Life Within The Halls

Chapter 2: "The Unexpected"

LIFE WITHIN THE HALLS

Sandra

Monday, February 9th, 10:25 a.m.

Having read countless articles about Bel-Air's 'high class' school, I found myself in disbelief as one of the privileged, dressed in their uniform—a white shirt tucked into a short green skirt, with the school vest on top, a tie beneath it, and completing the ensemble with a pair of Mary Jane heels.

The school principal, the same one who had escorted me to the classroom for my test, concluded his speech in the assembly hall. He mentioned a few rules and stressed the importance of quality teaching and learning, highlighting ways we could strive for improvement.

The hall, with its expansive white tile floors, accommodated approximately three hundred seats, each filled with applauding students.

Amidst the applause, the principal called upon the school founder's granddaughter onto the stage. This prompted a wave of cheers to fill the hall as she, wearing a blazer on top of her uniform with a tag, made her way to the podium.

My goodness! There she was! The beautiful brown-skinned girl! I recognized her from the school's television advertisement.

"Good morning, fellow students. I'm Victoria Hill," she spoke with the same confidence she exuded in the school's ad. "As we gather here, we not only mark the beginning of another academic year, but also celebrate a significant milestone in our school's history—the 30th anniversary of its founding..."

I sat beside my new friend, Gideon, in the first row in the hall. His tap on my shoulder drew my attention away from the stage. "Victoria is so boring to listen to," he murmured, casting a subtle nod towards the stage. "I'd rather chat with you instead."

The way he spoke about her made me realize he didn't exactly hold her in high regard, or they both didn't.

"What do you wanna talk about?" I asked, matching his tone.

"Um... the math test. How was it for you? I mean, first day in a school, then boom, there's a test," he said. That was literally the second time he had asked me about the test.

"It was okay," I gave him my earlier reply, and his gaze drifted back to the stage.

Honestly, the idea of tackling a math test didn't sit well with me. I hadn't even wanted to write it, but options were limited. Admissions had closed before I could apply, leaving me with only two choices: take the test or defer admission to the next semester.

"Let us honor the past while embracing the future with optimism. Long live Hill Academy! Long live Bel-Air! Long live America!" Victoria ended her speech.

I fidgeted in my seat, the loud, cheerful noise in the hall blurring in my mind as I watched droplets fall from the gallery above. I tried to ignore them, but the drops taunted me, slowly staining my black, straight hair. Then, I felt a warm sensation on my forehead. I reached up to touch it, only to let out a loud shriek. "Blood!"

An uproar ensued as a girl in a cheerleading uniform tumbled from the gallery, sending shockwaves through the hall. Two students hurried to examine the body more closely, and one exclaimed, "The head cheerleader is dead!"

Dead? There were no visible signs of injury, so what could have caused her death? And why was blood coming from her nose?

In the midst of the chaos, the principal took charge. He directed the handling of the deceased body and urged us to remain calm.

I stood there in shock, staring blankly at the dead body placed on a gurney.

The principal urged us to calm down and return to our classrooms. Some hurried out in panic, while others, with faces showing they had accepted life's harsh realities, bore the news of the death with apathy.