The pink Clouds
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š Episode_19&20
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Richa-rd bec@mĀ£ totally disorientated after seeing Rebecca. More than ever, he regretted why left. He remembered about the good times they used to have and how happy she used to be when she see him. But now, he is just a trash in her eyes. He bec@mĀ£ silent and couldn’t think about anything but her.
They boarded a taxi and were on their way to the university. Richa-rd leaned his head against the car and was lost in his thought, while Achuba kept talking about happy he was to have finally talked to Tina. Thomas was the only person talking back.
“Hey Richa-rd , what’s the matter?” Achuba asked when he noticed his silence.
“Is nothing, I just feel like going mute for some minutes,” Richa-rd answered.
“So, how many girlfriends do you have?” Thomas asked.
“I have none,” Richa-rd replied.
“That’s lie, do you expect us to believe this shallow lie?” They both laughed.
“For the past five years, I haven’t been myself,” Richa-rd replied with his head still leaned on the car.
“Is something wrong?” Achuba asked noticing Richa-rd ‘s reaction.
“Is nothing, I just I’m not alive,” Richa-rd uttered.
“plea-se do tell us what’s bothering you,” Thomas insisted.
They pressured him for minutes, but Richa-rd refused to tell them what’s wrong to the extend that left him alone. They arrived at the university at about 7:30 pm. As they were heading to their hostel, Thomas received a call from his asking him to go meet her.
“Do you know where the female hostel is?” Thomas asked Achuba.
“Well, is quite far from here, is at at the extreme of the university,” Achuba explained.
“Do you suggest we take a taxi there?” Thomas asked.
“We will surely get tired by the time we reach there, but at least you will take stroll around the university,” Achuba replied.
“What do you say Richa-rd , do we walk their or take a taxi?” Thomas asked Richa-rd .
Richa-rd thought about it for while. He thought he can be relieved of his pain if he is occu-pied having fun.
“I think walking there will be fun,” Richa-rd replied.
“That’s great,” Thomas said and they started walking. They explore the university as they walked. When they come across a fine building, Achuba will tell them more about it.
After minutes of walking, they c@mĀ£ across the university staff quarters. It was much bigger than the one Richa-rd had previously seen. There was a very big garden just before staff quarters. There were many trees of variety of fruits planted in rows. There was a stream that divided the university from the staff quarters. A bridge was there the end of the garden. He was suddenly of the garden he usually sit and study in his former school. He remembered the second time he saw Rebecca walking close to the garden and how beautiful she looked. He happiness faded as soon as he remembered how she treated him and happy he saw her with the sĀ£nator.
There were some few students around the stream who were on some kind of ro-mantic d@tĀ£.
“I guess you will be bringing Tina here soon,” Thomas said to Achuba.
“I hope so,” Achuba replied after he had stĀ©pped laughing.
“I heard that there is a waterfall behind those trees over there,” Achuba continued and pointed in the direction of the trees.
“Wow! Can we go and take a look?” Thomas asked.
“Don’t you see that there no is lightening around there? Don’t you think it will dangerous?” Richa-rd asked.
“Relax Richa-rd , this not a jungle,” Achuba replied.
“You will make a terrible hunter had it been you were born in the olden day,” Thomas laughed.
“Thank God I was not born in the olden days,” Richa-rd laughed.
They walked over the bridge to the staff quarters. The house were all similar with even the same flowers and trees planted around them. They looked so similar that one cannot tell them ap@rt. They were arranged in rows with much space between them.
“Wow! Do the occu-p@n-ts of these houses tell which one is their house?” Thomas asked confusingly.
“I guess the houses are numbered, besides, they can’t be 100% similar. There have to be some difference that they can use to know which one is their house,” Richa-rd explained.
“Can you tell me the difference between those two houses?” Thomas requested.
“Is pretty obvious, the tree in the first house is taller and tinner, while the one in the second house is shorter with more br@nches,” Richa-rd explained.
“Wow! You are actually right,” Thomas smiled after nothing there differences.
They walked for some minutes before arriving at the female hostels behind the staff quarters. There many trees at the front of hostels. un-der the were park benches painted black and white.
“Is this a r0m@nƧĀ£university or an academic university?” Richa-rd asked when he noticed that all the benches were occu-pied by couples on a d@tĀ£.
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Achuba laughed.
Thomas brou-ght out his phone and called his sister. Some minutes later, she c@mĀ£ out along with another girl.
“Wow! You made friends alre-ady,” she said as they approach them.
“Yeah, I can see that you’ve also made a friend,” Thomas replied.
“Yes, she is my roommate,” she replied.
“Hello,” the other girl said.
“How are you?” Thomas asked.
“I’m fine, how about you?” Thomas inquired.
“I’m okay,” Thomas smiled.
“So, how did you meet your friends?” His sister asked.
“They are my roommates, and you met with Richa-rd earlier today if you could remember,” Thomas informed.
“I don’t remember meeting anyone that looks like him,” she said as she took a proper look at Richa-rd ‘s face.
“Of course she can’t remember me,” Richa-rd replied.
“Do tell me where we met,” she requested.
“Do you recall being rude to anyone today?” Richa-rd asked.
“I’m quite a n@Ć»ghty girl, I’m rude to almost everyone,” she said with a smiled.
“Oh if that’s the case, then I shouldn’t have taken it personal,” Richa-rd smiled back.
“But at least do me how we met,” she insisted
“I will tell you if we meet again,” responded.
“I insist that you tell me now,” she replied.
“You asked me earlier if I have had a shower before coming here,” said Richa-rd . She thought for seconds before she finally remembered.
“Wow! You have changed completely, I couldn’t even recognize you,” she said.
“I must have gotten more handsome,” she joked.
“Indeed, i’m alre-ady falling for you,” she laughed.
“Hey, we could give you some space you know, you don’t have to do it in our presĀ£nce,” Thomas said.
“Is all a joke,” Richa-rd said feeling somewhat guilty.
“Don’t mind him, he d@tĀ£d almost all my friends in highschool, I think is time for me to payback,” she explained.
“I don’t think you will be able to do that,” Thomas said.
They talked for minutes before they noticed that the sky was getting cloudier.
“It seems like is going to rain soon,” Richa-rd informed and they all looked at the sky.
“You are right, we should probably head back,” Achuba suggested.
“It was really fun having you guys here today,” Thomas’s sister said.
“It was really nice meeting,” Richa-rd smiled.
They looked around and couldn’t find a taxi. At last they decided to walk before they find one. They started walking their way back. When they were around the garden’s bridge, they noticed the headlights of a car approaching. But when it close to the bridge, one of the tires of the car broke and the car stĀ©pped moving. They noticed as the driver got down from the car to observe. As they got closer to the car, the pas-sĀ£nger door was opened. Because it was dark, they didn’t see whom the person was.
By that time, the sky looked like it will started raining any moment.
“Richa-rd ! Is that you?” Asked a female voice. When Richa-rd got to the car, he was absolutely shocked to notice that it was Pro. Grace.
“Is that really you?” She asked as she walked closer to him. He felt guilty about what happened five years ago. He has ruined his life and embarras-sed of seeing her.
“Where have you been all these years?” She asked. But Richa-rd remained silent and couldn’t utter a word.
“Good evening ma’am,” Thomas greeted when he realized whom she was.
“Evening,” she ba-rely responded.
“Are you a student in this school?” She asked Richa-rd .
“Yes I am,” Richa-rd replied.
“Okay, it looks like is about to rain now. Make sure you see me in my office tomorrow, we nee-d to talk,” she instructed.
“Okay ma’am, I will be there,” he replied. And soon, another car c@mĀ£ and picked her.
“So you know Prof. Grace,” Achuba said.
“Yes I know her,” Richa-rd replied.
“You are more strange than you appeared to be,” Thomas commented.
“You can say that,” Richa-rd smiled.
“Is there something you are not telling us?” Achuba asked.
“No at all, she used to be my lecturer in my previous school,” Richa-rd explained.
“Ohh that explains,” Achuba replied.
They c@mĀ£ across a taxi as soon as they left garden. They boarded and made their way back to their hostel. By the time they arrived their room, it was alre-ady some few minutes after 10 pm. As soon as it they entered their room, it started raining heavily. Dino had alre-ady sle-pt when they arrived.
“Where have you guys heen?” Armstrong asked. He was going throu-gh hi phone while lying on his be-d.
“We have been to quite many places,” Achuba replied.
“I finally talked to Tina today,” Achuba continued.
“Really? How did that happen?” Armstrong asked as he sat up.
“Well, it was all thanks to Richa-rd , you don’t happy I am today,” Achuba explanation.
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Rebecca had just left her friends’ place and was heading back home in her car. As she was driving, a thought of Richa-rd c@mĀ£ to her all of a sudden. For the first time 3 years, a thought of Richa-rd c@mĀ£ to her. She remembered how she was broken for days after she was told that Richa-rd had left school. She thought she had forgotten about him completely, but after seeing him today, she felt something unique that she only felt once in her entire life. It was an old feeling she couldn’t resist only when she was around Richa-rd .
But considering how perfect her life is, she thought it was a good thing that she pretended not to have known him. Besides, the way he appeared earlier was quite obvious that he had lost it. It was disappointing to her that he was like that. She arrived home at about 11 pm and still found her Mum in the living.
“I thought you have sle-pt alre-ady,” Rebecca said as she sat beside her.
“I’m about to go to be-d, I have had something done,” her mother answered.
“I’m super exhausted, I think will be going to be-d” Rebecca said as she stood up.
“Alright dear, sleep well,” Prof. Grace answered.
“Thank you,” Rebecca replied answered.
She headed to her be-droom and was some few meters away from her mother when she was being called. She stĀ©pped walking and turned.
“I saw Richa-rd today,” her mother announced.
“I did see him today too,” Rebecca replied.
“What a foolish boy, look how he wasted his life,” mother said.
“Indeed,” Rebecca replied.
“I tried looking for his sister’s phone number, but I couldn’t find it,” Prof. Grace added.
“What do you want to do with his sister’s phone number?” Rebecca asked.
“I will inform her that about his whereabouts of course, she c@mĀ£ to the school almost five times after he had left to see if he will come back,” Prof. Grace explained.
“I don’t think you should interfare in other people’s life. He chose to be like this so that’s his problem,” Rebecca said.
Her mother was so surprised when Rebecca said that.
“Are you sure you know which Richa-rd I’m talking about?” Her mother asked.
“I’m very sure I know which Richa-rd you are referring to,” Rebecca replied.
“Have you forgotten what he had done for you? You were able to pas-s your final year exams at one sitting because of him,” her mother reminded.
“I could have done it even without his help,” Rebecca answered.
“Wow! You are getting more ungrateful every single day, why are you like this Rebecca?” Her mother asked.
“Goodnight Mum,” Rebecca said and walked to her room.
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One week later, Richa-rd and Thomas woke up early in the morning. It was the first they were supposed to have their first lectures in the university. It was also the day the new students will be havimg a welcoming ceremony by the school SUG. Thomas was super exited because he was expericing it for the first time. He kept pressuring Richa-rd to get re-ady on time so that they won’t be late.
“Relax, it will come to a time where you will totally get tired of the lectures,” Richa-rd said.
“You are totally right,” Achuba uttered with his eyes closed while laying on his be-d.
“Hey, I thought you are slee-ping,” Richa-rd exclaimed.
“We are also going to have a lecture by 8 am, but I feel like we will be skipping the clas-s since this is the first,” Achuba said.
“Do as you plea-se man,” Richa-rd laughed
.
Richa-rd took his bath and got dressed in a black long sleeve shi-t and a brown trou-ser. He wore a black shore that perfectly matched the shi-t he was wearing.
“Wow! You look totally amazing,” Thomas commented.
“Thank you,” Richa-rd smiled.
“Have you guys eaten something before leaving?” Achuba asked as they were about to walk out.
“No we haven’t, but we will once we arrived at our faculty,” Thomas replied.
“Okay, I wish you good luck,” Achuba said.
They walked out of their hostel and stĀ©pped at a bookshop opposite to the hostel. The bookshop was filled with many kinds of books and ph0tocopying machines. There were many students at there, all trying to buy their materials for the first lectures. Richa-rd and Thomas squee-zed throu-gh the crowd and found themselves some space in the front. They bought some books and pens before they left the bookshop. They headed to their faculty as soon they were done.
They arrived at the dep@rtment and were confused on where their venue for the lectures is supposed to be. They walked into the wrong venue with the third year students having their lectures. They sat among the third year student for about 10 minutes before Richa-rd realized that they are in wrong place.
“I don’t think we are in the right place,” Richa-rd whispered in Thomas ear.
“I said it, no wonder I couldn’t find my sister,” Thomas replied.
They sat for five minutes trying to figure out how they could exit the clas-s without embarras-sing themselves. At last, Richa-rd finally gained the courage and stood up.
“Where are you going to?” The lecturer asked when he saw Richa-rd leaving.
“I c@mĀ£ to the wrong clas-s sir,” Richa-rd answered.
“What do you mean wrong clas-s?” The lecturer asked.
“I’m a 100 level student, so I’m yet to be familiar with the venues of the dep@rtment,” Richa-rd replied and the whole venue started laughing.
“This is ridiculous, don’t you know which course you were supposed to do? This is a 300 level course, you are supposed to know the moment you walked into this clas-s,” the lecturer criticized.
“Well, I couldn’t tell at first because this course is a continuation of what we were supposed to do this morning,” Richa-rd said.
“Ours is scientific programming, while yours is system programming. Amateurs like us can’t tell the difference,” Richa-rd smiled.
The lecturer was left speechless. He looked at Richa-rd for a while before he gave him the permission to leave.
“Who else is also a first year student?” The lecturer asked and about 10 students stood up and the lecture theatre was sĀ£nt in chaos with laugher.
“You can leave with him,” the lecturer laughed and the students went after Richa-rd .
Richa-rd asked one of the students he met outside where his venue was and was told that it was on the upper floor. Richa-rd walked to the lecturer and his mates were behind him. He stĀ©pped walking when he arrived at the door of the hall. He was hopping that one of the people behind him would walk in before him. But they all stĀ©pped as soon as they saw him stĀ©pping.
“Why are you guys stĀ©pping?” Richa-rd asked.
“You are the leader, you go in before us,” one of the people behind him said.
“Since whe did I become your leader?” Richa-rd asked.
“Since when you spoke to that lecturer,” the boy replied. Richa-rd walked into the hall along with Thomas. Surprisingly, the lecturer didn’t mind. Thomas saw his sister sitting with an empty sit beside her. He quic-kly went and sat beside her.
“Where you been?” She asked.
“We got lost,” Thomas replied.
She turned behind to take proper look at Richa-rd .
“Hello handsome,” she smiled.
“Hello beautiful,” Richa-rd replied.
“It seems like you were busy with makeup and you forgot about your lecture today,” she smiled.
“I didn’t even want to come out, I was f0rƧĀ£d by your brother to come out,” Richa-rd replied.
“Really? Why didn’t you want to come?” She asked.
“I’m not prepared,” Richa-rd answered..
At this point, the lecturer caught sight of them talking.
“It seems like those two over there are delivering a lecture more interesting than mine,” the lecturer said she walked to them.
“The two of you should stand up,” the lecturer asked. Richa-rd and Thomas’s sister stood. He asked Thomas’s sister a question about his lesson, but she couldn’t not answer. But when asked Richa-rd , he answered all his questions right.
“What is your name?” The lecturer asked.
“My name is Richa-rd sir,” he replied.
“So Mr Richa-rd , tell me why you are here,” the lecturer asked.
“I’m here to learn sir,” Richa-rd replied.
“No you are not, you c@mĀ£ late and did as you like in my clas-s, you should have stayed since you know everything,” the lecturer nagged.
“I’m sorry sir, I’ve made terrible mistake. I promise it won’t happen again,” Richa-rd apologized.
“Of course it won’t happen again, because this will be the last time you will be in my clas-s,” the lecturer declared.
“Now, you should leave my clas-s,” the commanded and Richa-rd walked out alone. He went to small clas-s opposite to the hall and sat there.
About an hour later, the lecture was over and the students started walking out of the hall. As the lecturer was heading to his office, Richa-rd quietly walked behind him. He waited for five minutes after he walked into the office before knocking at the door.
“Come in,” c@mĀ£ the lecturer’s voice.
“You again,” the lecturer said when Richa-rd revealed himself.
“I’m truly sorry sir, my behaviour earlier was truly unacceptable,” Richa-rd apologized.
“Why did you do it since you know is wrong?” The lecturer asked.
“This is the first time I’ve ever offended a teacher in school, you know I’m in a new place, so I’m yet to settle psychological,” Richa-rd insisted.
“Judging by your action, I can tell you are a cautious student. I can forgive you this time,” the lecturer conceded.
“Thank you so much sir,” Richa-rd appreciated.
When Richa-rd walked out of the office, he found Thomas and his sister waiting for him.
“Getting yourself into trouble on your first day,” Thomas as Richa-rd approach them.
“Well, you can blame the lady beside you, she got me into it,” Richa-rd replied, and by that time, he had gotten to where they were.
“What did the lecturer said?” Thomas’s sister asked.
“Let’s say he isn’t mad at me anymore,” Richa-rd answered.
“I’m sorry for getting you into trouble,” she smiled.
“Is okay,”.
“Let’s go and get something to eat, I’m really hungry,” Thomas announced.
“That has been on my mind,” Richa-rd replied and the three of them headed out of the faculty.
When they got out of the faculty, Richa-rd spĀ©tted Pro. Grace and the Dean of his faculty standing right next to her. The moment he saw her, he quic-kly turned trying to walk back into his faculty.
“Richa-rd !” She called out. He stĀ©pped walking and walked to her feeling somewhat embarras-sed. He walked slowly to her and stood before her.
“Good morning ma’am” Richa-rd greeted.
“Good morning, how have you been doing?” She asked.
“I’ve okay doing okay,” Richa-rd answered.
“Can I have a look at your identification card?” She requested.
“Okay ma’am,” politely replied.
Thomas and his sister were ahead of the watching everything. After Prof. Grace took a better look at his identity card, she put it into her handbag.
“Come to my house in the evening and collect it,” she instructed.
“But I don’t know where your house is” Richa-rd complained.
“If you can’t find my house, then you can’t be p@rt of this University anymore. And for your information, if you don’t come tonight, I will make sure that you are expelled. And you know you I don’t joke around with my words,” Prof. Grace warned. At this point, she got the attention of all the students around them.
“Thanks what did he do?” The Dean asked.
“Something displea-sing,” she replied.
“Well, the I suggest you do as she say, or else we won’t hesitate to expel you for disobeying the administrator of the university,” the the Dean said to Richa-rd .
“I will do as she say,” Richa-rd replied.
“That’s left for you to decide,” Prof. Grace replied.
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“What just happened?” Thomas asked Richa-rd confusingly after he had caught up with them.
“Is nothing,” Richa-rd smiled.
“I knew there are alot of things you are hiding from us,” Thomas doubted.
“Is really not a big deal. She is just mad at me for going to her house as she instructed me the other time,” Richa-rd replied.
“If I may ask, why didn’t you and meet her when she asked for you?” Thomas asked.
“Besides, they way she acted was pretty obvious that she knew you before you even c@mĀ£ here,” Thomas said.
He pressured Richa-rd for minutes to tell me what was between him and Prof. Grace. Richa-rd agreed to him what happened, but only after they gone back to their room. At around 12 pm, there was supposed to be a welcoming ceremony for new students. The ceremony was to take place in a very big auditorium opposite to the sĀ£nate building of the university. The ceremony was organized by the SUG President of the school. It was supposed to be to some sort of orientation and p@rty at the same time. Richa-rd decided to go back to his room, because he thought it will not be fun.
“Hey, I thought you are supposed to have a welcome p@rty today,” Achuba said as Richa-rd walked into the room.
“I don’t think it will be very interesting, so I decided to come and have some sleep,” Richa-rd replied.
“Wow! Who would ever want to miss that? Don’t you know that after the welcoming ceremony is a p@rty that is going to last the whole night?” Achuba questioned.
“I’m pretty aware of that, I’m not just into that kind of stuff,” Richa-rd replied.
“The my friend you really nee-d saving,” Achuba laughed.
He brou-ght out his phone and called Thomas and informed him that Richa-rd is not going. After about 10 minutes, Thomas was in the room.
“Tell one good reason why you aren’t going,” Thomas asked.
“I just feel like staying in the room for now, afterwards, I Will be seeing prof. Grace shortly,” Richa-rd answered.
“That reminds me, you said you will tell me what happened between you and Prof Grace when we come back,” Thomas reminded.
“Don’t you have a p@rty to attend?” Richa-rd said trying to change the tĀ©pic.
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what happened,” he requested.
“What happened?” Achuba asked curiously.
“You remember when Prof. Grace asked him to go and see her? It turned out that he didn’t. She got really mad about it today that she seized his identity card and mand@tĀ£d him to see her today at her house or else he will be expelled,” Thomas explained. “That’s sounds so serious,” Achuba replied.
“Yes it is. So Richa-rd , tell us what really happened?” Thomas asked.
“Well, is more complicated than you think,” Richa-rd answered.
“I used to be her favorite student back then,” he continued.
“Then..” Achuba said wanting to hear more.
“She hired to teach her daughter,” Richa-rd replied.
“By her daughter, do you mean Rebecca?” Achuba asked.
“Yes I mean Rebecca,” Richa-rd uttered.
Achuba quic-kly sat up when he heard that.
“This is getting more interesting,” he smiled.
“Don’t get so excited, because things turned out to be messy after that,” Richa-rd replied.
“I used to have a girlfriend called Janet, she committed suicide when she discovered that I was in love with Rebecca, that’s why I left school,” Richa-rd narrated.
They bec@mĀ£ silent after Richa-rd made that statement.
“What your family said about you quiting school?” Achuba asked.
“I haven’t been home for the last five years,” Richa-rd replied.
“That’s really insane Richa-rd , why would you do something like that?” Thomas asked.
“That’s why I didn’t want to tell you in the first place, I know you will be mad at me,” Richa-rd answered.
“I’m not only angry, I’m also surprised. And do you know the worst p@rt of it? Is the fact that you even left home,” Thomas complained.
“You weren’t in my shoes, you don’t know what I’ve been throu-gh,” Richa-rd replied.
“Do your parents know where you are?” Achuba asked.
“Actually, my parents died when I was young,” Richa-rd mentioned.
They bec@mĀ£ weakened after hearing that.
“I’m sorry about that,” Thomas and Achuba both said.
“Is okay. My sister worked all her best to get me an admission into the university, and I left school at the end. I couldn’t bring myself to go see her,” Richa-rd explained.
“Why did you have to leave school in the first place just because somebĀ©dy died?” Achuba asked.
“Because everyone keep blaming for her death, even my best friend was against me. He warned me serveal times not get involved with Rebecca, but I ignored him,” Richa-rd explained.
“I know un-derstand, but you shouldn’t have left home no matter what,” Achuba explained.
“How about Rebecca, do you still love her?” Thomas questioned.
“More than ever,” Richa-rd replied.
“But you walked pas-s each other at the restaurant the other like you have never known each other,” Achuba commented.
“Well, I have become a totally failure, she doesn’t want to do anything that has to do with me,” Richa-rd replied.
“Has she ever loved you?” Thomas asked.
“Absolutely, she couldn’t even help it, but I don’t she will ever love me again,” Richa-rd said.
“Is so unfortunate that you left school, you could have been successful with a job right now,” Thomas said.
“Yes definitely,” Richa-rd replied.
“Do you think you really nee-d school to be successfu?” Achuba asked.
“Of course you do,” Thomas replied.
“That’s the problem with most our people, we are made to made to believe that going to school is the only way to get a decent life,” Achuba Said.
“But in reality, you can be successful with the so called degree certificate,” Achuba said.
“But they probability of you getting a job government is also low,” Richa-rd replied.
“So, you believe if you get a job from the government, you now become successful,” achuba said rhetorically.
“Yes,”
“The government work is nothing but salvery. The ones at tĀ©p of the parliament do nothing much and earn more than the ones at the bottom,” Achuba said.
“That’s how it is,” Richa-rd replied.
“You break out of that system by being an entrepreneur,” Achuba said..
“You talk as if that will be an easy thing to do,” Richa-rd said.
“You know what? I currently have a business going at home. I didn’t come to school because I nee-d the certificate to get a job, I want to be a politician in the future, that’s why I’m studying political science,” Achuba explained.
“Really? What kind of business do you do?” Richa-rd asked surprisingly.
“I engage in many businesses, but the major one of them all is that I import phones and computers,” he explained.
“Wow! That means you are rich,”
“Not really, I just live an average life. The point is, you really don’t nee-d this certificate to succeed,” he explained.
“So, how about you? What do you nee-d your certificate for?” He continued by asking Richa-rd .
“I don’t know, I just thought it will be fun being a computer engineer,” Richa-rd replied.
“Didn’t you have guidance and counseling unit in your secondary School?” Achuba asked.
“We do, but is not functioning well,” Richa-rd replied.
“That’s major problem of the Nigerian educational system. It only trains people to be civil servants and not entrepreneurs, that’s why they don’t give much emphasis on guiding young people to be independent in the future,” Achuba explained.
“You seemed to be more knowledgeable than I expected,” Thomas commented.
“I’m studying political science, remember?” Achuba laughed.
“So, what do you suggest I should do?” Richa-rd asked.
“What do you think is your talent? Think of the course that favours your talent, that’s what you should be studying in the university. People’s opinion shouldn’t bother you as far you believe it will help you,” Achuba replied.
“I’m only good at calculation, that’s why I chose computer engineering in the first place,” Thomas replied hopelessly.
“Think de-ep within yourself, you must have some experience of any kind,” Achuba insisted.
“Well, I used to work in a poultry farm and a fish pond,” Richa-rd replied.
“Excellent, you know you can earn alot from that, right?” Achuba asked.
“Yes I’m aware of how much my employer earns,” Richa-rd replied.
“And I’m pretty sure that you emlpoyer didn’t study anything relating to fish farming or poultry farming. Think of possibilities ahead of you if you study some relating to that in the university and learn more about business,” Achuba said.
“I can’t believe I have never thought of something like that. I just feel I’ve been blinded all this while,” Richa-rd said excited.
“Don’t think you are failure yet, you can change a course and study fish farming. Is a course that many people look down at in the university, but that shouldn’t bother because you are going to studying with a purpose,” Achuba adviced.
“I will look into that,” Richa-rd replied.
For the first time in five years, Richa-rd had confidence in himself more than ever. He stĀ©pped regretting why he left, he felt like meeting Achuba is the best that has ever happened to him.
“So, what about Rebecca?” Thomas asked.
“It seems like she doesn’t care for me anymore,” Richa-rd replied.
“That’s bull$h!t, why can’t you make her fall in love with you again?” Achuba asked.
“I will consider doing that too,” Richa-rd smiled.
“That means you don’t love her if you have to consider ma-king her fall for you,” Thomas replied and Richa-rd started laughing.
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