Chapter 7

The next morning I stood in front of my mirror adjusting my necktie. The plaid skirt stopped mid-thigh with my thick pantyhose covering what skin the skirt couldn’t. My white shirt was tucked into my skirt. Once I was done with my necktie I pick my blazer and wore it, attaching my Head girl badge on the left side. Time to go out there and lead.

I met Siobhan just coming out of her apartment with one of our classmates, AdeShewa – Shewa for short. She smiled and waved at me.

“Morning!”

They both came over so we could walk together. Shewa playfully flicked at the badge.

“I always thought Jessica was going to give me this,” she laughed.

“I thought so too, I thought you guys were friends. And Annabel Reed did nominate you for Head girl didn’t she?” Siobhan asked.

“Yeah. I did play a vital role in getting Christian and Jessica together and she betrayed me like this.” Shewa shrugged. She was always smiling, displaying her deep dimples so I knew she was joking. “But we will all agree that you deserve it. Although that Aaron though, geez I hope he doesn’t try to come on to you.”

“He’s not so bad,” Siobhan said. We walked through the gates into the main school. The younger classes were already walking into the dining room for breakfast.

“Well yes he’s not bad but he’s just the type to try to force the Head boy and girl tradition. You know how he is sometimes, he cares more about his public image than anything else.”

“And he’s easy on the eyes. I love his eyes.”

“I wouldn’t have minded letting him into my apartment any night if I was Head girl.”

“You guys!” I raised my hands and laughed. “Enough about Aaron, I don’t plan to roll in the hay with him this term or the next.”

“Roll in the hay?” they both exclaimed. “Have sex you mean?” they laughed at me. I rolled my eyes.

“Alright fine, I’m not going to be having sex with him any time soon. And can we stop talking about him? Can we talk about something else, like why Siobhan is exceptionally happy this morning?” I glanced at her. She was grinning from ear to ear. She wasn’t always this excited about school but here she was really excited, smiling and patting her hair now and then.

She flung her hair. “Hmm, I can’t tell you.”

“You can’t tell me?!” I laughed. “Your best friend?!”

“Hmm there are some privileges you’re entitled to but not this one,” she laughed.

Before I could say anything the matron – Miss. Diana called out my name from the dining entrance and signaled for me to hurry up. I could see why she wanted that. The dining hall was getting full and the students both new and old were already getting rowdy which is not a new thing in Edwin and Co. When you have a school filled with children of rich parents be ready for lots of shitty, bratty attitudes.

“Duty calls,” I said to Siobhan and Shewa, waving them off as I ran into the hall. Breakfast was already underway and the other prefects were holding the fort. Aaron looked like was going to lose his shit trying to calm down a group of Class 3 juniors.

“Just for one moment,” he said, his voice drowned out by the ruckus they made. “Could you keep your voice down?!”

They continued to ignore him. He cast his eyes around the room frantically taking in the disorder in the hall while trying to look for help too. But the other seniors had their hands full trying to calm other recalcitrant students. Aaron’s eyes locked with mine as I stepped into the hall and a look of relief crossed his face. I walked to the table where the boys he was trying to calm were still talking up a storm.

Slamming a hand on the table I yelled, “SILENCE!”

Suddenly the whole dining hall went silent. Not a single pin was heard.

Good. That’s what I thought. Head girls have a kind of power other prefects around here don't exactly possess. Like my predecessors before me, I’m glad they passed that power down to me.

Aaron let out a sigh of relief. “Annabel would have been proud of that yell. Thank you,” he whispered.

I nodded. Turning to the now silent crowd of more than 1000 students who were watching me, some – especially the news ones – were pale with fear.

“Good. For those of you who don’t know my name is Bianca Davis and I’m the head girl of this prestigious academy. This is Aaron Pratt the Head boy, the other seniors you see standing along the walls are prefects too.” My voice was high. From the seniors' tables on the other side, Siobhan who was now seated thumb-upped me. I tried not to smile as I continued my speech. “This is a school, not a farmhouse and each one of you will obey the rules and the prefects or face the punishments.”

Someone snorted. “What kinds of punishments? Let me guess you’ll lock me up and force me to read?”

I turned my best cold eyes at the new Junior Class 1 student who just spoke until she shrank back in her seat. “Wouldn’t you want to know?”

She lowered her head.

“Now the assembly is in barely 30 minutes, make two lines in front of the cooks and take your breakfast and when you’re done head straight to the assembly hall before your classes am I understood?”

A resounding “Yes!” filled the hall.

As soon as I finished speaking the students began to form their lines for breakfast.

Someone parted my back as I started to join the line for my food. It was Aaron.

“It’s a curse.”

“What is?”

“Every Head girl has more influence than Head boys.”

I laughed. It was partially true. Annabel Reed had the most influence though. I joined the end of the line and once breakfast was over, assisted the other prefects in heralding the students to the assembly hall. Edwin and Co. use a siren instead of bells so when the siren began to resound throughout the school every student got into the Assembly Hall.

There on the podium was Mr. Jorge ready to address the crowd of new and returning students. Mr. Jorge is something of a sycophant, ever ready to please his betters. I’m amazed he let Jessica choose me as Head girl over Shewa who is literally a Nigerian Princess or even Eva or Siobhan whose fathers are rich and influential. There he was on the podium beaming at me as me and Aaron joined him on the stage.

“Good morning, Mr. Jorge,” we greeted.

“Good morning. How are you both settling in as the new head of our school?”

“Very well.”

He looked exceptionally excited this morning. His summer vacation must have done him a great deal of good because his bald spot had hair growing on it. Give him a week or two of dealing with these brats and he’ll be back to going bald.

The students were already settled waiting for the welcomes, the announcements, and the remainder of the rules and regulations to follow.

Mr. Jorge tilted the microphone up. “Good morning, students of Edwin and Co. Usually I should start by welcoming you all to this great academy but my welcome would not be complete without introducing new students who will be joining us this session.”

Aaron and I exchanged glances.

Nothing new. It’s not worth announcing since this is a school with at least five people with fathers in senate houses and children of royal lineage from different countries.

Yet Mr. Jorge couldn’t stop beaming.

“I will like to welcome the Rios twins. Son and daughter of Ignacio Rios.”

Rios?

Rios!