IN MY HEAD

CHAPTER ELEVEN- BANTU KNOTS

*CHAPTER ELEVEN*
     *_BANTU KNOTS_*

                               ***
      "Rie!". Stephanie squealed with excitement as I made my way to my seat. Stephanie hadn't stopped calling me Rie ever since she gave me the nickname. Although, it sounded really sweet when it rolled out from her tongue. I still did not like it when other people referred to me by the nickname. She and Diamond were the only ones allowed to do that.

Before I could seat down, I received a bone-crushing hug from behind. I turned to see it was Diamond, her face glistened with excitement. Well it seemed like I was the only one who is not feeling excited that day.

"Woah, woah woah! What's with all the excitement bubbling today?". I asked finally before making my way to sit down I stretched to open my locker to get my book for the first class ready.

"Well, today is a beautiful day, I woke up feeling happy". Stephanie said with energy and enthusiasm. She was giddy with delight and I was beginning to wonder if she was high on sugar.

"And you Diamond, why are you so excited?". I asked shifting my attention towards her from Stephanie.

"Well, you can say Stephanie vibes today are contagious this morning". She replied with a sweet smile on her face.

"Ohh, okay...What is wrong with your hair Stephanie, what did you do to it?". I asked, my eyes widened when I noticed her hair tied into tiny buns all over.

"Oh this," she touched her hair, smiled and continued  "I made my hair into Bantu knots". She gently stroked her hair again as she carried a small mirror from her bag, grinning at her reflection satisfactorily

"Babes I'm looking very fine this morning". She said still staring at herself in the mirror.

"Actually, you look weird with that hairstyle. It doesn't fit the school uniform". I told Stephanie the truth. Yes, she looked really beautiful today but I won't recommend that hairstyle for school.

"That's exactly what I told her when I saw her. The hairstyle looks better when she's wearing casual clothes". Diamond chipped in.

"And so what? This school cannot stop me from achieving my dream hair". She said as she rolled her eyes dramatically. She opened the in-built locker to her desk and dropped the mirror there.

"What's the dream hair, you are talking about?". I asked wide-eyed as I folded my arms.

"Well, by the time I lose these knots. It's going to become curly like yours. Even if it's not permanently I could enjoy my curls for sometime". She replied with all seriousness.

"You know you can achieve that if you twist your hair". Diamond told her.

"I know that but it doesn't give the same result as the Bantu-knots".  Stephanie argued. I was already tired of hearing their back and forth argument. I brought out the 'wuthering heights' novel from my bag and drifted into a world of fiction.

"Riele let me make your hair into cornrows for you". I heard Diamond offer and I instantly looked up from the book.

"No, thank you". I replied bluntly.

"Why won't you allow her make your hair. You've been packing your hair into a bun for the past three weeks". Stephanie remonstrated.

"I like it like this, thanks". I replied at the same time trying to understand what I was reading.

"Hmmmm... I hope you know a girl is way prettier with a nice hair do". She nagged while raising her right eye-brow at me. I folded the edge of page ninety-three of my novel and dropped my book  to fully engage in this conversation.