AN: I'm not sure if you realise, and I don't remember if I've mentioned it before, but this book is set in Jamaica.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAKHjiSeHGBV
***
840Please respect copyright.PENANAcaaleQ0S8q
It's Monday, the day that I am sentenced to return to the hell hole that is school.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAWosRJ57E3s
Okay, maybe I'm being a bit over dramatic. Just a tad.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAn9ZOIQmYwh
Today, I have the displeasure of being stuck in front of Mrs Griffin, a miserable old hag that is abusive as hell towards the students. She's dressed in a frilly blouse along with a jeans skirt, which could pass as normal. However, she's also wearing a large sombrero with a purple flower on the side. We are indoors. She's in charge of sixth form, and is supposed to organize things like outreach events, and college/university applications. We meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings, to discuss important matters, but instead, she's here bitching to us about her husband's younger, more attractive side chick. I can't truly hate her, because she obviously isn't well. A normal, sane, well adjusted person wouldn't do something like that. The room is hot, sixth formers sitting in rows on the ground, looking at her, some in interest, some in amusement, and others, like myself, in boredom.
840Please respect copyright.PENANA47ymekjAyM
Sometimes, she talks about her children, other times, she talks about her religious beliefs (she's a devout Christian), but she hardly ever talks about things that actually concern us. I'm honestly waiting for the day when someone gets tired of her bullshit and calls her out.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAI0y9dYF1HZ
"Sorry to interrupt you, miss, but I really don't care about your married life," a girl in the front says.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAyTmYfaDmfG
Well, I guess that day is today.
840Please respect copyright.PENANA59sSPYVBGd
She has long, kinky hair, and her arm which she is using to lean on - the part of her body that is visible to me from where I am, in the middle - is dark skinned. She looks petite.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAGQ9wSMzkdZ
"Bomboclaat," I hear a boy beside me say, before chuckling.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAjaJf5BSI0W
Mrs Griffith has a look of complete surprise on her old, leathery face, before it becomes a look of outrage. She's generally ugly, but she's hideous when she's angry.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAs92Lktozl3
"Young lady," she heaves, her chest rising and falling with each breath, "how dare you?"
840Please respect copyright.PENANAswBMOgE25C
"How dare I tell you that I'm not interested in your personal business? How dare I ask that you talk about our issues?"
840Please respect copyright.PENANA2mjT6Y4w1U
"You have detention tomorrow afternoon!" she shouts, her eyes bulging, her medium brown complexion taking on a purplish shade from her anger.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAVQpydOSPxr
The girl simply laughs.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAcmjnW2Xsnl
"And I'm sure Ms Smith will side with you when I tell her yuh been nyaming out we ears ova yuh husband matey," the girl says. A chorus of "Oooh" s, mixed with some profanities, ring out throughout the room.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAVyPhpGT1gt
Ms Smith is the principal, and I kinda wonder to myself why no one has complained about Mrs Griffith. She's a no nonsense woman, and I don't see her letting Mrs Griffith get away with this shit.
840Please respect copyright.PENANACCQEfqFrz6
Mrs Griffith's expression changes from anger to fear in a split second, before swallowing. When she finally speaks again, she sounds both fearful and hostile.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAyGCSAEiX7p
"Okay, then what do you want to talk about?"
840Please respect copyright.PENANAaSu2Ju8Mbh
"For one, I want to sign up for university, and I'd like some assistance in deciding which ones. Additionally, one of the boy's bathrooms isn't working."
840Please respect copyright.PENANAuAXuoAPsJ9
"Yes, miss, di t'ree tailit dem cyaa flush," one boy chimes in.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAyvox6LAzyH
"Me waa apply fa university tu, miss," another boy says.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAhWO3KUIKYa
More students voice their opinions, before Mrs Griffith cuts them off.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAsHJNIYUbZr
"Alright! Raise your hands, and I'll get to all of you." She looks unhappy that she is finally required to do her actual job. Before she can finish answering questions, however, the bell rings. I can actually see the relief in her eyes, now that she doesn't have to talk to us about our issues anymore.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAj55iO3Msv2
"Come to my office at lunch time if you need anything." Some of the students grumble, because we know that she's probably going to lock her office door and pretend that she isn't there, as she stuffs her oversized gut with two full plates of food. I have observed her taking two plates into her office, along with a Diet Coke (she told us she drinks it because she's watching her figure) under her arm, and later, walking back to the staff room,with two empty plates, sometimes with bones or scraps depending on what she ate. Either she eats way more than she needs to, or she has some poor soul imprisoned in her office. Honestly, I probably wouldn't be all that surprised if she did.
840Please respect copyright.PENANANCuJylo4Fp
As we exit the room, I realise that the girl who spoke up and interrupted that crazy woman is actually in my Chemistry class. We make eye contact, and when we do, sue walks over to me.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAErQSumc6Pb
"Hey, Emma. Willie told me that you agreed to work with us on our chemistry project." I'm about to ask her who that is, until I remember that the guy I spoke to about the project is named William. No clue what this girl's name is, though.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAnCSkK4gRF7
"Yeah, he said two other people," I respond.
840Please respect copyright.PENANASMemeJz2uB
"Me - I'm Rebecca - and Ethan. He's a bit awkward, but you get used to it over time."
840Please respect copyright.PENANAz4K4jl9nf0
"Okay."
840Please respect copyright.PENANAOclO2sRWoW
"Well, I guess I'll see you around, Emma," she says, smiling before turning and walking away.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAChTokKjAge
840Please respect copyright.PENANAn5kD733iYq
840Please respect copyright.PENANAzxrqYfecas
***
840Please respect copyright.PENANARa6EkQXIDz
840Please respect copyright.PENANAhSpmNE3UOA
Usually, on a Monday, I'd be used to coming home from school and seeing my brother alone. It has become a routine, and I know that it will change in a few weeks, due to him changing jobs. That's what I'm thinking about as I'm going home, on the bus. Thankfully, this time, the body odour of the people on the bus isn't as pungent as it was on Friday. It's still bad, due to the heat, and some of these people having endured hours of relatively high temperatures in their workplaces, if there was no air conditioning. There are air conditioning vents on the bus, and I assume that they are in, but the bus is so full, I can only feel heat. I fully intend to shower as soon as I get home, but as I walk into the house, I am greeted by the sight of Damien sitting on the couch, with a woman beside him. They still have smiles on their faces, from whatever they were talking about or doing, when they look up to see me standing there.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAMAllRfJnEC
"Uh he-hello," I say to them awkwardly, with an equally awkward wave.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAhvwRGnPGi6
"Hey, Emma," he says cheerfully. I haven't seen him this happy in a while. "This is Opal. She works at the deli with me."
840Please respect copyright.PENANA4IAo2cD1zF
I already like her. I like anyone that can put a genuine smile on my brother's face. It reminds me of how he used to be. Before.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAccAM7pB5Vm
"Oh, okay," I reply. Now, I'm smiling, too.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAG7yQGtlvGc
"We're dating, so you might see her around more."
840Please respect copyright.PENANASEr2rjbR6e
"Cool. I have to shower, I feel kinda gross," I tell him, before going upstairs to the bathroom.
840Please respect copyright.PENANAkoiVDTNybp
840Please respect copyright.PENANAhgIGaf8EjE
840Please respect copyright.PENANASkNFxyknwS
840Please respect copyright.PENANAkXaxxYTAHi
840Please respect copyright.PENANAfD2pKXE1xM
840Please respect copyright.PENANAOBAcgh5hgn
840Please respect copyright.PENANABGnbMtL9vq
840Please respect copyright.PENANAcRKGuSUm4s
840Please respect copyright.PENANAJjVGLrMGra
840Please respect copyright.PENANAAbozpAnJkN
840Please respect copyright.PENANAu1qC5bEUNB
840Please respect copyright.PENANAloGNqr9bKX
840Please respect copyright.PENANA5oZljewbmC
840Please respect copyright.PENANAfFWb7X2lnl
840Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6JINEKlxu
840Please respect copyright.PENANAp8HIS1q1iY
840Please respect copyright.PENANAFmIfsCjxjZ
840Please respect copyright.PENANA0HrvM2F2SZ
840Please respect copyright.PENANAVr8Xu16haw
840Please respect copyright.PENANAq2RQOmtqq8
840Please respect copyright.PENANAvlJz4chCUB
840Please respect copyright.PENANA80lgH7FShb
840Please respect copyright.PENANALEMouD69pI
840Please respect copyright.PENANAQzoaENIAw9
840Please respect copyright.PENANAxNWlsyaKbP
840Please respect copyright.PENANA6DSzGQR6TO
840Please respect copyright.PENANAj2Sa04bwmh
840Please respect copyright.PENANA8Je0PHDTuz
840Please respect copyright.PENANA0geAxhLoqe
840Please respect copyright.PENANAVZIQyy5vW9
840Please respect copyright.PENANADMpLAh96w5
840Please respect copyright.PENANA2eRZzntBS4
840Please respect copyright.PENANAoII6jg3toA
840Please respect copyright.PENANAYdN6JKvkdw
840Please respect copyright.PENANApd19xbL2yk
840Please respect copyright.PENANAwSf5LjdPib
840Please respect copyright.PENANA3DnBTDLeY3
840Please respect copyright.PENANAqoXq0hxQkj
840Please respect copyright.PENANAT7Hd5MGsrH
840Please respect copyright.PENANAaUZNoAROXX
840Please respect copyright.PENANA83nBOVx2sN
840Please respect copyright.PENANAEcoplTR42U
840Please respect copyright.PENANALGa3OljMtW
840Please respect copyright.PENANApFqXNBbMc6
840Please respect copyright.PENANAMnuBuXEZXs
840Please respect copyright.PENANAQte2qucR6m
840Please respect copyright.PENANAyWSq2yJsIn
840Please respect copyright.PENANAtJgU7vl3S9
840Please respect copyright.PENANAqILGhAhJvs
840Please respect copyright.PENANA1piRwNQiap
840Please respect copyright.PENANA4dyxMZztUa
840Please respect copyright.PENANACJUVhDnVtn
840Please respect copyright.PENANA4zdwbfXJwi
840Please respect copyright.PENANAs63cW1LlFR
840Please respect copyright.PENANATTaVL1qvVe
840Please respect copyright.PENANATqBmVluLVt
840Please respect copyright.PENANAIlatZF9rej
840Please respect copyright.PENANA7h6N8xLjXH
840Please respect copyright.PENANAm12bmxB3M8
840Please respect copyright.PENANAaXC5M6iPLo
840Please respect copyright.PENANA6Bzl8ZGMX1
840Please respect copyright.PENANAPdPmf7eaWp
840Please respect copyright.PENANA6jfZ7yyN6S
840Please respect copyright.PENANAy2A7bPVRg6
840Please respect copyright.PENANArYjJO8DIQK
840Please respect copyright.PENANA9v0tqvpXfV
840Please respect copyright.PENANAnxN5cARJUR
840Please respect copyright.PENANAWyrERulKOH
840Please respect copyright.PENANArrWecVwOJO
840Please respect copyright.PENANAxTjZuICv4c
840Please respect copyright.PENANA90XMTpwvue
840Please respect copyright.PENANAc63E6JuYQr
840Please respect copyright.PENANAIclP4CSgEn
840Please respect copyright.PENANAx8BOq6Rgiw
840Please respect copyright.PENANAHRT4woGBy7
840Please respect copyright.PENANAEae32b0tUn
840Please respect copyright.PENANAmaaBOrkWjS
840Please respect copyright.PENANASLl8SuZXow
840Please respect copyright.PENANAwxNXPe92Ad
840Please respect copyright.PENANACQMnZH4VNj
840Please respect copyright.PENANARaPaz1xrLU
840Please respect copyright.PENANAhdVE1jB7Eu
I have to admit, it's nice to see Damien having some amount of happiness, even if I'm not the one to bring it to him. When the warm water hits my skin, I feel relief, almost instantly feel cleaner, feel happier. However, the happiness is also a reflection of the joy I saw in my brother moments ago, joy that reminds me of the happy Damien I used to know.
ns216.73.216.32da2