campus love, politics;University way

A Story by linda embeywa

the lies and ties in campus love life... revolving around a young university student called Narisa...how she juggles studies, a boyfriend, bestfriends ,politics and her journalism post in school....

Campus love and politics; University way

As she made her way to class, Narisa noticed something highly unusual around. Almost everyone was in a suit… even the ever shaggy Michael was sharp in a three piece shiny black suit. “Hey…” he started a conversation as he walked leisurely beside her, “… I need your support you know…” he added smiling coyly, “… I’m running for the secretary general post in our students counsel.” Okay….. It started dawning on her, so that’s where these all smart suit fever was coming from, she thought to herself. “You already got my vote, that’s if you are really serious about what you are saying… you should be hunting down the other people you aint sure about yet...” Narisa replied smiling, “…I’ll see you after classes; let me rush since it’s getting late.” She replied and left.

Narisa was a second year in the school of Information Science, Media and technology in the University of Starsky; she majored in Journalism, media and communication. Being the last born child and only girl in a family of five, Narisa was her father’s pet. She had completed her high school two years back and missed joining the regular university selection cut off by two points and was enrolled for a parallel degree program to pursue a course of her own liking. Since being a kid, Narisa had always viewed herself as a highly ranked journalist in a high end broadcasting company… she had a dream of growing up to be a journalist and this dream was half way to realization on her majoring in journalism.

Back to Starsky University, Narisa was a known public figure in school. Pursuing journalism, she was one of the members of Starsky journalism club,’ The Star Eye in the Sky,’ and this earned her a slot as a columnist in the university’s daily magazine. Her daily column known as “The Brew” was about the daily goings on in the university. The semester was half into session and it was nearing time for elections which was usually carried out annually after an academic year when the student counsel’s term ended. Being a second year, most of Narisa’s friends had hinted to her on their interests in standing for various posts.

Getting to class, Narisa was unusually late, seated at the back, she could barely get what the lecturer was dictating. Thirty minutes into the lecture, Narisa gave up and left class headed back to her room. However, she decided to pass by “The Board”, a monument like structure in the university where all the important notices of the day were pinned by those interested….and there she saw it….boldly printed were the names of those approved by the dean to run for various posts in the upcoming student elections that was three weeks away from that moment. Everything was in order except one thing that bothered Narisa.

There, Michael was running for secretary General….and so was Hansel, her boyfriend and Stacey, her best friend. Michael was Narisa’s home mate and friend since childhood, they were practically siblings… their families were friends and were even allowed to spend sleep overs at each other’s place without the parents getting worried. Hansel on the other hand was Narisa’s boyfriend and high school lover… the two had broken up after high school for a while but got back together when they joined the same university. Stacey now was Narisa’s best friend since high school. They were high school desk mates and age mates and since form one; they vowed to be best friends forever.

Staring at these three names boldly printed, she could smell a fight looming in her friend’s circle. Not intending to spoil her moods for the day, Narisa pinned the daily column ‘The Brew’ and left, heading to her room. Having skipped the only class she had for the day, Narisa was to face an extremely long day ahead. She reached her room, threw herself on the bed and slept her thoughts away.

“You’ll one day wake up and find your room empty!” This is the statement that woke her up “Stacey….hey you…so how was the lecture..? I over slept so I got late and left before time….did you do any cats? Was there any announcement made in the lecture? Did...” “Hey! That’s enough already,” interrupted Stacey, “… nothing important went on except the usual. I saw you leaving so I signed your name on the attendance list…I’ve brought you the notes they’re just five pages and no announcement was made, he just did a brief cover up on presentation skills and said that the cat will be next week so don’t panic.” This was better news but Narisa knew the bombshell was about to drop. She wanted to evade the elections issue so she lay down again and pretended to be asleep when Stacey brought the story up herself.

“So, I’m running for the secretary general post….. I know I’ve bagged your vote already but now I need you to help me get more votes….I need to win this…right?” Narisa kept mute for a while, she dint know what to say exactly. The two friends had a month ago talked about that issue and Narisa thought she had convinced Stacey out of politics, but the board proved her wrong that morning. She had no idea how she was going to balance the candidacy of her best girlfriend, her childhood friend and her boyfriend. “Will you?” this question woke her from her reverie…” off course I will girl! But….we have a case here, why did you go ahead and register yourself at the dean’s office without informing me…I’m your best friend remember? And since am bound to help you, it would have been considerate you at least tell me that you were serious about this politics affair…I thought you were just joking when you brought this story up… I thought I had talked you out of this…”Narisa finally burst out.

What she said had a lot of sense in it, however, the outburst caught Stacey off guard. She had thought that Narisa would overlook the fact that she hadn’t informed her before going to register but she was late to realize that her assumption was wrong. She shifted uncomfortably from where she was standing then she went and sat on the bed next to Narisa. “I’m sorry, “she said, “…I knew that if I’d told you, you’d have tried to talk me out of it once more yet I really want this…. I was the school captain back in high school remember….I can lead.. I feel like I have it in me, just help me take this post please. You are my best friend and I know that as much as you do, so please , just put the anger aside and help me win…I promise I won’t keep a thing from you again….so can we please call it a truce? … Please..?” This was a little tricky for Narisa, here was her best friend asking for her forgiveness so as to gunner her support, but at the same time, this was the perfect excuse that Narisa could grab and use so as not to support Stacey.

All these seemed too much for Narisa to handle, she couldn’t bring herself to tell Stacey off. This was the only opportunity she had to cross one name off but she was going to blow it away.” It’s okay...” she said, “... It’s a truce then…..but, have you seen the final list for all candidates yet?” she asked pretending not to have any idea on who else was running for the same post. “Not yet...” replied Stacey,”... but we can go check at the board, I actually have an elective class in a few minutes time…lets go then you’ll come back and continue with your sweet sleep while I go to class,” said Stacey standing up and motioning Narisa to stand up too. “No, you just go check then you’ll tell me after your class...”said Narisa. “I feel so tired, I slept late last night let me sleep a little bit more” continued Narisa pretending to be sleepy. “Alright sleepy head, let me go before I get late for class, I’ll go check the board and text you but for now lock this door else you wake up and find everything gone….bye…” This was followed with a distant grunt from Narisa as Stacey closed the door behind her. Narisa immediately woke up and locked the door then sat on her bed wondering on what to do next. She decided to start coping the notes on the class she had missed earlier in the day. Just as she was settling down to start writing, her phone rang . . . , it was Hansel calling.