First Fight in the Hostel

Stacy asked me to accompany her to go and visit her cousin in his class after the night prep and although we got back to the hostel late, I was happy we didn't come back empty-handed.

On reaching the hostel, we began to hear noises of people clapping and ululating. Stacy and I rushed in to find out what was happening. When we asked, we were told that some girls got into an altercation and had been trading words with each other. I got to my corner and climbed my bed so I could get a clearer view.

"Won't you guys fight, is it only how to insult each other you know?" A girl shouted from the crowd.

"Fight ooh! It is not only by throwing shades at each other!"

"Fight! Fight!"

The noise from us all provoked the girls and they began to fight. I watched them with my eyes popping open. This was the first time I saw people cheering on a fight instead of separating them.

The fight stopped as soon as someone ran into the hostel to tell us that the hostel mistress was coming to our block because of the noise. We all dispersed got into our beds and pretended to be asleep. It was a close call because if we had been caught red-handed by the hostel mistress, we would all serve punishment and the two girls who got into a fight would be suspended.

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Ever since the other students resumed, daily activities became a hassle. You would have to set out in time for everything or risk standing in line for a long time and end up being late for the next activity especially when it came to games time, washing and shower time.

We shared the old building with class two students and some stubborn seniors who refused to check in to be given accommodation because they didn't want to be searched.

And recently, our water supply began to have issues and increased the struggle for us.

"What are you girls still doing in the hostel?" The hostel mistress shouted as she made her way to our hostel.

We heard her voice and we all began to scamper around. I was still lying down on my bed at that time. The girls were still downstairs taking a shower. I jumped down from my bed and sprained my ankle in the process. I winced in pain but I managed to get their things outside and leave the hostel before it got locked.

"Are you sure you will be fine?"

Evelyn's bunkmate asked me. She had helped me in bringing our things outside.

"Yeah, it's just a minor sprain. This is not the first time." I smiled and patted her shoulder.

She looked at me again before she left.

I had thought Evelyn was the most reserved person I have met but hers was the worst. She wouldn't speak to anyone and whenever she spoke, she was very brief. I had tried to warm up to her but she wouldn't open up.

Jessica and Evelyn had nicknamed her "island" which they called her in a native dialect and I was surprised when she offered to help me.

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I had just finished having dinner and sat down in the dining hall. My ankle was already swollen a bit and the pains were getting worse.

"Come, let's go to the clinic."  Evelyn's bunkmate said as she hit my hand away from my ankle.

"I am fine. Don't bother about it. I'll just apply ointment to it."

"Arrgh!" I shouted in pain as she touched the swollen spot.

"You are obviously not fine. I am taking you to the clinic."

She said as she helped me to stand up.

I kept on protesting as she supported me to walk.

"Elsie, don't be stubborn." She scolded me.

I gave up and followed her to the clinic. I hated going to the clinic because it was always packed with students. The majority of them were there to skip classes.

"Miss Elsie, you are seriously injured. I have to wrap it up with a bandage. Make sure to take your meds and don't move around too much."

Evelyn's bunkmate gave me a death stare as the nurse spoke to me.

"Please can you not wrap it up. I am not comfortable with having a bandage on. I promise to come back here every day so you can check it." I pleaded with the nurse.

She looked at my pitiful face for a while and finally gave in. " Alright, I won't wrap it up."

"Here, take this ointment. Make sure she applies it every day. She has to come back here in two days."

"I'll do that. Thanks, ma'am"  She replied as she took the ointment from the nurse.

"Why didn't you want to put on a bandage on it?" She asked me as soon as we left the clinic.

"I don't want people to know that I'm hurt....."

"Or you don't want your friends to make fun of you." She intoned.

"Noo! It's not like that..." I stammered trying to defend myself.

"You are always bending over for those your friends. You have to learn to show your emotions lest they will walk over you. Always put yourself first."

"But..."

"You are in class 1B, right? I'll escort you to the door of your class and leave."

Evelyn's bunkmate did as she said and left without saying a word. She didn't even let me finish all the unsaid words in my mind.

"She's always like this, cutting people short and speaking as if she had to pay for every word she spoke," I mumbled.