4:00am, Sunday.
Ifes opened her eyes, and saw a figure standing in front of her bed. Her vision was blurry. She closed her eyes and opened it again to be doubly sure of who it was.
"You finally woke up, sleepy head. Good morning," Mandy said when she noticed Ifes recognised her.
Sitting straight in her bed, Ifes let out a yawn. "How long have you been standing here? When did you wake up?"
"Let's just say I remembered tellin' ya that you won't have to wake me up on Sunday mornings again."
"How long have you been standing here?"
"I've been trying to wake you up for the past six minutes. Thank God the alarm came to my rescue. I've been up since 4:00am, you know?"
Ifes rolled her eyes. "Even if you have been awake since 1:00am, so what?"
"I know you also roll your eyes even when you sleep."
Ifes smirked. "I wanna sleep some more."
"Isn't that your profession? Smirking and rolling your eyes."
Ifes ignored her roommate and laid back in her bed.
"Alright, let the cat and dog fight begin!" Mandy whirled around and walked towards the water dispenser. Mandy came back with a glass of water, but met her friend's absence. She smiled when she discovered Ifes had entered the bathroom. Her technique always worked every time.
"I've been able to iron your clothes and mine. You know what? I can't wait to take Avery and Bradley to church today!" Mandy spoke loud and excitedly, hurrying Ifes to dress for church that morning.
As Ifes continued having her bath, Mandy knocked on her bathroom door at three different intervals. "Hurry up please. Avery and Bradley cannot be late on their first day to church."
"Late? But I haven't stayed up to three minutes in the bathroom. Abeg wait make I bathe finish jor!" Ifes said.
"You know I didn't understand that last part."
"Who's fault? I wasn't saying it for you to understand." Ifes smirked at her despite knowing that she couldn't see her.
Mandy sparked. "I'm gonna kick ya out of that place myself, if ya don't come out in two minutes' time."
"Abeg comot for there!" Ifes said in Nigerian pidgin English when she heard the sound of Mandy's footsteps slowly fading. Ifes wasn't brave enough to say it to her hearing.
Mandy literally helped Ifes to select her handbag, shoes, clothes, makeup, and jewelry, telling her the ones that fit, and the ones that were just bleh.
After dressing up, Mandy and Ifes made straight for Avery's dorm room which was a couple inches away. They also went to Chini's dorm room, and finally left to catch up with Bradley and Ayo, who were already waiting for them.
Avery and Bradley felt nervous and skeptical about going to church for the first time.
"You don't know how happy I am that you are coming along with us to church!" Mandy held Bradley and Avery's hands and squeezed them gently.
Avery opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a word and closed it back.
"Umm! I, umm! I didn't buy any new clothes for church. I don't know if this is good to go?" Bradley stammered shifting his gaze to Ayo.
Bradley wore something similar to the outfit he wore the same day Ifes met him at the restaurant, while Ayo was all decked out in a three-piece suit.
Ifes followed Bradley's gaze and landed on Ayo, studying him from head to toe.
"You look like you are going to model for GQ. Hmm! I'll find out later if you have your eyes on any damsel in church."
Ian walked past them that morning in an almost similar get up with Ayo, but it definitely wasn't as glamorous as Ayo's.
Ayo beamed. "Don't you think it's still too early to joke?"
"She's right! You are indeed handsome!" Mandy almost spilled out but thought about it.
"You're perfect!" Mandy exclaimed when she understood the message Bradley was trying to pass across to her.
Bradley stared at Ayo, his eyes asking questions.
Ayo nodded, grinning as he gave him a reassuring look.
"What of me?" Avery asked in a low tone.
"You are beautiful!" Mandy said.
"And I think I like your gown," Ifes chimed in.
"I love it. I think you've got some eyes on you today," Chini said and they all beamed.
Ifes whirled around to face Mandy's car. "Oya, make we dey go church ooo (Alright, let's start going to church)."
"Not again!" Mandy groaned and slapped Ifesinachi's back.
"Ouch! That hurts, you know?"
"I said you should speak only English."
"But I was!"
"I meant that you should speak correct English; no, good English; no, American English!"
Ifes rubbed her hands at the spot where Mandy slapped on her back. "I'm sorry. I was just saying we should get going, so Avery and Bradley will not be late on their first day to church."
Seeing Mandy's reaction at the mention of Bradley and Avery's name, Ifes smiled that her words had the intended effect on her roommate.
Mandy and Ifes led the way to church in Mandy's car, Bradley and Ayo followed with Bradley's car while Avery and Chini drove in their separate cars.
At exactly 10:30am the church service started. It was a campus church and students coordinated most of the activities. Service units like the student choir, student ushers, student technical crew, student altar vessels, student crowd control, etc were coordinated by the Christian Quakers but didn't take the pastor's position. They had a visiting pastor and a presiding pastor who were both graduates of the College.
Mandy and Ifes sat on the choir seat, but ensured Bradley, Avery and Chini sat in the next row, close enough to keep an eye on them. Ayo was in the technical room, making sure the camera incessantly panned on their faces as he and other technical crew rolled the cameras around the auditorium.
After the opening prayers, the praise and worship was led by a male and female student respectively who were also members of the choir. Students wore their dancing shoes, praising and expressing their emotions via dance mode.
Still dancing, Ifesinachi's eyes spotted Chini, Avery and Bradley from the choir stand. Chini danced beautifully as she cheered up Bradley and Avery to dance as well.
Feeling satisfied with what she was seeing, Ifes shifted her gaze to Mandy who was so engrossed in praising God that she didn't notice the happenings behind her.
The praise section ended with a joyful shout.
"It is time to hear the Word of God. But before that, let's put our hands together for the choir as they give us a special ministration," one of the coordinators said.
Following the coordinator's remark, the students ushered the choir to the stage with another clapping and shouting jamboree.
The instrumentalists started, harmoniously strumming the keys of their various instruments.
Kimberly, who was the assistant music director, sang the first solo.
Worthy is the lamb, who seated on the throne,
We worship and adore you, we lift your name on high,
Glory to your name, you are worthy to be praised,
You are awesome, awesome in this place, hallelujah!
Ian, the music director, came up with the second verse.
You are the mighty King, who saved us all from sins,
His love never ever ends, Hallelujah,
Worthy to the lamb, who saved us all from sins,
Yes, His love, his kind tender mercy,
They never never end!
Ifes was about to take the third verse when her eyes peered into the crowd and saw Bradley and Avery's hands raised above their shoulders as they joined the other students who were also worshipping on the pew, after Ian sang the second verse.
Her eyes glittered upon seeing how the Holy Spirit was working a miracle in their lives.
Was Mandy seeing this? Ifes could only hope and believe.
Worthy, worthy is the Lamb, Who never gave up to death,
Just to save us from all sins, Hallelujah,
Worthy, worthy is the Lamb, Who never gave up to death,
Oh, just to save us from our sins, Hallelujah!
Mandy stepped forward to take the fourth and last verse. As she sang, her voice was filled with so much exuberance one could not deny.
Glory to the Lord, the Alpha and Omega,
The beginning, and the end,
We give you glory, we give you glory,
Amen, amen, amen, amen to the Lamb of God,
We exalt you, we glorify you, we magnify you, glory to your name, Oh, God!
Together, all in harmony, the choir sang the chorus, each part blending into one musical worship.
Amen, you're seated on the throne,
Holy is our God, Hallelujah,
Amen, you reign forevermore, There is no one else like you, Hallelujah.