Chapter 1- Trees That Lined Up

        Sara  Bareilles- Brave

This chapter is dedicated to Louisa Arthur for all the motivation.

#1

Glaring at the several trees that lined up the endless street up the hilly path to the main colossal building serving as the school's  administration block, Ciarra could not imagine anything so interesting about this school.

  She scoffed and sunk into the cashmere seats of her father's  SUV. Her Dad, being the affectionate father took her hand in his in a comforting way.

When he was being nice,he spoke English with her, but when he was trying to sound menacing, he switched to the language of her birth - French.

"It's going to be alright,  this is the best public school in the country. You just have to be smart and stick to your books and all will be fine." He says with an encouraging smile as Roland, her chauffeur takes a turn on a curb.

The administration block came into view, a massive  white and navy blue building with four flagpoles at full mast in front of it. Two on either sides of the main entrance.  The flags on the right were of the school's Crest and Ghana and that on the left side of the entrance were of the United States and the  United Kingdom.

Two traffic  control officers stopped the car with a red flag  from proceeding any further. Roland rolls down his blinds to have a word with them.

"We're sorry Sir, but vehicles carrying students are not allowed any further from this point.' He informs them politely, " You can park in the designated public parking space '

He points at a distant parking lot. Roland thanks him and makes a turn towards that place and later parks with the numerous vehicles there before stepping out to open the door to the father and daughter in the backseat of the Escalade.

The chill in the atmosphere as she stepped out didn't seem to escape her notice and it was just September.  The cool breeze from the  topmost part of the Kwahu mountains rushed swiftly through her hair blinding her slightly as she tucked the stray strands behind her ear. She pulled her sweater closer.

' Come on honey, let's go. ' He took her by the hand and led her towards the walkway, ' Roland, you bring along her stuff.'

Roland gave him a nod of the head before winking at  Ciarra when her father wasn't looking and she couldn't help but smile at his boyish attitude.

    The weird thing about high schools in this country was that,  they were like going to college.  People from different middle schools and junior highs write a nationwide  exams to get into the best high schools in the country; we're talking Ivy league  high schools. Schools that once housed the president, tutored the wealthiest people in the country, and inspired the biggest of celebrities. The Former UN secretary general was once in one of these 'Ivy league' Senior High Schools. The more of these categories of people coming out of your school, the more students would want to choose your school.

So Nelson's  was a school to die for, and they had the most limited admission list for only 1000 students per year. Most students were drawn to it not only because of its academic excellence and discipline but also for its fame in extracurricular activities which were beyond fun. They also had the best connections with local and international colleges because of its alumni. Students from  this school were therefore easily selected by colleges they  apply to.

It was basically  THE school to BE in.

Probably,  these students  were up for more than they bargained for.  No school is  that awesome without something sinister going on.

Ciarra was already in the school's  uniform  which consisted of a white short sleeved shirt, a grey vest, blue and grey burberry pleated skirt as well as white knee-highs and black Mary Janes. No wrist bands were allowed,  only watches.

She entered the serene atmosphere of the administration block and wondered if she was the only one who had arrived early. She had told her Dad to wait until later that morning to take off to school but as usual he had an urgent business meeting to attend later in the day so he had to get rid off her as early as possible.

Her mom on the other hand was on a business trip so she wasn't  around at all but she had promised to call in sometime.

A smartly dressed male student in the school's masculine version of her uniform  for seniors only ; a pair of dark grey pants with matching grey vest with the front covered in a zillion paired black diamond shapes over a white shirt and black Sebagos, walked over to them. He also had a sash on reading- School Welcome Ambassador, with the school's crest knitted boldly onto the beginning of the phrase and  its end.

He gave them a warm smile and directed them up the stairs to the second floor, the human resource department of the school, before giving them the traditional welcome greeting of the school in Latin and taking his leave back to his post.

As they proceeded down the hallway to the Data Entry clerk's office, the were greeted by a cacophony of voices. Both from parents trying to get their wards into the best houses in the school and from students who had met familiar faces there.

There were stewards around collecting all the items the school had listed in their prospectus. Cleaning materials  ranging from bags of detergents, mops, brooms, mop buckets, bleach, packs of toilet papers, gallons of liquid soap, scrubbing brushes and cutlasses.

One of the stewards there recognized Dr Asher and shot him a welcoming smile before leaving his desk to greet them. There were several kids her age all over. Some now purchasing uniforms and others already in them moving up and down the large balcony to get into their various houses. Unlike them, she need not struggle with the number of people her Dad knows. She would be in the best house in a twinkle of an eye, Manhattan to be precise, the most prestigious feminine  house.

Whiles her father and the man talked business, she looked around for any familiar face, especially her best friend's.  They had both chosen the same school and had gotten in. Her eyes fell on the guy being marched up the staircase to the third floor. He was in his basketball Jersey with the school's  team name written boldly in black cursive Tigers, worst part was that he had a black eye and a bloody nose. The two men in dress shirts tucked neatly into their pants, probably teachers, gripped him by his Jersey and forced him up the stairs. He caught her staring and winked at her before  smirking and climbing up the stairs 

She jumped slightly but her father didn't notice.

But he did notice the beat up boy  going up the stairs.

"What's that about?" He asks curiously.

" Well that's how our school deals with notorious teenage behaviour.  You face the jury and if you are found guilty of the crime you were suspected to have committed,  you go up to the Disciplinary Committee. " He explains.

"Ands what's their fate?" He asks as Roland arrives with her stuff, the rest being carried by another boy.

" Two things, Suspension or Expulsion."

" Hmmm, that's interesting,  well Mr Francis this is my youngest daughter. I want you to keep an eagle eye on her not that she's  naughty."He cautions,  "She's the first of my kids to actually leave home so early. I hope you understand. "

Mr Francis nods and leaves to one of the clerks and after a five minute conversation, he returns with a brown envelope.

Dr Asher opens it and reads its content outloud , "Ah, you're in!...the premium science class and the most reputable house for girls Manhattan!"

' Paapa, you're embarrassing me' She complained looking around at the other students whose attention  had been drawn to her.

" I'll have one of the girls help her get her things to her house. Parents are not allowed." Mr Francis informs him.

" Then I guess my job here is done." The power of money could speed up any job.

They descended the stairs back to the reception area of the administration block.

" Well sweetie, we've said all that's needed to be said in the car so I won't say much  other than staying away from boys, being focused and studying hard, and getting your priorities straight.  Got it?"

"Right Paapa." She nods.

" Bye, I love you." He swoons and hugs her.

" Love you too Paapa." She responds with a warm smile. He straightened his grey suit and picks out his wallet handing her  four hundred cedis cash and a credit card.

" I'll come visit, call me if anything." He tells her and pauses briefly,"Aaaaaw, I don't want to leave you!"

He hugged her again and his phone dinged twice, he picked it out and checked it.

" Gosh, I'm so going to be late I've only got a forty minute head start to get to Accra...well then I'll hear from you right?"

' Right, bye.' She waves.

" Bye, Roland let's  go." He calls and Roland nods curtly and whispers to Ciarra whiles her father took a phone call,

" See you soon Princess." He gives her a mock salute before putting on his driving cap

"Bye" She mouthed to him and he smiles before  joining her father down the walkway to the parking lot.

Ciarra now stood nervously  next to her suitcase, jute bags and grocery box. She hiked her backpack  properly over her shoulder.

"Ciarra!" She heard her name from the foot of the stairs.

Ciarra waved at the girl calling her.

" Oh so you are Ciarra," She responds, " I am Ruth from Manhattan, Mr Francis asked me to help you with your stuff, another girl is coming over to help."

"Nice to meet you Ruth, are you also new here?" Ciarra asks cause it was hard to notice the age of African teenagers, they could be all grown up and yet small and  cute.  It seemed every girl had a prescribed haircut apart from the foreign students who were allowed to keep their hair.

" No, and in this school, you refer to all your female seniors as Sister, so you can't call me Ruth anywhere. Maybe I'll  be okay with it but not the teachers and house mistresses. They'll lash out at you." She explains as the other girl joins them.

" Sorry...Sister Ruth."She apologises, the word sounded so strange on her tongue, " But why are you helping me with my stuff if you are a senior, aren't seniors supposed to have more authority than we do?" Ciarra quizzed.

" Well, we've got a  questioner here with us."  The other gir joins them and says, "So you're  Ciarra right?...I hear your father is Dr Asher, all time famous neurologist and  representative of WHO in this country."

" Enough with the chatter girls and let's start moving." Ruth says and the girl helps her carry the grocery box on her head. The girl picked the jute bag and also carried it on her head whiles Ciarra rolled her suitcase behind her as they led the way.

" Well to your question earlier, yes we do have authority over you girls and bet me you'll start regretting asking that question after this week ends." Ruth tries to explain.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ciarra wonders as they went down the opposite direction of the walkway leading to the parking lot.

" It means this is grace period honey, so seniors are taught humility in servitude by doing everything for the freshers on their first week, Grace Period, they call it. " The girl explains.

" Oh, I get it now. So which grade are you in?" Ciarra asks the girl.

" Chelsea, Junior year, nice meeting you." She introduces and Ruth takes a turn down a street and unto a sidewalk that led to a main street with several buildings on either side of it painted in the same colours- lavender and white.

"This side is mostly for staff bungalows,  we call it The Lodge." Chelsea points out.

Soon they come up to a big and paved grounds with a bunch of guys in uniform and a bluetooth speaker playing Sara Bareilles Brave. They were performing a choreography  to it and they were so good. Ciarra stared on.

" That's the  Dance Club, they have a showcase in a couple of weeks themed Voice For The Muted...you know, charity for people who have experienced child abuse." Sister Ruth explains and waves at some friends. Who stop dancing midway and wave at her.

" I love that song." Ciarra comments when they resumed walking.

" Why, did you get bullied when you were younger, cause you don't look like you did."

" Looks can be deceptive, mine was more of a silent bullying. People didn't want to talk to me or be close to me and they gave me many names. "

" Were you fat?, cause I was  and that was the reason... they called me Water Balloon." Chelsea recalls in a solemn tone.

" No, but since were going to be housemates, you're gonna find out anyway. I have ...some pretty cold chilly

silver eyes." She reveals  and they all pause and look her dead in the eye.

" Come on I use black contacts just to blend in, so nobody knows and calls me names now." She explains and they resume walking.

A loud shrilling cry brings them to a halt as every one of her senses becomes alert.

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