A Beautiful Mess.

42.

Melokuhle Kunene.

"I'll just be outside okay?" Senzo said and he left. I sat on the bed while sipping on a juice box that I was given to help get my sugar up and I rested my head against the wall while Mrs Cele, the school nurse made notes and asked me a series of questions. My head was pounding and the rest of my body just felt cold.

"Did you have anything to eat today?" She asked me.

"Just an apple, I wasn't really hungry today"

"Ah, Melo!" Sindi walked in and hugged me, Just look at you. What happened?" She asked and I just kept quiet.

"She was in a fight with a fellow student" Mrs Cele replied.

"Is she okay?"

"Yes, she's fine now however she did collapse earlier, probably due to her lack of eating"

"It was just a panic attack Sindi, nothing serious" I replied because Mrs Cele was just blowing the whole situation out of proportion. I know why I fainted. I didn't need Mrs Cele coming up with a series of scenarios on my behalf.

"I'm going to send you off to Mr. Brian's office now, make sure you eat something when you get home, Okay?" She said and I just ignored her.

"I'll make sure of it", Sindi said and we walked out and into Mr Brian's office where Mr Ndamase and Nonhle were already seated.

"You guys can have a seat" Mr Brian said and we sat down and that's when Mrs Ndamase walked in looking furious and took a seat next to Nonhle , who avoided making eye contact with her and me.

***
"And I'm telling you Raymond, that my daughter had nothing to do with this. Why should she be punished when this rat from the township is the one who slapped my daughter? Look at her, she's bruised because of her" Mrs Ndamase complained and now I understood where Nonhle got it from. She was a copy and paste of her mother. They both thought highly of themselves.

"Ma please" she said.

"Okay, this is what we'll do" Mr. Brian said. "We'll have to call in an official disciplinary hearing with the SGB and a verdict will be made as to what punishment these two young ladies will get"

As soon as he said SGB I immediately felt like vomiting because I knew what that meant. It meant that Nonhle would walk out of it scratch free while I was at risk of having my scholarship revoked. I had to fight. This scholarship was my life and all I've ever worked for. I couldn't afford to have it revoked.

"That's a conflict of interest" I argued and everyone in that room knew I was right. It was obvious that the whole disciplinary proceedings wouldn't be handled fairly if the SGB was involved because her mother was the chairperson. Even if she had no say in the proceedings everyone would still be in favour of Nonhle and that would be the end of me.

"There has to be another way sir, because if this goes to the SGB the proceedings won't be handled fairly. I might as well take my things and leave right now because it's quite obvious my scholarship would be revoked." I continued.

"I'm sorry Miss Kunene, I'm just following school protocol"

"Please sir, there must be another way" I cried and Mr. Brian just shook his head.

"You guys will be informed when the disciplinary hearing will take place. Both of you are suspended until then." Mr. Brian said and I felt a rush of emotions come over me and stormed out of the office. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stand being in a room with the very same people who were out to ruin my life. It felt as if all the walls were closing in on me and there was no way out. I started hyperventilating again.

I held my breath in an attempt to control my breathing and then slowly started calming down again, restoring my heart to its regular rhythm.
Everyone else walked out and Nonhle's eyes were red from crying. I looked at her in disgust and walked away while Sindi tried to catch up to me from behind me.

"Are you okay?" Sindi asked.

"I just want to go home" I cried and walked to the car.