“Wakey, wakey,” a voice says, opening the curtains.

“Tsitsi, Godfrey, wake up,” Nyasha says.

Tsitsi yawns from seeing the light that shines bright in their bedroom while Godfrey wakes up and rushes to the bathroom. Her mother pulls her favourite duvet cover embroidered with flowers.

“How are you going to be responsible you leech!” she shouts.

Tsitsi wakes up and runs to the bathroom. She goes straight into the shower since Godfrey is using the tub. When she gets out of the shower Godfrey is already dressed. Her mother has tidied up the bedroom and it looks clean. She pulls her phone out from her jacket and a message from Eddie appears.

Hope you are okay

“Don’t be late for breakfast,” her mother says.

Tsitsi applies some Clere lotion on her body, but she can still feel some pain on her bruised leg. She wears her school uniform.

“You don’t listen to me. Breakfast is ready!” she shouts.

“Mama, I am still getting dressed,” she says in a low voice.

Nyasha comes close to her.

“You little leech. If you dare come close to my man, I will kill you. Did you hear what I said?” she grabs her by the collar.

“I am sorry, Mama,” she pleads.

Nyasha lets her go. Tsitsi’s body is shaking; she is scared of her mother. She wishes her mother wasn’t like this.

Nyasha growls, “Run!”

Tsitsi runs to the kitchen holding her satchel, and Godfrey is already gone. Instead of eating her breakfast, she puts it in her lunchbox and runs out as fast as she can. She meets Clara who is surprised to see her like this. She offers her a bottle of water but she refuses.

“Drink water, you are going to faint. Did you even eat last night?” she asks.

“I will eat later,” she says.

“You don’t look okay,” Clara says concerned.

They both enter the classroom and sit on their spots. They used to sit next to each other until they decided to sit in front of each other. Tsitsi tries to eat her breakfast but Miss Aggie enters. She pushes it back in the satchel.

“Morning class,” she says, writing on the board.

Tsitsi can feel her body weakens. She wishes she had drunk Clara’s water. She looks around but everything is getting blurry in her eyes. Clara sees it and notifies Miss Aggie. Tsitsi then becomes unconscious and falls on the ground. The chair breaks as she falls on top of it. Miss Aggie calls the caretaker to take her to the sick room. Clara follows them. She is worried and wonders what is wrong with her.

“Let me check her parent’s number on the data entry list,” Miss Aggie says, leaving Clara holding her friend’s hand. The school doctor arrives.

“Can you go out, so I can check the patient?” he asks.

Clara goes out and stands outside wanting to know what is going on. The doctor looks for the signs of abuse. He looks serious when he comes out.

“How is she doing?” Mr. Sango, the school principal asks.

“This is bad,” the doctor says.

Clara comes closer to listen.

“What is wrong? Please tell me.”

Mr. Sango and the doctor go to the office. Clara keeps screaming but no one responds to her. Miss Aggie runs and holds her close, whispering. “It will be fine.”

***

“Hello, is this Nyasha Mhunga?” Mr. Sango asks.

“Yes, who is this?” Nyasha responds, holding a comb.

She is standing in her salon which is fully booked.

“I am Mr. Sango, the principal at Noon Gomo Secondary. Your daughter Tsitsi, fainted in class. I would like to see you,” he says.

“Is this a way of getting attention?” she hisses and drops her phone.

She clicks her tongue and continues to pleat the lady she was working on when the phone rang.

“Her genitals are bruised as well as her legs,” the doctor says.

“What are you trying to say?” Mr. Sango asks.

“Her body shows that she hasn’t eaten and there are signs of abuse,” he answers.

“We will have to find out but her mother is an honourable woman. I can say she loves her daughter. But the way she spoke to me when I called her, something’s fishy,” he taps his chin with a pen.

“Have her taken to Child Welfare and we will only open the case when she says she has been abused,” The doctor says and returns to check on Tsitsi in the emergency room.

Miss Aggie gives her a cup of tea with a bacon and tomato sandwich. She has gained her consciousness.

***

Tell us: Do you think she will be honest with them or hide the truth?