” Good morning sir” We all greeted standing up.
“Good morning, sit down” he said placing his cane on the table, while going through his note.
“Can you all submit your assignment row by row on my table now”, he instructed, not looking up from his book, there I was at the back, in my seat shaking and sweating while watching everyone submitting their books.
He checked the books, ” why are there 39 books submitted instead of 40? If you know you have not submitted stand up now before I call you out myself” he growled, his eyes scanning the room.
Slowly I stood up.
“Why haven’t you submitted yet, Kelsi? ” he asked, his tone was hard filled with annoyance.
“I….. I….. I ” I was shaking with fear, stuttering.
“come out now” He roared, picking up his cane.
I walked slowly to the front of the class, all eyes were on me, “why have you not submit?” He asked again.
“I have not done it sir”, tears rushing out of my eyes, not because of the assignment I have not done but the pain I would pass through from receiving lashes from him.
At the corner of my eyes, I could see Lexy looking at me.
“Lie down on my table now!” He shouted straightening his cane.
His cane descended on me as he lashed me with anger.
I cried out in pain which made few people in the class laughed mimicking me.
Tears kept rushing out of my eyes as I was going back to my seat, I saw Anita Laughing sitting close to Lexy with her tongue out in a mocking manner.
Lexy turned his face away when our eyes met, the facial expressions he gave me was more painful than the lashes I received from the biology teacher.
I sat down uncomfortable on my seat, I lost focus throughout the lecture, from the pain and the thoughts of why Lexy looked at me that way.
*******
“So you’re the daughter of the maid my mum sent out of our house last month?” someone asked while I was trying to take a nap during break.
I had nothing to eat, No money, and I was still nursing the pain of the lashes I received from the biology teacher.
I looked up to see Lexy looking at me with anger visible in his face.
I was speechless, surprised.
“How did he know?” I wondered, I couldn’t open my mouth, I just sat there starring at him.
“Talk to me kelsi! Are you?” Was your mother really the maid we had? Is my father the one sponsoring your education? His voice was thick, rising with anger.
I remained silent, unable to fathom how to reply his questions, there I realized his mother had told him.
Students were gradually gathering whispering to each other, looking at us.
“You lied to me! How could you Kelsi?” He scoffed.
“Iexy it is not…” I was about talking when Anita came over.
“Hmm… What’s going on here?” she asked Lexy putting her hand on lexy’s shoulder.
“Kelsi here is the daughter of our maid that was sent out of the house last month….” Lexy replied her, looking at me with disgust, “…. And she had the guts to lie to me, telling me her dad is abroad overseeing his business there”
I felt ashamed of myself that moment.