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At Salem Fashion Designing School, it was a tradition and a strict rule that all candidates were expected to arrive at the school a day before their entrance examination and interview. This was not only for the sake of logistics but also to mentally prepare the candidates for what lay ahead.
The sun had barely risen when Rejoice woke up with a jolt. Her heart pounded in her chest. A wave of anxiety gripped her. Tomorrow would decide her future, her dreams, and everything she had worked for so far. She lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, taking deep breaths before whispering a short but sincere prayer.
"Dear Lord, thank you for keeping me alive to see this day. Lord, I pray that you see me through the exams and interview. Help me overcome this fear," she prayed, folding her hands tightly.
The room was still dim, and the faint sound of birds chirping outside was the only sign that morning had arrived. Sonia and Elizabeth were still fast asleep after staying up late last night. Rejoice looked over at them and sighed.
"Oh God... I think these girls have forgotten we have a big day ahead. What sort of sleep is this?" she muttered, reaching for a pillow.
With a mischievous smile, she started smacking them gently.
"Waki-waki! We have a big day ahead of us. Time to get up!" she said, giggling as she tapped them with the pillow.
"I'm up already!" Elizabeth grumbled, throwing the pillow aside with mild annoyance.
Sonia, on the other hand, was notoriously difficult to wake. She hated being disturbed in her sleep and preferred waking up naturally.
"Rejoice, stop. I'm up already. I don't like what you're doing," Sonia mumbled sleepily, pulling her blanket over her head.
Seeing that they were at least partially awake, Rejoice rolled her eyes, dropped the pillow, and headed for the bathroom to freshen up.
When she returned, she found Elizabeth and Sonia slowly undressing, preparing to shower.
"You guys are finally awake. I was beginning to think I'd have to carry you to the bus stop," Rejoice said sarcastically, opening her face cream.
Sonia and Elizabeth ignored her jabs and went to the bathroom without saying a word.
After all three girls had finished preparing, they descended the stairs together to find Sonia's father and Rejoice's father deep in a discussion about football. Sonia's mother was in the kitchen checking on her homemade bread, which filled the house with a delicious aroma.
"Hi girls, how was your night? I heard you had a stressful one yesterday. Hope you slept well," Rejoice's father said, nearly spilling his coffee as he greeted them.
"Good morning, dads," the three girls chorused, standing together. Rejoice looked bright and energetic, but Sonia and Elizabeth were still a bit groggy.
"Elizabeth, Sonia—you two alright?" Sonia's father asked, noticing how tired they looked.
"Sir, we are not alright," Elizabeth said dramatically. "Rejoice woke us up too early. Look at her, all cheerful and lively because she had enough sleep. She decided to punish us because she had nothing else to do!"
Rejoice chuckled but didn't respond.
"Good morning, pretty girls. How was your night?" Sonia's mum asked sweetly, waving at them with a warm smile.
"Hi mum," they replied, making their way to the dining table.
"So, how's preparation going for your interview and examination?" she asked, grabbing a knife from the table to slice the bread.
"We're trusting God, mum," Sonia said, adjusting her hat.
"Mum, what's for breakfast? I'm starving," Elizabeth asked, rubbing her stomach.
"We're having homemade bread with butter and tea," Sonia's mum answered, remembering the boiling water and heading back to the kitchen.
"Yummy! I can't wait to taste it," Elizabeth beamed with excitement.
Sonia and Rejoice went to the kitchen to help serve the bread, while Elizabeth prepared the tea for everyone. Once everything was ready, they all sat down at the table.
There was silence as everyone started eating, but Sonia's father eventually broke it.
"Listen to me, girls. Tomorrow is crucial—it determines your next step in life. I want you to be calm, write with confidence, and don't let yourselves be distracted by other students. Focus. Do you understand me?" he said in a firm tone.
"Yes, sir. We promise not to let you down," the girls responded in unison, finishing their meal.
"Very good," he replied, satisfied.
After breakfast, the girls ran upstairs to bring their bags, ready to head to the bus stop where Salem Fashion Designing School would pick up all candidates.
As they were coming down the stairs, Sonia nearly missed a step and stumbled.
"Be careful!" Elizabeth shouted, alarmed.
"Thanks, Elizabeth. I'm fine," Sonia said, regaining her balance.
"But you almost fell!" Elizabeth snapped, clearly still anxious.
"Elizabeth, why do you always misunderstand Sonia?" Rejoice interjected. "She said she's fine. Why are you blowing things out of proportion?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sonia. I thought you meant you didn't need my help," Elizabeth said softly, trying to ease the tension and please Rejoice.
Rejoice simply nodded and then drifted into thought, wondering how the three of them would survive and grow together at Salem.
"Rejoice, make sure you don't forget your pads and pants. You left them in the bag on the couch," Sonia said loudly, biting into the last slice of bread she'd seen on the table.
Rejoice froze, her face turning pink with embarrassment, especially since her father was right there. But she smiled awkwardly and let it go.
"Yes, I've already taken them," she said, trying to sound unfazed.
"Girls, are you all done packing?" Rejoice's father asked, picking up his car keys.
"Yes, daddy. We're ready," Rejoice replied, taking some extra bags back inside to reduce the load.
After a few back-and-forth trips, they were finally set.
"Can we go now?" Rejoice's father asked, clearly tired from all the delays.
"Yes, sir. We're all set," Sonia said with a playful grin to lighten the mood.
"Then let's go. Everyone get in the car," Rejoice's father said, walking toward the driver's seat.
"Wait!" Sonia's mother suddenly called out.
"Oh God, what now?" Rejoice's father sighed, already looking frustrated.
"Sorry, I just want to pray for them," she said, holding up a bottle of anointing oil.
"Okay, go ahead, Mum," Sonia replied, rolling her eyes slightly.
"In Jesus' name… I thank God for the gift of life. As you go, may the Lord go before you. May He grant you wisdom, favor, and strength to succeed in your exams and interview. May He provide all that you need, and may your hearts not be troubled. In Jesus' name we have prayed."
"Amen," they all chorused as Sonia's mum gently rubbed the anointing oil on their foreheads.
"Go in peace," she said emotionally, waving them goodbye with teary eyes.
The girls waved back until Sonia's mum and dad were no longer in view. As they drove away, a mixture of emotions swirled within Rejoice—fear, excitement, determination.
This was it. The journey to her dreams was finally beginning.
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