Chapter: 6 Time

I've heard time heals wounds but I think, the mind protects itself with cicatrices, the pain remains buried somewhere in there.

***

"Lexie, my lesson is still in session!" The new teacher hollered smacking his textbook on her desk. "I mean, you have the audacity to bring your sleepy, snobbish self into my class?!" He barked. She shot her head up, nerves prickling the back of her neck, uncertain about his rant. Aware of her predicament, she sat straight ready to apologize but didn't come so close to saying the words.

"Well, you've got yourself detention young girl!" He bellowed. Like my day couldn't get any worse, she took a handful of her horrid kinky hair and struggled to pin it to place. All this, in attempts to make herself somewhat presentable.

"This is going to be one long day," Calvis whispered, "for you." Lexie threatened to smack him. "Pretty sure we'll be sailing in the same boat if he catches you listening to your darn music."

"Exactly, only if..." Calvis insisted, Lexie rolled her eyes.

"As I was saying, covalent bonds are..." Bounds...bonds...bondage was more like it, Lexie muffled annoyed. Where in God's green earth is Mr. Peterson? I much rather him than this prick.

"Year eleven exams are coming up." He reiterated. Lexie looked away, afraid he'd been referencing her. "Failure means being held back from grade twelve and consequently, graduation." Low murmurings accompanied his disclosure. "Class is dismissed." He announced finding his way out, Lexie wrinkled her forehead and picked her books.

"She's so beat!" Tasha mumbled.

"Wish Tori was here." Someone else seconded. "She'd trample her." They all childishly cackled, jeering as she walked past them.

"Oh my goodness, did you see her face?" Amber sneered. "She almost vomited."

"Maybe we shouldn't be too harsh on her...I mean-" Tasha argued.

"You peanut brained brats gotta grow up! It's sad your lifeline only highlights bickering and bitchy trash talk. Y'all are Lame," Calvis retorted, "get a life." He scolded.

Lexie smiled from where she'd been eavesdropping on the corridor.

***

Kayla sighed realizing whatever she held was the letter she'd presupposed it to be. From the black inked handwriting she read:

Greetings Kaylaxin Pearson,

As informal as this seems.

The governor requests to have a brief meet with you midday tomorrow at his manor. The subject of this prompt arrangement requested by him will be disclosed to you accordingly.

Regardless, I trust this reaches you with much urgency, kindly keep time.

Executive secretary,

Shantelle M'ccoy.

"Governor?" She frowned, her eyebrows furrowing as she pondered over the matter.

How, what. Why in the world would he wish to see a peasant? Kayla stood up restless, flustered by its peculiarity she hurriedly put the note back in the envelope. This couldn't augur well, she sighed at the circumstances.

Kaylaxin, only Lexie's father called me so, it had been years since, well, the thought of that cold hearted brute now repulsed her. The hue of rainbow in the sweetness of spring was ravaged, once upon a sunset, whence a darkness dawned with the bitterness of winter, hardening her heart to ice out love. This cue hang above her but she quickly discarded this poignant memory.

Keep time, Shantelle's voice roared behind her ear and she shuddered at the thought of the governor clawing her for running late. Worst still, she was wrapped in her towel, everyone knew the governor detested delays, equating them to slothfulness. She cringed her neck at the memory of his chauvinistic self. Women to him weren't equals, they could never be and he'd made a point to flack that on press despite judicial changes in societal ideologies on gender equality.

Needless to say, he was a temperamental but prudent man who just like his father had managed to make the most of his official powers to generate wealth. In fact he'd done well mirroring his bureaucracy. Kayla recalled tales her grandmother told, of his tyrannical days when women were abducted. Back then, the female child was only a sight to beheld, flesh to be devoured, to stay silent in acrimony, she was a girl and nothing more. Unfortunately, she was victim to this very misfortune. "Perhaps all his scandals on ravishing the daughters of God will come to justice one day," Kayla grumbled. He didn't esteem Truth of who he really was, he'd often castigate the news as mere rumor mongering from people with idle lips.

Time is money, Kayla scoffed at the phrase finding it a tad hard to believe. She'd been breaking her back working long hours and was only reaping flimsy, inappreciable earnings. Her boss Kate? Was up that success ladder—self-actualizing from her laborious efforts. I mean she never revisits my appraisals.

Two minutes in a dress, three seconds later in another. Flustered: brushing her hair, searching for proper shoes, pinning her hair up, changing into another clothe, letting her hair down was as mayhem. She finally starred at her rattled self in the mirror unsure about her final look.

***

[Grinstate schools]

"Good morning L!"

"What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or you want to say it's a good morning whether I like it or not." She paused, “or perhaps you wish to say you feel good on this particular morning or are you simply stating that it's a morning to be good on for me?" Lexie muttered, her head still in her locker.

"Gee, chill out honey."

"Kimberly!"

"I heard," She frowned, "come here poor thing." She comforted her in an embrace.

"Oh great, the whole school knows, I feel like my nightmares often come true and it sucks!" Her utterance thinned.

"Hey, don't worry, I'm here for you, always." Kim reassured.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"I mean, what are friends for anyway?"

"Right but I've gotta rush for Business class before I get myself into..." Lexie explained pensively.

"Okay but wait, is it just me or did you quote the hobbit?" Kim grinned revealing her perfect set of pearl white teeth.

"It's you." She chuckled, "just kidding, I watched it the other day with Calvis. Now, I for sure have to go!" Lexie muttered then scurried away. "See you!" She hushed Kimberly from across the hallway.

***

A/N: Thanks for reading :)