Two weeks later,
Ifes stood from her bed and went straight to Mandy's reading table. It was almost 3:30pm on Friday. The Quakers were done with their lectures for the day.
Mandy had gone out with her friends. Her roommate had invited her to join them for the hangout. She had declined for no just cause. Now she felt bored, regretting that she had declined her friend's invitation. She made herself comfortable on the seat adjacent to Mandy's reading table and reached for her roommate's laptop.
She turned on the laptop and didn't know what to do with it. She played music but it didn't soothe her. She watched videos, but it still didn't help. Slapping her forehead, she browsed the internet, but it wouldn't suffice.
She stretched out her hand to the left side of the reading table, and grabbed a novel to read. As she flipped through the pages, she felt as though her body split into two and a part of her was already traveling back to Africa. She could see herself crossing the Atlantic ocean and the Bermuda triangle. "What nonsense!" She hissed heavily and tossed the novel back on the reading table. This is what you bargained for, Ifes. Live with it.
She stood, turned around to walk back to her bed when her gaze fell on the black cover Bible which was on her reading table. She decided to read her Bible instead of laying idle on her bed, maybe that could help.
She reached for her Bible, opened it and saw the church tracks she collected and had not distributed them because of the hectic school activities.
Grinning slightly, she decided to go share the tracks instead of sitting and doing nothing in her dorm room. She brought out the tracks from her Bible and counted them. They were thirty-five. At least, this will keep her busy until Mandy returns with her friends.
She carefully placed back the tracks in the middle of her Bible and tossed it on her reading table. She said a short prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to direct her to the people to whom she should give the tracks, that those words written on it would change their lives in vast ways.
Stepping away from her reading table, she went into the kitchen, made straight for the coffee maker and made herself a cup of coffee.
She moved towards the cabinets at the left side of the kitchen to take out coffee creamer. She pulled out one of the drawers and didn't see it. She started pulling out the drawers one after the other before she realised they had run out of coffee creamer and other groceries. She would go to the grocery store on her way returning from her evangelism. For now, she would have to take her coffee black.
She finished making her coffee and brought out a mug from the cabinet at the right side of the kitchen, and poured herself a cup before spinning around to the mini dining table in the kitchen. She finished drinking, took her mug to the dishwasher, and turned on the water. After washing, she took it back to the cabinet and stepped out of the kitchen to her closet.
She stared at her box of clothes for a while contemplating what to put on. She finally brought out a Jeans skirt, a pink top and a pair of white sandals. She dressed up, took up her Bible and tracks, and stepped out of her dorm room.
She walked freely on the college alleyway, sharing the tracks to students who came her way. Some students received the mini book and thanked her, some politely rejected it, while some threw it back at her.
Ifes kept walking till she saw an oak tree that silhouetted against one of the halls close to the Students' Union building and decided to go rest under it for a while. She sat down and dropped her Bible beside her, enjoying the cool breeze from the tree.
"Oh my world! What a hot day this is!" she exclaimed, relieved to be out of the scorching sun. She opened her Bible, brought out her tracks and counted them. There were five more tracks remaining.
"Hmm! So five more to go!" She exclaimed excitedly, waving the booklets in her hands. "Thank you, Jesus. All glory to you."
Since she was close to the Students' Union building, she decided to sit there and wait for any student that would come her way to give the booklet.
Ifes' eyes were fastened on the college alleyway as she watched three students coming towards the tree under which she sat. There were two male and one female students.
There was something that disturbed her about the boys. Their facial expression changed slightly when they noticed her looking at them, but they ignored her and kept walking towards the tree.
From their reactions, she wasn't sure if they were just coming towards the tree or to see her.
As they drew closer, One of the boys glowered at her when he saw the Bible in her hands. The only female student among them snorted. The last among the trio scowled.
Ifes flashed them a grin ignoring their expressions. They gave her a look that clearly showed her that she was intruding, before taking their seats at the opposite side of the tree.
She clearly got the message when the boys sat close to each other and the only lady amongst them was sitting inches away. She repeatedly stole glances their way and looked away when she felt she was about to be discovered. She couldn't help but wonder at their unfriendly demeanor.
"Ifes, beloved, why don't you share the tracks to the three of them." Ifes stood to do her Lord's bidding.
"Hi, guys!" she said, opening her Bible.
They tilted their heads to look at her, but didn't say anything.
"This is what I have for you. I believe you will enjoy reading it." She stretched out her hands to the trio.
One of the boys laughed sardonically.
"What the—!" the girl mumbled.
"Thanks, but we don't need it. We are also Christians and we will read books from our church."
Oh, Holy Spirit! Touch their hearts and make them see the light.
"Good to hear that, umm! But this book is actually a non-denominational book."
"Of course, a non-denominational pamphlet condemning and discriminating," the female said in a harsh tone, scowling at Ifes.
Ifes was perplexed at the lady's sudden outburst.
"I assure you that this book is not discriminating or condemning." Ifes wanted to say more but the lady cut her off.
"You are a full-time liar!"
"Chloe, leave her alone," the first guy, seemingly the most mature of the lot, said as he stroked the lady's shoulder. "She could even be worse than the ***** that spoke to you in the last session."
"W–who spoke to you in the last academic section?" Ifes was curious to know who this unknown person was and what seed had been planted that could cause such hostility from the trio.
The lady laughed and clapped her hands. "Our church girl wants to know what her fellow church member did and said to me!"
"Chloe, leave her and let's get outta here."
"No, Israel! Since she wants to know, I'll tell her."
The lady whirled around to look at Ifes. "First, let me introduce myself and the guys with me. My name's Chloe Gilstrap. This is Israel Gilstrap, my only brother. And finally, This is Michael Scott, my brother's lover." Chloe looked at Ifes' face and was perplexed when she didn't see the look of condemnation. She decided to press her on. "I also have a female lover and her name is Alexandria McCoy."
At this point, Ifes was a bit taken aback but refused to show it. She pressed her lips together and tightened her grip on her Bible. Lord help me.
"Alexandria and I love each other so much and it's the same with my brother and his lover here. This is just a preamble. Now let me go straight and tell you what your ears have been itching to hear."