STAMPEDE

CHAPTER 1

My large eyes stared back at me, and my thick brows curved a little bit like a triangle. I frowned at my reflection, I reached and massaged between my eyebrows using my index finger to relax my forehead. My pouted dark lips were set in a grim line, I examined my school uniform, not only was it rumbled, but it wasn't in the best state today. God, I hated wearing this uniform. The pinafore was what I hated the most, thus, I couldn't wait to be done with High school just so I could stop the constant routine. My dark thick curly hair was neatly packed. I padded down the stairs from my room. As I approached the archway that leads to the dining room, I overheard my Mother speaking on the phone, she looked upset and was speed-talking again. She does that when she's upset or anxious about something. I stopped and listened, more like eavesdropping. She had no idea I was standing there.

"Lizzy..No. no..this has nothing to do with what happened years ago.." Aunt Elizabeth? she still exists? I scoffed. I thought she was carried alive into the skies or something.

Aunt Elizabeth is our paternal Aunt who stayed with us when we were kids. she left after my Paa passed on, and neither returned nor called anyone, didn't give or leave anything behind that could serve as a lead to find her. Not until four years ago. Although she didn't contact anyone, my Maa reached out to her.

And once in a while, they would be whispering suspicious things on the phone, I have no clue what. Today Wouldn't be the first.

"Lizzy stop.. that is none of your business. I'll handle it" I cleared my throat, to announce my presence. My Ma turned toward me and stopped pacing. She blinked rapidly as if reality had just hit her.

"Lizzy I'll call you back. I need to get thegirls to school. hmm."

She smiled at me and I managed to return it.

"Good Morning Maa, did you sleep well? my voice laced with concern. She nodded rapidly with a small smile. However, I could see the evident worry lines marred on her forehead, and her large eyes - which were a replica of mine, were robed with dark circles. Wait. Is she upset because I woke up late and didn't help with breakfast?

"Maa.." I called nervously. she sighed. And massaged between her eyebrows.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Donna," I let out a sigh of relief. She knows me so well.

She padded towards the Kitchen, where Emily was already setting the table. I followed right behind her. As I approached the kitchen, I was greeted by a strong sweet smell of thick milked custard and fried eggs. Oh! And toast too. I gasped when I saw the amount of food Cooked. Although we knew how she tends to go overboard with cooking, we are taken aback every time the food is served. However, the food is always delicious, thus we force it down our throats even when we're satisfied, just so she would be happy that her efforts were appreciated. Notwithstanding, I think I'll have to make an exception today.

I sat down on the brown wooden hair.

" Why didn't you wake me?" I whispered to Emily. She shrugged

"Never mind that, you can do the eating today to make up for it," Millie quipped. I glared at her.

"Let's eat and be on our way," Maa said.

She was already dressed in a purple short gown that was just passed her knee. As she works in the bank, she's constantly dressed in cooperating attire. We ate in silence on the colored tablecloth that contrasted our caramel skins. Maa made sure our home looked like a rainbow. From the peach-colored curtains to the cream-colored couches were bubbly colors. Two Lavender colored bean bags are scattered on the living room floor. The drawers in the kitchen were black and red. Every color in our house made me nauseous, but She insisted the colors brighten her mood.

"Donna, what did I tell you about keeping your backpack on the dining table?" Her voice drew me out of my thoughts. I sighed. She glared at me.

"Fine." I raised my hands in surrender, grabbed the bag, and dropped it on the floor with a thud. She sighed.

"If you don't learn now when will you? A simple correction brings out so many reactions in you Ladonna." Millie glanced at us from the corner of her, as she gulped now her food.

"Emily hurry and put the plates away," she said as she rose and made for the stairs "Help your sister Ladonna!" she called. I sighed. Millie raised her brow "What?" I said with a roll of my eyes.

"You aren't expecting me to clear everything all by myself were you?" She analyzed me with her tiny eyes.

"Why not? you're a big girl aren't you?" I said with a shrug. She shook her head and started clearing the table and putting the plates in the sink.

After that, everyone went about packing the necessity they'll need for the day. Then we headed out. The chilly June air hits my face as we came out of the house. I breathe in the fresh air, The weather was starting to change, and soon it'll be cold like nobody's business. As we entered the car, my eyes searched for Gina, as her house was just across the street, a minute's walk from mine. Gina was my best friend ever since we moved back here, we would often drive to school together. Her house was a replica of mine, except for the brown short gate. The whole neighborhood was the same one - story houses built with red bricks, and a picket fence, about four feet tall, a porch, and green flowers scattered in the front lawns. We moved to Bridge Valley when I was nine, turns out my parents had built a house, and my Mother's workplace transferred her. It came at a good time, and my Mother decided it would be good for a change of environment. So we moved back here to start afresh. Bridge Valley was a small and bubbly town filled with good people - well not all were nice though. Some were pretty nasty too. They had a way of doing things that is unique and natural, But I didn't like how they wanted to know every single detail about you right off the bat, it felt invasive, but as time passes I must admit, they're quietly bearable and likable. In the end, Africans can be nice if they wanted to be.

Since we got out early, people weren't outside yet. I let out a sigh of relief, thankful that not many people were out of their homes, My Mother would have greeted anybody she spots, even from a distance. It took our time every time.

She turned the ignition as were all seated.

"Good morning duchess," she touched the steering wheel. That was what assured us she was talking to her fuchsia pink beetle. She would always announce with a happy glint shining in her eyes how she bought it with her first hard-earned money. Oh, how the endless stories never end when she's talking about the duchess and how hard she worked when she was a young adult. We'd just nod and answer with a 'yes or 'no.

She drove out of our driveway onto the street and out the boulevard. I glanced at Millie. She was looking out the window as the trees run by in a fast-paced succession, one beautiful landscape of Bridge Valley is the trees, it is celebrated for its well-planted trees along the waysides. She sat there without saying a word. Her hair was in the same fashion as mine, and her pinafore and white short sleeve shirt fitted her form perfectly. Unlike me, Emily was tall for a fifteen-year-old, I guess she got that from our father. My mother would always comment on how much Emily behaved like our Father. How he would get lost in his world, completely lost in his thoughts. How she spoke so little in every situation. My Mother would always suggest I relate well with her - which I find impossible to do.

"You girls ready for that salsa dance exercise?" My Maa asked with a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

I groaned, and Millie snickered at my reaction. My Mother always feels the need to relate with everyone in our town, I think she's still in the communication phase, so she makes us go to the town gym, every first week of the month they go either on Fridays or Saturdays for salsa dance exercise. And every single time I hated it. It was a room filled with sweaty bodies and overly friendly neighbors, I didn't want to go there and pretend I liked everyone.

"I hate it Maa, please don't make me go" I pleaded sweetly, hopeful she'd fall for my fake innocence display.

"Come on Ladonna it's not that bad."

"Then how come I hate it," I huffed.

"You hate everything that doesn't work with your schedule," she deadpanned.

"I agree" Millie chipped in. I sighed.

"Come on, it's not like we take more than an hour there," she tries to pacify me "It's a skill you'll enjoy if you put your heart to it," I shook my head in denial at her words.

" A chore if you ask me," I grumbled."Let's go Friday so we could do something on Saturday," Millie suggested. I shook my head in disagreement "I can't do Friday" "How about Saturday then?" Maa chipped in. "How about never?" I grumbled."Saturday it is!" My Maa exclaimed, completely ignoring my sore mood. I groaned in frustration. We arrived at the school gates. Bridge Valley secondary school. The black huge gate was wide open and students were already gathered in front of the gate awaiting when they'll enter.

"Alright girls, here's the deal.

This term I don't want any more trouble from you two. I do not need to remind you how the first term panned out"

She turned towards us at the back of the car.

"Remember what happened first term right?"

The hair of my body stood on the ends. Oh, I remembered clearly what happened last term. I fought with - and broke Alice's phone at a party my Mother knew nothing about. I lied that I was in a study group, so she allowed me to go as my performance in school was not good. But, Alice somehow found out and reported it to my Mother. She hates it when I lie to her. So when she found out I was at a party she strongly disapproved of, it was the last straw. Alice tried to snap me with her phone for evidence, I tried to grab it from her, but it fell and the screen cracked. In the end, my Mother came - with Joe in tow. He was supposed to be at the basketball tryouts. She dragged me out of the room to her car. To sum it all up, the holiday was ruined. I was severely punished. I stayed indoors with nowhere to go, but Mama Gabby's and my house for the whole holiday. I'm still experiencing the aftermath of it to date. I could tell that the grimace on Millie's face is evidence that she was taking a major trip down the memory line.

Things got serious when our Maa is putting up the "don't mess with me" face.

She's strict but not the suffocating kind of strict. A perfectionist through and through. she always wants everything to be perfect, she seeks transparency and authenticity regarding decisions we make, and she made sure decisions we state the reasons for the 'way' of the decision without leaving out any detail.

Nonetheless, we have so much respect for how she's trained us. Truth be told, I wouldn't be the best version of myself without the iron hand she would often have to use on us for us to be better.

However, the process isn't always pleasant.

"Why do we have to think that far."

She continued

"How about the second term, when you fought with Alice and broke her phone.."

I gasped at the mention of the incident as if I haven't just thought of it.

But she wasn't done yet

"Or when Joe got injured and had to sit out the basketball tryouts because you were in a place you weren't supposed to be.."

"Maa! You said that incident was forgiven and forgotten," Emily snickered and I threw her a hard glare which immediately shut her up.

"I know what I said." she snapped.

"But I never said I won't make references to it when it comes to some decisions you will make, especially when it comes to that temper of yours."

I bowed my head. She sighed and massaged her temples.

"All am saying is to think about your younger sister when you are making some decisions in school."

She then turned to Millie

"You're not exempted young lady, both of you behave yourselves. I've had it with Miss Udi last year and I don't want a repeat. Understood?" She said sternly.

"Yes Maa," we responded simultaneously.

"Alright, out of my car, please. I'm already running late," she teased.

"Bye," we waved.

We got out of the car and stood in front of the school gate.

We watched as Students stampeded hurriedly in through the school gate. Girls in brown pinafores and boys in brown trousers and white short sleeves shirts.

I hated the beginning of the term, because of the never-ending chaos. Our school was overpopulated hence Mondays are hectic.

To the extent some students call in sick before the day ends just so they could avoid the day's activities. I don't mind when students aren't in school much, it gives some of us the freedom to walk freely without pushing through the hallways. And there's also less noise making In the class.

Every teenager in Bridge Valley goes to Bridge Valley high school, hence the rush hour never got better.

Now we stood far from the gates and debated how to go in without being crushed in the process, at the end, we decided to keep our limps.

A wise decision on our part if you asked me. I could risk repeating a class for being late three times a week for the same subject from my class teacher than go through a live stampede. Stampede, I shivered at the thought. No. No, I'd rather get the lashes of the cane than taint my perfectly perfect scores.

"Ladonna!"

I heard my name faintly. It was my Mother. I frowned. She was still here?

I jogged toward the car, bent, and peered into the car.

"Yes, Maa ?"

"I'll come to pick you up by three."

"I know. You always say that" I nodded rapidly. She glared at me. She hates it whenever I would act like a know-it-.

"Let me finish," she gritted out.

"Sorry Maa," I murmured apologetically.

"We're going to Mama Gabby's It's a special day for her,"

she said with a small smile that lit up her coffee skin.

" let's show our support," I frowned

"for what If you don't mind me asking?"

She raised a brow

" I mind That's why I said it was special, Thus a surprise. So just get ready. Don't be late Ladonna am warning you," she started the car and I nodded.

"I won't," I stated.

She sighed "Now I'm worried."

"You have absolutely nothing to worry about," I said with a sigh.

"Take care sweet girl," she mumbled and drove off.

I watched until she was out of sight. I turned to Emily, who by the way is fighting through the stampede which was miraculously reducing by the minute.

I started walking toward her when a hand grabbed mine. I would know this firm but playful grip anywhere. Gina.

Gina forced her friendship on me from the first day we met.

"It was friendship at first sight," She would say.

Gina is sweet but a feisty girl who wished for a father all her life. She loved the idea of having someone who cared for her other than her Mother. . At first I thought she was just a loud girl who liked nothing but fun. However, She's nothing but a sweet girl who knows the right things she wants and goes for them. I decided she wasn't that bad.

I remembered when we first moved to Bridge Valley I was an empty shell struggling with puberty and everything that comes with growing up. I missed my old friends. I didn't want new friends, I wanted a quiet life with nothing special that could be taken away. But in the long run, I realized Gina was normal I needed her.

"What would you do if your momma had a boyfriend?" I sighed.

Here we go again. I called this kind of question 'the Gina trick Qs". Any questions she asks, I am to be in support no matter what. If not, I'll get the other end of the stick. So I debated in my mind how to respond.

"Should she?" I glanced at her through the corner of my eye as we stood by the gate. Thankfully almost everyone was inside now, only a few of us were outside.

"Wait. Isn't it a bit awkward to call him boyfriend?" I reasoned.

She shook her head in denial. Her short kinky hair that was pushed back with a colorful headband shook with it. "No, it fits perfectly. Now, this is a question of where your loyalty lies my friend," She gritted out. I nodded slowly. I knew where this was going. Gina gets intense when she desperately wants things to work in her favor. "okay..."

"Answer the question, Donna!" She snapped. I didn't know what to say so as not to deem the glint in her chinky eyes, I was in a bind. However, if there's one thing I know about Gina is. She loves having a father figure in her life. She would go on and on about what Joe's father did and whatnot. It was always an endless discussion. So the right answer here is "Umm.." I sucked my teeth.

"I think it would be nice." I shrugged.

Gina's mother secretly wished she would meet a nice man that would take care of her and her daughter. She was also a romantic at heart you see.

She squealed and hugged me. I tried to push her away but to no avail. So I stood still, a small smile pulling my lips apart.

"I knew you would understand!"

"Am glad I did," I said with a sigh of relief.

She unhanded me and raised a brow "what is that supposed to mean?"

"Uhh..." Wouldn't want her to catch in on my sarcastic response so I said

" Oh look! everywhere is clear Let's go in." I dragged her inside the school premises, while she dragged her feet behind.

We hurried through the hallway that leads to our class at the end of the corridor. We wouldn't want to be late for Miss Udi's class. She's a menace.

Some Students were still standing by their respective colorful lockers. Bringing out books, some books were rather falling out of the locker carelessly. It wasn't a pretty sight. Thank goodness I already have what I needed in my bag pack so does Gina, so we hurried past the hallway chaos to the first class.

The door was thankfully wide open. We peeped in, and Mrs. Udi's back was turned to the class as she was writing on the whiteboard. Everyone looked like they'd rather be anywhere else but here. Some were throwing paper planes, while some were on their phones. Everywhere was chaos unknown to the teacher.

"let's take our chance," I suggested.

"I don't think it will be a very good idea when we're caught," Gina reasoned in a shaky voice

"You know how I hate getting involved with this woman!" She whisper yelled.

I shrugged "Let's do it any way we've wasted time as it is. We'll never know if we don't try," I urged. She nods in agreement. So we took our chance and tiptoed towards our seats. Every one observed our every move as if they too wished we could safely get to our seats without Miss Udi noticing. In this case scenario, we'd all face the consequences.

When we thought we'd finally made it for our seats she spoke. But of course, she had always had an ear of an elephant, nothing gets past her.

"Stop right there Vanni!" Everyone groaned as if they weren't expecting us to get caught. We slowly turned toward her direction. She was still writing on the board.

"Yes ma'am" I respond with a false display of innocence. Gina froze beside me, she hated it when situations like this are created.

"Third time this week, explain yourself," she said curtly.

Ugh, I hated that sentence. All I wanted was a normal perfect Monday for once in my lifetime. Are my expectations far too high?