1
“Someone looks so ready for her first day” Mrs Andrews said with a chuckle, placing the plate of hot blueberry pancakes on the dining table.
Jaiyana climbed down the stairs slowly, a shy smile on her lips ``Come-on mom, I don't think you should make a fuss over this' ' Jaiyana said, plopping down on the dining seat.
“Hope all your stuff is packed? We don't want you forgetting a single Bra or underwear”, Mrs Andrews said.
Jaiyana laughed “Have you forgotten, everything has been delivered to the school by its courier since Saturday” Jaiyana said with an eye roll.
She took a bite of the pancake and moaned about the good taste.
“Urgh, I forgot, it's Salvatore, they don't operate like others” Mrs Andrews breathed, shaking her hair.
Jaiyana nodded, still chewing the pancakes. “I'm definitely going to miss your delicious meals mum, such a bad thing that we have to live in a hostel”, Jaiyana said with sad eyes.
Mrs Andrews chuckled and rubbed her hair.
“I'm really proud of you baby, you did what I couldn't achieve, you are the best child I could ever ask for” she said .
Jaiyana beamed at her mother and munched on the pancakes seriously.
She didn't want to disappoint her mother, she was everything her mother had, and her mother was everything she had.
Growing up, she only saw her mother and knew her mother as her only family, both father and mother.
Her mother was the provider of the family and also the cook of the family.
She was everything to her, and she would do anything to make sure her mother never had to cry because of her.
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Mrs Andrews beat down the Toyota and screeched to a halt in front of the large school gates, the only place parents who were sending their children off could stop at.
“I will miss you baby“ Mrs Andrews said, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Come on mom, you are making me teary, it's not like I'm not going to return anymore” Jaiyana chided, hanging her backpack on her back.
“6 whole months without you, that's a long time” Mrs Andrews said.
Jaiyana got down from the car and bid her mom goodbye.
“I'm going to call you mom, make sure you are always standing at the telephone stand waiting for my call,” Jaiyana said.
Mrs Andrews burst into laughter and waved goodbye to her daughter.
“Jaiyana!” Mrs Andrews suddenly called.
Jaiyana turned and looked at her mother with raised brows.
“Remember to always put on your pendant, that's the only heirloom of our family left” she added, Jaiyana nodded her head and made an OK sign.
Mrs Andrews smiled at her obedience and ignited the car engine and drove off. When the back of the car was no longer seen, Jaiyana turned and looked at the huge black gate that had the logo of Salvatore boldly emblazoned on it.
Jaiyana caressed the blue pendant of a wolf around her neck, something that she did whenever she was anxious about something .
She took a deep breath and walked towards the opening probably reserved for students to walk in.
Salvatore college was the best college in and out of Willow winter city.
With just an admission rate of only 100 people every year and very important alumni who were well known and influential all over the world.
Top-notch classrooms, hostels, school facilities and equipment, all parents wished and yearned for their kids to attend Salvatore and Jaiyana had made her mother proud by successfully being a student.
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“We are glad you finally made it, Miss Andrews. Welcome to Salvatore Academy. Hope the school map was quite helpful to you”, the vice principal said to Jaiyana with a smile.
Jaiyana smiled back at him and looked down at the well-detailed cartoon-looking map in front of her, wondering who on earth would design such a thing that looked like it was directing 5-year-olds to a snack bar.
“It was quite helpful,” she answered.
“Here you go, this is your schedule and list of books and courses, you can go take them from the bursary together with your uniform”, he said with a cheeky smile.
Jaiyana was shocked at the mention of the uniform.
“Uniform? I was never told about that” Jaiyana exclaimed in surprise.
“That was a policy newly implemented by the board of members after it was found out that the students were dressing recklessly due to the lack of a dress code,” he explained.
“There should not be a dress code in the first place. This is a college for goodness’s sake and not a high school or kindergarten”, Jaiyana whispered, and yelled.
The vice principal just held up a smile on his face. “Then you are free to leave, young lady, this is Salvatore and I bet that there are thousands of students out there who would gladly take your place even if they are told to attend naked”, he said with a cunny smile.
Jaiyana gritted her teeth, “fine” she took the papers from his hands and headed towards the bursar's office with the aid of the map.
After Jaiyana had fitted the uniforms…
Yes, you heard it right, uniforms.
She walked towards the hostel region according to the maps, she had to go behind five classrooms, cross a large garden before arriving at the female hostel.
“You f*****g think you could get away with it? Huh? You think we are fools?”
The dull thud of fists sounding on flesh and the painful groans of someone.
Jaiyana furrowed her brows, wondering if she had unknowingly bumped into a scene of someone being bullied.
She continued walking and when she saw the scene, she knew that she was right.
Four boys surrounded a crumpling boy, beating and harassing him, throwing taunts at him.
Another boy stood beside him, watching the scene with an uninterested gaze, a stick of unlit cigarette between his lips.
The first thing Jaiyana noticed was his black hair silver at the tips, then the charming red gemstone on his ears, the tattoos peeping out of his neck under the leather jacket that he wore.
“Would you let him go?”