THE SEWING ROOM

Life is a big scam! You're born and you are expected to follow the wishes of your parents until you have kids of your own and when you have those kids you are expected to be a good role model for your children and sacrifice for them; when do you look at yourself? I don't think I want kids at this point in time. Why bring an expectation bound being into the world and make it go through the hell I'm going through? I'm not do selfish. Where are the perfect movie parents and the happily ever afters from cartoons?

Last night my brother and I were playing chess when mom came running into the room with an envelope in one hand and some papers in the other.

"You got in!" she said excitedly while trying to catch her breath,"You guys will be going to the.....drum roll please....dadadadadaa ..... Ancestors Academy!"

Neither my brother nor I said anything as we watched her hopping about the room with muddied gumboots that she hadn't bothered to take off. A few seconds later dad came in in a similar disoriented state to join mom as she displayed the papers in front of us and danced like a circus animal; no offence, the lady can't dance.

"Aren't you guys excited! I know I am! Yes!" Mom exclaimed.

"Man and woman." I said to get their attention and they looked at me still smiling,"What are you talking about?"

"You got into the best secondary boarding school, that's what! The highly esteemed....elite... Ancestors Academy!" Dad answered in an exaggerated deep tone.

"Ancestors Academy? Never heard of it." my brother said and shrugged,"Let's play Olive."

"That's because we are too poor to even hear about it. People in this area can't possibly know about it." mom praised the school even further.

I rolled my eyes at her reasoning. Can a celebrity like Rihanna be too famous that shes not known? My eyes locked with Oliver and he wiggled his brows to signify that what mom was saying was silly and we giggled. Mom frowned and come to take a seat next to me on the carpet and dad went to sit with Oliver.

"You know you made mommy and daddy proud don't you?" mom asked us and we nodded,"A great opportunity has presented itself in front of you bright kids and you can't just let it slip by."

"I think our future is slipping by going to attend an unknown school." Oliver said frowning.

Mom glared at him with pursed lips and he shrugged like he hadn't said anything. What followed was a long lecture about how parents and children had responsibilities to take and duty to tend to, how they depend on each other's choices, how we have to be grateful for the little things, how she and dad had suffered to get us places at the school and her most effective weapon, how she carried us for eleven months in her womb and the pain of child birth.

All I could do is sigh throughout the talk while staring at Oliver's distant expression like he was on Mars and not in this room.

"So what are we expected to do?" Oliver asked making me wonder if he had been listening the whole time.

"They only have thirty school rules and you are warm and dry." mom answered like it was that easy.

"Thirty rules?!" Oliver and I exclaimed to have mom and dad nod their heads.

"Here are the rules." mom handed us two papers with our names on them,"You can study them while we pack for you guys. You'll be leaving tomorrow as the acceptance letters came in late and orientation is tomorrow."

We watched mom and dad leave while mumbling about the muddied floor and carpet. I looked down at the paper in my hand and frowned at it. The paper felt different from the normal paper people usually have. Somehow it felt like stiffened fabric and the ink felt rough when I run my fingers over the writings. It looked hand written and I have to admit it was a beautiful handwriting. I started reading it slowly while trying to absorb the information on the single paper

'Every student of the academy is expected to follow, abide and preach the following rules:

1. No littering.

2. Noise making is forbidden.

3. Yelling at a fellow student is prohibited.

4. No loitering after prep.

5. All students must attend prep.

6. Be in dormitory by eight in the evening.

7. Be in class by seven in the morning.

8. Respect teachers.

9. No girls with short dresses.

10. No tight fitting clothing.

11. No cell phones on school premises.

12. Only flat and plain black shoes can be worn.

13. No jewelry.

14. No makeup including lipsticks.

15. No colouring of nails.

16. Once a term ends you don't go back home but remain for holiday tuition free of charge.

17. You can only go back home Christmas festivities but are required to return after two weeks of leave.

18. No graffiti art on school premises.

19. Don't fail or miss a test as this attracts punishment.

20. Don't go to the opposite sex's dormitory without a pass from the head boy or head girl.'

Olive stopped reading after hearing Oliver laugh for some reason. She looked at him and noticed his three dimples becoming deeper the longer he smiled.