Rats, Roses And Paper Bones

chapter 43: A new chapter for Moyo

The chapel was unusually quiet that morning.

Not because the school had suddenly become peaceful-Longford High had probably never experienced a truly peaceful morning-but because everyone seemed to be holding their breath.

The disciplinary hearing was scheduled to begin at ten.

Moyo's hearing.

I sat on one of the wooden benches outside the chapel, my fingers intertwined so tightly that my knuckles had begun to hurt.

Beside me, Victoria was unusually quiet.

Bolaji sat a few seats away, speaking with a student beside him. Michael wasn't there.

He had barely spoken to me since our argument, and although I had tried not to let it bother me, it did.

A lot.

I glanced at the chapel clock.

9:47 a.m.

"Are you nervous?" Victoria asked.

I looked at her.

"A little."

"About Moyo?"

"About everything."

She nodded slowly.

"Me too."

There was a pause.

Then she sighed.

"Doyin?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm still sorry."

I turned to her.

"For what?"

"You know what."

I smiled faintly.

"I know."

"I shouldn't have lied to you."

"No, you shouldn't have."

She lowered her gaze.

"I was scared."

"I know."

"But I still did the wrong thing."

I nodded.

"I know that too."

She looked at me cautiously.

"Are we okay?"

I thought about it for a moment.

"Not completely."

Her face fell.

"But we're getting there."

She smiled.

"I'll take that."

I smiled back.

Before either of us could say anything else, the chapel doors opened.

"She's here."

I stood immediately.

Moyo walked into the chapel with her grandmother.
She looked startled to see me. I could clearly read from her expression that she was trying to say 'I thought I told you not to come'

I ignored her and glanced at her grandmother.

When I first saw her, she looked nothing like the strict, intimidating woman I had imagined.

She looked tired.

Not physically tired.

The kind of tired that came from worrying about someone for a very long time.