𝔼𝕂𝕀𝕃𝔸

37

The thought that they were never truly alone in the train haunted Chidiogo long after she left the subway; still lingering in her head by the time she got to her dorm room.

She bolted out of the train the moment she digested the letter and realized that whoever left it would probably still be around, waiting for the right time to attack.

She found herself looking over her shoulder, one too many times, on her short walk from the subway to the hostel building. It didn't help that the dirt road that led to the building was usually lonely during that time.

Amelia was the first to acknowledge her when she stepped into the room.

"Hey!"

She nodded in response to Amelia's greeting, heading straight for her bed. As usual, several past questions, books and fliers were scattered all over Amelia's bed and she sat in between them.

Mmachi was absent, as was the norms, and Chidiogo wondered how the hostel mistress never caught her whenever she snuck back into the hostel.

"I didn't see you during prep," Amelia said, when Chidiogo had settled on the edge of her bed and began pulling off her sandals.

She looked up at Amelia, still struggling with the strap of one of her sandals.

"I lost track of time."

That was all she could say before she stood up to keep her sandals in her portion of the white shoe rack built into the wall.

"When you were doing what?" Amelia asked, not dropping the topic.

Chidiogo took her time placing her sandals in the rack before turning around. She found Amelia staring at her expectantly.

She bit the insides of her cheeks as she darted her eyes around, trying to think of a way to change the topic. Her eyes landed on Chikaima's bed and a thought popped in her head.

"Where's Kaima?" she asked, observing her bed.

It was the same way she had noticed it the first time she came to the room. A white duvet was spread over the bed, covering almost every part of it.

A form was visible underneath it but being used to the trick already, Chidiogo was almost certain that it was just a stack of pillows.

"She's sleeping," Amelia said.

Chidiogo threw her a skeptical look.

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking between the bed and Amelia.

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Yes, genuis. Now quit trying to change the topic!"

Chidiogo glanced at Chikaima's bed again. Before she knew it, she was heading towards the bed.

"What the hell are you—"

She held up a finger, halting Amelia's words. She turned to Amelia afterwards, still holding up her finger. Amelia was standing now, gathering her blonde knotless braids in her hands.

Chidiogo placed her pointer on her lips, gesturing for Amelia to remain silent. Amelia threw her a quizzical look but she didn't bother about it as she tiptoed to Chikaima's bed.

When she got to the bed, she pulled the duvet off. Large eyes flopped open the moment she took off the cover revealing dark brown orbs.

A few strands of white hair splayed across Chikaima's face, contrasting her ebony black skin. Chidiogo remained still for a while, gripping onto the edge of the duvet.

Chikaima pulled off one of her earbuds before speaking.

"What's up?"

Chidiogo only managed to shake her head.