CHAPTER ONE
Mary was registered into Notre Dame College. Her first day in school was not exciting as she imagined. There were students everywhere but no one she could talk or relate to. She felt so lonely and missed her dear mother. As she was taking a walk through the school, she spotted a fruit tree, and went to seek shelter under it. There she was for quite not long, a girl of about her age and physique came and gently sat beside her.
“Why do you look so sad?” she asked Mary.
Mary was silent, she didn't know who the girl was, and was in a loss for words.
“It’s alright, I felt the same way on my first day, but you will soon get used to the school, the feeling is only but a while” she said.
Still Mary was quite.
“My name is Flora” she said cheerfully.
Finally something Mary can reply to, she thought to herself.
“I am Mary Chizue” she said with a smile.
“What house are you in?” Flora asked.
“Pink house”
“Oh, we are in the same dormitory” Flora said with excitement.
They spent some time together under the tree, then came the sound of the bell and they went their separate classes. After lesson, Flora showed Mary the school refectory and advised her never to be late for a meal, the chapel and also the library. From that day onwards, Mary and Flora were like sisters. After they had supper, Flora told Mary that they were going for a general call in the school hall. The Rev Mother was there to give them a short orientation on the ground norms of the school and how the observe them. While this was going on, some of the Rev Sisters went round the dormitories to ensure that everyone was present at the gathering. On their way back, they heard some light footsteps by the yellow house dorm, instantly they made haste towards yellow house to discover two girls braking into a fellow student’s cupboard. The sisters caught them red handed and took them to the school Mother as par the principal was not around at the time of the incident. She had their names taken down and sent to her office. Then without much ado, she dismissed the students back to their dorms and bunks. On their way back, the students talked about the incident. Mary was bewildered, she had never heard of a girl stealing. She asked Flora why they tried to steal. Flora told her either they want to punish whoever they were stealing from or were not satisfied with what they had. Mary was alarmed “But why punish a fellow student in that way?” Mary asked. Flora told her to forget about that, that as for the girls their punishment would be due by the morning, their cup was just a tip full that night.
“And that would be just one in many things you would be seeing around here”.
Their bunks were next to each others, so they both went to bed at the lights out. The house captains and mistresses went round to make sure that every student was on her bed and asleep. Mary never forgot to pray morning and night, so she thanked God and was fast asleep.
In the early morning around 4:30am, the school bell rang, signifying everyone to get out of bed. Mary woke up and prayed. The captains, as usual, went round to make sure nobody is missing or still asleep. Some overslept and had to be woken up by a slap tap from the captain or the mighty cane of the mistress. Once awake, you go about your assigned morning duties, then rush up to brush and teeth, take your bathe and freshen up for school. By 6:00am they went for prayers, after which they have their breakfast by 6:30am. From there to the school assembly ground and off to classes. The first lesson they had was English, which was Mary’s favorite subject. She was active during the lesson and answered many questions. The teacher was taken to her intelligence. She was appointed the class prefect. Some of her classmates were not happy with the excellence of her character and her appointment, and tried to rebuke her and Flora at every little chance. They tried to know what they were doing and saying in order to report if any mischief was noticed. But Mary and Flora knew what they were up to and kept themselves away from any anti-behavior. One day Mary told her classmate Nneka who it was her turn to tidy the chalkboard for an upcoming art class, but she refused abruptly. So Mary had to report her. Their form mistress, questioned Nneka on why she disobeyed the class order, Nneka could not explain herself, and was reprimanded to clean the chalk board till the coming week. For that Nneka disliked Mary, but Mary didn’t mind and loved them all anyway. The assignments and class works were coming at an increasing rate from all the subjects; there wasn’t much time for games.