The summit
CHAPTER SIX
"What?" She scoffed. It's her again, can't she leave her alone? She couldn't think of any good reason why her ex-best friend would want her in that party.Did she want to flaunt her love with Damien in front of her or what?
After opening the door, she directly tossed the card in the trashcan.
Maggie seeing this picked up the card. "Although you might not like the fact that it was someone you dislike who gave it to you, don't you think it's a waste to just throw it away?" She asked putting it back on the table.
"I'm obviously not going so why should I keep it?" All the unwanted stuff are dumped so what was wrong with her actions? Although the summit was something many would want to attend, she wasn't one of those people. Damien used to take her to those rich people events in the past but she never found them fun, talk less of now that she didn't have any company.
Maggie silently looked at her as though she didn't know how to identify a treasure when she sees one.
"Not going? Let me ask you something, how do you plan to raise your father's surgery fee?" Maggie felt that Val was being unreasonable.
"Val, if you don't want to deal with Rachel at the summit then you can just ignore her. Don't let such a golden opportunity slip through your fingers simply because of your grudges."
"But how will I get that money just by going to a party?" Although the people in attendance would be the rich elites, she won't go around asking them for money, would she?
"I don't know but making a few friends won't hurt, will it?" Maggie shrugged as though it was nothing complicated.
Val sighed, Maggie had a point. She was planning to loan her father's surgery fee but she didn't even know who to borrow. The grocery store, if sold, could fetch about 500,000 shillings but she didn't entertaine that thought. The income from the store was what paid their bills including Adam's school fees. School will reopen the day after tomorrow and she was expected to pay school fees by next week. So she had to think of another way out and borrowing was her other option.
"Fine then, I'll go." For her father's sake, she will attend that party.
"That's better," Maggie said, "the event will be held tomorrow evening so we'll need to get you a dress." She added.
"Don't bother I have many dresses, I'll wear one of them," she didn't have any spare money for new clothes.
"Don't worry it'll be on me besides do you want to go feel uncomfortable and out of place?" In such parties, people especially ladies, tried to look their best. After some consideration, she accepted her offer after all she didn't want to embarrass herself.
The next day, Val wake up earlier than usual. It was on a Monday and most schools were reopening.
After breakfast, she prepared herself for job hunting.
She started with the nearest high school which was a twenty-minutes ride from her home. At the gate, she was directed to the reception desk after filling in her details on the visitors' book. The school was the best performing school in M City and she felt that she would be lucky if she got employed there. Not only was it close to her home and will save her rent and other expenses, she will also be able to take care of Adam while working.
A the reception, the light skinned lady receptionist told her that the principal was busy and so she had to wait a bit longer. She asked her if there was a teaching vacancy in the school but she said that she wasn't aware if there was any.
After about 30 minutes, two men in suit and a lady in a knee-length black dress came out of the principal's office.
She recognized one of the men as the school principal and felt relieved knowing that it would be her turn to see him next.
"Who are those two?" She asked the receptionist.
"They are from the ministry of education. The other man is the CSO while the lady is the chairperson, quality assurance." This made Val confused, when she was a high school student, she couldn't recall anyone from the ministry visiting their school.
"Why are they here?" Was the school under some kind of investigation? She wondered.
"Since the former president placed more emphasis on the quality of education in our country, the ministry of education has been closely monitoring the school system and the principals were their main target of scrutiny," she explained wondering how she didn't know this. "You're new?" She asked.
"Yeah, I graduated about two months ago," she replied.
"Oh," the receptionist nodded in understanding.
"Mr Rogers," the receptionist called out at the principal when she saw him coming. "Someone here wants to see you."
Mr Rogers looked at the lady in front of her. She looked young, probably a recent graduate.
"Good morning sir," Val stood up and outstretched her hand for a handshake.
"Good morning to you too miss?" He asked, shaking her hand.
"Elliott, Valarie Richards," she introduced herself putting on a professional smile. She was relieved that at least the principal wasn't a snob.
"Nice to meet you miss Richards, please come with me," he said leading her to his office.
"So how can I help you?" He asked her once they were both seated. She briefly stated the reason for her visit. However, the principal told her that there was no vacancy at that time but when there'll be one, they would contact her for an interview. So after leaving her resume, she left the school premises.
She visited two more schools but the responses she got were the same. There was no vacancy in their schools. She felt tired and a bit discouraged but she decided to try again the next day. She didn't have the luxury to give up.
"Wow sis, your you look like a princess!" Adam exclaimed two bright globes lighting up on his face.
In the afternoon, Maggie had taken her out to window shop for an evening gown. The v-neck, off- shoulder, royal blue dress hugged her body like a second skin from her chest to the her waist before flowing downwards reaching her ankle. She looked so beautiful and elegant in it as if it was specially designed for her. She matched it with black four-inch heels making her look taller.
"Come on stop exaggerating," she felt shy hearing her brother's compliment. Maggie too hadn't stopped telling her how natural and beautiful she looked in the dress.
"We ain't exaggerating anything you really look great," Maggie insisted making Val smile.
"But what am I supposed to do when I get there, I barely know anyone and I don't want to talk to those people," Val voiced out her concerns.
"As I told you, make a few friends and enjoy yourself don't think of anything else tonight we'll face our worries tomorrow now go the taxi is here," Maggie said handing her her handbag. "As for 'those people ', you can ignore them," Maggie knew who she was referring to. Damien and Rachel will most definitely be at the summit so Val's only option was to avoid them.
The ride from her home to the Safari hotel where the summit was being held took an hour.
Standing in front of the towering building of Safari hotel, she felt inferior. Luxury cars were coming and out of the hotel. Clutching her bag, she walked forward taking careful steps. She was afraid of falling and embarrassing herself as she was not used to wearing heels. After showing her invitation card to the attendant at the gate, she was allowed inside. The lawn was beautifully decorated with lights of different colors. It gave it a bright and attractive outlook.
After taking a deep breath, she made her way inside the hall. Once she stepped inside, she felt as though everyone was looking at her. She felt very uncomfortable, she didn't know what to do or where to go. In the past when Damien took her to a party, he would go around making greetings and small talks as most people present would either be friends or acquaintances. She on the other hand would follow him around and when she got bored, she would look for Rachel. Tonight was different, she was alone and didn't know anyone. Her eyes skimmed through the the hall before she saw the bar. She made her way there still feeling people's eyes on her. She knew she looked like a weirdo after all who directly goes to the bar in a summit? The main aim is to interact more with others and not to drink okay?
Val ignored everything going on around her as she asked for a soft drink. Taking her drink, she sat at the nearest chair and calmly sipped her drink. In the inside though ,she was feeling nervous. She felt like escaping.
"Val?" She heard someone calling her. She turned around to see a familiar face. Finally there was someone she knew.
"Hi Jayden," she greeted him a small smile forming on her lips. He was her course mate in college and although they weren't very close, she could say he was an acquaintance.
"Hi, long time no see," he said taking a seat opposite her.
"Yeah, you can say so," those two months had been long especially for her.
"So how have you been?" He asked taking a drink from a waiter.
"Okay I guess, you?" She hasn't been okay, but that was her private affairs.
"Great, and I am sorry about your mom," he had learnt about it from one of Val's friends.
"Let's talk later," seeing Rachel coming towards her, she excused herself and walked further into the hall. She didn't want to deal with her. Luckily, she found a backdoor so she stepped outside.
Inhaling the cool fresh air, she closed her eyes leaning on the balcony railing.
"You prefer being out here?" She opened her eyes to see Kelly's father standing a few feet away from her.
"Almost everyone is enjoying themselves in there, so why are you out here?" He asked. He was in a fitting navy blue suit and with both of his hands folded on his chest. The suit made him look cool like a serious businessman.
"You are here too and that makes the two of us," she answered him looking away. She didn't want to be flustered by him like last time.
He chuckled loudly making her feel confused. Did she say something funny?
"What's funny?" She asked, glancing at him.
"Nothing," he replied still looking at her.
She closed her eyes again, deciding to ignore him.
"Don't you feel cold?" . Although they didn't experience winter or summer seasons, it was cold and windy that night.She was only in her off- shoulder dress which obviously couldn't keep her warm. She was shivering.
But before she could reply him, an all too familiar voice sounded on her ears, "Val, I finally found you!". She'd obviously been avoiding this person since she arrived but she didn't want to leave her be, did she?