Rejoice

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The afternoon sun bathed the entire station in a warm golden hue as students from all corners of the state gathered at the bus terminal. A line had already formed as teenagers—some excited, others nervous—clutched their bags, ready to board the bus to Salem Fashion Designing School. Rejoice stood near the front of the line with Sonia, Elizabeth, and Grace.

Rejoice's father stood beside them, helping her adjust the strap of her bag. He had been quieter than usual since the car ride, and now, as they neared the end of their time together, his eyes betrayed a sadness he could no longer hide.

"Make me proud, Rejoice," he said, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "This is your dream, and your mother would've been so proud of you."

Rejoice hugged him tightly, tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you for believing in me, Dad. I promise I'll give it my best."

Sonia blinked rapidly to stop her own tears, while Grace, though she didn't particularly like Rejoice, found herself wiping her eyes. She had never witnessed such an emotional goodbye before.

Elizabeth, pretending to be on her phone, sniffled softly. Her mother hadn't come to see her off, and a small pang of jealousy nipped at her chest as she watched the warm interaction between Rejoice and her father.

"Okay, students!" one of the bus instructors yelled. "Begin boarding now!"

One by one, the students began moving forward. Rejoice turned to her father one last time and waved. He waved back, shouting, "Be strong, my girl! You've got this!"

As they climbed the steps into the large chartered bus, they passed other teenagers saying goodbye to their own parents, many of whom were crying or giving last-minute advice. The atmosphere was a mixture of joy, nerves, and the promise of new beginnings.

Inside the bus, soft music played from overhead speakers. The seats were arranged in pairs—comfortable and modern. Some students rushed to the windows, waving excitedly, while others already had their earbuds in, avoiding interaction. The bus buzzed with the quiet hum of anticipation.

"Let's sit here," Sonia said, pointing to a group of four seats at the back. Rejoice followed her, while Elizabeth and Grace chose a seat near the middle of the bus, clearly wanting some space.

"I hope the journey's not too long," Grace murmured, arranging her hair. "And I really hope the people sitting near us aren't snorers."

Just as she said that, a tall, stocky girl dropped her bag into the seat across from them. She had short, curly hair dyed blue at the ends and wore a face that screamed attitude.

"You better not touch my seat," the girl snapped before anyone could even greet her. "And don't try to act smart. I know your type."

Sonia raised an eyebrow. "Our type?"

"You heard me," the girl said, leaning back with her arms crossed. "This is a fashion school, not a playground."

Rejoice exchanged glances with Sonia but chose to ignore the remark. The last thing she wanted was to start her journey with conflict.

A few seats ahead, Elizabeth and Grace had already struck up a conversation with two stylish girls dressed in trendy outfits and expensive heels. One of them had a mini mirror and was fixing her makeup, while the other chewed gum loudly.

"You seem like someone who knows style," the gum-chewing girl said, blowing a bubble. "What's your name?"

"Elizabeth," she replied, throwing popcorn into her mouth and flicking her hair. "Elizabeth Raymond."

"Ooo, we're gonna get along just fine," said the other, whose name was Crystal. "People with real class need to stick together in places like this."

Elizabeth smiled, clearly flattered. She had always been drawn to bold personalities, and these girls gave off the energy she craved. They spoke about influencers, parties, and designers she'd never even heard of—even though she came from a wealthy family. It felt like her kind of crowd—until they started gossiping about "poorly dressed" students at the front of the bus.

Back in the rear, Rejoice and Sonia found themselves approached by a lanky boy with round glasses and a sketchbook in hand.

"Hi," he said nervously. "Can I sit here? The seats up front are full."

"Of course," Rejoice replied warmly.

"I'm Zion," he said, adjusting his glasses. "I want to become a fashion illustrator someday."

"That's cool!" Rejoice said, genuinely impressed. "I'm Rejoice. This is Sonia, my best friend."

"Nice to meet you," Zion said with a shy smile.

As they introduced themselves, another voice chimed in from behind.

"You guys better keep it down," the blue-haired girl snapped. "Some of us are trying to rest."

Sonia muttered something under her breath but kept quiet.

Just then, a deep voice came over the bus intercom. "Good afternoon, students. I'm Instructor Henry, and I'll be your supervisor on this journey to Salem Fashion Designing School. Please stay in your seats, wear your seatbelts, and avoid unnecessary movement. Our journey should take approximately four hours."

Instructor Henry was seated near the front. Tall and fit, he had a calm but firm demeanor. His voice alone was enough to settle down the bus. Even the blue-haired bully rolled her eyes but said nothing.

As the bus began to move, the scenery outside slowly changed from the bustling bus station to quiet suburbs and then to wide-open highways.

"I can't believe we're really doing this," Rejoice said, grinning. "We're on our way."

"Feels like a dream," Sonia added.

They chatted for a while discussing on how the exams and interview were going be, and getting to know Zion better. He showed them a few of his sketches—beautiful outlines of clothing and fashion poses. Rejoice was especially impressed by his attention to detail and the passion in his art.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Grace were already getting invited to hang out at the back of the bus with Crystal and her other friends. They joked loudly, filmed short videos for social media, and started making comments about other passengers.

Oh God, why on earth will you guys not stop talking about this exam, it's not going to be as tough as you guys think, the other girl whose name was Queen said as she over head some girls discussion.

How sure are you Grace asked

Come on,I have an elder sister over there,she told me it wasn't that tough Queen replied

That's the exact point I have been trying to prove to those two over there but they seem to be doing more than themselves Elizabeth said pointing at Rejoice and Sonia.

Are those your friends too Crystal asked looking at them.

"Friends"?, No those girls can never he my friend. That's my step sister and her best friend. They are too scare of the exams and always boring themselves Elizabeth said using an abusive eye to look at them .

Well that's their business, " Check that girl's shoes," Crystal whispered to Elizabeth pointing at a girl at the front seat, laughing. "Like, who still wears flats that squeak?"

Elizabeth giggled, though something about their constant judging made her uncomfortable. Still, she didn't want to be left out.

An hour into the journey, the bus stopped briefly at a rest point. Students got down to stretch their legs or buy snacks. Zion pulled out a pack of cookies and offered it to Rejoice.

"Thanks," she said, taking one. "You're really kind."

Zion blushed and glanced at Sonia, who raised an eyebrow playfully. "Someone has a little crush," she teased under her breath.

Rejoice gave her a warning look but couldn't help the small smile forming on her lips.

Inside the bus, the blue-haired girl bumped into Sonia while returning to her seat.

"Watch it!" she hissed.

"I didn't even touch you!" Sonia fired back.

"Is there a problem?" Instructor Henry asked from a few rows ahead.

"No, sir," they both said in unison.

The rest of the journey passed with small conversations, occasional laughter, and more introductions. Some students played games on their phones, others stared out the window, lost in thought.

Zion grew more confident as he talked about his dreams and how he'd worked part-time just to afford his form.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, was learning that her new friends weren't all glitter. They didn't care about school rules or hard work—they just wanted attention.

As the bus neared Salem after some hours, the excitement picked up again. Students began organizing their bags, some waking their friends who had slept off, others fixing their hair, and checking their outfits. The view from the window now showed a large, elegant gate with the sign:

"Welcome to Salem Fashion Designing School – Where Dreams Take Shape."

Rejoice's heart fluttered.

This was it.

Her dream had officially begun.

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