I slung my bag over my shoulder and started to walk home. The pain from the caning throbbed with every step. By the time I reached the compound, my mother was waiting at the gate. News travels fast in our town; she already knew about the canes.
She wanted my side of the story, so I told it—only I “seasoned” it a little. I left out the part about being in the classroom with Lucy. I left out the part about wanting to tell her I liked her. Instead I told her the headmaster had called us, given us work, and that I had received ten lashes. I doubled the number because misery deserves exaggeration.
She said nothing for a long beat. I could tell she didn’t believe me. She told me to go inside and change so we could eat. Midway to my room I heard her call out that one of my mates had come to see me. Who could it be now?
When I stepped out, Frank stood under the mango tree behind the compound, face drawn and serious. He looked like someone who’d swallowed bad news and was trying not to choke on it.
“What’s up?” I asked.
He didn’t waste time. “I heard something about you,” he said. “People are saying the headmaster caught you kissing Lucy. Are you suspended?”
My stomach turned. JK had started that rumour. How far would he go? I felt my blood go cold. I explained everything to Frank—the toilet, the letter, the headmaster’s test, Lucy helping me. Frank listened and believed me. He left after that, but his expression stayed with me.
After I ate, MA and EK came by. They looked the way friends look when the world is suddenly smaller and scarier. I told them what had happened. EK’s eyes flashed. “We should teach JK a lesson,” he said, immediately. MA agreed, but said we should leave Lucy out of it. She hadn’t spread the story. JK had.
I couldn’t argue. JK was a thorn in our side. He’d humiliated me and he’d lied. We agreed to meet the next day after school to plan. Whatever we did would be swift.
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