The rain washed all over the settlement. It started with a dark sky, but the rain only drizzled. Who knew that something as light as rain would be so heavy?

"Who is that?" I asked.

"Would you wipe that sleep off your face and get ready for school?" My mother commanded in her usual strict tone. "You read so much and retired to bed, late last night as if you forgot that you'll go to school." She reminded me.

"Sorry, mum." My hands rubbed my dizzy eyes as I apologized. "Each page was just worth it."

Waking out of the heap of novels reminded me about how much pleasure, reading gave me. My dried lips cracked a smiled as I strected out of my bamboo sleeping mat and rolled it to a corner of the room. I took out a broom and swept. A little oil lamp standing brightened the room.

"Adaku!' My mother called again. "Your bathing water has boiled! So it don't burn away, wet the firewood and place them in the corridor to dry." Her voice came from the backyard this time. The back door creaked as she locked it.

The cock's crow under the drizzle made me realize that it day was already ripe. Mother had fed the animals and completed her morning duties. I hurriedly poured my boiled water and arranged the firewood into a dry corner as she asked.

"I am prepared to leave. I should have left earlier than now for the Farmer's meeting at Kedu. They will be waiting for me now. Fetch your breakfast and place the pot inside the cupboard. Don't forget to lock the house before leaving!" She warned.

"Okay, mummy!" I replied. Next, I stepped into the bathroom. "See you later, bye!" My girlish voice echoed as I bade my mother farewell.

The old wooden door cried as she left. Her footsteps faded before I took my bath. My mother, Ndidiamaka, was a farmer. She is the only female farmer in Evuma. That was why they crowned her the president of Evuma Farmer's Society. She wasn't as wealthy, but she was a woman stronger than ten men.

My father passed away right before I was born, due to a prolonged illness called lung cancer. My mum hardly had a picture or any form of memory left of him. Although I never knew or met him, I knew he might be a man with a heart of gold. Growing up with my mum had been an experience. Although many men in Evuma had wooed my mother over the years, she turned them deaf ears and we were used to living with no man figure in our lives.

After having my bath, I put on my new school uniform. It was a white and green check material sewn in a simple, knee-length gown with a pleated waist. I applied an amount of shea butter all over my body from my head to my feet. My hair was a skinned cut and my skin was cocoa beans. I rushed to have Akpu and Ofe ede for breakfast before fixing my white socks and brown sandals to leave. The pair fit me well, and I loved it. It was my first day at Afikpo Community High School. Then, I tidied the rooms before locking the door. Opening the door to go out, the cool weather sent me chills. A grin of joy spread through my lips as I walked to school. It's been my desire to attend Afikpo Community High School for ages! Though, it took an hour before I reached the school gates.

Reaching the school gates, I realized that some students with guilty faces knelt on the wet floor. Gazing forward, my eyes met the line of students in the assembly rows, dressed in green and white uniforms similar to mine, already matching.

'If you do good, kingdom!
Oh oh oh oh, kingdom,
Oh oh oh oh, kingdom waiting for you.' They sang on.

"Join the latecomers!" A very slim man directed, and I did as I was told.

He had thick round glasses, and his black leathered belt held him tight at his waist.

"The female latecomers would wash the toilets while the male would clear the grasses. After which you take ten strokes of cane before going to your various classes." He added. The frown on his face could simply scare a child.

'Are there any students at all from Evuma?' My heart sank at his words. My first day at secondary school wouldn't have been like this if not for the rain.

The teacher took the students to the school's store to pick up cutlasses, hoes, rakes, and baskets to clear the busy school field.

I along with thirteen other girls my age, were led to the toilet by another teacher. She had beautifully threaded hair on and held a long stick in her hand. Other girls seemed to fear her, but it was the first day for me. I just followed the orders. We were handled brooms, detergent, and antiseptic to wash our hands after the cleaning. At once, we took the steel buckets to fetch water at the school well. Which was about a mile farther into the school compound.

The well alone was seven feet deep. Some girls took off their socks while some even pulled out their rubber sandals. It felt odd with my socks on, so I took it off. Then, the washing began. The toilets, stuck with dirt, mud, and the excretion of humans and animals, disgusted me. The urine of rats that dwelled in the school toilets at night mistakenly touched my lip. Like poison, I spat it out. Breathing was difficult for me, but I tried my best. After so much scrubbing, the inspecting teachers asked us to return the washing equipment and receive the ten lashes of cane.

The teacher did the beating. He'd just finished flogging the male students. Many cried. Others bled. In my 9 years of existence, hardly anyone laid a lash of cane on me. Not even my mother, not until now. Turn after turn, the Mister beat the girls while I watched, and stepped back as if my turn wouldn't come. But it did, and I cried. The cane might have left a scar on me. The teacher flogged me to the back of my legs. With blurry eyes, I searched for J.S.S 1C while dragging my wobbly feet around the school. I bet my legs were already swollen, but who cares?

"Aren't you Adaku Ifedi, the scholarship student?" A woman asked. She was in her mid-forties.

"Yes, ma." I sniffed, so she wouldn't see me cry.

"Where are your documents?" Her clear English and calm manner of approach was something I'd never known.

"They're here, ma." I took off my school bag to hand her a brown envelope. My wet, shaky hands trembled while she collected it. Her eyes kept staring at the back of my legs as if concerned.

Then her eyes scrolled through my files. "Hmm..." She nodded impressively. "Are you from Evuma?"

"Yes," I replied in a creaky voice.

"Follow me, let's go to my office." She directed, while I gently followed her behind. Entering her office, I saw a tag 'School Principal- Mrs Comfort Igwe.' on her office door. Once we stepped in, she placed the file on her table.

"I expected you to come earlier, what happened?"

"It rained and I woke up late," I explained with guilt in my voice.

"You need to be punctual, okay? A brilliant student like you shouldn't lack anything. Follow me. I will take you to your class, but you need to see me before closing." Her eyes strolled to my legs again. Then she handed me something from her handbag. "Here is a Robb balm. Apply it when you're chanced. Let's go."

She led the way, and I gently followed her behind. It was just two blocks away from her office. We got to J. S. S. 1C.

"Good morning class."

The students all rose on their feet."Good morning, Mrs Igwe! You are welcome to J.S. S 1C! May God bless you, ma!" My identical eyes studied the room. There were about a hundred students in the class.

"God bless you too." She softly blushed and turned to me. "This is Adaku Ifedi, your new classmate. She is also a scholarship student from Evuma Nursery and Primary School. I ask that you should be nice to her." Mrs Igwe pushed me forward to move to a seat.

The students at the front rolls sat in pairs and I wondered which was meant for me until my eyes met an albino girl of about my age. I joined her seat at once.

"Take care, Mrs." I noticed the principal's smile died once she stepped out of the classroom.

"Adaku, isn't that an old notebook?" The teacher pointed at me and I gazed up at her.

Startled.

"No, ma. I used it last month and there are still more pages left." I flipped through the blank pages of my book and a boy snarled beside me. My eyes darted to a couple of students who chuckled with him. I wonder what was funny.

"You're now in junior secondary school, dear. I suggest you use a fresh note!" the boy pointed out.

"Haven't you paid for your textbooks?" Mrs Emeka, my new class teacher, raised me.

I couldn't help but reply in a low voice

"I thought the scholarship I got would cover all my books, ma."

"Oh, no. The government paid only for your high school education, which will end in five years." She clarified before facing the blackboard.

"It's your first day today so, I'll pardon you." My class teacher finalized it.