Page 04

It's been eight months since that incident happen. Mumma started to talk a bit roughly. Daddy was still the same, but I can see in his eyes, he doesn't hope anything from me. It aches, everyday, just a little mistake, and they take the point out of that failing time. Mumma,"Why can't you memorise it properly?!", daddy "You should not annoy your mumma like this, be responsible". Daddy not only scold me but sometimes mumma too for scolding and hitting me too much. They after see me cry because of scolding, then silently come to me and gently put their hands on my head and back, caressing it. This love started to feel like a slow poison, sweet and beautiful, but DEAD!

My first repeat of first grade was ended, mumma didn't come with us to attend the annual meeting. Dad and I went to the school ourselves. I got better marks, more than sixty percent, probably seventy-five or eighty-five percent. I was happy, thinking that this time no one gonna tease me, saying failure anymore. We then went to greet the principal of the school. She was scolding a kid for getting eighty-eight percent, maybe.

Saying that kid's parents that if this continues that kid not gonna do anything in future. My heart started to pound so fast I don't know what was gonna happen to me now, terror flowing in my veins and reaching my little heart and mind. She looks at me, straight into my eyes. I look at her eyes then straight put my head down, words chocking my throat. Reading through my mark sheet, she looks at me, then my father. She put her glasses away and said, "This ain't no good grades at all, but still... at least it's a bit better than before", after saying this to my father she looks at me, "But don't you think this is good at all, this won't let you get a place among your pears. How are you even feeling, that all your previous friends has become your seniors?". I was scared, as she continued saying stuff that made me feel more guilty than ever, tears didn't flow because of fear. Daddy's head was down, he was just listening what she was saying, and I was afraid for what is going to happen next. In the end, she said "You've improved better than before, but I've promoted you because your father pleaded to me, otherwise these grades are no good".

My nose all red, head down and totally terrified. Then she asked me, "just do better than this in second grade, understood!". I was still not even moving, she passed my report card back to my daddy. He looks at me and while put his hand on my shoulder he said,"Fiya, say 'yes ma'am' to the principal". My throat was already heavy, still I've managed to say "Y... Yes, ma...ma'am!". Daddy and I then left the office. Coming out of that den feel's like a huge weight has got off of my head. But I was unaware for what is going to happen to me when I reach home.