chapter eleven

About five weeks into the term,the vice principal introduced a young woman to the science class." this is miss Harriet stitches.she is on an internship this year. she will occasionally fill in for madam Vivian to teach English.

The class stared at her in surprise.she was slim and very young looking,not much older than some of the students.her hair was cut very short and she look elegant .

" nice to meet you all', you can call me miss Harriet to make things easier!' she said.

The class had to gather in the assembly hall for an important announcement and the mid term dinner.as students trooped out, someone bumped into Michelle, making her drop the books she was holding.it was Caro

" oh excuse me, ' said Michelle

" excuse you, Caro said coldly and walked off with a group of girls,who giggled as they went.

don't mind her", a girl beside Michelle said, helping her to pick the books, she's a horrible person. " its because of you know who".

' who?'

" Jimi Williams,heard he's sweet on you and she can't stand it.so', she leaned forward in eager conspiracy, is it true"

" of course not ,' Michelle said with disgust.

it was hard trying to gain the acceptance of the teachers and pupils here, and having the most popular girl in the school dislike her because of the unwanted attentions of someone called Jimi Williams would not help matters.

oh ...she said out loud.

" what?.

" nevermind.thanks for helping me with my books. I'm Michelle

I'm joke'.

" pleased to meet you".

Jimi seemed to be everywhere.it suddenly made Michelle wish she were doing something as well.

nice painting', she said when she saw daniel.daniel stiffened because she had never spoken to him before .he thought he should reply but he couldn't think of anything to say.

Jimi came over and said hello".

Um,' she said acidly.

" have I ever done anything to offend you?.

" I barely know you.'

" are you going to be at the dinner?'

" what's your business?'

it's a question.' this was going badly for jimi.look , why are you so prickly towards me ? I'm a nice person.try me'.

" good for you'. she snapped and walked off

Jimi made a shooting motion after that, and Daniel giggled.jims, she's not human!.

of course,' Jimi said staring after her. don't worry I'll get her.'

suddenly,they heard a loud thump and people were shouting. it was a junior student who fainted . A group of students gathered around the boy and some pupils were already panicking.

" carry him! pull him! ' someone cried.

' stop! move aside and give him room for air.' it was the new corper. she pushed forward and knelt beside the boy.she felt his neck.

they watched her tilt his head upwards a little.then she opened his mouth wide.

" hey, I need assistance,' she told the nearest boy. " put your arms straight like This and press his chest there.press fifteen times and then I'll breath into his mouth.

they repeated the motion a few times until suddenly the boy spluttered.it was a beautiful moment.

' turn him over let's carry him quickly to the health centre.i think he has a heart condition. be very careful and hurry up" . the teacher looked gloriously triumphant.michelle stared at her.

that Friday was a mid term dinner, which the students always looked forward to.as Michelle and Becky stood in the hall entrance listening to the music pounding within,they both felt awkward. Michelle hadn't wanted to come at all, and Becky didn't enjoy dancing.she felt dancing to worldly music was not Christ like.however, Michelle's aunt wouldn't hear of them staying home.

' school dinner are lovely and you have an opportunity to blend,' she said.she had even supervised their dressing up.

' cheer up,' Beck said to Michelle you're looking beautiful.

Michelle turned to Becky and said, you know what if you're that badly to try the dress then go ahead and stop telling me what to do, excuse me.

Jimi was part of the organising committee,but his luck wasn't with the lady recently. the girls left him alone;he was known to belong to Caro whom no one wanted to cross.he caught sight of Michelle when they came in.that someone so lovely could have such a malignant spirit was beyond imagination.All the same,thoughts of Caro vanished from his mind. she's a witch, he thought,but what a witch.

hey!" the DJ's voice boomed through the microphone." The party isn't rocking! grab your partner and feel the beat ! boys stop slacking and girls stop frowning.

Michelle and Becky sat down at the table.the first victim came forward.it was jude, the smallest boy in class.he won't suspenders with his trousers " Michelle would you like to dance? he stammered.

" no', she said without looking up.he quickly slipped away embarrassed.

" Michelle, that wasn't very nice ' said Becky

stop pestering Becky ,if you want to dance that badly,then go dance please excuse me.

she is becoming too stubborn Becky thought"

dancing soon began in earnest for impatient students.the teachers stood outside monitoring the event discreetly.if they saw anything too forward, they'd come towards the pair and say,we don't allow such things.

Michelle kept hoping the Time would go by quickly.but the party seemed interminable.she turned everybody who asked her to dance; finally she decided to go to the toilet.but getting there she found a group of students gathered in front of the closed door giggling and whispering.they straightened up when they saw her.

" No space in there for now!' one called out.

she turned back and caught sight of prince.he made a ride sign at her,as if to say; you I'll get you.

she felt her blood beginning to boil.boys! she hated the whole lot of them.

when she returned to the party ,she saw Jude sitting glumly in a corner, looking small and harmless.on an impulse,she turned to him.

" sorry Jude, I was rather rude earlier, I wasn't in a very good mood,but I'd like to dance with you if you still want to.'

he looked up uncertainly.she gave him dazzling smile and held out her hand,leading him to the dance floor. he was shorter than her and he kept stepping on her feet,but she didn't mind.

Jimi glared at them both. he couldn't believe it. Michelle dancing with Jude of all people.

the more he thought about it the angrier he became.why was she with that pipsqueak? he strolled over to them.

hi " he said, tapping Jude's shoulder .can you excuse me; please? come on.'

Jude was unwilling to move .

jimi, what are you doing? Michelle asked.

" stop !, Jimi growled at the smaller boy under his breath. Jude scurried away.

' what do you mean by that?. Michelle said angrily.

" you need rescuing,' he said

' you are a disgusting bully! how dare you!

" you are a conceited,nasty ...he stopped" look, let's just dance.

' no I'm leaving! you can dance by yourself!'

At that moment the waiter passed by with a tray of drinks. Jimi accidentally bumped into him and the contents of the glasses poured all over Michelle.

you will pay for this.she said angrily

her dress was strained with orange,black and blue red liquids and froth dripped from her right ear.jimi wanted the ground to swallow him up and yet, terribly,he wanted to laugh.

Michelle shrieked again and made for the door in a half run.he moved towards her but she snapped, Don't even think about it!'.

she passed caro who giggled and said, " you look a mess.that was very unkind of Jimi'. and people laughed.

Not too many people felt sorry for her .

" sort of serves her right.acting like she's better than everybody ...'

outside,a full moon was shinning brightly and Michelle was wondering how she was going to get home when a voice spoke.

what's the matter?. it was the new teacher,miss Harriet.

' some I'd...oh, I get drinks spilled on me'.

oh dear! why don't we get some water or something?.

as they walked, Michelle felt suddenly very shy. I want to tell you, miss Harriet,that what you did with the boy who fainted was absolutely brilliant.'

she laughed.its cardiopulmonary resuscitation.i was a volunteer with an NGO for three months in Sierra leone.'

Michelle's eyes opened very wide. really? can you tell me all about it?

let's get you cleaned up first .'

it wasn't until much later , after the dance was over and the students were leaving the hall laughing and chattering,that Michelle stood up.she felt reluctant to the end the interesting conversation she was having with miss Harriet.

oh, that was one of the most touching things,' Michelle continued, encourage by miss Harriet's smile. At my last school I was editor of the magazine and we did some charity work.we called ourselves Angels of mercy, but it's nothing like what you've done.

Ha', said miss Harriet' Angels of mercy ! you do have the face of an angel', Michelle ducked her head shly.

listen, I belong to a group for the support of women's and children's rights.would you like to come along?'

" would I like it? I would love it!'

" well then, we'll be seeing you around. I'd better be going.

you missed your party! miss Harriet went off.

just then,Becky ran to Meet her. Michelle, I was looking for you.

I'm sorry about what happened. Jimi's very sorry too . what were you doing here?.

" you know what let's called off this friendship and stop been so caring because I know of everything you had been doing behind my back.

thank you

excuse me. Michelle said, then stomped off.

how did she know Becky thought