Abigail's
POV
I
woke up earlier than usual today to prepare for class and get things ready for
work. Since I'd be coming home late, I decided to cook dinner in advance. I
made jollof rice, my favorite dish. It's a popular African meal, especially in
Nigeria and Ghana, though Nigerians undoubtedly make the best version. Not to
brag, but I make some pretty amazing jollof rice myself.
After
cooking, I took a shower and put on my favorite pair of jeans and the white
shirt my best friend gifted me for my birthday. She'd even had my name
embroidered on it. I loved that shirt, especially since white is my favorite
color. Once dressed, I checked myself in the mirror and felt satisfied with my
appearance.
Grabbing
my school bag, I double-checked to ensure I had all the books I needed before
heading out. The hostel wasn't far from school, so I decided to walk
When
I arrived at the lecture hall, it was nearly empty, with only a few people
scattered around. "Looks like I got here early today," I murmured to myself. It
took another 20 minutes for the hall to fill up.
As
I waited for the lecture to start, I kept an eye out for Ryan and Aria. They
usually arrived before me, but today seemed to be an exception. I couldn't wait
to see their surprised faces when they realized I'd beaten them to class.
Every
day, I vow to be in the lecture hall at least 20 minutes early, but like most
resolutions, it never sticks. Not that I'm late, I usually make it just in time,
sometimes by running. I really need to work on my sleeping schedule if I ever
want to achieve this goal.
As
the lecture began, I noticed Aria and her brother still hadn't arrived. Could
something have happened? Aria didn't seem okay yesterday. I decided to send her
a quick message.
"GM
Aria, where are you guys? The lecture just started."
I
waited but didn't get a response. She wasn't online either. I messaged Ryan
next, but it was the same result, no reply, no sign of them being active.
Something
felt off. Maybe it was a family issue they didn't want to talk about. That
would be understandable. Still, I decided I'd ask Aria one more time. If she
insisted nothing was wrong, I'd let it go.
I
tried focusing on the lecture, but my mind wandered back to yesterday's
incident with Ethan. Thankfully, he wasn't taking this course. I wasn't ready
to face him again.
Two
hours later, the lecture ended. I decided to call my mom since we hadn't spoken
yet today. She'd started calling less often, maybe once or twice a day, and
sometimes not until the evening. I think she's adjusting to my being away,
which honestly helps since I haven't told her about my part-time job.
"Hello,
Mum. Good afternoon," I greeted.
"Good
afternoon, my daughter. How are you doing?" Her voice was calm yet firm.
"I'm
fine, Ma. How's everyone?"
"We're
all doing well. Hope your classes are going fine?"
"Yes,
Mummy. Today's lecture just ended."
"Good.
Have you eaten?"
"Yes,
Ma."
My
mom is always worried about my meals.
We
chatted a bit more before ending the call. It was already 12 PM, and I had work
at 12:40. Before leaving, I tried calling Aria again. She didn't pick up, even
after three attempts, which was unusual. Aria always answered her phone, even
if she was busy. My worry grew.
At
12:30, I headed to the bus stop. Three minutes later, a bus arrived.
Thankfully, there was no traffic, and the ride was quick.
Thirty
minutes later, I arrived at the restaurant. After greeting my colleagues and
our supervisor, I went to the dressing room to change into my uniform. All
staff wore the same attire, black trousers and a black shirt. The material
looked expensive, which didn't surprise me. Everything about this restaurant
screamed luxury, from the décor to the clientele.
Most
of the customers were wealthy, often holding business meetings over meals. I'd
also noticed something strange about many of the staff and even the manager.
There was an odd vibe about them, but I didn't let it bother me. As long as I
got paid, they could keep their weirdness to themselves.
After
changing, the supervisor assigned me to take an order from the VVVIP section.
It was my first time serving this area; usually, only long-term staff handled
these customers. I wondered why the supervisor chose me. Could this mean a
promotion was in the works?
Feeling
both excited and nervous, I walked toward the VVVIP section.
From
a distance, I saw three men in sharp black suits. For reasons I couldn't
explain, unease settled over me.
"Calm
down, Abi," I whispered to myself. "This is your chance—don't blow it."
As
I got closer, the uneasy feeling intensified. But I ignored it and kept moving.
When
I reached their table, I opened my mouth to greet them, but my gaze locked onto
one of the men. His eyes were completely black, no whites, just darkness.
I
wanted to scream, to run, but somehow, I stayed calm.
"Good
day, sir. I'll be taking your orders," I said, my voice steady despite my
racing heart.
They
didn't respond immediately. Instead, they stared at me like I was an alien.
"Good
day, sir. May I take your orders?" I repeated.
This
time, the youngest of the three replied, "Okay."
The
man with the black eyes said nothing, but his gaze never left mine.
I
quickly bowed and left, my heart pounding in my chest.