gn

r and gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass, filling Chloe with a sense of

e pushed open the door and called out "hey, mom! I'm home." The aroma of freshly baked pancake waffled from the kitchen. Her dad had tra

loe dropped her bag on the floor an

eling a sense of comfort a

d Chloe sat down at the table, feeling grateful for this quiet moment with her mom. As they munched on pancakes and chatted about their day, Chloe f

talking, Chloe r

ended today. An

earing the news. Wanderin

this is just the seco

anger and frustration caused by Charlotte, she called th

harsh, why wil

arted it by lying against I and Fiyin, that F

ghed. "So, for how long is t

st thre

too far, how

nd they both have to write a letter to the Board of Manageme

and Sharon tomorrow. That principal must be really crazy"

given any punishment de

hal

nd and listened attentively. Chloe felt heard and understood, knowing that her mum

nner. How about past

usiastically. She helped her mum set the table and chop ve

tes

the wooden spoon paused mid-stir ov

just above the blade to test it. The light from the kitchen bulb caught the edge and threw a thin silver line across the c

, setting the knife down a little too hard

slowing from a boil to a gentle plop. The smell of garlic and basil filled the k

d. "And thinking too hard after what happened today is how fingers get

didn't sit properly. She perched on the edge

ng water. "Sharon. Suspended. Second day of term. Fo

erps. I was still trying to shun her. Sharon heard her and... she lost it. Called her father a twer

rincipal went too far. And Shar

e of the counter. "Now they've sent her home. A

. She stirred it all together, the red coating, the strands in thick, gl

your grandfather was suspended in his second w

r looked up

tions. He just swung." Her mum plated two bowls of pasta and slid one across to her daughter. "He said he didn't

up her fork. "I don't want my mum walking anyw

towel and sat down across from her.

on the counter, Chloe's. She glanced at it. 'New message:

he new guy. From my class. He

ebrow. "The same hou

dy feeling the knot in her

u can chat with Praise. But don't spend the whole night o

e apology letter draft for

"I'm not writin

see it yet, but you can. She's too angry to see that how you say something matter

red, but she took a bite of pasta anyway. The sauc

ttle. "Someone has

08

e glow of her phone and the small lamp on her desk, casting a soft c

one bu

wered the call "This is

e new boy with the calm voice and the slightly crooked school tie. He'd asked if she wanted to go over

wered.

nt, like he wasn't sure if he'd interrupted something. "I hope

ediately wished she sounded less

ics?" he asked, and there was a small l

fore she sighed. "Both.

in had stopped but the roof was st

old me at break." Praise said. "Not

d. "Fiyin ta

Praise did

ioned that part today. Not the princip

d. "I just hate seeing people struggle w

's worth, I don't think you're like your cous

small, and it didn't reach her eyes, but it was there.

ed. "There.

ed, then stopped. "Do

e wh

be smiling today. My cousin got suspended because of me. Because I was assisting my friend with s

about pretending nothing happened. She says it's about remindi

too simple. But something about the way he said it, no pity,

finally. "She calls it Dignitas. Dignity.

wise," Praise s

e, a real short laugh.

lt like the kind of pause you get when you're sitting

m Praise. I moved here from Kebbi two weeks ago. I'm terrible at French but I'm good

oe. I've lived here my whole life. I'm decent at Latin but terrib

important. We can't be friend

, still smiling. "We

maybe in an hour? Or tomorrow i

ent home, loosened. For the first time all day, the suspension, the MD's daught

"But don't expect me to ta

love sight rule. You show up early for t

e if he meant it as a joke or not, and she wasn

e said quickly, before

a knock on the door "

s Sh

tood up to open the door. Praise had also

are you here?" Shifting

o tired for that. I need to go to bed. Shar

don't have to get over today. You just have to g

afternoon, Chloe's mouth had curv

d still be

wn and looked at the half-finished letter on her

it out and started again: I acted out

. Sleep came before

Mor

g like wet earth. Chloe woke to the sound of her mum in the kitchen again, this ti

together with Chloe. Hair tied up in a scarf, wearing one of her mum's old cardigans. The apo

said the moment Chloe walked in.

daughter started it'," Chloe said, pouring hers

" Sharon shot back. "I don't regr

ed," she said simply. "Eat. Then we go. I'm taking you both to the office. Sharon to submi

either of them said it out loud, but they both knew, this wasn'

d a letter that was at least 60% honest

your father again, you tell him to come say it to me directly. Romans had a word for th

lready on the classroom, on the empty seat n

look. "Who were you sm

ou fell on the bed" Chloe said too fast, and t

you smiling before you dropped your p

s she took another

's Internat

inted glass, with a digital board above that read "

olled in, dropping off students in spotless uniforms. The air smelled like expen

lean but slightly wrinkled from being slept in. Sharon's cardigan looked even more out of plac

e LED screen scrolling school announcements: "Robotics Club Wins National

utched the brown envelope tighter. "They put it on

aron's scarf and straightened Chloe's collar. "Hea

wearing a blazer with the school crest in gold thread. "Mrs. Ada? The MD and The P

htened slightly. "

ajor disciplinary cases. Expulsions. Financial disputes

ught it

. Ada said quietl

wall by their overlooking the courtyard where students were lounging

is place feels like a

lied. "That's why parents pay

ioning hit like a wall. The long table was polished dark wood, with leather

, wearing a tailored grey suit with a silver tie pin. Charlotte sat beside him, in full unif

chool lawyer, a man in a charcoal su

tened. A lawyer.