Chapter 9

While Anna was still standing listening to their conversation,her phone rang, making Lilian and Elsa turn only to see Anna behind them.

Lilian approached Anna and asked her why she was invading their privacy. And told her not to reveal what she had heard to anyone if she doesn't want to be hospitalized the second time. They hissed at Anna and left.

Meanwhile, Elsa's parents decided to take extra menial jobs to raise money for Elsa's treatment and their survival. It wasn't easy for her parents because they were always coming back home late and sometimes they had to sleep over at work just to make money.

Wilson's cruelty didn't allow him to look for Elsa and ask her about her predicament. However,Mr. George came to his apartment to inquire if he truly slept with Elsa. He knocked on Wilson's apartment and when Wilson came out.

Elsa's Dad said, "My name is Mr.George. I'm a gardener, in this estate. I'm here because a lady named Elsa came sometime ago and she told me she had HIV but you threw her out. That lady is my daughter and I was watching everything that happened here that day but I just want to be sure if you both had a one night stand?"

"With due respect sir,I don't know you and I can't answer this question please leave my premises before I call the security," replied Wilson as he was about to go in to pick his phone to call his security personnels.

However,Mr.George, not wanting to cause any trouble, left Wilson's apartment without any more words.

Mr. George got home and asked Elsa if she had gotten Wilson's number but she said no. He told Elsa that it will be difficult to report him to the law because he is an influential person and wealthy.

However,it was mid-semester break and Mr. Fredrick, a lecturer who teaches Elsa's class,gave them a group assignment to be submitted after the one week break.

Elsa and Anna happened to be in the same group with Anna as the group leader. They were putting heads together to solve the assignment and everyone was sharing their own opinion. Elsa then spoke up only for her to be interrupted by Anna .

Anna said, "We can't listen to an HIV patient. Please keep your suggestions to yourself,Elsa." Everyone was staring at Elsa and those standing around her started adjusting from her like a pleg.

Elsa was so ashamed of herself and left the classroom with tears in her eyes. However, Venessa and Sarah met her outside the classroom and consoled her for what Anna did to her Infront of everyone.

However, when school resumed fully, Venessa and Sarah reported Anna to the school authority.

Telling them how Anna bullies everyone in the school especially Elsa.

The school management called Elsa just to confirm it was true and when they confirmed,they apologized to her and asked other students about Ann,and they testified that Anna was truly a bully so they suspended her for one month and told her it was because of her Dad that they were suspending her,if not she would have been expelled.

Everyone started disassociating themselves from Elsa because Anna told them that she was HIV positive. Lilian encouraged Elsa not to worry about people's behavior so that she would always be by her side in this trying time of her's.

Mr. Rockford didn't know what else to do with his daughter after she was suspended. He decided to ground her from going anywhere. He made sure she stayed at home all day without going where so she won't cause more trouble for him.

Venessa went to their departmental group chat and humiliated Anna telling everyone how she is a bully and she's so jealous of Elsa. She also exposed Anna's secret of how she wanted Elsa to be raped at her birthday party by some bad guys.

Everyone in the group chat started insulting Anna and laying curses on her for everything she had done to Elsa and others.

After Elsa had been humiliated by Anna in school,she couldn't attend lectures anymore because she faced stigmatization from her fellow students and she couldn't bear it.

Elsa's parents encouraged Elsa to be going to school notwithstanding her situation but Elsa still couldn't find the courage to go.

However,Elsa started praying a lot for God to help her in her situation because time was no longer on her side. The longer the time,the more the disease will spread in her system.

She started thinking of ways she could raise money and start her treatment. She couldn't go to work again because she felt her colleagues might find out about her predicament and she would be fired. She thought of selling some of her clothes, shoes.

Lilian also started raising money for her friend's treatment. She sold shampoo.

The school management found out that Elsa stopped attending lectures because of how Anna humiliated her. The Head of Department of Elsa's department Mrs. Charlie addressed the issue.

Mrs. Charlie gathered all the students in Elsa's class and educated them about stigmatization being a bad way of treating HIV patients.She said "When you avoid HIV patients,you make them feel bad and unwanted in the society. It makes them think of taking their own lives even though they can heal when they take care of themselves properly."

Mrs. Charlie continued, "Anyone can contract HIV. Communicating with them doesn't mean you will contact it.Just show them love and care because if you were in their shoes,you wouldn't want to be treated that way. So please let love lead."

When Mrs. Charlie finished speaking,a student named Sam,who is Elsa's classmate said, "Mrs. Charlie,I learnt that one can contact HIV just by sitting with them and that is why I don't talk to Elsa."

Mrs. Charlie laughed and replied, " My dear Sam,you cannot contact HIV by sitting with Elsa,you can only contact it by sharing sharp objects with her like razor,needle etc. Or having sexual intercourse or kissing her. These are the only ways you can contact it, okay."

Elsa's classmates were so happy to be educated by Mrs. Charlie because some of them didn't understand and they all promised her to take a new leave.