The Dream That Hired Me (Fiction)

Nkem has been my friend since secondary school, and I have always loved her demure nature. It was love at first sight when she entered the classroom on her first day, her appearance was captivating.

Thankfully, she was positioned to sit right beside me. She never acted like a newcomer. The way she interacted with me made it seem as though we had known each other forever. Later, I realized it was a moral her parents had instilled in her, to always respect people, no matter who they are.

That day, I felt so safe with her. She wasn't like most girls who preferred to keep to themselves or scrutinized others to see if they belonged to their class or level. She smiled and greeted me first, and I responded immediately.

During break time, she asked for my notebooks so she could copy the notes she had missed. I didn't hesitate to lend them to her and even took the time to explain some things. After school, since my mom hadn't arrived to pick me up yet, I seized the opportunity to take her around the entire school.

Nkem and I remained the best of friends, even though we fought often. Our disagreements always turned into opportunities to reflect and learn from each other. Our parents also bonded because of our friendship, which made us family friends.

We both gained admission into the same university and, as fate would have it, chose the same course, "Banking and Finance". I had always loved the course because my dad was a director at the Titanic Bank of Nigeria before he retired. I admired him and dreamed of following in his footsteps. Coincidentally, Nkem shared the same dream.

We decided to rent an apartment together outside school, choosing not to have any other roommates. We did everything together and were inseparable like sisters.

One thing I had come to know about Nkem was that her dreams always came true, whether good or bad. Many times, before sleeping at night, I prayed that she wouldn't have any bad dreams about me or anyone close to me. And on nights when she shared a good dream, I felt safe.

Years later, we graduated and served in different states during our National Youth Service Corps. Despite the distance, we remained close, keeping in touch through video calls. When the service year ended, we returned home, excited to reunite physically and ready to get busy with life.

Last month, Nkem celebrated her birthday at her parents' house. After the party ended, I decided to sleep over since it was too late to return home.

The next morning, she woke up and shared a dream with me. According to her, she saw me in a black suit, hired as the general manager of a newly opened bank. The name of the bank wasn't clear to her, but what stood out was that I hadn't gone through any interview, the whole process happened so fast.

I couldn't stop smiling as I listened to her. I knew her dreams always came true, but I had no idea how this one could happen so soon. Still, I held on to it with a positive mindset.

A few days later, a friend messaged me about a vacancy at a new bank in another city. Instantly, I remembered Nkem's dream.

I travelled to the city with my necessary documents. As I entered the director's office, he asked me a few questions about myself. Then, to my astonishment, he said, "You are very eloquent, and I love how you presented yourself. I think you are fit for the role of a general manager, as that is the vacant position at the moment. Do you think you would be able to handle it?"

I was momentarily stunned, but I nodded and answered, "Yes."

And just like that, I got the job. A dream I had cherished since childhood. Nkem's dream had given me hope, but experiencing it unfold was beyond what I had imagined. My father would be so proud of his daughter.

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