Book One: Trunk & Chopbox Girls

Chapter Two

October

The first morning I woke up at BAGS, I nearly cried. The sound of the rising bell was deafening. Throw in the stomping sounds those first years made as they jumped from the top bunk to the hard cold concrete floor and you had a recipe for an eardrum explosion. Since I was new and it was my grace period I was exempted from all the rush. The night before, I joined the girls after prep to fetch water ahead of the next morning. It was a long queue but the girls seemed used to the wait and chatted happily. When I filled my bright pink bucket, I remember I made a mental note of where I placed it. After the rush, I finally entered the bathroom and was stunned to realize that my bucket had been taken! There were so many naked girls in the tiled bathroom for me to search for the person who had my bucket. There were other buckets lined up but I was too scared to take one for fear that it was for a senior. On my first morning, I did not bath and I never saw my bucket again.

We had only five minutes to bath and even at that any senior on duty could use her own discretion as to what five minutes was. The day before, it was two minutes. I know because I dumped a bucket of water on the 118th second. The first contact I had with 5 a.m. water was not pleasant. The water was freezing cold and it took all my strength to not shriek. Each morning since I arrived was like that and even though I was still in my grace period, I still rushed out with my mates. I guess I was hoping they would at least see that I was making an effort. I especially wanted my side bunkmate to notice. I also started to wake up right before the loud and rude rising bell just to get a good bucket of water.

It had been three days since my arrival and I was slowly getting into routine. I hated the idea of falling into routine because I knew I wasn't going to be here for long. Still, it helped because I looked less confused. I knew that after our bath, we had a few minutes to dress up and lay our beds before going to do chores. But since it was still my grace period, I lingered about for a while trying to help those who had chores to in the dorm but they all politely declined so I retreated back to my bunk feeling bad that nobody had attempted to be my friend. Tears stung my eyes but I quickly blinked them back before everyone came back. The girl beside me, I found out her name was Nann Breneman, hadn't tucked in her bed sheet properly and this week the senior on duty punished for the slightest offence. Nann had barely said three words to me since my arrival. I thought I was the only person but it seemed she didn't like talking to the other girls also. I almost didn't tuck it in for her but when a senior announced she was starting her morning inspection, I stood up quickly and tucked in her bed sheet. I know she saw me because she was rushing but she slowed down when I did it for her. Still, she barely nodded at me when she came. In fact to me, it seemed like she was irritated. When I was sure no one was looking, I rolled my eyes and waited for the senior on duty to arrive. The senior who inspected, I heard her mates call her Tasha Fierce (a play on words for Beyoncé's alter ego), was very strict and spoke harshly to the juniors. Even Josie was as stiff as a plank when Tasha got to our bunk. She studied our bed and used her fingers to search for dust on the windowpanes and then wrote something on the piece of paper.

"Oh Tasha", Josie started to plead with her but Tasha did not budge.

She was very unpleasant looking. Not ugly, she was far from ugly. But she was not approachable.

"Next time teach your child to clean your area properly", she said coldly to Josie before leaving to inspect Nann and her bunkmate Gifty's area.

When she left, Josie shot me a dirty look as if it was entirely my fault. But I didn't know what had just happened.

"I'm sorry", I apologized nonetheless and then Tasha whipped her head up when she heard my voice. The way she glared into my eyes, it was as if she wanted to suck my soul out of my body.

"No talking!" she boomed quite, well, quite fiercely.

The seniors giggled and of them asked, "Is it that new girl? She's lucky she's in her grace period."

The way they said it, 'that new girl' as if I was some disease or plague. I held back tears and was so relieved when inspection was over and we could leave the house for breakfast.

As we walked to the dining hall northwards, I noticed that Nann was walking alone like I was and it annoyed me that even after her rude behavior I was still wondering what her story was.

"Sitting partner!"

It was Lorraine; she was in my class. On my second day here, because I missed out on orientation, I had to find my own way to my class. When I reached the Form One Block (they called it FOB), I met Lorraine and luckily for me, she was also a Home Economics student with an extra seat to spare beside her. She was one big ball of energy and the first person I knew who was truly excited to be in BAGS. I guess she was my first friend but she had her life going on for her. Lorraine was walking with another girl from Stockton and they both caught up to me.

"This is JJ", she told her friend.

"Is that your real name?" her friend asked me.

"Joelle Jones", I responded but she didn't say anything. Instead she looked at me as if I was weird and I decided I didn't like her at that moment.

But Lorraine didn't seem to notice because she was still smiling, "And JJ, this is Hannah. We've been best friends since nursery."

I smiled because I thought Lorraine was adorable. "And now you're here together."

"Yes!" she agreed. "And in the same house too. Stockton is the best house! Oh, no offense."

"None taken", I said. I didn't care for whose house was the best. Maybe at Mountain Crest I would have cared. Still, I wasn't going to let Lorraine know that. Even though I wasn't going to be here for long, it was nice to walk with people.

At least then I wouldn't be like Nann.