Scattered Stars

Epilogue

Naledi

I sighed tiredly as I got up from my table, I had been studying for almost a week straight with little breaks in between and little sleep. Because of the fire, I missed out on most of my school year and the school wanted me to repeat my eleventh year. That was not happening. After countless talks with the Headmaster to let me write the final exams he relented. He didn't do it willingly though we had to get the government involved and my mother got involved too and once she learned about my extra activities that were due to the Headmaster's blackmailing she was not happy, not with me nor with the Headmaster. So she decided the best option was to pull me out of Hoërskool Hawe. If you had told me I would be so devastated about leaving my school I would have probably rolled my eyes in your face but here I am heartbroken over the fact that I am not going to spend my final high school year with the boy I love and my best friend and Pete.

So I would be doing my final year of high school at Torkem High, the school Fish goes to so I guess that's not too bad. I know some of the kids from the township that go to the school so it's not like I'm going to a school filled with strangers and I won't necessarily be the new kid but I am going in with a target on my back. I am contesting to be the school's President. Unlike Hoërskool Hawe where the school elects a Head girl and a Head boy, Torkem High elects one candidate who will lead and represent the entire school, The President.

Why would I have a target on my back?

Politically speaking, I am new to the school, so I am not familiar with its student body or how the school operates. I didn't contest for the votes so I would be surpassing people who have worked hard to get elected prefect and possibly President. More than that I was from a private school so automatically they assume that I think that I am better than them but the reality is, I don't care about them. So what if my presidency wouldn't be fair, life isn't fair and I have the scars to prove it.

The Headmaster agreed to elect me prefect and secretary instead of president. But he did say that if their elected president slacks or if I manage to impress the student body then they could elect me President. So basically he was telling me that my presidency was a given.

I stood up from the table and sauntered off into the bathroom connected to my new bedroom. The tiles were simply white with swirls of blue and the curtains of the shower were blue with swirls of white. Most of the bathroom was either white or blue, like the basin was white but my towels were blue.

We didn't suddenly get rich if you are wondering. Due to our displacement, my grandfather Shaun invited us to live with him because he wanted to make things right. My mother accepted his offer because we were in need of a home and it would be better than living in a shelter. But she did make it a point to emphasize that they had a lot of talking to do in order for her to forgive him. The tension in the house was pretty obvious, the only time my mother or Shaun greeted one another was in the morning and they spoke to each other if it was necessary other than that they just passed one another silently although I've come to observe that my grandfather looks after my mother with a longing and guilty look when she pretends he is not there.

Part of me feels like I too should be angry with my grandfather but I know life is too short to hold a grudge against someone who is trying to make up for their wrongdoings.

I took my clothes off and threw them in the wash basket so I could take a shower. This was my favourite part of the day, just getting the chance to clean the grime and dirt off my body and to also just relax and let the water flow gently over my body. The streaming water muting the noises in the world, in the house and in my head. After turning the knob to switch the water off I step out of the shower and grabbed a towel to soak up the water that still clung to my body. Dragging my feet I made my way to the mirror that stood above the sink and I saw my face in the reflection. I still looked the same even though my hair was in cornrows, my eyes were ringed with dark and heavy bags because of lack of sleep. When people asked me why I didn't sleep I often just told them it was because I stayed up all night studying but the truth is the moment my head touched the pillow and I was dragged into the deep realm of dreams my mind was plagued with nightmares.