A Secondary School Survivor; Year One...

Fewer Rainclouds

Ella wasn't sure what to do.

It was nearly time for breakfast and she had no other pinafore to wear as she accidentally washed the one she'd ironed.

She groaned at the rumpled mess she so desperately tried to stretch into looking presentable. The laundry room was locked anyway. Her iron would be confiscated if she was caught using the external sockets.

Most of the juniors were out by now. If she was found in the hostel, she may end up washing the toilet or scrubbing. Worse still, she may end up hanging buckets of clothes she wasn't ready to be responsible for. Ella kept up the busy facade still: walking around, straightening the same beds over and over, polishing her shoes unnecessarily, arranging the brooms, and just walking briskly around the place. 

Silently, she prayed for a miracle before six-thirty.

Sosa was still around and hadn't put on her pinafore but then again, she was required to be the last to leave at all times. Ella sized her up and decided her pinafore would be too big anyways. She shifted her gaze and assessed the rest of the girls around. It was at this moment she wished she had smaller hips and breasts as she was at least two sizes bigger than most...

Debbie has larger hips too, right?

And as a plus, she ironed everything in her wardrobe down to socks. She was also within the same height range. Ella glanced at her watch and saw she had ten minutes, and the seconds were ticking fast. She swallowed her pride and walked over to ask for help like the junior student she was. She hated it.

Deborah in question was carefully putting on her uniform to avoid creasing. Satisfied with the premium quality ironing lines she left behind, she replaced the hanger on her window and put on her key holder.

"Senior Deborah..."

She started and whirled around to face—

"Please could you lend me your pinafore?"

Debbie looked at Ella with so much incredulity that Ella wanted to shrink.

Seven minutes later, Ella-- armed with her water bottle and a garbage bag-- raced out into the early morning, blitzing past the prefects on duty with the swiftness of a shark that smelled blood. They didn't stop her. She reached the lobby just as the siren wailed.

I did it! Ella thought with triumph as she marched over the threshold of the lobby and towards the dumpster to gleefully rid herself of the offensive baggage. After washing her hands, she finally adjusted her uniform and pulled the green sweater bearing her school badge over her head, covering the pink embroidered nametag that read "Deborah O.". The green of the pinafore had begun to fade slightly because of Debbie's thorough ironing but it was so much better for waiting for a magic trick to happen.

Breakfast was already underway when she got to the dining hall. The smell of fried bean cakes assaulted Ella as she made her way to the serving line. One huge lump of breakfast the size of her hand, and a steaming cup of her favorite corn medium later, she was headed for the assembly ground.

"Why is there something called a gender assembly anyway?" Duna grumbled aloud to the hearing of her classmate, and friend, Love.

"I'm assuming we won't be spending the first fraction of the morning with boys at least. That's a nice change if nothing else", Love replied with a careless shrug.

Duna was inclined to agree.

The girls of the junior school were gathered in one of the quadrangles, from JSS1 to JSS3 (which most interpret as seventh to ninth grade) all six arms of each level. Duna found the sight impressive as she quietly took her spot near the front of the line. No sense fighting your height, she thought.