Shame On Gloria

No Entry"

"Order by: Deaconess"

Naomi sighed as she read the sign on the door of the sick bay for the third before walking back to her room sulkily. For almost a week now, she had been trying to get into the sick bay, but to no avail. What was wrong with Edith? Was she alright? And why was the Deaconess preventing everyone from visiting her?

She had no answers to these questions. And she wouldn't know the answers unless she could find a way into Edith's room. Lost in thought, she had no idea when Anna crept up behind and touched her. She turned swiftly in fear and Anna standing in front of her.

"Sorry. Monday is General Social Day and I have a plan." Anna giggled.

"Let's meet in the art room and talk about it!" Naomi's face lit up in anticipation.

As they walked away like every normal student, they had no idea that Goodness was watching them, a suspicious look on her face.

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When Naomi came back minutes later, the sign on the door of the Sick bay was gone. Glad that it was gone, she walked into the room where Edith was being kept to see her sprawled helplessly on the bed.

"Are you alright?" Naomi asked in a low voice.

Edith's eyes fluttered open to reveal tired eyes.

"I am not okay! I need someone to help out of this nightmare, please." Edith murmured.

" Look at my body!" she said, raising her skirt. Naomi gasped at the red marks on her beautiful skin.

"What? Who did this to you?" Naomi asked in shock.

"The Deaconess has already come to warn me not to tell anyone what actually happened to me. But I will because I am fed up."

Naomi sat on the bed as she listened carefully to Edith narrate how they were recruited by the Deaconess. It was all so unbelievable and as she listened, her hatred for the Deaconess multiplied.

"You know you can expose both Mr. Godwin and the Deaconess if you want. I can help you."

"How?" Edith asked in a hoarse voice.

Naomi was just about to tell her what to do when Goodness walked in on them. She stood up then and left Edith all alone with Goodness.

"I hope you are not telling her what you shouldn't be telling her." Goodness spat.

"What do you want? Did the Deaconess send you?" Edith asked with the little energy she had.

"Why would you say that? I came to see my sick friend." Goodness lied.

"You are not my friend!" Edith roared.

"What? Who is then? That new girl? Trust me, she will get into the kind of trouble you can't get out of. Don't say I didn't warn!" Goodness sneered before walking away.

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General washing day was a day set aside for everyone to do a thorough washing of their clothes and other properties they owned. Every student wrote their names on their school uniform and also marked the spot where they spread their clothes to avoid getting it all mixed up or losing them. Gloria took her time to wash her uniform, which she dried in a specific spot before going back to her room. Saturdays were often free, and she had enough time to monitor her clothes till they were dried, or so she thought. Somewhere along the line, she slept off and forgot to monitor her washed clothes. She woke up to find her special day uniform missing. She looked all around and couldn't find it.

Walking back to her room feeling dejected, she wondered what she was going to wear on the general social day, which was coming up on Monday. Grudgingly, she took her remaining clothes inside as she wondered who must have stolen her clothes. Feeling exasperated with her endless futile search, she walked into the junior's room to harass them, but at the end of it all, she found nothing. She was going to have to wear Mufti; she told herself, still scowling.

As she sat on her bed, angry, but a smile suddenly spread on her face when she remembered how Edith had run helplessly to the toilet after she put something in her drink. It had been the best day of her life.

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The General Social day was a day set aside for students from different schools to show off their creative and artistic skills. It featured activities such as dancing, singing, acting, drawing, ballet, poetry, painting, and other competitions. Anna often wondered why her school hosted such an event when they barely won any of the categories since their school wasn't so invested in such programs. In fact, most students looked down on others who were in art classes. But Anna loved General Social day because she got to see unique talents. But today's own was going to be the most special because they got something planned out for evil Gloria.

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Everyone was excited about the General social day, everyone but Gloria. How could she be happy when her special day uniform was missing? Frantically, she searched her bed for the third time and found nothing. Angrily, she walked out of the dorm room to check the rope where she dried them and still found nothing. She let out a sigh of distress as she walked back to her room. All around, she could see other girls chatting and dressing happily. Those who were bold enough were even applying make-up. Why wouldn't they? Everyone wanted to look their best today… students from prestigious schools like St. Monica high school, Ever-green International, Trend-setters and so many were going to be in attendance. And here she was, still clad in her hostel day wear, desperately searching for her uniform. 

Gloria sighed as she slumped on her bed… and there it was, her uniform… how and where it did it come out from? Her eyes darted around in search of who must have dropped her uniform, but everyone was busy getting ready for the day. She picked up her cloth, and it looked very nasty, like it had been picked up from the gutter and placed on her bed. "oh my God! Oh no!" she growled as the stench from her uniform hit her. "Oh God, who did this?" She asked herself as she flung the uniform back on the bed. There was no way she was wearing something that smelled that awful to the General social day. She was going to put on mufti.

When the ringing sound of the school bell filled the dorm room, Gloria stood up dressed in her mufti and ready to stand out amongst the crowd, the envy of them all. Everyone stared at her and wondered if she was okay, but she didn't care what they thought. She was still feeling her beautiful flare gown when the Matron saw her and ordered to go back to the room and wear the right uniform. All efforts to explain herself fell on deaf ears. Reluctantly, she walked back to the hostel and wore her stinking uniform. It stunk so much that she could barely even breathe. She felt terrible and promised herself to stay far away from other students. This was supposed to be a day for her to flaunt herself, but she couldn't. Her frustrating situation almost made her cry, but she held her tears back as she walked into the hall, which was seething with students from different schools, and sat at the back of the hall. At least no one had seen her leaving the dorm room since she was the last to leave. All she had to do now was stay glued to her seat until the show was over. She said, trying to console herself, even though she was still annoyed.

But the frustrating feelings she had were nothing compared to how she felt when she was called on stage for a presentation. Who signed up for me? I never signed up for any presentation! She mumbled to herself, even as everyone cheered for her to stand up for her moment. Hesitantly, she stood and prayed no one could smell her filth. But she had barely walked far when people started laughing while others closed their noses.

"I Am A Slut" was written boldly in red in the back of shirt and she had no idea. The laughter of the multitude of students seated in the hall rumbled and shook the hall. All eyes were on her… some were pointing at her, others gasped in surprise when they saw what was written on her shirt.

Unable to bear the jeering laughter of the many students in the hall, she dashed out of the hall. Thinking she was alone in the empty school compound, she let her tears flow freely. Her body shook violently as her tears poured endlessly. She was still feeling miserable as she continued to trudge through the empty school compound, only for her to bump into her mum. And if the ground could swallow her then, she would have gladly gone with it.

"Why do you look so filthy? Gloria?" The Deaconess asked, unable to believe her own child could look so dirty.

"Mummy… ma… I don't know who did this to my clothes." Gloria cried out.

"Will you shut up your mouth? How old are you? Oh, my goodness! Do you know whose daughter?" The Deaconess barked at the top of her voice.

"You better clean those tears now and look for something to do about your filthy self"

Goodness stifled her tears, afraid of what her mum would do next.

"Take this key… use my bathroom, clean yourself up and find something better to wear. Now get out of my sight!" She ordered.

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"Hey, Gloria…"

Gloria shook in fear, not expecting to see anyone in the school compound.

"Goodness, what is it? What?" she asked angrily when she saw the pitiful look on Goodness' face.

"I saw what happened to you."

"So? have you come to make fun of me or scold me? Just leave me alone o" Gloria sniffled like a child.

"No, I came to tell you I know who is behind everything that is happening to you." Gloria stated confidently.

Gloria stopped everything she was doing and asked.

"Are you sure? You know? It wasn't Edith because she's been lying in that sick bay for a week after I…"

"After you what?"

"Nothing! How did you find out?"

"Gloria, Edith has no hands in what has been happening to you. You have a new enemy. I don't know what you did to her, but she and Anna are the ones plotting against you."

"What?" Gloria growled. "Anna? And who is her accomplice?"

Gloria could barely believe her ears when Goodness was done telling her all she heard. With squinted eyes, she swore to take her revenge on Naomi.