Chapter Five

Munzi sat in class counting the minutes left to pass. They were listening to the lecturer talk about child psychology. After a whole three months of having had to deal with the chauvinism in anatomy, she had finally been set free. Turns out there were only a few topics in the basics of medical education that she shared with all other students from other courses. Now she was in a different class specializing in what she was really interested in doing. To her anyone who had the motivation and memory to do it, could become a doctor. It was easy. You dealt mainly with something you could see and touch. Psychology however, was another thing. Not most could survive since it involved fighting with the unknown and invisible. Something you could not fight physically. That wasn't what she was thinking of, zoned out looking out the window at the patients in their teaching hospital. She was pulled back to reality by a question from the lecturer.

"Ms Munzi, am I that boring that the world outside seems more interesting?" Dr Manatu asked. She quickly revised everything she had gone over with Adrian at home. That's right, he had become her tutor as well as her confidant, therapist and friend.

"No. I'm sorry sir. I was just thinking that why do some parents shun their children just because they are different? I mean you have loved this child since he or she was born. Why does that change when they grow up and find out that they are not what you expected them to be. I mean what's with the world, right?" She said thinking back to the last conversation she had had with her parents.

"That is a very interesting question but this is not the time or place for us to be thinking of such things. We are training you to be able to keep an open mind and expect the impossible. Some people are not so, they have set their minds on one thing and that cannot be easily changed. Coming to them with a different and new thing scares people. When people are scared they will do anything to make that feeling go away. Not everyone can be as strong. That means we should not judge them. We are all different and not everyone can accept that. Does that answer your question?" Dr Manatu explained.

"It does, thank you sir." She said getting some sought of closure and starting to understand what her parents had done.

"Good, now as I was saying,there are going to be exams for all of you in two weeks. Remember seventy five percent in my class is a fail. You're dismissed." He finished and left the class immediately after taking his notes.

Munzi was about to get out of class when she was stopped by a girl whose name she didn't know.

"You're Munzi, right?" The girl asked.

"I am." Munzi said smiling.

"I'm Kalia. I was wondering if maybe you had time to go over some topics before the exam. Discussion groups really help." Kalia said and then looked at her classmate with alot of hope in her eyes. Munzi thought about it for a minute. She had to pass the exam. Her life literally depended on it. And Adrian had been pushing her to open up more and make friends. Life was better if you had someone to share it with. So why not give it a try? With a deep breath she agreed.

"Okay. I'd love that. I mean it's hard to forget something you've heard." She said, happy that now she'd not have to walk around school with her held bowed in fear of someone commenting on her being there.

"Great. My friends will be very happy to have you in our group." Kalia said.

"Friends?" Munzi asked confused.

"Yes, my friends and I, we formed a discussion group and now you are a part of us. It'll be fun. Gotta go to they are waiting." Kalia said walking away. Munzi stood there wondering if she should follow and when and where they'd be meeting.

"Aren't you coming?" Kalia asked. Munzi smiled and followed. She knew that she couldn't always depend on Adrian for companionship, no matter how much she enjoyed being with him.

"Sure. What are we discussing today?" She asked following her new friend.

"We were thinking the basics of medical education. Particularly enzymes but if you have other topics you'd like us to cover then we'll help you." Kalia said opening the class door for them. They went out and there were some students rushing around to get to their classes. Thankfully for the medical psychology students, that was their last class that day.

"That's okay. I'm game for anything." Munzi said smiling. She had a feeling that she would love this new part of her life.

"It's this way. Our secret place. It's now yours too." Kalia said leading Munzi to a place in the school she didn't even know existed. They walked for a minute more before they came to the most beautiful place Munzi had ever seen. It was a field of green grass and trees. It was beautiful like something from a novel. The way the sunlight filtered through the canopies made everything seem magical. It was the perfect place for a picnic or a date of some sort. Somewhere she'd like to visit with Adrian. Maybe even share their first kiss. But then again he had just lost his wife and was a minister on top of that. He wouldn't be interested and she'd be more than cruel to even think about tempting him.

"It's beautiful." She finally said after an eternity of staring and daydreaming.

"Right? Come on. They are waiting." Kalia said pointing to a group of four that Munzi was yet to notice. There were three boys and a girl. They all stood as Munzi and Kalia approached.

"Guys this is Munzi from my class. She agreed to join our discussion group. She's really smart." Kalia said making Munzi lower her head in embarrassment. No one had ever complimented her so openly.

"Hi." She said with a small wave of her right hand while the other played with the hem of her sweater. A sweater that Adrian had forced her into buying. He wasn't buying that a girl could just like feeling cold and hate the feeling of sun heat on her open skin.

"Hi, I'm Jima, this is Kali, Duvo and Mori." The tall dark skinned boy said. His accent showed that he was from the western part of Kendi.

"You have a nice voice. Can I take you out?" Kali asked making Munzi drop her jaw at his bluntness. He was shorter than her and she already had her heart set on someone who didn't even belong to her in the first place. Also his skin was lighter so he must have been from the East.

"No thanks I'm not interested like that." She said smiling to try and ease the blow.

"I have a feeling that we are going to be great friends. He also tried the same with me. It never works and we keep telling him." Mori said smiling at her and taking Duvo's hand.

"I can see why." Munzi said and they all laughed. It felt good to be part of the group laughing and not be the one being laughed at.

"Come on guys, we have exams to study for." Duvo said. They all proceeded to sit on the bare grass not worrying about whether or not their clothes would get stained.

"Thank you." Munzi said turning to look at Kalia. She really was grateful.

"Munzi you are new here. Why don't you lead us in the opening prayer?" Kalia asked.

"I don't think I'm well suited for such a task. I'm not in a very good place with God right now." She said and waited for judgement. Many believers didn't like being associated with the non-believers.

"It's okay. You'll get there eventually. Jima why don't you take over." Kali asked. As they bowed their heads Munzi also did and then she felt something in herself shift. She felt something as Jima prayed.

"Jesus, we are humbled before you to thank you for this opportunity to meet. May everything we discuss here help us during our exams. And thank you for bringing us another friend. Amen." He prayed. They all said amen even Munzi.

"So who is leading today? Kalia you are the group leader. Why don't you tell us?" Kali asked.

"I don't think Munzi should since she's new here and I'm the leader so I can't. Jima prayed and Duvo will just keep making jokes and staring at his girlfriend. So Mori why don't you lead us today?" Kalia said and high-fived herself at her decision making ability. Even Munzi was impressed.

"I'd be honored." Mori said taking out her notes. "What are enzymes? Munzi would you kindly tell us?"

"Sure. They are biological polymers, protein in nature that catalyse chemical reactions that make life possible." Munzi said and then smiled. For the first time in a while, she said thank you to God. This was truly amazing and only a higher power could orchestrate such a miracle.