The 4th Season

• Bupe Mulenga, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2014

I stood there, at the rusty gates that stood in front of the fountains of this great university. It felt like starting anew. I walked through the gates and registered myself a room to live in at university. It wasn’t big room, just enough to study. I start to unpack, feeling like my life just started. Classes start today. I study hard and try to understand as much as I could. I passed every quiz that was given to us and not fail one. I have three assignments to do and an exam in eight months. Some days I feel unstoppable, but it’s only going to get tougher…

I’m barely passed my assignments by one or a bit. I’m adding up payments for the rent of the apartment. I pay it by working at a small cafe. I go down to the grassy quad to rest, eat and study, feeling the breeze blow orange patterned leaves to the pavement to lie there, beautifully. That’s how I met him. Ian. I met him the day when we both admired that leaves and we been great friends ever since. He tutors, talks and laughs with me and I start to think about him, a lot …

I’m broke. I can’t pay for my apartment, so I’m living with a friend who is close by. This means I can’t see Ian, so we don’t. My friend’s house has no heating at all, so I get the flu. I have an exam that I need to pass. Instead of taking care of myself, I study and it has gotten me to the point where I needed to go to hospital. The doctors told me to rest for a couple of days. As I aim to read some chapters, I fall to sleep. I couldn’t help it. As the night fell, snow falls outside and the winds howl and screech over the night. The next day is the exam. I got a lot of sleep and I felt good about the exam, but when I got the letter saying that I got low marks in and that I couldn’t take the exam, I wanted to show them that I wouldn’t let coldness overtake me …

I passed. I so happy I did. There were only a couple tests left until they posted out an invitation to our graduation. It was a great evening. My friend and my parents saw me looking proud with a diploma in my hand and a mortar cap standing on my head. I feel proud of myself as I’ve achieved my goal. Ian is standing next to me as he holds his head high. The other day he proposed to me as we stood under a beautiful cherry blossom tree. The wind carried the petals around us and added colour to the green grass, blue sky and bright, yellow sun. Everything had felt different and there were lots of challenges but I know that the fourth season is my luckiest …