UNshackled

 The bus didn't leave immediately. Instead, the driver chose to wait and hustle for more passengers before departing. He insisted on waiting for the bus to get filled up before he would start the journey, thus they spent quite a few minutes in the park.

 His action made a lot of the passengers furious and a few got off the bus in anger, but he ignored them. The rest just kept spilling threats of leaving the bus without actually doing so.

 But even with all this, the driver still refused to give in. It wasn't that he was being unnecessarily stubborn, but that he had been in this job for a long while, and so he knew if he didn't carry enough passengers, it would be a loss rather than a gain for him.

 This wasn't like other short-distance journeys where drivers could easily find more passengers while on the way. He knew he wouldn't be stopping anywhere until he got to Otuoke. Thus, he had to carry enough passengers to make up for the money spent on fuel and still gain some profits or the aim of his hustle would be null.

 More and more passengers boarded the bus and the bus was soon filled. But there was a particular passenger that sparked a reaction from James.

 An extravagantly dressed boy with an arrogant expression. The face wasn't one James really remembered, but that expression coupled with the dressing, James knew he couldn't be wrong. Then the cold and resentful look the boy gave him, he was sure it was him.

 They weren't staring at each other directly, instead, it was through the mirror of the car used by the driver to watch the passengers. 

 The boy sat in the seat behind the driver's seat, which was also behind James' seat as it was more of a bench-like seat with a backrest. 

 The boy in question was actually the arrogant boy from the previous bus. 

 James, getting tired of the fruitless stare battle, looked away, occupying himself with something else while a few thoughts developed within his brain.

 ' Is he also going to college? Could he be my senior or what, or did he just get admission like me? After all, he doesn't look older than me ' James thought, while trying to occupy himself with something else.

 The boy also had his own thoughts. ' How come we are on the same bus? Could he also be going to college? Damn it, what if he gets there and spills the beans about the events on that bus? Doesn't that mean my image will be tarnished in my first year in college? '. After a short while, he also looked away, deciding to cross the bridge when he got to the edge.

 Seeing the bus was full, the driver scanned through the exterior of the bus to make sure everything was in place, then he sat on his driver's seat and turned on the bus engine.

 " Are we good to go? " he quickly asked the passengers. That was his normal procedure, in case anyone had any issues, to avoid problems while on the trip.

 While the bus zoomed through countless streets and highways, constantly bypassing numerous vehicles and pedestrians, the driver, whose expression had been slightly weird for a while, as if considering whether to perform a certain action or not, suddenly spoke. 

 " You're a student, right? " he asked. James needed no confirmation to know he was the one being spoken to.

 " Yes, I am Sir " James replied. ' Why is he asking? ' he thought.

 " You're probably wondering why I am asking, right? " The bus driver asked. 

 James was about to reply, but the driver gave him no chance and continued his words. " Are you a fresher? " he asked. He asked a second question without replying to the first.

 " Fresher ? " spoke a confused James.

 " Ohhhh, you don't know what it means. That means you are indeed a fresher, " he replied, seeing James confused state.

 " What's a fresher? " James asked, though he already had an idea.

 " A fresher. Well, you have probably watched movies where most colleges globally call students who just got into the university a freshman, but over here, we call such people freshers. There is a saying that first year students are like fresh seeds falling on the ground. Whether they will birth fresh trees or weeds remains unknown " said the driver. 

 ' What kind of proverb is that? How can seeds birth weeds? ' James thought.

 The driver sighed and then spoke " Indeed, it's just an illustration, a bit ironic, but not overly. You see, college is a place of wonders. Your actual first step in living your life since there will no longer be your parents or guardians around to tell you what's right and what's wrong, what's good and what's bad. You only have yourself to make such decisions. " 

 ' Is he reading my thoughts or something ' James thought.

 " No, I am not. I have just seen a lot, been through a lot, so I understand a lot " he replied.

 ' Damn it ' muttered James inwardly. ' But his words do make sense '. 

 " What career do you want to study? " the driver asked James expectantly. 

 " Mechanical Engineering, sir " replied James, respectfully.

 " Mechanical Engineering, hahahaha, that's a good career there " said the driver in laughter. 

 " What's wrong? " James asked, surprised by his maniac action. 

 " Hahahaha, don't mind me boy. But what a coincidence, a coincidence indeed. The funny factor is that we actually went for the same career, hahahaha " said the driver while still laughing.

 ' Went for the same career ? Wait, did he enter college? If so, then what is he doing working as a bus driver? Could it be he is one of those that went to university and got distracted, or maybe he used crooked means to get in at the first place. Numerous thoughts were processed in James' head as he speculated on numerous scenarios that could have led to the driver's situation.

 The driver's lively face suddenly turned into a pathetic expression. His eyes grew a deep bearing as he looked at the fleeting road while lost in thought. Thankfully, there were no vehicles nearby or there might have been an accident.

 " Should I tell you another secret? " the driver said in a serious tone. 

 " Go ahead sir " James replied.

 " I attended Fuootuoke college too. " said the driver.

 This revelation shocked James to the core. ' Could it be …'.

 " Ask your question freely " the driver said to him.

 " Could the problem be with the college? " he asked.

 " Hahahaha, with the college. Isn't it the same humans that attend other colleges that attend Fuootuoke? " The man replied with an indirect answer.

 " Then ... " James was about to speak again but hesitated, feeling what he was about to say might come in a rude way.

 " I know what you want to ask " the driver helped him out. " But something you should know is that I was the best student in my secondary school, getting admission with more than double the cut-off mark for the career " he added.

 " Then why ? " asked James.

 " WHY, THEN WHY " the driver emphasized with sarcasm.

 " Well, the answer to your question is that to score a goal doesn't only require bypassing the midfielders. One has to have the will and determination to move on, dribbling even the defenders and then the keeper. If not, all your effort will be in vain " The driver spoke in parables. 

 " As for me, you could say I lost my zeal after getting past the midfield " he said.

 James processed his parables and got an idea of what he meant.

 Seeing the flash on James' expression, the driver smiled and asked " You now get it right ? ". 

 James nodded without saying actual words.

 Suddenly, the driver asked " Are you a Christian ". 

 " Of course " replied James.

 " Do you follow the doctrines, or are you just one by name? " the driver asked.

 " I follow the doctrines " James replied without hesitation. This was something he needed no long thought about.

 " You follow the doctrines, good. My advice to you is that you cling ubto those doctrines and morals firmly while over there, or you might just become a second me " the driver spoke in wisdom.

 James stared at him for a short while, and then asked. " Can I ask a question? " he said.

 The driver stared at him in surprise. A smile crept into his lips, and then he replied " Go ahead ".

 " Is the profit from the bus driving that bad? " James asked.

 " Hahahahahahaha " laughter spilled from the driver's mouth uncontrollably.

 " I won't answer that for your own good " he replied.

 James' expression went down. " But I could tell you another little secret of mine. " 

 James' eyes lit up after hearing that. " What is it, sir? " he asked.

 "My parents and I haven't seen since then. Do you know why ? " he asked.

 James thought deeply for a few seconds before the answer kicked in ' He is ashamed '. 

 " That's right. So instead of asking me the question you asked, ask yourself whether you want to become like me."