NERDS UNEXPECTED AFFECTION

The hallway of Rashford Academy was thick with tension. Fluorescent lights hummed overhead as a small cluster of students hovered near the notice board, waiting. The results of the test were due any minute, and the air felt heavier for it. Chantel leaned against the wall, arms crossed tight over her chest. “I hope I’ve passed this test,” she muttered, “or my Dad will be very angry.” Nadia nodded quickly, her fingers twisting the strap of her bag. “I hope so too. Because I need to maintain my scholarship.” The word _scholarship_ came out thin, like saying it too loud might break it. Isabel forced a smile and stepped between them. “Don’t panic. I’m sure we’ll pass. We must!” Chantel glanced at Nadia. “Then your scholarship is so precious to you.” “Of course!” Isabel answered for her, maybe too fast. Nadia’s voice dropped. “Between the three of us, you’re the lucky one, Chantel. You’re rich and don’t have any scholarship to lose if you don’t pass the test.” “Yeah,” Chantel said, looking down at her shoes. “But my dad will be angry if I don’t pass. He’ll think he spends his money on me for nothing.” Just then, footsteps echoed down the hallway. A teacher turned the corner, a sheet of paper in hand. The three girls went silent. The teacher walked to the notice board, pinned the results up, and walked away without a word. None of them moved yet. The paper waited. Nadia was the first to break. “The results are on!” she whispered, half excited, half terrified. “Chantel, let’s go see.” “I want to see,” Chantel said, pushing off the wall. Across the hallway, Annabel’s voice cut through the buzz. “Bianca! The results are in, let’s go and see!” Bianca rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful. “No!” Geraldine scoffed next to her. “Ann, do you expect us to go and join those people to check our results?” She rolled her eyes too, mimicking Bianca. Ann shrank a little. “Oh. Sorry.” The three girls — Chantel, Nadia, and Isabel — didn’t wait. They pushed through the crowd until they stood right in front of the notice board, the paper now the only thing that mattered. Chantel exhaled, her shoulders dropping an inch. “What a relief. I’m third!” She pressed a hand to her chest, breathing again for the first time in minutes. “Second!” Nadia gasped, and a smile cracked across her face. Her scholarship was safe. “I’m first!” Isabel blurted, then caught herself. “Good for you,” Chantel said, nudging her. Nadia scanned the list again and frowned. “Isabel, you’re in brackets with Bianca.” Isabel’s smile faltered. “I’m happy for her.” Chantel raised an eyebrow. “And will she be happy too?” “Well,” Isabel said slowly, “I don’t know.” Soon the hallway started to empty as students found their names and drifted off, relief or disappointment trailing behind them. Bianca and her friends finally strolled up to the board, like they owned the whole school. Annabel pointed. “Bianca, you’re first! Congrats!” Geraldine leaned in, her voice sharp. “Bianca, you’re in brackets with Isabel” Isabel swallowed her pride and approached them. “Congrats, Bianca.” Bianca looked Isabel over from toe to head, slow and deliberate. Then she rolled her eyes and walked away with her friends to the classroom, leaving Isabel standing alone by the notice board. The word _brackets_ hung in the air between them. In the Classroom Lessons were dragging on when the door creaked open. A junior was sent to the class. He greeted the seniors quickly, went straight to the teacher, whispered something, and left just as fast. The teacher looked up from her desk. “Isabel. And Bianca. The principal needs you in his office.” Heads turned. Whispers started. Isabel and Bianca glanced at each other, both confused. “Okay,” they said, almost in unison. They stood up and left for the principal’s office, the whole class watching them go. At the Principal’s Office Isabel knocked, then they both entered. The office smelled like old books and floor polish. Bianca put on a smile. “Sir, you called us?” The principal looked up from his papers. “Yes. Have a seat.” They sat down, the chair creaking under them. Neither girl knew why they were there. But sharing first place had just gotten complicated. The principal folded his hands on the desk. “Congratulations to you both!” “Thank you, sir!” Bianca said, her smile back in place. Isabel echoed her. “Thank you, sir!” The principal nodded. “Since you two are in brackets, the school will still award you. That’s what we do to students who pass our test: so both of you are receiving Ten Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵10,000.00) each.” Isabel’s eyes widened. She couldn’t help smiling. The principal wrote a cheque and handed it to them. “Thank you sooo much, sir!” Isabel said, holding it with both hands like it might disappear. “You’re welcome,” the principal replied. “Thank you, sir!” Bianca added. “You’re welcome.” “God bless you!” Isabel blurted. “Amen!” the principal said. “You may go now.” “Okay,” Isabel answered, and they left for the hallway. *Back in the hallway* The classroom door clicked shut behind them. The hallway was quieter now. Isabel turned to Bianca. “Bianca! What are you going to do with your money?” Bianca raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?” “Nothing! I just want to know!” Isabel said quickly. “Well,” Bianca said, flipping her hair, “I’m going shopping with my friends. And you?” “I’m giving it to my mom to invest in her business,” Isabel answered. Bianca stopped walking. “With GH₵10,000.00?” Isabel nodded. “Yeah!” Bianca stared for a second, then busted into laughter. It wasn’t mean — just surprised. “Which means your mom’s low class boutique will move to the next level! Good for you!” And with that, she turned and left. Isabel didn’t say anything. She just watched Bianca go, then left too. * Closing Time* The siren rang for closing, echoing through the hallways. Students poured out of classrooms, bags slung over shoulders, voices bouncing off the walls. Isabel and her friends walked together toward the school’s entrance. “I’m so happy for you!” Nadia said, beaming. “I can’t wait to show it to my mom,” Isabel replied, her hand over her bag where the cheque was tucked safe. “My driver is in!” Chantel called, pointing to a black car idling by the gate. “Bye!” Isabel and Nadia said together. “Bye!” Chantel waved, then ducked into the car and drove off. Isabel and Nadia turned and started heading home, the afternoon sun warm on their backs, GH₵10,000.00 changing everything. *At Isabel’s Mom’s Boutique* Isabel and Nadia arrived at the small boutique. The sign was hand-painted, the windows a little dusty, but it was home. Nadia smiled. “Bye.” “Bye,” Isabel said to Nadia, then pushed open the boutique door. A little bell chimed. “Good afternoon, mommy!” she called out. Cynthia looked up from behind the counter, her face lighting up. “Good afternoon, my daughter! How was school?” “Great!” Isabel said, already pulling the cheque from her bag. “Mommy, I was first in the test!” She held it out to her mother like it was made of gold. Cynthia gasped. “Ha! My daughter, I am soo proud of you. What will I do without you!” “I promise I’ll always make you proud,” Isabel said, pressing the cheque into her mom’s hands. Cynthia clutched it to her chest. “I am so proud of you!” Isabel smiled. “Hmm.” Cynthia wiped her eyes quickly, then pointed toward the back. “Your food is at home in the kitchen!” “Okay!” Isabel said, already turning to leave. *At Nadia’s House* Nadia was sprawled on the couch, watching television, when someone knocked at the door. “I’m coming!” she called, hopping up to open it. She pulled the door open. “Bella! Isabel!” Isabel stood on the step, looking a little shy. “I hope you don’t mind. My mom asked me to come to you so you can take me to Miss Grace’s house.” Nadia tilted her head. “Okay! But what are you going to do there?” Isabel answered, shifting the package in her arms. “I’m going to give her the dresses she ordered.” Nadia nodded. “Okay! Let’s go.” She turned and called into the house, “Mummy! I am going out with Isabel!” “Okay!” her mom’s voice echoed back. And they left. *On the Street* Isabel and Nadia were walking back from Miss Grace’s house, the delivery done. The late afternoon sun made everything look softer. “But Miss Grace’s house is soo beautiful,” Nadia said, glancing back. “Yeah!” Isabel agreed. “Miss Grace is really a nice person.” “Yeah, I agree.” Just then a car sped past, hitting a patch of mud. Dirty water arced up and splashed across the front of Isabel’s dress. “Oh! No, why!!” Isabel gasped, staring down at the brown streaks. Nadia spun toward the car, furious. “Hey! Don’t you know how to drive or what!!!” “Ah!” Isabel said, still in shock. Nadia squinted at the car disappearing down the street. “Isn’t that Bianca’s car?”