Nobody would be happier than you when you just bagged a FIRST CLASS HONORS. Yes, that's BINACHI ANDRIA. A middle-class student who has worked hard almost all her life to make her mum proud, the only person she has in her family. And today, she's stepping out of Sterling University with a first-class degree in accounting. Her mum couldn't be any prouder, nor could her friends or even her dog.

“Guess who just bagged a degree?” she shouted as she hugged her mum after the graduation ceremony. Her mum began tearing up. It was such a joyful occasion. Watching her girl grow from a tiny baby to this has been a journey on its own.

“I'm so proud of you, Andria. I can never be more proud.”

“All this is because of your effort, mum. Thank you for always believing in me,” she said as she released herself from her mum.

“Cecila, please, a picture”, she shouted to one of her mates. Pictures were taken, memories were made and all. She didn't have aunties or uncles who cared about her wellbeing. After Dad's death, her mum began doing more than just working as a nurse just to make sure that she got to this point.

“Our first class baby,” one of her friends shouted from a distance.

“Frankie,” she shouted as she ran to hug her. She didn't have friends. She wasn't even the kinda person who believed in friendships at all, but this was someone who had been with her since middle school, and even though the distance lingered on, their bond grew. She couldn’t be happier.

“You came”

“I'd never miss your graduation for any fucked up reason. Congrats, my baby girl,” she said as she handed her a basket full of gifts.

“Awwwwwwwwnn. Franca, this is amazingly beautiful. I don't even know how to feel. I just…I..”

“Woow. No. Don’t cry. Don't cry. Your dad will not be happy at all to see you cry. Don't do it. Mum is here too. Don't do this to her. She's looking at you,” but she couldn't stop crying. The world has been a very rough place for her, and all she could do all these years was to play along just to reach her purpose in life. She cried not because she wasn't happy about her achievements, but looking at the past made her realise what she did and all she had gone through just to get here.

“I'm happy for you, my baby. I love you so much more than any boyfriend you think you have,” she chuckled as she playfully hit her.

“Stop. I don't have a boyfriend”

“What happened to Michael?” Both Mum and Frankie asked.

“We broke up even before second semester began”

“Well, that's his loss. Let's go home, ma. I'll give you a ride” They got into the car and went home. She was so surprised to see what she had just seen.

“CONGRATULATIONS!” Everyone shouted. The trumpeter played the famous classical congratulations usually sung in churches and ceremonies to appreciate someone's success.

“God has done it. Yesssssss! Congratulations tooooo youuuuuuuu!” They all ended the song with claps, balloon bursting and whistle blowing. She never expected this from her neighbours and a few of her mum's friends from work.

“You knew about this?” She asked as she turned to her mum.

“Maybe” It was just like Christmas and Thanksgiving Day. Everyone enjoyed themselves, eating, drinking, and marrying.

She thought the merriment was over. Oh well, this is just the beginning.

“BINACHI ANDRIA ON FIRST CLASS HONORS” She rushed to the balcony and saw her friends.

“No. No,” she shouted in amazement. They both were holding a banner with her picture and name boldly inscribed on it.

“Binachi Andria on first class honours,” they sang as they ran around.

“Come downstairs, girl”, Emily shouted. She rushed down and followed them. They raced down the streets and to the other side and to the park and almost everywhere around their vicinity and everywhere they could think of.

“Finally. Someone can stop telling me. Oh Steph, I have this assignment to do. Oh Steph, there's a drawing to handle, Oh Steph…blah blah” Stephanie teased as soon as they got home.

“For real. For real. I'm so fucking happy. I've never been happier for real”

“Today can't end here. I mean, we should celebrate. You get?”

“Yeah. Like clubbing and partying and stuff. What do you think, Frankie”

“It's cool. It's actually a brilliant idea”

“Wooooow. Guys, calm down. Cash? On who? I don't have money, girls. Let's leave it”

“I can sponsor you all”, Frankie said.

“Ok. Big girl things, yeah?” Stephanie shouted.

“I think you should go out with your friends”, her mum said.

“But mum, you'll be alone at home. Plus-”

“No. You are going out. This is your after-graduation party, so go out. Go out”

“Mum. Mum just-”

“Baby, celebrate this moment. It'll never come back” She hesitated for a moment, but she couldn't resist when Emily already ordered a dress for her. Yeah, Andria has been a simple girl all her life. She didn't care about fashion. Excuse me, she doesn't know fashion.

“Mum, we are leaving”, she said when she got to her mum's room, but her mum didn't respond.

“Mum”

“Yes, baby, she said as she slid a document into her shelf.

“What's that? You are hiding something”

“No, it's nothing. Go to your party” She took out the paperwork from the shelf and was shocked to see the content.

“Really? You didn't tell me you got fired. What happened?”

“It's nothing. Just go”

“Mum, this is serious. What happened?”

“Andria, let it be, please” She didn't know what to say or do. Why would her mum hide such a thing from her?

“I want you to enjoy yourself and all. It will be fine, okay” She held her mum's hand and pecked it.

“I really love you, mum. I want you to know I love you a lot. I promise to get us out of this mess soon”

“Sure” She pecked her then left.

“You'll ready for the party?” Andria shouted, but she got almost a negative response from everyone.

“I can't find the fucking lip liner. Where the hell is the lipliner?” Emily screamed.

“Guys, guys, I can't find my shoes. I just kept them here and-” Stephanie complained.

“Jesus Christ! My zipper. Andria help”

“So you all can't dress up without looking for your stuff. This isn’t high school, like geez”

“Remember when we were dressing for homecoming, and Emily's cloth got torn to unjoined pieces?”

“Sarah”, they all responded in unison.

“She's a fucking witch. Jesus”

“To be honest, I never expected it to be her. I always saw her as someone who's reserved and all. She's just so cunning”

“As cunning as a fox”

Just then, we heard the sound of the Uber.

“Guys, hurry. Mum, we are set. Love you. Take good care of yourself”

“Sure. Be home early enough”

“Ok, Mum”

They got to the party, and it was just like the biggest party Andria has ever seen. Different sections, with different kinds of people of different status and different behaviours.

“Ain't those lesbians?” Emily said as she took out her phone to make a video.

“Jesus. Why the fuck would I love my fellow girl?” Franca said.

“Let's go up to the terrace. I think the party is more lit there” The four friends ordered shots, took pictures, and made memories and all. Andria was already feeling tipsy, but she was definitely still in her senses. She tried stepping out when Franca held her hand.

“You ain't going anywhere, baby”

“I just want to use the toilet”

“I'll escort you.”

“What do you think about this place?” Franca asked.

“I think here is good enough. We should try coming here some other time,” They both discussed as they walked up to meet Emily and Stephanie, but then someone bumped into Andria.

“Jesus. Can't you watch where you are going to?” Andria attacked. He said nothing but simply passed by.

“Who the fuck do you think you are? It's not like you are the governor's son or something. Fuck your senses,” he stopped in his tracks.

“Andria, calm down. You don't want to mess with this kind of man. Relax okay. Just have fun and enjoy yourself. Let's go” She looked at him, expecting him to say one word, which was sorry, but he didn't say sorry. He just walked away without even looking back.

“Fuck his asshole, man. Let's get out of here,” Andria said.

“To where?”

“Another bar”

“What will happen to Emily and Stephanie?” she didn't listen to Frankie. She slipped her hand out of Frankie's grip and walked away.

“Jesus Christ. Andria, get a hold of yourself. You are drunk”

“I'm not drunk. Leave me the fuck alone”

“Andria” She stormed out of the terrace and went somewhere completely out of sight. She saw the same stranger who bumped into her.

“Why is he looking at me like that?” she whispered to herself. He still stared at her as though there was something completely off about her dressing and the way she might have talked to him.

Andria looked at herself. “Did one of my earrings fall out? Was I on my period or something? Why is he staring at me?”

Little did she know that the stranger across the room was about to change everything she thought she knew about her future.