I got into the class and carried on as if nothing happened.
"Why are you late?" Stacy asked me as I sat down.
"Ooh!, I went to the clinic for a little injury I sustained."
"I hope you are better now."
"Yeah, I am. It's just a slight sprain."
Stacy nodded in response and continued reading her book.
I don't know what happened to me that night but unlike my usual self, I didn't think much about what Evelyn's bunkmate said to me.
*******************
"Elsie, wake up!" Evelyn's bunkmate said as she tapped me.
"Huuh! What is it?" I yawned as I stretched myself.
"Get up! Time for you to go and shower."
"Huh, what's the time now?" I asked. I lifted my pillow and brought out my wristwatch.
I found out that it was just 4 am and we still had like one hour to our rising time.
"Nancy, it's so early....." I murmured.
"I know but I want you to go now. Have you forgotten that you sprained your ankle? You won't be able to do it during the morning rush."
"Get up!" Nancy pulled off my blanket and helped me to get down from my bed.
We were almost at the door when I remembered that I didn't wake the girls up.
"Haah!" I ran back inside as soon as I remembered.
"What did you forget?" Nancy murmured.
"I want to go and wake them up," I replied in a hushed tone.
Nancy dragged me to the door and quietly opened it.
"Waking them up will alert other people and what I have been avoiding will happen." She whispered to me as soon as we came out of the hostel.
"We will wake them up when we return."
I finally listened to Nancy and followed her downstairs. I was surprised to see a lot of students awake by that time. A good number of them were senior students.
By the time we got back, the pain acted up again and I had to take pain meds before applying the ointment and fell asleep right after that.
The voice of our hostel captain announcing that she would be locking the hostel in the next ten minutes woke me up.
I got down from my bed and found out that the girls were still sleeping. I went round and woke them up before I left with Nancy.
Throughout the day during classes, I had this uneasy feeling. Stacy was unusually quiet and barely talked to me even during break time. I even asked her what was wrong with her but she said she was okay.
Nancy dragged me to the clinic again after school because of the severe pain I had in the morning and we spent so much time there. I even had lunch in the clinic.
The girls were all conversing when Nancy and I walked into the corner. I had walked in without support because Nancy insisted that I begin to train my legs to walk properly.
Immediately the girls saw me, Jessica cleared her throat and they all stopped talking. Stacy walked past me and went to her corner without saying a word to me.
I felt strange with the way they all looked at me while Nancy was unperturbed, she chuckled, got on her bed and slept off.
Things became worse as none of them woke me up for the prep and I was locked inside the hostel. I didn't get punished because Nancy had earlier gotten a permit for me for reasons best known to her.
******************
"What's wrong with you guys? Why have you guys been acting weird lately?" I asked with annoyance in my voice.
I stood with my arms crossed as I watched them dress up for games. I decided to block their way as I had had enough of their actions and needed an explanation.
"Elsie, please move out of the way." Jessica blurted out as she tried to shove me aside.
I stood my ground and asked the question again but I didn't get any response from them.
While all this was going on Nancy woke up from her nap and quietly left without uttering a word.
"What are you guys still waiting for?" Stacy asked as she walked up to Jessica and me.
"I won't let you go anyway till you give me an explanation." I insisted.
"Fine, you want an explanation. I'll give you an explanation. " Jessica said as she fixed her eyes on me.
"Elsie, you are selfish. You didn't even bother about us in the morning and we ended up serving punishment because we were late."
The rest nodded in unison to what Jessica had said.
"It seems like you are now friends with Nancy. I am sure she is the one influencing you." Stacy added.
I zoned out immediately when I heard their comments.
"What!"
"How could they say such a thing like that? They didn't even bother to find out the truth from me?
Well, I was to blame in a way for not telling them the truth, but that does not change anything"
I snapped back and saw the girls still arguing over it and saying that I was inconsiderate, and Nancy was a snub.
"Did you guys even know that I sprained my ankle yesterday?"
My question drew their attention back to me.
"Is it that serious?" Stacy asked as she looked at my ankle.
"Yes, it is," I replied without looking at her.
Stacy sighed, "I am so sorry. I didn't know your injury was serious. I am sorry for my harsh words." Stacy apologised as she rubbed my back.
The anger in my heart disappeared and my heart felt light again. Jessica and Evelyn also apologised to me and I narrated all that happened to them and how Nancy had been of great help to me.