Akutu sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone. Naa's message was still there, a silent reminder of the choice she had to make.
"Think about it. The first semester is the hardest. But with the right people around you, it can be the easiest."
Her mind raced with conflicting thoughts. She wanted to succeed, to make the most of her university experience—but at what cost? What exactly did "having the right people around" mean? Did it mean cheating on exams, cutting corners, or doing favors she wasn't comfortable with? Or was it simply about making powerful connections?
Jenny's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "You look like someone who just saw a ghost."
Akutu forced a small laugh. "More like someone stuck between two roads."
Jenny raised an eyebrow. "Lemme guess. Naa?"
Akutu sighed. "She said she can help me 'play the game' better."
Jenny sat beside her, pulling her legs up on the bed. "And? Are you considering it?"
Akutu hesitated. "I don't know. She's smart, confident, and clearly knows how things work around here. But something about it… I don't know, Jenny. It feels like a trap."
Jenny nodded. "That's because it is."
Akutu turned to her. "What do you mean?"
Jenny sighed. "I've seen it before. Naa's 'help' comes with strings. Today, she's offering you shortcuts. Tomorrow, she'll ask you for something in return. And trust me, when she does, saying no won't be as easy as you think."
A chill ran down Akutu's spine. "But what if she's just… trying to help?"
Jenny scoffed. "Naa doesn't do anything for free. She builds influence by controlling people. Once you accept her 'help,' you become part of her network. And leaving? That's not so easy."
Akutu looked down at her phone again, her fingers trembling. If she replied to Naa, she knew there would be no turning back.
Jenny placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, university is tough. But you have a choice—you can either struggle the right way and come out strong, or you can take the easy road and owe favors you might regret."
Akutu took a deep breath. The weight of the decision settled on her. It wasn't just about Naa. It was about who she wanted to be.
She locked her phone and looked up at Jenny with determination. "I'm choosing my own path."
Jenny grinned. "Now, that's the Akutu I know."
As Akutu lay in bed that night, she felt lighter, as if she had just stepped off a dangerous path before it was too late.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.