As time ticked on, the early hours of dawn rolled away, paving way for the sun to begin its shift.
My heart threatened to leap out of my chest in the next minute and I took that as cue to slow down, coming to a complete stop in front of the shuttle station. Placing my hands on my hips, I sucked in huge bouts of air, allowing my racing heart to calm down. The first meet for the semester was starting next week and I really needed to stay in shape, otherwise Coach wouldn't even dream of putting me in any of the events.
Swiping a string of sweat beads off my forehead, I turned around to find a heaving Akunna, throwing himself on a nearby bench. "This," he panted, "is the last time...I'm letting you," he managed to point a finger at me before his hand collapsed, "coerce me into going for a run."
"Oh c'mon," I chuckled, plopping down beside him. "It's not that bad. Don't you feel so alive and energetic right now?"
"You call drenched in sweat and smelling like an onion feeling alive?" Akunna shot me a questionable look. "What planet are you from?"
"Stop that," I gave him a light shove, then glanced at my watch. "It's currently six o'clock. We should be able to hit the showers in the next fifteen minutes if we start jogging back."
"Jogging? Oh hell no!" My roommate retorted. "We'll wait for the shuttle."
"It's a Saturday. The shuttle doesn't work on weekends, remember?"
Realisation hit Akunna in the face and he cursed, "Shit. Now what are we gonna do?"
"Walk," I suggested but it didn't make him feel any better.
"Arrgh fine," he groaned. "But let's pass by Lizzy's so I can get a bottle of my favourite banana smoothie." He reluctantly pushed himself up.
"After a run like that," I joined him on my feet. "The only thing you should be thinking about is water not a smoothie."
"There's water in the smoothie so it still counts as a refreshing beverage."
"Ah," I laughed, finding his way of thinking amusing. Nevertheless, I let him have this one because arguing with Akunna was like telling a giant rock to move. You could talk and talk for hours and it still wouldn't budge.
In the next twenty minutes, we'd reached Lizzy's. It was a small convenience store located across the street, about a ten-minute walk from our hall. I went into the shop and purchased Akunna's smoothie along with two bottles of water, in case he changed his mind and decided to drink actual water. I stepped out, finding him perched on one of the foldable chairs in front of the shop.
"Here." Placing the three bottles on the table, I took a seat in the other vacant foldable chair.
"Thanks." Akunna wasted no time snatching the smoothie bottle. "Mind if we take a break here? My legs feel like mush."
"Well, you better start getting used to it cuz we're going to be doing this every Saturday." I screwed my water bottle open.
"Oh hell no!" My roommate's head snapped in my direction and I chortled at his expression.
"Stop laughing. I already told you, I'm not gonna let you rope me into any of your dumb athletic training routines. Today is the first and the last. I have the physique of a rich sugar daddy." He gave his big belly a pat. "And I intend to keep it that way."
A snarky comment was at the tip of my tongue when a sudden buzz on my thigh captured my attention. I pulled my phone out, finding a WhatsApp message from Princess. It contained a picture of Akunna and I, running earlier this morning. Well, I was running. Akunna was just...
Another message popped up.
Princess: Lol, ur friend looks like he's about to die😆
The comment pulled a soft chuckle from me.
"Hey." Akunna poked my arm. "Hey, look."
"What?"
"Over there." He pointed across the street. "Isn't that the guy who got kicked off the swim team for punching your captain?"
"Oh yeah." Opposite Lizzy's was the side view of Nkrumah hall, and parked right in front of the expansive building, was a sleek black saloon car. The driver, an elderly man dressed in a well-pressed suit, stepped out of the gleaming vehicle to have a little chit chat with Daniel, who had a bulky backpack hanging from his shoulder. His next move heightened my curiosity.
Not only did Daniel toss the bulky backpack into the car's open trunk, he went back into the building and wheeled out two stuffed suitcases.
"Oh shit, he's leaving." Akunna stated the obvious. The obvious I was finding hard to believe even though it was happening right in front of me. "Huh," my roommate mumbled. "I guess he couldn't handle all the drama and the mockery."
We both watched him load the suitcases into the trunk before shutting it closed. Daniel then moved to the side of the car, taking a long look at the student residential building. His mouth moved, saying somethings into the air then he turned around, pulling one car door open.
That was when my curiosity jerked me out of my seat and pushed me across the street.
"Woah wait, Akwasi!" Akunna yelled behind me, but I had already made it to the otherside, running across the lawn.
"Daniel! Daniel wait up!"
My cries hit their destination because Daniel's eyes soon fell on me. He then stepped out of the car, shutting the door behind him. As I approached, I had no idea what I was going to say to him, since the two of us weren't exactly friends. Nonetheless, I stopped in front of him, starting with a simple "Hey."
"Hey," he responded, eyes drifting up and down my frame with a hint of inquisitiveness. "Going for a run?"
"Uh yeah yeah, with my roommate." I shot a glance behind me. Akunna was still perched in front of the shop, drinking his smoothie and watching us like a hawk. "We were just taking a break at Lizzy's."
"Oh cool." Daniel shoved his hands into his hoodie pockets. "The first meet of the semester begins next week Wednesday." And as he said this, he tried acting indifferent. "It's good to know that you're preparing hard for it."
"Umm yeah...I am." After that, a truck full of awkward silence hit us. "So uhh..." I attempted bringing up the issue that brought me here by gesturing to the car. "Hope you don't mind my asking but are you...are you taking a break from school or...?"
Daniel shook his head with a chuckle, "No Akwasi, I'm not taking a break." He straightened out his shoulders. "I'm leaving Penfield, for good. I'm transferring to Dortmund University in Germany."
"Germany." My eyebrows flew up. "Wow, that's...that's amazing."
"Thanks."
Another dollop of awkward silence settled in and I loudly cleared my throat. "So... your departure...is it because of...you know..."
"Not entirely," he shrugged. "My dad has been talking about how great Dortmund is for a couple of months now, but I didn't want to transfer because I thought my place was here." He paused, "Now it's pretty obvious that it isn't so...there's no need to stay."
For some unexplainable reason, a ball of guilt and remorse tugged at my heart. "Look Daniel, I'm sorry about the whole shower thing."
"Why are you apologising?" He quirked up an eyebrow. "You're not to blame for it."
"Yeah, I know, but Ethan was talking to me when he called you a pussy and I... I shouldn't have let him say such things about you."
Daniel continued to stare at me in wonder, then he pulled a hand out. I clasped mine in his, giving him a firm shake. "You're a good guy, Akwasi. I don't know how you became friends with Ethan but...watch your back when it comes to him."
He had sounded this warning so many times that it had created a well of doubt inside me. Nevertheless, I gave him a nod as a response.
With one last smirk, Daniel let go and hopped into the awaiting vehicle. The engine roared to life, gradually taking its leave off Penfield's campus.