I shake off the cobwebs and make my way to my classroom. Math is first period,I don’t want to get on Mr Mboweni bad side today. I run like a cheetah,my schoolbag flying left and right at the motions.

I run, bumping people along the way but I don’t stop.

“Watch where you’re going!”

“Hey!”, people shout.

By the time I’m at the stairs my lungs have already been filled with too much oxygen.

I quickly run up the stairs and by the time I’m at the classroom,I look like something died.

I take a deep breath. Gosh ,why are grade eleven classes so far?

Mr Mboweni is already in, I take a deep breath and walk in.

“Late again Miss William. What’s your excuse this time?”.He asked, looking away from the chalkboard. He was a huge man and without a doubt the most feared teacher in the school. He had broad shoulders that showed he probably worked out when he was younger.

He’s also the oldest teacher in the school,older than the principal even.

He taught my mom,I’ve seen the pictures. Back then he had a big mop of afro hair but now he has one of those hairstyles that old people love so much.

Those hairstyles where there is no hair in the middle of the head but on the sides. Sometimes it looks like he applies oils on his head in the hope that his hair will grow back but all it does is make it shiny and shimmer in the sunlight.

We used to laugh about until he caught one of us and he was sent to his office. When he came back he wouldn’t talk to anyone and refused to sit on his butt for two weeks.

Even without all that his small beady eyes that looked at you like they knew all your secrets would be enough to scare you to death.

“Sir…but I was…”

“Have a heart sir”,I turn to look at Christina. She’s been forced to sit at the front because she makes too much trouble back there. I hate her. There’s always that one girl, isn’t there? Her long shiny legs are stretched wide under her desk ,her skirt has been pulled at it’s highest so it hardly covers her butt and her socks rolled to their lowest to show as much skin as possible.

Her appearance is outright annoying and if she hadn’t stolen my boyfriend I might have like her. Just a little.

She gives the most genuine smile that for a moment I think she might be on my side this time. Not a chance.

“Her family couldn’t afford to keep their car. Such a shame,she walks to school”

She pushes her head back and laughs like the witch is is.

My heart tightens in my chest but I’m too angry and too stupid to let it go.

“Oh shut up Christina. Maybe if your dad didn’t have such a wondering eye…”

“Miss William, Miss Molope do you want detention later today? I don’t mind”, Mr Mboweni said.

“And take a seat Johanna”

I quickly obeyed and made my way toy desk,a satisfied smile on my face.

I was just next to my desk when I tripped and fell. My cheeks turned red as I lay on the ground. See,Mondays are a curse.

I feel a pain on my knee and I quickly check it out,with my classmates’ piercing eyes all on me.

I felt a shadow over me and I look up to see Ruby.

“Come,get up”,she says this so quietly I’m almost tempted to ask what the hell she’d said but I don’t dare. Her dreadlocks fall over her face so I only see a glimmer of it.

She takes my hand and helps me up.

I dust myself up and sit quietly. I can’t even do anything without making such drama out of everything.

I look up to see Christina looking at me, eyebrows raised. Probably thinking how stupid I am. It’s childish but I stick my tongue out at her, to which she rolled her eyes.

I realize I’d been clenching my fist,to the point my knuckles had turned white.

There’s a note.

I look at Ruby but she’s already buried in her book. Did she give me that note? I’m pretty sure she didn’t.

How the heck did she even do that anyway?

Question: Do you have/had a strict teacher like Mr Mboweni? What subject did he teach and did you ever get in trouble with him?

Also,what do you think is in that note?