Bitches, Hitches And Stitches [ON HOLD]

|7|

"You look like you've just seen an ugly ghost." Helen commented as we strolled together to our hotel.

There was general clean up at Emerald hotel and each and everyone one of the hostelers were meant to actively participate.

"Helen, have you seen an ugly ghost? Have you even seen any?" I shook my head at her.

"Nah. But you look..." She couldn't find the perfect words to use.

"Well, you don't look quite all right."

I laughed softly. "I'm very much all right."

She didn't seem quite satisfied with my answer.

When we reached the hotel, we went to our separate rooms.

"Babe I was transfixed when I saw that new guy in art class." The voice of Ruth filled the air once I stepped into the room.

"I can totally relate. He's an artwork and you know, it makes one feel something. Did you notice his lips? Damn sexy!" Melissa seconded.

Ruth turned to me. "I heard you're the one that he first talked to. Is that true?"

What was true?

"No one first talked to me. I simply directed both he and his mother to Mrs Rose's office." I rolled my eyes.

"Better." Ruth was pleased. "I stand a chance of making him mine."

"Yours?" This time it was Fiona speaking.

"Don't underrate a whore." Melissa laughed.

Ruth arched a brow. "Who did you just call a whore?" She stood akimbo.

Melissa twitched her lips, wondering when she blurted such out.

"Don't mind me." She casually said.

Ruth chuckled darkly. "You guys should be respecting your selves o."

I began work at my corner. I cleaned my wardrobe. Arranged my corner and then carried my clothes to the laundry.

Normally, I would have dumped my clothes there for the one of the laundry women to wash it via the washing machine.

But it would be sheer heartlessness to give women old enough my mother, my bunch of stinky clothes.

When I returned back to my room, I was exhausted. But to my surprise, Ruth was dressed free style.

"Are you sure he won't talk?" Fiona who was packing Ruth's relaxed hair in a pig tail asked.

"I don't deal with idiots. I gave him ten thousand naira to share with his co workers." Ruth answered.

"Ten thousand? But I begged you to lend me three thousand and you refused." Melissa who was lying on her bed accused.

"Go and hustle. I don't make my money from the moon. I sweat it."

Melissa shook her head in disapproval.

"My mother will behead me if she hears of me sneaking out of school." Melissa stated. "Besides I don't have that kind of morale."

Ruth chuckled. "Mother Mary."

With an eye roll, Melissa hissed simultaneously. "Magdalene. You will soon be visited by incubus."

Ruth whipped her head just in time to meet the look on Melissa's face.

"You're problematic." She stated.

The latter shrugged. "Coming from you that it is an accolade."

"Stop the squabbles!" Fiona sighed.

"Tell that to Melissa." Ruth began the blame game.

Fiona groaned. "Stop behaving like kids. It's not pleasant."

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Mum, I'm not yet up to eighteen."

That was sardonic.

After a while on more squabbles and banter, Melissa ululated.

"Heck! I forgot to remind my mum of interhouse sports fees."

"Idiot. Is that why you want to deafen me?" Ruth attacked.

"Perfect," Fiona muttered as she stared at what she did to Ruth's hair.

"Thanks babe. Chops will land for you." Ruth promised as she drew her trouser more up. And then picked up her small bag and black sunshades.

"Are you leaving this early?" Fiona's eyes widened in perplexity.

"Yes. I'm sleeping over at his place. Expect my return tomorrow before Parish time."

"Be careful. Take care of yourself." Melissa muttered.

"You won't talk to me now. After everything, na you go miss me pass (After everything, you will be the one to miss me more.)"

That was thrown to me. I opened my mouth but no words came out.

"Leave her!" Melissa said. "Cat got her tongue."

There was an uproarious laughter. And I was the object of ridicule.

"Well, I'm leaving." Ruth stated and exited the room as she surreptitiously manoeuvered the hotel mistresses that hung around the corridor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later in the day, around the evening time, about five Emerald hostel mistresses came around and summoned all the girls.

"I don't know how to start but then everything has a beginning." Mrs Diane began.

She was the head hostel mistress. And the oldest too. She was married with three children and seven grand children. That was one of the reasons the school permitted her to leave every weekend and return on Monday.

"A durex was found inside one of the toilets." She continued.

"And you know that such is prohibited. So therefore, the matron has permitted us to thoroughly search every student. And also check each room every night to be sure no one is leaving the school premises at night."

The whole girls were talking about the situation at hand.

"So what happens to Ruth?" Fiona who was behind me muttered to Melissa.

"I warned her." Melissa shrugged.

"But what is a durex doing in the toilet? I don't even trust anyone again." Someone else I recognized as an SS1 student shook her head.

As if this was new.

"And so? Everyone here is so judgmental. As if it wasn't you I caught watch x rated movies." Her friend retorted with a spine chilling hiss.

"Holier thank thou." She added and then rolled her eyes.

"Must you then shout it?" The former eyed her friend who seemed to be disgusted by her hypocritic behaviour.

Fiona who was watching the girls exchange words had her eyes widened like a 100 watts bulb.

"This generation is evolving into something else." She said. "I wasn't this rotten at their level."

"You're fucking ignorant." Melissa stated. "I had my first boyfriend at age ten. I was in grade six."

"I'm sure your mother never knew." I didn't know when I chipped in.

She looked at me. "Of course, she didn't."

The loudness of Mrs Diane's voice interrupted the diverse conversations many of us engaged in.

"There will be a room to room search once it's eight pm tonight!"