Chapter 3

                   AUTHOR'S NOTE

        (Swahili content in this chapter)

"They made a meme about me?" My head felt heavy.  I drag my feet to my bed and fall back.

"Great!" I recover in a few and sit up.

I open my laptop to atleast check social media messages from my friends back in Africa but just before I could settle, there was a buzz on my laptop.

Mom was calling.

"Habari mom (hello dear), I can see you are settled." I tried arguing against being called 'mom' at seventeen but failed terribly so I just let it slide. It's what everyone thought was an ember to describing family love from parents and older siblings at times.

"Mzuri, niko poa (I'm good)." I didn't want to make a fuss about today. It was already singing me to sleep just thinking about it.

"Hebu zungusha camera kwa room tuone (let us see your room via the camera)." She always does that.

"Mom, niko na roommate (I have a roommate). Privacy." I know Prudy really can't tell what I'm saying but I look at her to see her reaction and to my surprise, she really doesn't care, plugs in her ears probably draining herself in music. I thank God she doesn't and look back .

"Sawa (okay). How was your first day, did you take breakfast? Lunch ulikula nini? (what did you take for lunch?) Usianze kukula kama wazungu uanze kukonda. (Don't adopt the White's lifestyle and loose weight.) Ulinunua gas? (did you purchase gas?) Na unavaa vizuri? (how are you dressed?) Hebu inua camera nione nini umevaa Abigail. (lift that camera, let us see what you are wearing.)" She's intense I know but that is just the thing. She's my mom and well, has all rights and shit.

"Niko poa, hakuna baridi sana. (I'm good, the cold is not too much.)" I choose what to answer mostly because I didn't want to talk about my day with anyone.

"Don't tell me that. I need you to dress warmly. Ongea na Frank (talk to frank). 'Fraank!' " she shouts and my brother shows up on my screen.

"Hey Kimmie"

"Don't call me that." It was a weird name my brother used instead of Kim. He rolls his eyes and I laugh at the sight. He knows I don't approve of that name. I don't even want anyone around to know that Kim is my middle name. I got teased for it all my life. In junior school, highschool, everyone was convinced it's not a girl's name.

"How's America so far?" He says some bit of judgement in his voice. He didn't like the idea of me going to America. He  is convinced that blacks here aren't treated so well.

Haha, is this a joke? I really want to come home already. I mean, I just earned myself a name 'tripper'.

"Good." I say to avoid any conversation that might come up about today.

"Wait, are those boys?" And it's like my mom was waiting for an opportunity to confront me. She pops up.

"Wavulana saa hii Abigail? (boys at this poin Abigail?) Umeenda shule juzi and (you just got to school a few days ago and)..." I end the call and look around to find the 'boys' and well, here they were, one asian and two, well, I couldn't tell until they spoke. I look up to face Prudy and she shrugs.

"What," she asks plainly and it makes me mad.

"Look," I chew my tongue lightly. "I get that this is your room too and all but what is this? Now my family probably thinks I'm a whore!!!" I stare at her expecting an apology at the least but everyone bursts into laughter.

"I'm confused, did I SAY anything funny?" I put more emphasis on 'say' to make a point.

"Hey, we're just just here to pick her. Chill out." The boy _with hair that had a dark shade of brown, wearing a light plain white shirt and black jeans, a black leather jacket that dangled just above his hips and white Saturday sneakers_ said smirking as if he doesn't care. I knew he doesn't anyway. None of them does.

"Don't tell me to chill out cute boy!" He runs his tongue over his lips feeling satisfied with my choice of words but doesn't speak.

"Abi_gail. I don give a fuck about your little thingie with your relatives. It was my room before you fucking came in and you can ask for a room change I.D.C." She spells out that last part. "And yea, your accent is funny." They laugh again to probably intimidate me.

"Ah, I don't feel terrible for having an accent! Your American accent sucks as well and have you even listened to his British accent? Who even adds i.e to thing!" I walk out angry and by the door remember I left my laptop lying carelessly and walk back to place it well. I turn to Prudy who is still staring at me.

"My name, is Abbie!" With that, I walk out and bang the door behind me.

I make my way to a coffee shop within campus. I'm seated with a cup of coffee on my arms, which is probably the only meal I've had today. I look around to judge the chandeliers and coffee cups and the seats in the coffee shop then take out my phone to play crossword puzzle.

"So, we are having our coffee date after all." A voice says beside me. Kiara smiles at me and signals for the service boy and is brought some different kind of drink with patterns.

"Cappuccino," she reads my mind and I nod smiling slightly.

"Is life this hard around here?"

"Sorry, I can imagine what your first day must have been like but I promise it will get better. I came here on scholarship too. I play basketball."

Yea, that explains her height. I nod dramatically and pout.

"Come."

She leads me into a car and opens the drivers cabin signaling me to get into the co- driver's seat.

Wow, I can't help but fall in love with the black and white theme, the leather on the seats, atleast she isn't lost in pink. That color suffocates me.

She turns on the stereo to play 'dusk till dawn'  by Zayn and I can't help but sing along.

We park at a sideway.