CHAPTER 5: HOSPITALISED 2

"Come in" We pushed the door slowly and entered the office.

The headteacher faced us and pointed to the chairs for us to sit on.

We sat down silently. "How can I help you ?" As always he was looking at us with a cold and intimidating facial expression but my aunt was not the kind to be intimidated, she faced him directly and then started narrating why we went there.

After she was done explaining, the headteacher sighed heavily and looked at me but suddenly my aunt said, “Can you imagine what that teacher did, in fact after explaining to her mother who happens to be my sister, she got so worried that she passed out because she is suffering from heart disease. Is that fair? Tell me, is this a school or a prison?" She sighed exparated.

"What kind of a teacher is she that she harbours hatred towards  innocent pupils instead of loving and caring for their well being?" She stated again then, looked at the teacher as if she was trying to read her expression. When she didn't find any, she continued, "She should be like a mother to them. Instead of always scaring my niece with no good reasons just because she is older than her classmates. It doesn't mean that she should be bullied as one feels like. We agree that we brought her late to a school at a late age but you can't blame us for that because we did not choose to beliving in the conditions we are in now. After all, she is very disciplined, I don't find the reason as to why she should be finding a way to bully her anyhowly."

My aunt was angry and as she talked tears filled up in my eyes making me cry too.

"She did not offend anyone to deserve what that teacher did to her and as we are speaking, her mother has been hospitalised for three days" My aunt talked courageously and I was impressed by her.

She talked with so much bitterness that I could feel the way she was hurt. I was happy that apart from my parents I had my aunt who could stand up for me.

The headteacher kept quiet for some time then said “What position were you in the last exams in the class grading system?"

“I was position one sir" I beamed happily. I always felt proud of myself when a person asked me about my class position because I passed well despite the challenges that I was facing.

“Wow! I am happy to hear that" The headteacher said standing up heavily, struggling to get his large body frame to fit between the desk and the chair.

“Let's go and give madam Nelly a visit" He retorted with an evil eye.

I immediately understood what he meant.

I felt cold sweat forming on my forehead.

I was scared that there would be a quarrel because of me and maybe madam Nelly would hate me for the rest of her life, as she would think that I was trying to ruin her relationship and reputation with the head of the school.

She would even lose her job.

I was shaking while my heart was beating like a trumpet as we got out of the headteacher's office.

My aunt held my hand  and retorted, “Don’t get scared she deserves this after a whole year of tormenting you so please don't be too soft-hearted, people will take advantage of that, okay?" I nodded at her words then we walked away following the headteacher.

When we got there, we were invited by many pupils and the nursery teachers who were still calling the names of the pupils who were to go to another class.

“Blessing Richard?"

"..."  I trembled on hearing that.

I was very confused.

'Did I hear that right or are my ears playing tricks on me?' I thought inwardly as sweat rolled down my forehead like water.

“Blessing Richard" I heard madam Grace calling my name again while looking in all directions to confirm if I was available.

“Is that not your name?" Mr Andrew shouted angrily. I came out of my wonderland only to see all the people inside the class looking at me, even the pupils.

I was very ashamed of myself for just listening to the teachers' arguments and got confused that they were talking about me.

I prayed that the ground would open up and swallow me whole so that I could disappear from all of this. 

My aunt was also shocked but then after looking at my situation, she could not let all the people in that class accuse me. Instead we just heard a sudden sound as if someone had been smacked, from the back of the class.

All the eyes that were glaring at me turned at a bullet pace and faced the direction that the sound came from.

I felt so flabbergasted that my legs couldn't carry my weight anymore.

If it was not for my aunt Becky, I would have passed out there and then.

I couldn't believe what I saw in front of me.

'When did she come in? She shouldn't be here. Wait, am I hallucinating or daydreaming?' I thought while gazing at her.

I couldn't believe it.

"Sandra?" We all turned to where the voice was.

I couldn't take it anymore.

My heart was thumping like a hammer, instead, I shouted feeling confused,  "Dad, should mum be in hospital now? Why are you ..."

"What is going on sister, why are you here?" I couldn't finish my statement as I saw my aunt walking toward my mum.

I was confused, I couldn't comprehend what was happening.

My mum was here in the school and had the nerves to slap madam Nelly?

I didn't know what to do. Everything had been chaotic and I was sure my mum would be arrested now.

'No! That can't happen to her!' I argued internally as I ran to her side.

She looked pale and angry glaring fiercely at madam Nelly with a lot of hatred and without any fear.

Why would all of this happen today? I asked myself inwardly as tears of regret rolled down my cheeks.

I had had enough already and I could not take it anymore. How would I ease the situation now?

I felt dizzy suddenly.

I blamed myself for my stupidity. Why would I even think that everyone hated me?

I couldn't do anything because as young as I was I had caused a big misunderstanding and I couldn't change anything.

It was like split milk there would be nothing that could be done to change the situation.

"So you are the teacher who always makes my daughter always come back home sad after school?" My mum exclaimed with no emotion on her face.

Ooh my goodness!! She was even attracting the attention of a large crowd.

I did not know what to say. I just stood frozen where I was and started praying inside my heart that a miracle would happen to ease the situation.

Madam Nelly did not say anything, instead, she looked at the disappointed headteacher as if to tell him to deal with us.

The headteacher walked slowly toward my mum and what he did even left as more flabbergasted.

He tapped my mother's shoulder and smiled, “Calm down. Everything is under control, okay? It is not good for your health to be angry because your situation is still not stabilised at all. I did not know how you managed to come here but by the look, I can say your sister and daughter did not lie to me. I can understand how you feel because of all this"

I got even confused, shouldn't he be angry with my family and me? Why was he acting weird and all nice towards us?

My mother had slapped his subordinate but he was not as angry as I expected. What was happening?

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PREVIOUSLY

"No I can't sit in here and watch that teacher humiliate my baby, noo" Sandra shouted while lying on the bed facing the ceiling.

She looked very angry and sad.

After she woke up, some minutes ago, she remembered the last incident that happened before she was hospitalized and cried her heart out.

Mr Richard was just opposite her trying to explain things into her stubborn head.

How could she go to school looking like this? Yes, she was angry but she could just wait until she felt better, then she would be able to go.

"I know what you feel but please wait a little longer. You can't face that crazy madam like that, can you?" He tried to reason out with her only to make the woman even more furious.

She took off the drip that was attached to her hand and left the room living Mr Richard confused.

Without giving a second thought he also followed her behind because he knew his wife well.

He bumped into a nurse on his way, “Watch where you are going, sir." He ignored him and walked away in the direction of Sandra living the nurse shaking his head while sighing heavily and walking away.

"Hey my dear? Wait for me, we will be going together then, you are not  yet stable to walk like that" Mr Richard shouted to his wife who was running like a maniac.