Love and Letters ✔

Chapter 1

Love and Letters

Part 1

Chapter 1

"As much as I hate mornings, giving out detention to latecomers makes it better," I grumbled to my best friend as I tried to hide a dopey grin.

"That's evil," she replied, her eyes twinkled as if she understood as we shuffled behind the lines of our class to the assembly area. "But you're suffering from a severe case of senioritis. You know, the whole idea that you are better than anyone else." A roll of her eyes let me know that she was teasing, but she wasn't far off from the truth.

There were six months left of high school and I couldn't be more done with it. Well, it could be counted down to the exact number of days, but I didn't care. It was June and by December I would be done with school. I just wanted to matriculate and leave school, even if I was a prefect with responsibilities. I loved school and the routine that it provided, but I couldn't be sure if I really was ready to 'spread my wings and fly into the adult world', as my Life Orientation teacher was fond of saying. I barely look like an adult, let alone feel prepared for the unknown.

"Maybe," I whispered to Suraya as we walked past the principal of the girl's school that we both attended. "Or maybe I am just tired of all the stress we are pushed under." I sighed and lifted my eyes to the palm tree above us. It was blowing freely in the wind, almost tauntingly reminding me just how trapped I was in the school system.

Nothing ever works out easily and exciting.

"Or you are just grumpy because you hate Monday mornings, like the rest of the world."

We were closer now to the assembly area for the winter months, which would be the Masjid that shared one quarter of the school grounds. The beautiful institute that I attended, the closest Muslim school in my area, catered for everyone. It was one of those schools that were big on community and community feelings. There was the primary quad that took up one quarter of the land, sharing most of the girl's high school building facilities and amenities. To be truthful, the quarter of the school that had it difficult, would be the girl's high school. We had a block of land that was lacking tremendously in facilities and space for the girls to relax and enjoy themselves.

The block after the girl's high school, the one both Suraya and I had passed, was the boy's high school. Which, had far greater amenities and space for them to play their array of sports. Like the primary school, they had freedom of the sports fields and could play soccer in the front parking lot of the school. Unlike the girls.

"God, you can practically smell this is the boys' college," Suraya grumbled. "It stinks!"

It was a gross exaggeration, but neither of us were exempt from being dramatic at times. To be fair, the building was generally clean (thanks to the hard-working cleaners!) and apart from the staircases after break, it was odour free.

"It doesn't smell that bad," I countered. "It's still early. They haven't polluted it as yet."

She laughed, then quickly swallowed the laughter when we felt the heavy gaze of the principal on us.

"Ms Mia, Ms Ismail, I do hope you have both brought your slip books?" she asked in a reprimanding tone.

The general rule was to walk quietly to the Masjid, but no one ever listened to that. It was more of a suggestion, at least to me it was. As it was, I knew that Mrs Omar never liked me. No matter how hard I tried to be polite or kind to her.

"Yes miss," we replied like obedient little girls and waited until she passed us.

"Girls, please remember to separate the younger girls and remind them to not interact with the boys," she threw over her shoulder as Suraya and I joined two more prefects on morning duty for late coming.