By the time I was done showering and returning to the hostel, I was already cold. I had to apply extra lotion on my body and cover myself with my blanket after putting on my daywear. I just sat down on the bed waiting for the next activity as hot tears gathered in my eyes. I had never felt cold like this at home.
"I miss my parents." I sobbed quietly.
*****************
We had bread, fried egg and choco beverage for breakfast before leaving for service for the Christians.
After we came back, the prefects called us together and showed us around the new hostel and the school buildings.
The new hostel had three floors and each floor had twenty rooms in it with ten bathroom cubicles for each floor.
One of us asked the prefects why we were staying in the old hostel and they replied that it was due to our large number and that the scholarship scheme had increased our numbers. We all began to look forward to the day we will move over to the new hostel.
By the time we got back to the hostel, it was already noon and we took scone and fruit juice for snacks. For lunch, we had rice and beef stew, and after that, it was siesta time. I was hoping that at least one person in my corner would have resumed but I was disappointed.
We went through the same routine in the evening again but today after dinner. We went to prep for the first time.
I entered the classroom and located my seat with my number, it was in the second row by the window. I hated sitting in front of the class right from time but I had to put up with it as the arrangement was made by the school.
Our tables had inbuilt lockers and when I opened mine, I found out that our textbooks and notebooks were already neatly arranged in the lockers for us and so I began inscribing my name on the books to avoid theft.
The time wasn't moving fast and even when I was done inscribing my names on the books and reading a novel, it wasn't yet time for prep dismissal. Out of boredom, I went outside and began walking around observing the environment but I was careful not to be caught by the prefects on duty. All the buildings had the same colour and it was already looking bland to me. After loitering around, I went back to my class.
***************
On getting back to my class, I noticed that the seat beside me had already been occupied and I wondered who could be my seatmate.
"Excuse me, please can you adjust a little?" I asked the girl politely.
She adjusted her chair a bit and I passed and sat down on my chair.
"Hi, my name is Stacy Anderson. What's yours?" She asked as she extended her hand for a handshake.
"My name is Elsie Williams."
"You weren't here before. Are you just coming in?" I asked her.
"Yes, I arrived during games time. That's why I couldn't meet up with the normal schedule."
"Seems like you are a special student for arriving a day later." I teased her.
"Nooo, I am not." Stacy protested.
"I would have arrived yesterday just like others but there was an emergency and I got delayed."
"You are the one who is a special student." She stated.
"Me!" I pointed at myself.
"How? I don't even know anyone in this class."
"Aren't you on scholarship?"
I was speechless and wondered how she got to know about it.
"The entire school excluding the new intakes know the names of those on scholarship."
"Ooh!"
"How did you know about it?"
"My cousin is the senior prefect for the boys."
"Ooh!, no wonder you have insider information and even resumed late."
We both laughed heartily.
"I would have gotten the scholarship but I missed the exam score by a mark." Stacy lamented.
"Seventy-four percent. That was so close. I know it must hurt." I patted her shoulder.
"Yes, it does but I am happy I still got admitted even after blabbing at the interview."
"My cousin was in a rage when he found out." Stacy laughed recounting her experience.
"Did he spank you?" I laughed at her.
"No, he can't do that. He adores me a lot."
"Well, the senior prefect is calm and doesn't look like one who has a bad temper," I commented.
"He is very hot-tempered. His only saving grace is his handsomeness." Stacy sneered.
"He is indeed handsome," I admitted.
"Eeh, Elsie do you have a crush on him?" Stacy smiled pointing a finger at me.
"Not at all." I held her finger and brought it down while laughing.
No one would doubt that the senior prefect and Stacy were related because they are both good-looking. Stacy was dark and tall, she had dimples and a gap tooth plus a pointed nose. One thing that stood out in her appearance was her smile, she had the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. A smile that could melt hearts.
"Have you gone through this handbook?" Stacy asked me as she flipped through the pages.
"Yes, I have read it twice."
"There are so many rules here that don't make sense. The food menu is the worst, there are not many foods that I like in it. I might end up starving." Stacy complained.
"Wait until you hear the principal explaining all the rules one by one." I laughed.
"Anyways, I don't have to bother about the food. I can always get extra bread or snacks from the prefects because of my cousin."
"Lucky you..." I said to her.