Aftermath

Blank eyes looked at the lifeless figure and smirked. Little and light steps were taken towards the door which was closed carefully as if to avoid awakening someone. The lean and confident figure walked through the procession of cypress trees and began jogging. Her feet took her to a tiny entrance that was yet to be discovered by teachers and the rest of the students. She crawled through it and headed to the dormitory while on the look out for any suspicious movements. Her motto was, it is not wrong unless you get caught. The door to her room was opened silently and she sunk into the sheets after getting into her pajamas. She drifted into sleep a little bit disappointed. Her game had ended too soon to bring her any lasting thrill. You could say it was a little bit too brief and too easy.

The school woke up to its usual bustle, one teacher less. Everyone had an inkling of who could have steered the events that happened a day ago but no one dared to speculate loudly. The police had informed the principle and the education committee that the teacher turned criminal had disappeared. That evening, a castrated and severely mutilated body of a man who was identified as the criminal teacher was found in the holding cell he was kept in before he disappeared. Traces of the perpetrators could not be found. Conflicting opinions went around. Some believed that the court process should have been undertaken and the criminal jailed. They viewed the perpetrators and evil and no better than the criminal. Others thought that jail time was too merciful a punishment for the criminal and a waste of tax payers money.

Christy and Chiri had tried to talk to Khalayi but she ignored them, as if she never knew Christy at all. However, when Chiri approached her, she was cordial to her and even engaged in some small talk. Chiri thanked her for her help but Khalayi dismissed it. According to her, 'she did not do anything'. The spectacle sunk down to the confines of history and memory as the students settled into their routine. Another teacher replaced him and life went on as if the event never occurred. His wife was transferred while his child remained in the school, free from any ostracism.

'Howdy buddy', Khalayi enthused winding her left arm around Nasike's shoulder. Nasike shrugged it off contemptuously as she walked to the classroom. Her hasty steps were matched by Khalayi's who looked at the left arm as if it had been severely offended. After turning to a slightly deserted corner, Nasike stopped abruptly and silently looked at her roommate for almost 30 seconds. Khalayi looked back at her smiling innocently. If she didn't know better, she could have been misled by the little terrorist's innocent smiling eyes and calm pure looking eyes. She looked innocent, vulnerable and like an enthusiastic puppy waiting for a compliment.

'How much of your hand was in this', Nasike inquired.

'I said am evil not vile', Khalayi shrugged and put back her hand on her shoulder, guiding her to their classroom. Nasike grunted in subtle understanding, shrugged of the hand a second time and entered in to the classroom.

'Whoa, you really do understand me besty. That is why you are my best-friend you know,' Khalayi quipped as she hugged her books with the rejected arm.

'You do not deserve friends', Nasike replied venomously and walked to her desk.

Khalayi sat on her desk that was moved beside Nasikes and muttered how cold Nasike is and that she should just shift to Antarctica or Siberia. That dying from cold or being mauled by a Siberian Wolf would be a better end than being assaulted by her coldness. Her muttered complaints continued until the teacher came in. It was a new history teacher and the sessions were interactive. Since the syllabus had been covered, the best part of the lesson was spent on revision. However, a part of it was spent on questioning history- if the events happened, why they happened the way they did, if an alternative action could have been taken at that time and whether history is being repeated. Khalayi loved the session, chipping in and raising questions of her own. It was as if a bond founded on history had been formed with the teacher. She was a petite woman with gleaming eyes, exceptional fashion sense, an afro to boot and a name that lightly rolled of your tongue, Naomi. Both agreed with the sentiment that as much as the questions asked were not instrumental for exam settings, they broadened a person's analytical thinking and desire to look into more than one side of the story. The rest of the lessons passed by with little details catching Khalayi's attention since in her opinion, they were sessions to cram exam-centered and 'correct' answers even if she doubted their accuracy.

'Please be my friend, let us be friends, I will let you hit me if it is what it takes. Nah, scrap that. let us just be friend, without the beating', Khalayi whined and sang this statement the whole day to Nasike. She begged, cajoled, threw tantrums, bullied and even cried to Nasike who remained unmoved. After days and days of this routine, Nasike was tired and all she wanted was to bury her. Her replies consisted of stern 'go away' and bitter heartfelt 'I hate you'. She could figure out her roommate sometimes yet other times she was a complete mystery.

'A fight, let us fight and if I win, I will be your friend', Nasike finally gave in with her condition aware that her counterpart could never let her win.

'Nope, I don't agree with that condition. Let us fight and if I win, you will be my BEST friend. Mark BEST and WIN', Khalayi stubbornly said.

'Forget it then. Am not interested in your connivance Evil B*', Nasike dismissed. Evil B* had become the nickname which Khalayi accepted without argument. However, no one else except Nasike could call her by that name unless they risked a tongue lashing.

'Okay, okay, a life time match. Not just one match, a match that can take place again at any point in our lives and if you win any one of them, you must be my best-friend. You know I like how snappy, unpretentious and courageous you are ', Khalayi insisted.

Nasike sighed and thinking that she had nothing to lose, accepted her terms. It is not like she will be around this woman all her life. However, she had underestimated her roommate's persistence that could last a lifetime.