Chapter 1 Bitter sweet

It all started with the sounds of basins being pulled out, metal boxes being banged and whispers of people here and there.

"Shasmi, get up! We just have 5 minutes before the matron comes" says a girl waking up her friend who was yet to wake up.

Yes, it was a boarding school, a girl's boarding school.

Shasmina was having a wonderful sleep and did not want to get up until her bestfriend Tiana woke her up.

"Is it already 4:30am?" Asked Shasmina or Shasmi as everyone called her, in a sleepy tone as she slowly pulled out her blankets.

Before Tiana could answer her, the voice of the matron could be heard moving closer towards their dormitory.

"Hehehe! You girls are joking with me! It's already 5am and you are still in the dormitory? Let me find you still in there! Let me find you! You are going to slash the whole school and make it clean!" Said the voice of the matron who was moving really quick along with a huge stick in her left hand.

Panic was written all over Shasmi's face.

Her bestfriend, Homemate, Dormmate, cubemate, bedmate and also deskmate Tiana, was already dressed up ready for class.

She quickly rushed out of the dorm as Shasmi took a small paper bag, packed up her uniform, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, shoe polish, shoe brush and locked up her metal box.

It was an offense to jump through the window but at that moment, she wasn't ready to get caught by the matron so she quickly jumped out of the window in her night gown.

The bell sounded to alert them that it was time for the morning prayers commonly known as the morning glory that was handled in the school dining hall since it was huge.

Shasmi rushed towards the back of the Dining Hall(DH) where most of the students had filled in and began to dress up.

She had not showered but she had to dress up since the school principal should not find her in her night gown.

The school principal always attended the morning glory since she was a prayerful woman and she was the one who kept conducting the prayer session.

She always made sure that everyone attended the morning glory for 30 minutes before heading to class for the morning prep which would run as from 5:30 to 6:30am.

Only the Muslim students were exempted from the morning glory as they would be at the school's mosque having their prayers too.

Shasmi was almost done dressing up when she realised that she dint carry her school shoes.

She knew she would be dead if the school principal would find her like that.

The worst of all was that it was on a Monday!

"This is going to be a long day for sure!" Said Shasmi to herself heartily.

The praise and worship had started and the students were singing but Shasmi was not at peace.

She looked at the corner and saw Tiana who was dozing off already even before the prayer session began.

Before she could call to her, The principal caught her.

"My daughter, you are sleeping during morning glory?" Asked the principal to Tiana who got woken up from her sleep.

She could not even answer.

"You are joking with God young lady and I will never allow that in my school. See me after morning glory" said the principal to Tiana who knew she was up for a punishment.

Other students who were dozing off quickly woke each other up after they heard her speaking to Tiana.

Shasmi had to pretend that she was enjoying the praise and worship not wanting the principal to notice that she had only socks on without school shoes.

She wore the socks with her blue slippers which couldn't escape the principal's eyes.

As she approached, Shasmi closed her eyes pretending to be deep in prayers but the principal tapped her.

She pretended to not have heard the tap and keeps praying but she was tapped again, this time harder.

She had to open her eyes.

"My daughter, I love it that you are serving God diligently but this is not the right school uniform. You also see me after this" said the principal and went towards another girl.

"Why? Why today?" asked Shasmi to herself again heartily.

She turned to Tiana who also turned to her and they frowned at the same time before chuckling slowly.

The principal moved foward to preach and Tiana slowly moved to where Shasmi was.

"Deskie,Punishment on Monday. This week is going to be bad" whispered Tiana

"Ah Deskie, I'm sure this week is going to be so long, especially today. I left my shoes in the cube, not showered, I've not even spread the bed yet. Worst of all, I'm not a dorm worker and the principal caught me in these slippers" whispered Shasmi back.

"You know the principal just canes our legs and let's us go. She won't ask us to slash" whispered Tiana giving herself hope of not slashing.

The principal was done preaching and the students shouted a huge Amen including the two bestfriends who had not heard anything all through.

They all prayed and the two bestfriends along with other several girls followed the principal.

"Tell me your names and which classes you all are from" said the principal to the girls.

Some were found sleeping, some with half school uniform, some with shabby hair.

The girls started mentioning, some in form one, some in form two and some in form three and four.

Only the two bestfriends were from form three central.

"Form three central! The most notorious class in the whole school! You girls will have to see me later in the day" said the principal angrily

"Ah madam no. Just cane us, we won't repeat it again" said Tiana

"Yes madam just cane us we won't repeat it again" seconded Shasmi

"You girls are lucky that I'm in a good mood today. You know what, see me later at the assembly ground in your full uniforms with apology letters. You hear me?" Asked the principal and the girls quickly nodded leaving for their classes.

"Thank you madam" they all said and rushed to their classes.

"Deskie we are saved for the day" said Tiana as soon as they sat on their chairs in class.

The other classmates had already settled down as some were already dozing with their books on the lockers.

"Speak for yourself. I still have to get my shoes from the dormitory without the dorm prefect seeing me else I'm in for it with the matron" said Shasmi and Tiana laughed at her.

"You should be helping me to think how I will sort this out else..." said Shasmi

"Else what?" Asked Tiana confidently.

"I won't help you out with yesterday's maths assignment. You know Mr Wafula's attitude" said Shasmi and Tiana panicked.

"Okay I'll help you out" said Tiana so quickly wanting to finish the maths assignment.