2~Goodbye Cal U
"How is she?" Faruk asked, concern evident in his voice as he tried to step into the room. "Is she awake?"
Amira immediately moved to block the doorway.
"Faruk, please go. It's still early, and you're not supposed to be in the girls dorm at this hour."
"I just want to make sure she's okay."
"She is." Amira gave him a reassuring smile. "She's still asleep. When she wakes up, I'll let her know you stopped by."
Faruk hesitated. "But I'm worried."
"I know." Amira nodded sympathetically. "Now stop worrying and go, I'll take care of her."
After a brief pause, he let out a sigh. "...Alright."
"Good."
He offered one last glance toward the room before turning to leave.
"Take care of her."
"I will."
As soon as he disappeared down the hallway, Amira gently shut the door and leaned against it.
Her gaze drifted toward the bed.
Hanan was still sound asleep, curled beneath the blanket, completely unaware of everything that had happened the previous night.
Amira glanced at the wall clock.
7:00 am.
She wanted to wake her.
She really did.
But she was terrified of how her best friend would react once she found out she unknowingly emptied almost an entire bottle of whiskey.
"I'm dead..." Amira muttered under her breath.
Hanan hated alcohol more than anyone she knew.
So what had pushed her to drink that much?
And who on earth was Najib?
Even in her sleep, she whispered that name over and over again.
Najib...
Najib...
The name echoed in Amira's mind.
Curiosity dawned on her, but today wasn't the day to demand answers.
Today was far too important.
Today... they were graduating.
The dormitory gradually came alive.
The familiar morning alarm echoed through the hallway, followed by excited screams, hurried footsteps, and laughter from graduating students rushing to get ready for the biggest day of their university lives.
Unlike everyone else, Amira had been awake since dawn.
She had already gotten dressed in a lilac satin corset gown that hugged her figure beautifully. The elegant thigh high slit stopped just above her knee, and a pair of silver heels perfectly matched the small purse resting on her shoulder.
She admired herself in the mirror one last time before smiling.
"Not bad."
Satisfied, she stepped out of the room and headed next door.
Knock.
Knock.
"Come in!"
Amira pushed the door open.
"Good morning."
Lucy looked up from the mirror and gasped. "Girl!"
She looked Amira up and down dramatically.
"You're already dressed?"
Amira twirled proudly flaunting her look. "I couldn't wait."
She laughed. "I've been counting down to today for months."
Lucy clapped excitedly. "And you look gorgeous!"
"Thank you."
"No, seriously." Lucy pointed at her dress. "That gown was made for you."
Amira laughed.
"I'll accept the compliment."
"You better."
Lucy adjusted one of her earrings before asking,
"Where's Hanan?"
Amira hesitated for the briefest second.
"She's... getting ready too."
The lie slipped out effortlessly.
"Good." Lucy smiled.
"I can't wait to see what she's wearing. You two honestly have the best fashion sense on campus."
She added dramatically. "I'm jealous."
Amira chuckled. "Don't compliment me."
She smiled fondly. "Hanan was the one who convinced me to buy this dress."
"I knew it!" Lucy laughed. "She has expensive taste."
"She really does."
Lucy took one last look at Amira before shaking her head.
"No wonder everyone envies you two."
Amira simply smiled shyly.
Lucy leaned against the dressing table. "Any celebration after graduation?"
Amira shrugged. "Not that I know of."
"And even if there is..."
Her smile slowly faded. "...I probably won't attend."
Lucy's brows furrowed. "Why not?"
"You and Hanan are literally the life of every party."
Amira's expression softened. "Not anymore."
She lowered her gaze. "We're leaving today."
Lucy blinked. "...Leaving?"
Amira nodded. "Our flight back to Nigeria is at seven tonight."
Silence.
"What?" Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You're joking."
"I wish I was."
Without another word, Lucy wrapped her arms tightly around Amira.
"Why are you only telling me now?"
Her voice cracked. "I didn't want you to be sad."
"Too late."
Lucy laughed through watery eyes.
"I'm already sad."
She pulled away, pouting.
"I'm going to miss both of you."
"And who's going to keep teaching me Hausa?"
Amira smiled warmly.
"We'll figure something out."
She gently wiped away Lucy's tears.
"But not today."
She tapped Lucy's nose playfully.
"Today, you're graduating."
"So fix that pretty face before your mascara starts running."
Lucy laughed. "Yes, ma'am."
"That's better."
The two friends shared one more hug before Amira excused herself, ready to wake the one person who was still fast asleep.
For three years, Lucy and Amira had been inseparable.
Then Hanan came into their lives, effortlessly turning their duo into a trio. Despite their different races and backgrounds, the three women built a friendship that neither time nor distance could weaken.
"Oh, God... you're still asleep?"
Amira groaned the moment she stepped back into their room. Hanan was still curled up beneath her blanket, hugging her pillow as if graduation could wait another day.
She walked over to the window and threw the curtains open.
"Rise and shine! We have less than an hour before graduation starts."
A loud groan escaped Hanan's lips.
"Close the curtains..." She mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut. "I need more sleep. Headache is killing me."
"And sleeping won't make it disappear."
Amira walked over with a tray containing tea, toasts and a pain reliever.
"I made you breakfast. Drink your tea, take this medicine, and you'll feel much better."
She gently helped Hanan into a sitting position before placing the tray beside her.
"Morning..." Hanan muttered between sleepy yawns.
Amira chuckled.
"Oh yes, good morning indeed! Come on, sleepyhead, it's finally our day!"
She couldn't hide her excitement.
After years of sleepless nights studying, endless assignments projects, and examinations, graduation day had finally arrived.
Hanan rubbed her temples. "Why are you already dressed?"
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And why does my head feel like someone hit me with a truck?"
Amira folded her arms. "I just stopped by Lucy's room to say goodbye."
Then she smirked. "As for your headache... you only have yourself to blame."
"Myself?"
"Yes."
Hanan frowned in confusion. "The last thing I remember is you dragging me to that party, meeting Faruk, drinking a glass of juice..."
She paused. "...then nothing."
Amira let out a dramatic sigh. "Well... that wasn't juice."
Hanan blinked.
"It was whiskey."
Silence.
"You broke your no alcohol rule and finished an entire glass."
Hanan's mouth fell open. "...I did what?!"
"Oh, you absolutely did."
Hanan buried her face in her hands.
"Oh, no..."
She groaned.
"Please tell me I didn't embarrass myself."
Amira bit back a laugh.
"Besides cuddling Faruk and trying to kiss him?"
She shrugged innocently.
"I would say you behaved."
Hanan's head snapped up.
"I tried to kiss Faruk?!"
"Oh yes." Amira nodded.
"You practically mistook him for someone named Najib."
Hanan quickly looked horrified.
"Eww!" She frowned.
"This is exactly why I hate alcohol. From today onward, I need to stay at least twenty metres away from anything that contains it."
Amira's teasing smile slowly disappeared.
"But who is Najib?"
Hanan looked up. "...Who?"
"Najib."
Amira studied her carefully.
"You kept calling his name last night."
A brief silence followed.
"He is no one."
Hanan climbed out of bed almost immediately.
"Really?"
Amira wasn't convinced.
"Because you called him all night..."
She paused.
"...even in your sleep."
"I said he's no one." Hanan's voice turned cold. "It's just your imagination."
Amira folded her arms. "Your eyes always give you away when you lie."
She stepped closer.
"So... Who exactly is Najib?"
Hanan inhaled sharply before letting out an irritated groan.
"Oh, for goodness sake, drop it!"
She pressed a hand against her forehead.
"I have the worst hangover of my life."
Then her eyes widened.
"Oh my God..."
She froze. "Abdul!"
She whipped around quickly.
"What time is it?"
"My phone!"
"Where's my phone?!"
Amira pointed toward her handbag laughing. "Relax. It's a little after seven, and your phone is inside your purse."
"Oh, crap!" Hanan rushed over to her bag pulling out her phone.
The moment the screen lit up, her heart sank.
Five missed calls.
From Abdul.
"He must have arrived already..."
She groaned anxiously.
Amira frowned. "He's on campus?"
"I don't know."
Hanan tossed the phone onto the bed and hurried toward the bathroom.
"I don't have time for this. I need to get ready!"
Amira glanced at the clock before shaking her head.
"You've got less than thirty minutes!"
Knock.
Knock.
"Hannah Aliyu."
Hanan rolled her eyes before opening the door.
"Good morning, Miss Olivia." She forced a polite smile.
"It's HanaN..." She emphasized the last letter.
"With N not H."
Standing outside was Miss Olivia, the one person who somehow never managed to pronounce her name correctly.
Miss Olivia barely looked at her.
"I'm not responsible for your hearing impairment."
She held out a neatly folded graduation gown.
"I'm only here to deliver this."
Then her expression brightened the moment she spotted Amira.
"Oh! You look absolutely beautiful, Amira."
Amira smiled warmly glancing at Hanan. "Thank you, but I think the compliment belongs to Hanan today."
"She's the prettier one."
Miss Olivia scoffed. "Don't flatter her."
She waved dismissively. "I see no beauty there."
Her gaze returned to Amira. "You look much better."
"Don't forget to send me your graduation pictures."
"And have a wonderful ceremony."
"We will." Amira smiled politely.
The moment the door closed, Hanan let out an exhausted sigh.
"See?"