I MEAN IT

chapter 5

"Becca?" My mum knocks at my door and I jump out of bed with a start .

"Jesus, mum I barely slept two hours !"

"You have to get ready for school your dad will drive you while he goes back to Fuleh."

"Thank God" I whisper and as I spread my bed,I hear my mums footsteps fade downstairs.

I freshen up and put on skinny jeans, a loose fitting white T-shirt and my favourite canvas sneakers. I then hurry up to stuff  my bag with textbooks, blotting sheets, lipgloss, tissue, pens, and tie my hair in a tight bun covering it with a beanie as I head downstairs.

Mershy jumps and wags his tail as if to celebrate my going to school and I low my left hand for him to nose before picking some blueberries and nuts and then kiss his nuzzle and head to the parking where I find my mum and dad having a conversation about I-dont-know-what but it looks dire. Immediately they see me they act cool. I'm assuming they are .

"Make some friends aight? " My mum says and David looks away. He isn't being friendly this morning so I figure he probably isn't okay with driving me to school.

"You look good b" he says opening the car door for me and I wave at my mum goodbye. she  mouths "do not be mean" as he drives away.

He drives silently and I bite my lip every other second keeping back the score of questions that float in my head demanding answers.

~°~

Wings High School.

I walk to the Administrative office and hand over my reporting card. The secretary calls a man from the door who I assume is the guide and hands him a paper in an envelope.

"Rebecca, welcome! I'll show you to your class." He says politely and starts moving down the hallway so I follow.
The hallway is wide, decorated and creepily silent with only a few students loitering either going to the washroom or I don't know yet.

" Is it always this silent?" I ask.

"Yes, in the morning when almost everyone is in class but not during class breaks. You'll see" he shrugs his shoulders. "Here," he hands me the envelope and points to a room two feet from me." That's your class, your literature teacher got in before you! Enjoy your stay!" He walks away and my feet  become numb.
From a where I am, I can see the angled rows..the kind that enables the teacher to see what everyone is doing and a spacious floor on the front.
And realizing the cameras on each corner of the hallways, I knock stiffly and a soft but sharp voice reckons me to go in.

I open the door and hold my head high as I walk in.

"New student? "  She asks smiling.
How welcoming.
I look at the faces of the students briefly and answer nervously, "yes"

"What's your name?"
Too many questions maam'
I hand over the envelope and she reads my name out 'Rebecca Christmas Romilda.'
Half of the class laughs at my second name and I bite my lip anxiously .

"And there comes jesus' sister, haaaail celibate Christmas!" A boy on the second row in a blue faded flannel shirt says triggering ripples of laughter in everyone apart from the literature teacher who looks stern and irritated. I look at him and he gives me an unpleasant face.

"Blake! What did I tell you about being mean to new students?" The teacher says and I feel defended.

"Sorry Christmas" he says offensively and one guy on his left side makes an angry sound with his tongue .
Just one look at him and Blake frowns then sincerely apologizes.