The First Move

When the hostel matron, Mrs. Gracious, strolled into Naomi's dorm on a Monday morning and announced that there would be an inspection, everyone was frantic with worry. Not everyone, just those who knew they had contraband stuff in their possession. The piercing sound of her koi koi shoes making hearts pound in fear.

Gloria wasn't part of those who were shaking with fear. She was very certain there was nothing illicit the hostel matron would find in her possession. Even though she was sure of herself, she was still upset that the matron was harassing them so early on a Monday morning. She sighed as she watched Mrs. Gracious' black skirt sweep the floor as she moved from one bunk to another, taking her time to go through each student's bags.

Flinging pillows, bed sheets and bags to find hidden items, Mrs. Gracious combed every area of the dorm room, her eyes fixed on Edith. She was the sole reason Mrs. Gracious decided to conduct the inspection this morning, coupled with the fact that she got an anonymous tip that some girls in the hostel were harbouring illegal items. 

On getting to Edith's bed, she paused, eyeing her from head to toe, the events of Saturday night still playing in her mind. She was certain she was going to find illicit stuff on her. There was surely something she was hiding. Mrs. Gracious thought to herself, her scowling face revealing her thoughts. She picked up Edith's luggage and unceremoniously turned everything over on the bed, checking each item to find something… anything! But to her disappointment, there was nothing to be found.

"Today is your lucky day!" She stated, glaring at Edith, who kept a straight face.

Angrily, she moved on to the next bunk, which was Gloria's corner, to continue with her inspection. She still couldn't believe Edith had nothing to hide. When the matron moved to Gloria's bunk, Naomi smiled knowingly because she knew what was about to happen.

Gloria wasn't a bit scared, she was the Deaconess' daughter and the most upright of all the students. Mrs. Gracious looked at her from head to toe. Her face was without a trace of make-up, her school shirt was big and not tight, her skirt was the longest. And she was certain she wouldn't find any illicit stuff in Gloria's corner. Feeling confident she wouldn't find anything, she didn't take her time checking each item as she did with other girls. She was just about to put the empty bag down when a pack of condoms slid out of Gloria's bag. Mrs. Gracious was petrified when she saw it and so was Gloria, who knew the item didn't belong to her.

"A student of Bishop Evangelical College! The Deaconess's daughter!" Mrs. Gracious screamed in her head.

There were murmurings and eyes peering all around when Mrs. Gracious raised the pack of condom and stared incredulously at a confused-looking Gloria. Gloria stood there with mouth agape, unable to find words to express her innocence.

"What is this? Young lady… What is this doing inside your bag?" Mrs. Gracious inquired first in a low voice before raising her voice.

"Ma, I don't know… it's not mine." Gloria pleaded, feeling cornered. Things like this never happened to her. Who did this to her? Who was playing such a sick game to get her expelled?" The questions made her head squirm.

"I would have expected this from anyone but you, Gloria. How… why?" The matron screamed. But when she looked around and saw she had a large audience of girls watching them, she pulled Gloria out of the room to a corner, just out of respect for the Deaconess.

"Tell me why this was found in your corner? Have you been engaging in immoral activities with any boy or man?" She asked, feeling a bit ashamed of having such a conversation with a teenager.

"No, ma… I swear it's not mine. I don't know how it got in my bag. Someone probably put it there." Gloria swore.

"Which someone?"

"I don't know ma. But it's not mine." Gloria mumbled, her eyes welling up with tears as Mrs. Gracious gave her a condemning look.

"What do you mean someone put it there and you don't know the person is? Eh… so you have been finally caught and you are still lying. If only you can tell the truth, maybe I would look for a way to help you out. But here you are lying. Do you think you are talking to a child?" Mrs. Gracious scolded her.

"Ma, please, I am not the owner." Gloria said tearfully, her lips quivering as tears dripped down her plump face.

"Look, I brought you here and gave you the chance to confess because you are the Deaconess' daughter. But since you insist on lying, I have to report to your mum." Mrs. Gracious stated before walking off.

"Ma, please… don't tell my mum!" Gloria pleaded as she rushed after Mrs. Gracious. The last thing she wanted was for her mum to find out she was involved in something so immoral. She would kill her…

Mrs. Gracious suddenly halted, and Gloria almost bumped into her. Mrs. Gracious turned sharply and glared at Gloria. She stepped back suddenly out of fear.

"Get back to your room, young lady. Now! You are lucky I didn't announce your immoral behavior to the entire room. Get back to your room and wait for your punishment. The Deaconess must hear of this!" Mrs. Gracious announced, leaving Gloria standing in a pool of tears.

With her face bowed in shame, Gloria trudged back into her room. She knew everyone was watching and murmuring, and she was too ashamed to look up. "How the mighty have fallen!" That was a statement ringing all over the room. But her major concern wasn't even what the girls were saying about her, but what her mum would do if the matron reported to her.

Naomi's lips twisted into a smile when she saw a broken Gloria walking into the hostel. Yes! Her plan had worked and soon Gloria would be expelled from Bishop Evangelical College. One by one, she will exact her revenge on everyone who had a hand in what happened to her brother.

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Anna and so many other girls had seen the drama between the matron and Gloria in the hostel passageway. And every girl was dying to know why the matron had publicly yelled at Gloria, and why the most wicked and proudest senior had shamefully walked back to her room. While others murmured amongst themselves, coming up with so many speculations about what really happened, Anna knew exactly what had happened. And she couldn't contain her happiness.She dashed out of her room to the passageway in search of Naomi and she was elated when she found her walking towards her. When they got closer to each other, they could barely hold back their joy which was visible in the wide smiles pasted on their faces. Gradually, their revenge plan was already working. Anna giggled.

"Tell me how you made this work? Where did you get the pack of…you know what?" She whispered, feeling a little shy about pronouncing the word "Condom".

"Edith of course…" Naomi said,

At the mention of that name, Anna's face twisted into a frown.

"Edith? I don't understand. Did you tell her about our plan? Why would she want to help us when she is Gloria's friend?" Anna wondered, confused.

"No, she isn't… she hates her even more than we do. And I didn't tell her about my secret. I just told her I needed her help to deal with Gloria and what I wanted her to do for me. There was no other way I could get a condom. And she was happy to oblige because she despises Gloria."

Anna sighed wearily.

"Trust me, our secret is safe. But she told me so many things about the immoral things the Deaconess sends them to do." Naomi continued to whisper.

"She told you that? Why?" Anna wondered, still skeptical about Edith's involvement in their plan.

"Because she's my new friend." Naomi stated.

"I don't feel comfortable with that. I mean, if she works for the Deaconess, why is she helping us?" Anna's eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

"Because she hates both the Deaconess and her daughter. And she is in support of taking them down. Just trust me, Anna. She is very vital in the completion of our mission. But I won't let her know who I am or what we are up to. Let's be glad that Gloria will surely be getting expelled once Mrs. Gracious exposes her to her mum. She is finally going down!" Naomi expressed her delight.

"But do you think her mum will expel her own daughter?" Anna's skepticism echoed, leaving Naomi with so many doubts.