It had been over a year since Kendrick Unachukwu- Ken, as he was known as began his studies at Delta State University, Abraka.
The second semester exams had finally arrived, and tension gripped the campus like a storm cloud. The tension was palpable. Sleepless nights became routine for students, awoko sessions now a constant, and the library brimmed with readers packed tighter than sardines.
Study groups sprouted in every corner, their hushed discussions a testament to the pressure of final exams.
Not just study groups, prayer groups also spawned in waves. Students feared exams, and students in Ken's university were no different. Students who rarely went to church across the whole semester gathered now, fueled by fear, all praying for the upcoming exams.
It was pure but familiar chaos.
Ken, like everyone else, was preparing for the ordeal ahead.
The day of the Physics 101 exam arrived. It was the final paper of Ken's first-year second semester. The preceding exams had gone poorly.
The preceding exams served as motivation for him in his approach to the current exam, and yet, things were not going swimmingly.
His concentration wavered during revision, and even when he managed to read, the information refused to stick. School was such a chore. Whatever he could remember, he struggled to put on paper, his painfully slow writing didn't help matters, only worsening his frustration.
Besides, karma had it that Physics had always been his nemesis. Since secondary school, the subject had haunted him, and now, at university level, it returned with a vengeance.
As the exam commenced, dread settled in his gut.
He stared at the question paper, his thoughts a disjointed mess, while anxiety whispered louder with each passing minute.
Suddenly, a booming voice shattered the silence of the exam hall.
"Hey! You! Young man!" The invigilator barked, his voice like thunder.
Startled, Ken looked up. The man's finger was pointed straight at him.
"Get up! This will be the last time I warn you about spying on your colleague's exam paper. I will tear your script if you try that again".
A ripple of shock swept through the hall. Students turned to look at him, their eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and pity. Ken's heart pounded like a drum in his chest, humiliation clinging to him like sweat.
"What's your name, young man?" The invigilator demanded, his voice stern and unrelenting.
"My full name is Unachukwu Kendrick, b-but you can call me Ken, sir," he answered, trying to steady his trembling voice.
The warning had been clear, but desperation drowned caution. Minutes later, Ken found himself leaning slightly, attempting to peek at the script of the student behind him.
"What's the answer to question number 5A?" He whispered in desperation, but the student ignored him.
That was the final straw.
"Okay, that's the end of your exam! You don't listen to instructions!" The invigilator roared, striding towards him. "Give me your script, young man".
Before Ken could react, the invigilator seized his paper and tore it to shreds; he could only stare in shock. The fragments rained down like confetti, but there was no celebration, only shame. Ken stood frozen, his face flushed with disbelief.
"Now, get out of this hall quietly!" The invigilator snapped. "And don't distract the serious students!"
Gathering his belongings, Ken walked out of the hall, his head bowed. The sting of embarrassment and regret gnawed at him.
Outside, the weight of failure pressed down with brutal force. Why hadn't he just obeyed the invigilator the first time? Physics had already been a nightmare, now it had become a disaster.
And it wasn't just this paper. The entire exam season had gone poorly for him. He could not help but think about his parents; what would they say?
His thoughts drifted to his father. The sacrifices the man had made to get him into university were countless. Ken had failed JAMB and missed the cutoff for Medicine, his parents' dream course for him.
In the end, it had taken a lot of pleading, pooling connections, backdoor talks, and possibly bribes to secure him admission into Biochemistry, a course he never desired.
He walked the campus roads in silence, each step heavier than the last, burdened by guilt and the fear of disappointing the man who had done so much for him.
"Hey, hey bro! Wait!"
A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Turning, Ken saw a slim, tall boy jogging toward him. He looked quite familiar.
As the figure approached, recognition clicked. It was the same sharp-tongued guy from a street football match months ago.
"What's up, bro?" Ken greeted, managing a faint smile.
"You remember me, right? From the football match? The one we bet on?"
"Yeah, I remember. How's it going?"
"It's going well. What about you? Exams?"
"They're going fine," Ken lied. "I just finished my last paper".
"Nice. What department?"
"Biochem. You?"
"Mass comm," the boy said. "Exams have been tough, but I'm hanging in there".
"Same here," Ken replied.
"I remember you played like a pro in that match. Are you on any football team around here?"
"Nah. I used to play for a community team, but my parents were against it. So I stopped. We used to train and compete regularly. What about you?"
"Yeah, I'm with a local team here, and I'm also on the Delta State University student team. I plan to try out for Warri Wolves soon; their trials are coming up. You should apply".
"Sounds interesting," Ken said, interest flickering in his eyes.
"Cool. Can I get your number?" The boy asked, pulling out his iPhone.
"Sure," Ken replied, typing his number in.
"My name's Peter, by the way".
"Ken. Nice meeting you, Peter," he said, shaking his hand.
As Peter walked away, Ken continued toward his hostel, alone once more. His mind returned to the exams, the failures, and the weight of his father's expectations. With a semester now over, all he could do was wait… and pray.