Chapter 4. FIRST DAY IN COLLEGE

I arrived at saint Mary University in the afternoon. It took us two hours and half from Kigali to ngoma. My mother drove me there. The campus was big compared to my former school at Maxwell high. When we reached there, mom went to the registrar office to show payments receipt, the registrar was a skinny old man with big glasses and brown skin .he had grey hair, he was in his mid-fifties. After receiving my payment receipt he gave me the registration index number and number of my hostel was three hundred. Mom accompanied me holding my hand as we entered the two floor house. It had so many rooms. The room was all blue with a blue carpet, there was a small table with two chairs as the same we had at Maxwell high with two small beds facing each other.

A tall girl with fair skin, big eyes and curved red lipstick lips was sitting on one chair in my hostel .She had a shoulder height dread locks .she was wearing a skinny grey jeans with a matching jacket and white shoes .she was wearing too much, she welcomed us with a warm smile as we entered. And she come to greet us "hello my name is Ruth and you must be Hannah Right? she asked with enthusiasm shaking hands with mom after taking mine." yes, I am Hannah and this is my mother" I answered shyly." ok nice to meet all of you, the registrar told me that I was going to have a roommate called Hannah and here you are" she seemed happy and so friendly. Mom stayed until it was already six pm. I cried as she was saying good bye I felt alone and so sad.

It was around eight finally I felt a relief, I was away from everything which reminded of Jacob. It was a second chance that God granted me in order to live my new life. I was away in my thoughts when Ruth called me”hey, we have a welcoming party and it can cheer you up, want to come? She said as if she read my mind even if I wanted something to cheer me up. I couldn't go to party with that girl, if only Joanna was here everything would be different.

"No, I am okay. I will just sit here and read a book. I said smiling.

“Okay if you say so, I will be here first thing in the morning. Have a good night." she said closing the door behind her. My room was on the second floor had such great view you could watch people around the campus by just sitting in the window. I sat there watching down how wonderful life was going to be. I promised myself that I was going to be happy and leave the past behind me.

“Today we are going to study about public speaking, how you prepare public speak" The lecturer said. I entered the class and sat near the door. The class was painted in white with yellow ceiling. She was a dark skin, tall, curved hips was showing in a black mini skirt with white shirt and a black matching coat. When I reached at the hostel .Ruth was sitting on her bed eating pizza and soda." Hannah someone sent you a package today, I put it under your bed”. Ruth said.

" okay thank you by the way Ruth I was wondering if you could give me a college tour tonight I would like it" I asked ." it will be my pleasure, so tonight it is." she answered cheerful.

Under my bed was a big pink box written my name? I started laughing before I even open because I immediately thought it's my mom who send me a gift. inside the box was just a simple note written" I know what happened that night”.

I wondered who could have sent that note but I couldn't figure it out. “A love letter? Ohhh your boyfriend must be caring" Ruth said.

"Yes, he is very caring".

At night we toured the whole campus. There were giant flyers hang in the middle of the campus about clubs to attend. There was dancing clubs, literature clubs and science clubs. I wasn't interested in any of it so did Ruth. After the tour we headed back to hostel. I found a missed call of Joanna. I immediately texted her “Hi JoJo how is it there? I miss you already" she replied “Hi, how is college? Situation here is tough Kamanzi family is Keen to find the one

Responsible for their son's death, On Monday they will start to take statement of everyone who went on that trip, but I don't want to ruin my day talking about that. Tell me have you found yourself a boyfriend yet or you still stuck on that Clinton?

I replied"uhm campus is fine but it's not good as Maxwell high, about boyfriend it's been only two days, of course I still like Clinton you fool,”

It was raining early in the morning when I woke up Ruth was already gone to the class, I grabbed my brush headed to the bathroom to get ready for my class which was in one hour. I put on a skirt and a top headed to class .on my way to class I passed the main hall .boys who played the soccer for the campus were sitting. I passed there without even looking at them because I was shy and afraid that they would bury me.

The rest of the year passed so quickly than I expected. I wanted to go home, I missed mom, daddy but mostly Clinton. Joanna kept on visiting me at campus once in a month and everything seemed normal. I liked the feeling I had when I was at the campus. I wasn't a murderer since nobody knew about Jacob and I didn't receive another shocking note in year. I thought it was time to move on with my life and let the bygone be bygone.