Let's play House

7

Good morning, good morning We’ve talked the whole night through. my alarm ringtone woke me up. After my brief prayer, I did the way of the cross before alighting from the bed.

“Lydia” I shook her. “Lydia” I raised my voice higher. Instead, she grunted and shifted further towards the wall.

Waking her was always a mundane task. It’s like waking up a six-year-old who slept late on a school night. Agitated by her. I yanked the cover off her.

“five more minutes, mum” she mumbled.

“keep sleeping but remember we have a test today,” I told her. I knew by now she was already awake.

“Dear Lord, am screwed” she shot up and sat upright.

“We are screwed, we should have read when we had the chance” I concurred with her.

We had the chance to read but joysticks appealed to us more than reading about Socrates, philosophers, and fallacies.

I took a towel and my toiletries and headed to the bathrooms. On my way, I promised to offer a burnt sacrifice to the gods. Only if I was lucky to get an empty cubicle. We never get what we want in life, no matter how big the promises are. All of the cubicles were full. I went peeking cubicle to cubicle until I opened the last. I stood still my poor innocent eyes taking in the whole scene.

“Beat it. creep” the girl that was on her knees shouted at me, the guy just stood there all tall and erect, with a smirk on his face.

I turned on my heels back to my room. What happened to the ten to ten rule. Where before ten a.m no visitation on the other genders' rooms, and also after ten p.m they should be gone.

“That was fast” Lydia spoke once I emerged.

I strode over to Natalie’s empty bed, Harriet was asleep on the other side of the room. Since she wasn’t around we turned it into a laundry basket and threw all our clothes on it. Lucky girl, she gets to shower on hot water and doesn’t have to share a bathroom with anyone except her boyfriend. Which I must say, I envy.

“I doubt I’ll ever want to shower in there again.”

“I guess you walked in on the shower couples” I looked up and realize Lydia was already dressed, reading; critical and creative thinking handout. Hypocrite.

I took my wet wipes and scrapped the dirt off my body. I guess I’ll shower in the afternoon when the bathrooms are empty.

“Have you ever thought of staying off-campus?” I ask her to dress.

“Every single minute, but renting is a bit expensive. If only my scholarship covered my whole tuition fee”

I want to ask her, what if we share the cost. But she is quick to add. “Why do you stay in this hellhole while your father is one of the wealthiest men in the country?”

He is wealthy but is not, a fact he reminds me, at any opportunity he gets.

“Maybe, next semester” I lied.

* * *
“What about that spot?” I point at the furthermost corner.

“They look like whistleblowers”