INFILTRATION

A TRICK OR COINCIDENCE - Part I

“WAKE UP, YOUNG MAN AND GET READY FOR SCHOOL.”

Magi’s voice boomed from the kitchen.

I was already up anyway, and struggling not to go back to sleep. This past week had seen me working harder than I’ve ever done in my entire life.

The day I found myself without a place to lay my head, I’d walked without any destination in sight till my feet gave way from under me and I’d collapsed.

I woke up to find myself in a strange room. I thought I’d died, but then I’d gotten up and found I wasn’t floating so I knew I was still alive.

The door had opened then to reveal a familiar face.

“Maggi?”

She’d smiled and told me to get some more rest. By the time my head hit the pillow, I was out. When next I woke, I told her I didn’t have anywhere to go and surprise of all surprises, she said I could stay with her, but had to pay for boarding.

By payment, she meant odd jobs. Maggi had a little farm on which she grew vegetables. She also had some livestock - chickens and a few goats.

I didn’t mind cleaning up animal s**t to put food in my stomach everyday. I was only too grateful to have a roof over my head and good food when I needed it.

So the arrangement was pretty simple - go to school during the day, and in the evening become a farm boy.

Sounded about right to me.

I found out school wasn’t bad at all. If one payed attention and kept one’s mouth shut. Once I mentally stopped raving about what the guys did to me, I actually began to learn some pretty cool stuff.

Never knew the earth was round/ spherical. Actually didn’t even give it a thought.

I was a natural at maths. Figures came easy to me. General history was also pretty interesting as well. Never knew there were so many countries with different languages in the world.

Was it any great wonder I always looked forward to a new day at school?

Every other student kept pretty much out of my way, so I was something of a loner. I liked it that way.

That didn’t stop the whisperings from getting to my ears, though, most especially when I walked into the class. It was super annoying but I knew I had to suck it up and continue with school. After all, this was my final year.

If anyone had asked me what plans I had after school, I’d have said I just wanted to get out of town.

There was really nothing left for me here once I was done.

So life continued this way - yes, it was boring but at least it got me out of trouble and harms way.

One day after classes, I decided to go for lunch at the school cafeteria. As usual, the food wasn’t anything to write home about, but I never play with food - no matter how good or bad it was, I’d eat it. Tray in my hand looking for a seat, all the tables were packed. Was almost giving up when I spotted an empty table complete with seats, right at the back.

There was this stupid rule at the school. Once you sat at the back, people would immediately boo you and call you all sorts of names, and you’d be labeled as a looser and no one would want to be your friend. You’d be scared for life, or at least while at the school.

I didn’t care for the other kids and their stupid made up rules. I cared that I found an empty seat where I could eat my food in peace, so I walked over to it and sat.

No one said a word to me. They didn’t dare to, anyway, what with my reputation hanging over my head like a noose.

I could feel their stares on me, but I didn’t care. I dug into my food.

“Hi!”

I looked up from my mashed potatoes into black eyes that were magnetic as well as scary. I couldn’t look away.

It was the girl with the big attitude, the one I’d bumped into in the school hallway.

Her eyes were like dark pools of larva, sucking me in. It seemed she was looking into my very soul, baring all my ills and wrongs.

I didn’t like the feeling.

I pulled myself together and snapped out of it by blinking.

“Well, I decided to come seat with you, seeing as no one else will.”

Her voice was low pitched, her words short and clipped. She sounded different. Like she wasn’t from around these parts. I’d never heard anyone speak in such a way before.

I decided to ignore her and pay attention to my food instead. I expected her to get annoyed and walk away, but she did the exact opposite. She dropped her tray of food onto the table and took a seat opposite me.

She was either very brave or just plain ignorant.

I’d go with a little of both.

I knew no one would try anything on her while she was with me, but once they caught her alone, she’d be toast.

I was quickly finding out that teenagers were mean. I wasn’t an exception, but I didn’t want her to experience the trauma.

I had to scare her off somehow.

I picked up the bone that was supposed to serve as meat, and pointed it at her. “You must not like your reputation very much.”

She laughed, throwing her head back in abandon. It was exciting to watch.

“If you think a few boo’s can scare me away, then you’d better think again.”

I knew lunch break would soon be over and freshers still had classes after, but she hadn’t even made any move to begin eating.

I needed to get her away from this table. There was still time to save her if she could just walk away. I also knew she would hate me for life with what I was about to do next, but I had to do it.

I saw an opening when she stood up to adjust her dress. I stretched my leg and kicked her chair from under her but it didn’t even budge.

I looked up to see her smirking at me.

“Nice try, but I already anticipated you would do that. She pointed to her bag.

The damn thing was wedged solidly against the chair, stopping it from moving.

She must have rocks inside it or something equally heavy.

She sat and propped her hands on her chin and stared at me, and I felt like an animal in a zoo.

“Then you must be a miserable person.” I said, without looking up. Maybe if I ate the plate she’d freak out and run in the opposite direction.

“Me?”

“Well.” I shrugged. “You know the saying - misery loves company.”

I didn’t get a reply to that, but I did feel her moving around on her chair.I knew she was staring at me instead of eating her food, so I made sure not to look at her.

I was trying to avoid her piercing stare/gaze.

After a few seconds, she spoke. “So you’re trying to tell me you’re miserable?”

Seeing as I couldn’t continue staring at an empty plate, I picked up the bone I’d previously dropped, popped it in my mouth and began chewing noisily. “You said it not me.”

“You and your buddies had a fallout, I guess.”

My head raced with a million questions.

Did she know something?

Did she spy on me?

This kid was nosy. I didn’t like that.

My head jerked up sharply.

She wasn’t staring at me as I’d originally thought. She was searching her backpack and making all sorts of weird noises and mumbling to herself.

“What the devil are you looking for?” I was curious, but I was also annoyed. What could she have in her bag that was making so much noise, plus people had began to stare at us.

Not that I cared or anything, but her seating with me wasn’t something I was expecting and it made me feel like I wasn’t in control.

I didn’t like not being in control.

“Found it!” She exclaimed happily, raising something in the air.

“Found what?” I couldn’t for the life of me understand what she was so happy about finding.

Unless it was money, nothing else would catch my interest.

And then I saw it.

“Are you insane? Put that away, a teacher might see it.”

She laughed cheerily. “What do you care? You’re ‘The’ Terobe, no one’s going to mess with you. Come on, let’s go smoke them on the fields.”

“But . . . what about your food?” Was she going to leave it uneaten?”

“Careful there, I might start to think you care about me after all.” Her gaze fell to the plate and her lips curled in distaste. “Some ravenous kid can have it, ” and she was already on her feet and walking off.

I stared after the crazy girl.