Dear Jesus,

It's today, it's today, it's today!

Oh my dear, Lord! The much-dreaded and much-awaited day had finally arrived, dragging with it its uncanny herald.

The harmattan chill lingered till this morning. Its hair-spiking haze floated in through the crevices of the window and creeped through the openings in my blanket.

I curled up further into my blanket, shivering involuntarily.

I woke up, finally, after a dazed ceremony of stretching like a lazy dog (No offense to Jerry, Ha ha!), hair-scratching, auto-chewing, and eye-rubbing.

My brain was still foggy and it took a while for me to remember that I'm headed for school today.

School, not a quaint restaurant where I work part time and get to stare into grey for as long as I work.
School, where our judgement awaits. School! Gosh, I can't wait for Heaven, where there's nothing like school.

I sat up and stretched. Hirena was still asleep.

I looked at her figure and smiled. This girl definitely took her mom's inquisitive traits.
She almost squeezed the living daylights out of my poor self the second I returned home yesterday afternoon.

"Who is he?" I told her.

"Oh. Emm. Gee!" she squealed. I had to clamp my hands over her mouth to reduce her noise. It would have been a much worse scenerio for the adults to burst into my room, thinking the roof caved in or something.
I rolled my eyes.

"So, is he like your secret crush?" Hirena said, wriggling her eyebrows, her green eyes glinting in amusement.

"Whaaaattt?" I knew I sounded unconvincing.
Jesus, I'm sure you saw me then. My armpits and palms were all sweaty. I shifted on the bed where I sat cross-legged.
I'm infinitely face-palming right now. 

Hirena laughed. Out loud. Prolonged-ly.

Jerry was running round the room, probably sharing in his mistress's joy and silliness.

I narrowed my eyes at her, pressed my lips hard together to avoid joining her in laughter.
I was pretending to be annoyed, but unfortunately, I'm not so good at acting.

I tried to clear all misunderstandings by explaining that the Walkers were close family friends and that John was just a friend.

Hirena said whatever. And I banged that hammer that Judges use in court. Case closed.

This morning, I fellowshipped in your presence, thanking you for the lesson you taught me yesterday and asking you for grace and help for today.

I didn't bother to wear my uniform. I just donned a blue long-sleeved shirt and a black skirt.

Hirena followed me, sticking by me like a remora fish to a shark. Jerry, of course, followed as well. His drooling tongue wouldn't just stay in his mouth.
Thank God there was no such rule as 'thou shalt not bring any non-human creature into the school premises'.

Jerry behaved. His leash did a very good job in restricting him from wandering off to explore the staff room or any of such no-go areas.

Genevie came with her hair still dyed into brown streaks. I gave her the look that said, "Seriously?"

She simply smiled back and waved at me from the distance she stood.

"Hey Ray! What's up? Are you feeling better now?"

"I am. Thank you. I'm surprised and impressed.  You didn't come with your car?"

"I did. I only parked it afar so that it won't be mauled by hyperactive students," she said gesticulating.

"Oh right!"

"Gen, meet my cousin Hirena. She's here from the US for the holidays," I said with a cherry smile.

"That's wonderful. Nice to meet you Hirena. Welcome to this tiny Island. Hope you love it here," Genevie said.

"I sure do. It's nice to meet you too."

She was cut short by the entry of Pris who was all fidgety.

"Have I been called in? I'm so scared," Pris said.

We were standing at the entrance of the Computer Laboratory in a cluster of somber and tense SSS3 students.

One by one, we were being called into the lab. In few minutes, the student would come back out with a cheerful, jubilant expression, a blank expression, or in the worst case scenario, tears on the face.

"Can't you greet?" Gen said, slapping Pris arm jovially.

"Oops, My bad! I just get so nervous at times. Hello everyone! Bonjour!" she said giving a grande finale bow that was so comical. French is definitely not her thing.

"That's better," Gen applauded.

I introduced Pris to Hirena. Pris rushed through the greetings and resumed her tap dancing as if she wanted to pee and her nail-biting.
I had to repeatedly tell her to chill.

I was not afraid. I had gained an unearthly confidence due to what you taught me yesterday. Whatever would be would be. Thy will would be.

Meanwhile, I was already getting worried. Kathy wasn't around and time was already going. The teacher was calling each individual in alphabetical order. K was not too far on the list anymore.

Gen and Pris commented on that too.

I was about to take my phone to call her when she suddenly arrived.

"Hi!" she said as she ran over to us. She looked like she had rushed here in a flash, after waking up way late. Her curly brown hair was sticking out every which way. It didn't diminish her beauty though.

"Hi!" we all chorused. That was when her eye hit Hirena's.

Awkward silence.

"Uhm!" They both said at the same time.
Hirena let out a nervous chuckle. Then she cleared her throat.

Kathy stood still, eyes downcast, fingers working as she tried to smoothen her wayward hair.

"I'm sorry, for not forgiving you sooner. I was clouded by my anger," Hirena said. I couldn't have been more proud. What humility!

Kathy was speechless. She looked like she just saw a transformation of the wicked witch of Oz to the good witch of the West.

"And I just wanted you to know that I've forgiven you. Can you forgive me too?" Hirena continued.

Kathy's eyes brimmed with grateful tears. The glassiness of her blue eyes made it look more beautiful.

"Of course. I do," Kathy said with all sincerity.

They hugged and I sniffed in happy viewing. Gen and Pris clapped. We all laughed together.

"Get over here, miss," Gen said to Kathy, "I wonder when you'll learn to take care of your hair. Some people are dying to have these."
Gen actually brought her make-up kit, complete with hair brush and combs of different kinds. For crying out loud, was she preparing to go for a beauty contest?

Kathy sat by the steps and allowed Gen to do her magic with her hair, all the while she was patting cute Jerry.
Soon, Gen, Kathy and then Pris were called, in that order.
They all came out laughing and Pris was actually shedding tears of joy like she couldn't believe her result.
I was so happy for them.

Their printed exam sheets showed, for Genevie, miss-pop, 3As, 3Bs, 3Cs; Kathy, my one and only nerd-geek-girl, 6As, 3Bs; Pris, the shocked-to-the-bones-girl,4As, 4Bs, 1C.

"Radiance Abraham," our class teacher, Mrs Esther called out in her clear voice. She wore her signature hair band and her eyes were full of expectation as she looked up to scan the cluster of students in search of me.

"Present ma'am!" I said as I shot up from the stairs where I was seated, dusted imaginary dirt off my skirt and proceeded to follow her in.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw as my buddies were cheering me on, giving me thumbs up.
I didn't have time to take a proper look but they must have surely looked like a bevy of excited cheerleaders.
All that was left to complete the picture was a colourful costume complete with bobs of shimmering pompoms on their hands.

The Computer laboratory's door slid open and I stepped in. The AC was on.
Who puts on AC on a cold harmattan morning? I guess the computers need it. I was glad I wore long sleeves. Maybe I should have worn an extra coat on top too.

Other class teachers were also there in the large room supervising the checking and recording of their students' results.
I gulped. For the necessity of it. 

"How have you been, Radiance?" Mrs Esther asked me as I took my position in a seat directly facing a computer that was already on.

She stood behind me and I had to turn my neck and look up at her slim towering figure.

"Fine ma," I answered. Mrs Esther is cool. She never stretches you to breaking point like some other teachers. She's quite diligent too, and I like her for that.
Plus, I'm among her favourite students due to my clean and brilliant records so far, and I'm guessing because of my reputation as a PK.

I turned back to the screen, paused to whisper a quick prayer to you and then typed in my SSCE registration number and password into the waiting box.

I waited for the thing to load. I waited. I mean, Waaaaiiiiiiiiited.

It got to a point, I started to drum my fingers in sync with the rotating cursor on the screen.

"Could be the internet connection," Mrs Esther muttered aloud, trying to reassure me. Still, I could faintly detect worry in her voice.

I took in a deep breath.

Then in another minute, this popped up on the screen.

Result not found or is currently undergoing scrutiny.

What the-?

I don't know if I started hyperventilating or not. I just know my mind was careening in haphazard motion.

How come? What happened? As in... What on earth is going on?

"Let's try it again. Maybe you inputted the wrong figures by mistake. Or it could be a network error or something," Mrs Esther's said. I'm sure she herself must have known that that talk was like pouring water on a rock.

I couldn't reply her. My mouth was dry. With trembling fingers, I typed my registration number and password again. This time I took extra caution, calling each word and letter out like a toddler, with Mrs Esther affirming it from the students' list in her hand.

I clicked enter and then clasped my hands together as I began to pray furiously in my spirit.

The whirling cursor did its thing for one whole minute and then vomitted the same message on the screen for me.
I was trying hard not to cry.

Jesus, Jesus, please come intervene. Let not my enemies triumph over me.

When we did it for the third time with no changes, Mrs Esther walked up to another teacher, one Mr Kalmia, the Computer Technician in charge today, for help.

Meanwhile, I must confess, I was shaking like a banana tree in the middle of a whirlwind.

I don't know why I just don't learn my lessons. You told me yesterday not to be afraid, first through the letter, then through your voice in the ICU. Why am I such a nut-head?

Mr Kalmia sent an online complaint to the SSCE board immediately and I put in my email address.

As I sat in a corner of the Computer Lab, I struggled with fear and other temptations to blame you.

But when I saw I couldn't carry this alone, I sent an emergency message to Holy-Priesthood group, praying that they were all online.

Ding! My notifications showed me that I had backup. John, Gen, Grace, and Felicia were currently online.

We're praying for you right now.

I sat for twenty minutes more. I soon had the most unsual urge to go check out my email.

I logged in to my email using my phone and the free Wi-Fi in this territory.

The first message I saw dazzled me.

**********
I'm so sorry... *Sniffs*😖🤧 Really sorry... *Makes a baby face*🥺 For the really late update.
I've been so caught up in school work and other responsibilities that writing seemed a whole universe away😪😓. But thanks be to God. I finally got down to it and whew! I hope you enjoyed it🤓😇.

Who can guess what's coming up next? What do you think she saw?
Wait up for the next chapter, coming soon, hopefully.💫

Please pray for me. I'm keeping all of you my dear readers in my prayers and heart🙏💝.

I love you. I love you more, all my precious voters and commenters and silent readers.🌝 Jesus loves you most. 💖💖💖