Fading Shadows

CHAPTER TEN

It was almost poetic how silence could speak so loudly.

Grace and Maddie hadn’t said much since the night they found out about the missed test. It wasn’t anger that hung between them—just a quiet, mutual disappointment that neither had the energy to put into words. The glow from their t****k success hadn’t faded completely, but it had dimmed. Real life—their real life—was tugging them back.

Monday morning came with a sense of renewed discipline. The sun peeked lazily through the dusty blinds of their room. Grace sat upright on the bed, already dressed in her white-and-black lecture outfit, smoothing down the pleats with quiet precision. She'd ironed the skirt herself the night before, her hands shaky from exhaustion but determined. Maddie groaned from under the covers, her braids spilling messily over her pillow.

"This semester should be optional," she mumbled.

"Get up, Maddie," Grace said, not unkindly. "We’re not doing this today."

Ten minutes later, they were out the door. Maddie had thrown on her clothes in record time, and Grace, ever the prepared one, had packed snacks—just two cabin biscuits and sachet water—but it felt like a start.

The campus was already buzzing. Students poured into lecture halls, the sound of hurried footsteps mixing with the distant hum of a generator and the sharp, sing-song calls of hawkers.

They attended every class that day.

MAT 101 was a snoozefest, as usual. The lecture droned on about career paths while half the class scrolled i********:. Maddie leaned over during one dull moment and whispered, "What if I said my career path is to be a rich housewife with passive income?"

Grace bit back a smile. "Then I’d say you’re halfway there."

Biology was worse. The air conditioner in the hall had stopped working, and students fanned themselves with notebooks while trying to stay awake.

Then there was Physics. Dr. Saka entered with his usual swagger, acting like he hadn’t shaken their confidence just days before. He cracked dry jokes, scribbled confusing equations, and paced like the stage was his.

But Grace and Maddie were different now.

They sat in the front row. They took notes. They raised their hands to answer. They were present.

When lectures ended, they trudged back to the hostel. Their shoulders ached, feet sore, and stomachs rumbling. Beans and garri again. They didn’t complain.

Later, as dusk settled outside, painting their small room in soft amber light, they brought out their notebooks. The fan spun lazily overhead. No music. No t****k. Just scribbles, occasional sighs, and the sound of pages turning.

It felt unfamiliar but grounding. Like remembering who they were before everything started.

Then the phone rang.

Maddie picked it up, saw the caller ID, and held it up with wide eyes. "It’s her. Miss Teni."

Grace’s heart skipped. "Pick it."

Maddie did. After a few exchanges, she put it on speaker.

"Babes! Have you seen the video?"

Grace blinked. "No... it’s out?"

"Check t****k, jor! It’s trending already. Over 80k views in just two hours. People are loving you! Brands are asking who you are. You people need to start replying your DMs before someone else steals your shine."

Maddie laughed awkwardly. "We just got back from class."

"That’s fine. But don’t sleep on this o. Fame no dey wait. If una dull now, person go carry una trend. I go call you later."

The line cut.

Grace and Maddie sat still.

They both reached for their phones.

And there it was—

@MissTeniOfficial: "Watch out for these stars. I said what I said. #NaijaTikTok #NextGenCreators"

The comment section was already blowing up.

> “Who are they?? I need more content!”

> “The one on the left is fine sha. What’s her handle?”

> “Booking them for a shoot ASAP!”

> “Abeg make una blow well well o. We dey your back.”

Grace dropped the phone. Her head was spinning. Excitement, fear, pride—all tangled in her chest.

Maddie looked like someone who just got a scholarship and an eviction notice on the same day. "What do we do now?"

Grace exhaled. "I don’t know."

She paused. "No, actually... I do."

She picked up her journal—the one with the frayed cover and "BORN TO WIN" scribbled on it. She flipped to a blank page and wrote two bold words:

Scale of Preference

Maddie peeked over her shoulder.

"We can’t keep saying yes to everything," Grace said. "We need structure."

Together, they started listing their priorities:

1. Classes

2. Study Time

3. Content Creation

4. Emails & DMs

5. Rest

They divided their day into time blocks.

6 a.m. – 8 a.m.: Morning routine & breakfast

8 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Lectures

2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Rest & lunch

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Study time

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.: Content planning & editing

8 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Emails, DMs, and collab replies

9 p.m. – 10 p.m.: Wind down

"We’ll make this our blueprint," Grace said. "If anything comes up, we check the plan first. If it doesn’t fit, we move it to another day."

Maddie nodded. "Let’s also set a content day. Maybe Saturdays only?"

Grace smiled. "Yes. Saturdays."

They wrote it down like it was a contract.

The silence that followed wasn’t heavy this time. It was calm. Purposeful.

Then, another buzz.

A voice note. From Bami.

Grace opened it.

"I saw the video," Bami’s voice said. Soft. Slightly strained. "I’m proud of you, Grace. Really. Just don’t forget why you came here. Don’t let the noise drown your dreams."

Grace stared at the screen.

Maddie nudged her. "You okay?"

Grace nodded, blinking fast. "Yeah. Just... Bami."

She got up, walked outside to the corridor. The hostel was quieter now. The night air was cool, a gentle breeze brushing past her skin. Somewhere in the distance, someone was playing a love song on their speaker—loud enough to recognize but not enough to disturb. She looked up at the sky. The moon was out.

She inhaled deeply.

Don’t let the noise drown your dreams.

She closed her eyes, holding the words like a prayer.

Fame was thrilling. Attention was exciting. But peace? Peace was necessary.

And she wouldn’t trade her foundation for a moment of spotlight.

They were students. They were creators. They were dreamers.

And now, they were learning to be all three—without losing themselves.