CHAPTER III - The board is set

Narrator: Picture this, we're in the backseat of a taxi, the driver's frantic voice filled the air. It is Monday, he was muttering about being late, mentioning something about "a woman from that neighborhood". Soon, we pulled up in front of a building, and a woman approached, the intended passenger. The driver apologized profusely, but she reassured him, without a hint of annoyance, that it was fine—except for her son, who was taking forever to get ready.

"Lee, it's time to go," the woman called out to the building behind her, urgency tinging her voice. "We're gonna be late." As she conversed with the taxi driver, he couldn't help but feel captivated by her beauty. Meanwhile, the woman, a youthful figure in her early thirties, with deep-black hair and eyes that shimmered like warm honey, playfully chided her son for his tardiness. Amidst the banter, she lamented about her son's sluggishness in getting ready. Despite giving him the chance to shower first, he still hadn't managed to finish getting dressed. With a touch of humor, she remarked aloud, "I guess he takes after me in many ways," prompting a chuckle from the driver.

["Moooooom," I muttered embarrassingly, and they both chuckled. With everything finally packed into the car, Mama sarcastically remarked, "O my lord, we have packed everything. We just await your ass to be put on that seat", to which I replied, "Glorious, woman. I am pleased". Seeing how they laugh, I do not mean to toot my own horn, buuuuuuut, my role was executed to perfection if I do say so myself.

After settling in, the driver started the car, and we embarked on our journey. I passed out (so everything turns black), the scene I woke to was seeing an arm stretching to the backseat, where I heard Mama's voice gently waking me. "Lee, wake up. We're here," she said, tapping my thigh.

I closed my eyes once more, and in the solace of the darkness I whispered to myself, "I can do this." The taxi came to a stop in front of a blue gate, where the driver conversed with the security before we were allowed entry. The gate was unusual because it swung outward, so the car had to reverse slightly to prevent any damage. After Mama paid for the ride, we unloaded my luggage at the security checkpoint, and my mother inquired about the administration building for registration.]

Security: It's right there, the square. [pointing to a stretch of rooms which confuses us]. The exact room is...No, sorry. I believe you'll find it easier if one of the students who is around the square shows you.

Approaching the designated spot the security guard indicated, a bell suddenly rang, sending all the students scrambling towards an open space encircled by three stretches of buildings. A man directed us to the registration area. Despite not initially being granted boarding status, I was determined not to commute from home. I asked Mama to inquire about it, but the assistant head for either administration or academics (I'm not sure which) informed us that the boarding house was full and couldn't accommodate me. Feeling defeated, we were about to leave when a bright idea struck me regarding Mama.]

Mama: What's this idea of yours, my love?

Kael: Mama, bribe him. [I said with a smirk]

[About to unleash her bewilderment, she paused as I instinctively implored her not to raise her voice. I reminded her of past trust in my decisions and asked for the same faith without questions for the moment. After affirming her confidence in me, she followed a set of instructions I gave. A few minutes later, she emerged with a neutral expression, offering him a smirk.]

Mama: He took your name and ID, then my number. I followed your instructions to the letter. First, I mustered up the courage to approach him, asking if there was any way to resolve our situation. As he addressed to the hearing of the crowd, mentioning nearby hostels and providing details, I discreetly passed him the money. With a practiced hand, I completed the paperwork he retrieved from his locked drawer, filling in the required details without attracting attention. In a low whisper, he informed me that you would be reporting to the boarding house this Saturday.

Kael: Ayt, thanks Mama. As he insisted there was no space, I couldn't help but remember the man who was there before us. [I nudged her, asking if she recalled him. She nodded in affirmation.] Well, he was given the same spiel, but then I saw his name and number being taken down, and off he went to the boarding house."

Mama: He must've mentioned Saturday just to keep his shady dealings under wraps. [I nodded in agreement.] But why did you insist on that exact amount I had to pass to him?

Kael: You see, it's all about understanding the value teachers bring. Their paychecks don't match the impact they have, at least the ones in public institutions like this run by our government. What you gave was a wee bit over half of his monthly salary. When someone offers you half your salary for next to nothing, it's hard to say no, isn't it?

[Dressed in my required uniform, I joined the line of freshmen at the assembly following registration. I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched as many girls cast curious glances my way, prompting me to find a spot away from their gaze. As our group was divided, I discovered I hadn't been assigned to a "house" yet. Choosing from folded papers, I ended up in House 2 and was promptly tasked with sweeping the canteen along with my housemates. After our chores, we gathered on the ground floor of a four-storey building. Some of us sat indoors while others, like myself, enjoyed the breeze outside beneath a makeshift canopy, which we erected ourselves.

We received a rundown of Valder High's history, facilities, and the various programmes offered. It was there I made a new friend, Pharaoh, introduced to me by Sara, a friendly and outgoing girl seated nearby. Today's focus was on the Science and Business programmes, with students registering their names accordingly. Those interested in switching programmes were also given the opportunity to do so.]

[When the bell signaled break time, the boarders dashed back to the boarding house, creating quite a scene. It turned out the school only provided meals for them, so I tagged along with Pharaoh to grab some food at a popular spot in the canteen. The same routine followed for lunch, and before we knew it, the closing bell rang.

I walked alongside Pharaoh and Sara, and three other friends of theirs, as we headed for the buses home. Sara and Pharaoh parted ways, leaving me to board my bus alone. By the time I reached home around 7 p.m., exhaustion had set in. After washing clothes and squeezing in some reading, I called it a night around 9 p.m., knowing I'd have to rise early the next morning for another taxing day.]

[On Tuesday, we explored Visual Arts, followed by Home Economics on Wednesday, and General Arts on Thursday. I chose General Art 1, which covered Government, Economics, Geography, and Elective Mathematics. While registering, I overheard two girls chatting. Suddenly, one of them playfully squeezed my rear and giggled. I was about to react but managed to calm down. Her name turned out to be Jasmine.

We were then given a list of recommended textbooks for each programmes. Friday was class allocation day, and after that, students started socializing. Our form master eventually arrived and introduced himself, providing us with our teaching timetable and a chance to introduce ourselves to each other. Despite my initial quietness, I managed to break the ice with a few well-received jokes. Our form master assigned seats for each of us, and in our class of 18 boys and 30 girls, I was sandwiched between two girls in our class which was on the first floor.

After classes, I met up with Pharaoh, who was in General Art 4. We decided to use the back gate behind the boarding house. As we approached, I noticed a small gate beside the girls' boarding house with a security guard seated nearby. Suddenly, I heard my name being screamed. I turned and saw a group of girls on their balcony, including some not from my class, shouting "KAEL!" I couldn't help but laugh and wave at them, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the attention. I couldn't even walk properly as I used to then because of the decibels my name was being mentioned in.]

[The long-awaited Saturday finally arrived, and I eagerly said goodbye to home and all its dreaded chores, especially dishwashing. As I prepared to leave, a sudden realization hit me: if I departed too early, I'd likely end up joining the boarders in their chores. I then chose to endured chores for a few hours more, and then at 3 pm (factoring in traffic) I chartered a taxi app to take me to school hoping I'll arrive either 7 pm or 8 pm.

Tragically, there was no traffic at all that weekend, and we sped along the road, arriving at school by 4:17 pm. As I stepped out of the car, the girls greeted me with cheers and screams, as I unloaded my luggage into the boarding house. To my amazement, I was welcomed with a standing ovation from my peers and seniors. One senior ordered them to "clap for the babe magnet" as the house master inspected my belongings.]

[And before my boarding life started, y'know you can just tell these things, and I could tell by the manner in which my seniors face were twisted in a sinister smile.....I was dead bro]