Chapter Two {2}

 Just a Clash

Zittel was nervous as she walked through the gates of her new secondary school. She had always struggled to connect with others, 

 Her closest pals, Tonnia, petra, and Mariam, were huddled around their desks in the classroom during free hours, laughing and talking in whispers. The subject at hand—parents and their differences—evolved like a delicate dance.

Tonnia talked about the difficulties of having parents who hold different opinions, Mariam talked about the reassuring familiarity that came from her parents' togetherness, and Petra painted the picture of his parents being far away from one another. Each story served as a brushstroke on an image of adol

escent existence, creating an intricate combination of experiences. Zitel found relevance in their conversations, as they brought to light the intricacies she had left behind and the striking gaps in her own background

The door creaked open, as the conversation got more personal, letting in Tobe, a casual acquaintance who liked to get too close for comfort. He draped his arm across Zitel's shoulder with a kind of intimacy that knew no bounds. For Zitel, the touch—which seemed harmless to others—became a startling reminder of a traumatic history.

Abruptly, the gravity of Tobe's action sent a wave of feelings through her. The classroom turned into a battleground as students' memories and the present collided at their desks. Zitel's palm made a loud smacking sound as it made contact with Tobe's cheek.The collective gasp of the class transformed the room into a sea of wide-eyed onlookers. 

Unable to bear the judgmental gaze of her classmates, Zitel fled the scene, seeking refuge in the solitude of the corridors. Mariam, Tonnia, and Petra exchanged bewildered glances before realizing the gravity of Zitel's reaction, they hurried after her, catching up in the quiet corridor where Zitel's tears fell in solitude. The unanswered question lingered in the air: Why did a seemingly small gesture evoke such a visceral response? As Zitel composed herself, her friends gathered, ready to unravel the layers of pain that had been stirred.