She replied

"Really? Wow that's nice"

I couldn't hide the shock I felt with her replies, one might think I expected her to be dead.

"Yaa, or did you think she was dead?

She laughed trying to make a bad joke

" no..oo"

.

I stutter

"I just Thought maybe she wasn't around that's why you didn't talk about her"

I replied,

Come to think of it she haven't actually said anything about her family other than joking about her dad being the dean,

"My mum is a working class woman so she is always busy,

ever heard of Maxoncraft Integrated Services Limited Before? Does it rings a bell?"

She said,

Hell yeah, I have but what does that have with what we are saying or does her mom works there? I could easily ask my dad to confirm,

Maya who have been listening in on the conversation with out saying a word finally spoke

"Yes, I know that place my mum works there"

Maya said

"No, way me too, I mean not my mum she is a doctor I mean my dad"

I replied

I don't know what the word fate means and i do not believe in it but this could not be a coincidence,

"Well my mom owns that place"

Aliyah said

"You most be joking or kidding or doing something"

.

Maya and I echo together in unison

"Your mum is Max Craft?"

We said again

"Yes, she is but don't tell anyone, its a secret between us,"

Aliyah quickly make us stop screaming

Ok now her saying not to tell anyone is plain weird, having a mum like Max Craft is a dream come true for so many people,

once people finds out she is her child they will treat her like royalty and even the lecturers will be at her beckon call.

but then again not everyone wants that kind of life, some might want a simple life..

That or she is just blowing hose,

Max Craft is known to have only two kids and no one have ever seen them not even my dad who works there, no one even knows what sexes they could be..

I mean they could be both boys or both girl we can never tell, but then again Aliyah is a whole lot of stuff but definitely she isnt a bragging type so she might be saying the truth..

The day went by so fast when we where all chilling at the café after class and then Maya showed us around campus so we don't get lost again..

it felt like I Have Known these girls forever we bonded like soulmate or was it Fate?...

at first I didn’t want to be associated with some one like Aliyah, but I ended up finding more reason I want to keep her and as for Maya she didn’t have any problem from the beginning..

I went home that day having the best day of my life and If i could relive It all over again I would

I closed up my dairy and lay flat On the bed and I quickly fell asleep….

To be Cont.