Chapter 2
Eliana woke to the shrill ring of her alarm at 6 a.m., the first full day of classes. She sat up quickly, still half-dreaming of scholarship letters and crowded dance floors. Outside her window, campus was already alive—students in crisp clothes rushing toward the lecture halls, bicycles whirring down the paths, and the faint hum of traffic from the city beyond.
She dressed in a simple white shirt and dark skirt, combing her braids carefully. Her reflection in the mirror looked nervous but determined. "You belong here," she whispered to herself.
The lecture theater was massive, bigger than any room she'd ever studied in. Rows of seats climbed high into the air, filled with students chatting loudly, tapping on laptops, scrolling on their phones. Eliana found a seat near the middle, pulling out her worn notebook and a pen.
When the professor walked in, the noise died instantly. "Welcome to your new beginning," he announced, chalk screeching against the board. "But remember—university will not wait for you to catch up. Either you rise, or you drown."
The words echoed in her mind the entire class.
At lunch, Maddie strolled into the cafeteria like she owned it. Heads turned. She was dressed in a bright Ankara crop top and gold hoops, her confidence filling every corner. She spotted Eliana at a small table and slid into the seat across from her.
"Ellie, you won't believe who asked for my number today," she whispered dramatically, leaning forward.
"Let me guess. A lecturer?" Eliana teased, sipping her juice.
Maddie laughed. "Worse. A final-year guy with a car. Honestly, these boys move fast."
Eliana shook her head, smiling despite herself. Maddie always seemed to float above the stress of academics, her energy boundless. But then Maddie's gaze landed on Eliana's half-finished notes beside her tray.
"You're already studying?" she groaned. "It's literally the first day."
"You know me," Eliana replied. "I can't risk losing this scholarship. If I slip, that's it. No backup."
Maddie softened. "Fine. Then I'll just copy from you when I get lazy. You'll keep me in check, yeah?"
Eliana rolled her eyes but agreed. She always did.
That evening, the library became her sanctuary. Rows of towering shelves, the faint smell of paper, the quiet scratch of pens on paper—it was where she belonged. She found a seat by the window, spreading her books across the table.
Minutes later, a shadow fell across her notes.
"Is this seat taken?"
Eliana looked up. The young man standing before her was tall, dressed simply but with an elegance that stood out. His dark eyes held hers a moment longer than necessary.
"No," she said quickly, tucking a stray braid behind her ear.
He sat across from her, opening a thick economics textbook. For a while, they studied in silence. But Eliana found it hard to focus. Something about him felt… different. Calm. Assured.
After nearly an hour, he closed his book and looked at her. "You're focused," he said softly. "First-year?"
She nodded, unsure what else to say.
"William," he introduced himself, offering a hand across the table.
"Eliana," she replied, shaking it hesitantly. His hand was warm, his smile easy.
When he finally left, she realized her heart was beating far too fast.
Later that night, Maddie barged into her dorm, tossing her heels aside.
"Eliana, you won't believe it. I met Stephen again at the café this evening. He asked about me—and then, wait for it, he asked about you."
Eliana froze. "What?"
Maddie grinned mischievously. "I think he noticed you last night at the party. Told you my girl would shine."
Eliana's stomach fluttered. She tried to downplay it, but the truth was undeniable: she had thought about Stephen all day, replaying the way his laugh had filled the hall.
Now, knowing he might have noticed her too, she felt her carefully built walls wobble.
She lay awake in bed long after Maddie left, staring at the ceiling. Between her studies, Maddie's whirlwind energy, the mysterious William from the library, and now Stephen's sudden attention, Eliana knew life at university was already becoming more complicated than she had ever imagined.
And this was only the beginning.