Likumbi

After our breakup, it took me a long time to heal, but I finally made it. When schools closed, I was in marvellous spirits. My mother and father were on vacation, so we had the whole house to ourselves for three whole weeks.

My hair was now shoulder length, so I could finally wear it in braids. I have to say, braiding your own hair can be very nerve wrecking and frustrating, but thanks to Roxy, I did not have to worry about my hair-style. I also began growing a moustache. It was not one of those thick ones, though. In fact, it was so thin and pale you would have to be very close to see it. Ken and Roxy helped me heal.

Monday morning had come so quickly. I inhaled the cold air outside and pun on a big smile. I then took to my closet and picked out my usual clothes: a baggy t-shirt, tight jeans, and a simple pair of boots. That day, I suggested we walk to school.

“Do we have to?” Ken groaned.

“I just want to feel today’s morning breeze,” I responded. “Today’s rather misty and dim, just the way I like it.”

“Come on, you’ll hardly notice that we walked. It’s a short distance to school,” Roxy said. She was my support girl.

“Fine I’ll do it,” Ken said. “But since it’s so cold outside, you will need something warm. We all have our jackets on.”

“I prefer not to,” I responded. “I’d really love to feel the wind.”

With that said, we all started with our journey to school, and I larked along the pavement. After a while, we walked past the small, newly opened café, and then we finally made it to school.

Trident High had never looked so alive. The hallway was fully packed, more than usual. Maybe I had arrived much earlier than I thought that day. I cared less about why it was that full, though. Instead, I focused on my euphoric feeling. I did not always feel euphoric, especially with those two homophobic creeps, Jack and Tom, running around.

After a while, I walked to class and sat down. I then looked around, and while looking around, I noticed that Cyrus was not present. Lessons could begin in any minute, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“He’s probably bunking class,” I thought to myself, rolling my eyes as I did.

No sooner had I looked at Cyrus’s desk, than Mr Ingham, our Literature teacher, walked in. his belly was jiggling from side to side with every step he took. He held an unopened box, full of steamy doughnuts, in on hand and a textbook in his other. I could not see it clearly, so I raised my head to see, but I just could not.

“Open your Literature textbooks and turn to page 235,” Mr Ingham said while fiddling with his moustache.

***

Tell us: Have you ever had a reason to bunk class that people do not know about?