Year 2, Chapter 1: Welcome Back
It’s a new year and the girls are back with a difficult punishment. Spend the rest of the year living with your worst enemy.
Mrs. Chiume sat on the cold hard stairs of the porte cochere looking out at the still waters of the ornamental lake. The coffee clutched in her hands was already on its way to tepid but she drank it anyway, scanning the road leading away from the school and towards the main gates.
A gaggle of giggling first year girls passed in front of her, stopped when they saw her and tried to make a hasty retreat back in the direction they had come.
“Where are you going?” Mrs. Chiume asked.
“We’re late for our badminton lesson.”
“So you decided to cut corners. First years aren’t allowed here.”
“Yes Ma’am.”
She watched them leave, the coffee suddenly leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She swilled what was left of the contents and flung them into the swaying palm trees beside her.
“Littering already?”
Sir Hornbaker joined her on the stairs, his rolled cigar jutting out of his mouth as he searched his pockets for a box of matches.
“I figured it’s time to give the gardeners something to do, in case they get complacent.”
“The time for complacency is over. Sometimes I wish this first week with only the first years would last forever.”
Right on cue, there was a roar heard from beyond the pavilion as a giant coach line bus came swerving around the corner. From open windows the voices of boys and girls sailed across the lake waters to reach Mrs. Chiume and Sir Hornbaker. Sir Hornbaker took one last drag of his cigar before putting it out on the cold stone.
“Here’s to another year.” Sir Hornbaker said as he handed Mrs. Chiume a clipboard and pen.
“Was that just tobacco in your cigar?” Mrs. Chiume asked.
“Was that just coffee in your cup?”
“Touché.”
As the bus doors opened, the two teachers met them smiling from ear to ear.
***
Lindani hefted her backpack higher on her shoulders. Her suitcase, a large black and white hounds tooth monstrosity of wheels had toppled over into the road halfway though her journey to the hostels. She was glad to be putting as much distance between her and the bus as possible. Her father couldn’t drive her all the way from Blantyre and had assured her that the bus ride would be fun. It wasn’t.
“Lindani!”
Mrs. Chiume waved her down with her clipboard, panting slightly as she caught up with her.
“Yes Miss?”
“I should show you the flats together.”
Behind her, Alinafe loomed tall; her braids swinging down her back at a length that Lindani was sure would get her in trouble. She had a simple purse loped over her shoulders and her eyes were fixed on Lindani, her mouth an annoyed pout.
“Where are your bags?” Mrs. Chiume asked.
Alinafe rolled her eyes and opened her mouth as if to yell just as Blessings came hurrying down the road with two bags that matched Alinafe’s purse down to the hue. Lindani couldn’t help but smile, the few phone conversations her and Blessings had had over the holidays without her mother listening in had been nice.
“Hi.” Blessings said.
“Hi.” Lindani said.
“Alright Alinafe, get your things, no boys allowed past this point.”
They found Khadija sitting in front of the housemistress office at the entrance of the hostels. Books and bags lay scattered around her in a neat yet haphazard fashion, she looked up at them as they approached.
“Lindani! Good holiday?” Khadija said.
“Yeah…what are you doing just sitting here?”
“Oh my dad always likes to drop me off places really early and I wasn’t sure where we would be staying for the punishment.”
“It’s not a punishment.” Mrs. Chiume cut in, “Just a way for you girls to see things differently.”
Khadija gathered up her things as Mrs. Chiume led them into the hostels, took a sharp left and doubled back almost as if she was leading them back to the entrance. A wall loomed in front of them and it seemed as though they had hit a dead end.
‘We sometimes use these flats as overflow for first years. One is already full with Gomani girls.” Mrs. Chiume said.
On either side of the wall were two single doors. One stood slightly ajar and the sound of young girls fighting to speak over each other wafted out. Mrs. Chiume opened the other and waited as the three girls walked in. A wide corridor containing two doors to their left and one straight ahead met them. The first door opened into a spacious single room with a suitcase already sitting atop its ample mattress. The door ahead of them had a single shower and sink. The last door opened up into a large dorm room with three bunks beds, five desks, and five stand alone lockers. Floor to ceiling windows revealed a small garden.
Sitting on one of the beds in an oversized t-shirt and fanning herself with a copy of the 2nd year welcome pack was Temwa. Lindani and Khadija ran to her, almost knocking her off the bed as they embraced.
“Losers.” Alinafe said.
Khadija walked past the beds and towards the lockers, pausing as she found another door leading into a small kitchenette.
‘Isn’t this the kitchen that’s attached to the housemistress office?” Khadija said.
“Yes.” Mrs. Chiume said.
The girls looked at each other.
“When did you get here, how are you unpacked already?” Lindani said.
She scanned the bed for Temwa’s usual spew of clothes and stationary and found everything pristine. Temwa pulled her close as Mrs. Chiume gave Alinafe and Khadija a tour of the garden.
“Listen we don’t have much time, the prefect in charge here is-.”
“There you are April.” Mrs. Chiume said.
A tall girl walked in, her uniform creaseless despite the heat of the day and her hair set in a neat bun atop her head. April was chubby with a kind face and eyes that took in everything around her.
“Girls this is April she’s your prefect and-.”
“The Head Girl.” Lindani said.
“It’s not polite to interrupt.” April said.
“Quite right April.” Mrs. Chiume said, “ I know you’ll have an enlightening time here girls. See you soon.”
They all watched as Mrs. Chiume left. April turned to face them, smoothing an imperceptible stray hair from her bun. Her smile a little less bright, she looked at each of them in turn.
“You caused quite a bit of trouble last year. “ April said, “We’re going to do better together this year. I have a few rules.”
