Miemie entered the staff room and walked over to the teacher, a natural smile played on her lips. She stood in front of the man and dismissed the girl he was teaching with a nod to the door. The girl left reluctantly and closed the door behind her .
"Mister Fred." Miemie said with a smile. Mr Frederick smiled and guestured to the chair.
"Our freshman. I never thought you'd talk to me." He teased and Miemie laughed.
"Oh come on. It was never like that. Just been busy with exams. And besides, you also never called us to come and see you." She said defensively.
The two started engaging in small talks about school, studies and just things going on in the school.
"Ah yes, Vida. She's your classmate, no?" He asked and Miemie nodded. He frowned.
"Is there a problem?" She asked and furrowed her brows in confusion.
"It's just that I don't like seeing girls dressing like.." He trailed off, thinking of a word he could use.
"Masculine?" Miemie completed and he nodded.
"Did you even look at me? And what's wrong with it?"
"It's just wrong."
"The school allows it." Miemie interrupted unapologetically.
"Still, why should a girl wear clothes that swallow her curves and everything?"
"Are you sexualising young girls?"
"Of course not. I just mean, you're a girl. Dress like it."
"And how does a girl dress?"
"Certainly not like you."
Miemie chuckled. "And I'm not even the most masculine in my class. Trust you can repeat this in front of Cody, right?"
"Cody? You mean Sky? The girl who completely turned herself to a guy?" Mr Frederick asked with a disgusted face. He didn't even notice the girl in front of his wasn't smiling anymore. "She is a disappointment to womanhood."
Silence.
Thick, heavy and unsettling.
"A what?" Miemie asked I'm a chilling voice. Mr Frederick leaned in, not breaking eye contact.
"A disappointment, failure, a mistake to be corrected. That's what you, Sky, Vic, Sam, and every other tomboy or stud nonsense are."
"Hmm." Miemie hummed with a smile. "Even Vida?"
"Especially her. She is too sweet to be all that masculine nonsense. I remembered when I touched that per-"
The sentence was cut short with a punch that snapped his head to the side and removed a few teeth.
"F-cking pedofile. Sweet?" She spat in disgust. A syringe rolled out of his pocket. She picked it up and scoffed before throwing it out.
"A sedative. You thought you'd have a chance to inject me with that?" She asked and kicked him squarely in the face before he could stand up. He managed to drag her down as he flew to the side.
"You want to be treated like a man? So be it." He growled and punched her in the stomach. She pushed him off kicked him in the nuts.
The door opened and Davis and Mavis came in. Mavis helped Miemie to stand.
"I'm good." Miemie muttered and exhaled before standing upright.
"Vic?"
"With Dada." Mavis replied.
"I'll have you all reported for assult-"
"Maybe you should have stopped talking at some point then. I have everything recorded. And the syringe? Yeah, you'll have a lot of explaining to do." Miemie said and held up her phone. Davis punched the man unconscious.
"Seriously Amy. What's wrong with you? He could have actually hurt you." Davis yelled.
"But he didn't. Heck he couldn't have."
"Well, that is true." Mavis agreed. Davis tabbed his temples.
"Don't try something like this again." He warned and Miemie nodded with innocent eyes.
★
Infirmary – Friday, 6:00 pm
Dada had just been discharged. Victoria helped her to pack her things as they both headed out of the infirmary.
"Sure you're good?" Victoria asked as they walked out.
"Yup. And I hate the smell of antiseptic. They food is ready good though." Dada joked and Vic rolled her eyes as they headed out. Cody was waiting for them at the entrance.
"Look who insisted on speedy checkup so she could be discharged early." Cody teased.
"Whatever. I miss my bed." Dada sighed dramatically as the three headed for the girls' dormitory.
They talked about different topics as they walked. They made a stop at one of the school's cafeteria. Cody went to take the girls' order.
"Vida." Vic called her attention from her phone and she looked up. Vic awkwardly tried to hold her hand but Dsda gave a playful glare.
"What the actual heck is that? Do you want to cuddle me too?"
"Shut the hell up." Vic snapped playfully and the two laughed. "Yeah, not the best at giving sentiments."
"I'm not the best at receiving sentiments either." Dada added and Vic rolled her eyes.
"You know about the Kings and Queens right?" She asked.
"The one you and Victor lead? Yeah I do. What's up with it?" Dad's asked. Vic started playing with the straw they found on the table.
"Well, you know it's a dance group made of macs and femmes. Well, it was created to form harmony and acceptance. And well, what better way to bond than through music and dance, right?"
"You want me to join." Dada said and Vic nodded. Victoria wasn't one to make long speeches or dance around topics. One, because she saw it as unnecessary, two, because she was terrible at it.
"Dinner for a week, and maybe I'll think about it." Dad's teased and Vic rolled her eyes.
"Deal. You obnoxious foodie. And you ain't even fat."
"I wasn't made to be fat, okay?" Dada defended.
"Yeah right." Vic scoffed.
Cody brought the food. Before she could set the tray down, the two girls had grabbed their food and were already eating. Cody grabbed their plates back on the tray and was heading back. Vic pulled her back.
"Thank you. Now my food." Vic grabbed her plate before Cody could move the tray. Dada didn't bother with an appreciation and just yanked her plate back.
★
Girls' Hostel – Friday, 10:35 pm.
The room was quiet and dark except for the glow-in-the-dark star stickers that spelt out" Davida" in Dada's corner and the light from Miemie's laptop that illuminated hee features which provided some light and the fan spinning overhead them. Dada was already asleep while Miemie was working on her laptop.
Miemie worked till it was almost midnight before finally shutting down her laptop with a yawn. She carefully placed it on her desk and plugged it in before turning back to her bed.
"DEAR GOD!" Miemie jumped and placed her hand to her chest after realising the shadow that had jump scared her was none other than Dada.
"I didn't mean to startle you. Just wanted to check if my phone was charging." She said apologetically before moving past Miemie to the extension box. Miemie calmed herself down and muttered something about needing a heart transplant before curling under her sheets. She was about to strap her mask on and drift into her fantasy world when Dada spoke up.
"Hey. So I might stone a little shaken up. The dark reminds me of what happened."
Miemie groaned and made space on her bed.
"Just lie down and let's talk till you fall asleep. I'm not sleepy yet." She said.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Come on." Miemie urged and sat up. Dada hesitated before lying down on the bed.
"What are we talking about?" She asked.
"Okay, just tell me about your family. I've been a little curious. Why do you have two mums and a dad?" Miemie asked.
"Funny story actually." Dada chuckled before starting. "My birthday mum and dad were in an arranged marriage, but they never hit off. So they planned and both agreed after mum gave birth to me, they would divorce and both share custody. My dad got married months later and my step mum actually loved me. She wasn't a Cinderella type Stepmom thing. Well, she and my birth mum disagree on some things about me, but they both love me as I am. While dad, he's just in the middle." Both girls laughed.
"Did you ever tell them about Frederick?" Miemie asked. Dada shook her head.
"I was too scared to. They eventually found out someone touched me when they found me passed out, but I never said a thing to them. I went for therapy but I guess since I never explained in details to my therapist, the therapy never really worked."
"Do you want to tell them now?"
"I do. They deserve to know. And maybe I'll go for another therapy." Dada said and Miemie nodded. "What about you?"
Miemie's face didn't quite light up when Dada asked, but she didn't show any sad emotions either.
"Mine? They hate me. I'm the black sheep."
"Is it because you're masc? I heard your mum say you were a 'disappointment' unlike your sister who was feminine." Dada said using air quotes.
"Nope. Actually, that's part of the reason. If you know my family, you should know they stand for elegance, control, rich man nonsense on etiquette and how to use a fork properly and all that nonsense. But I hated it so much. I just wanted to be me. And me, well, me isn't the typical Crestford." Miemie joked, a broken smile that didn't reach her eyes. "So yeah, it's not just the way I dress or anything, it's my stubbornness and refusal to go to a ball or a fancy party or learn ballet or primp my brows and all that useless things." Dada burst into laughter despite the seriousness in Miemie's voice and almost rolled off the bed in laughter.
"Stop laughing for a second." Miemie snapped but was also laughing.
"Sorry, sorry. Carry on." Dada said, still vibrating in laughter.
"Good. Now stop vibrating and get ready for an ironic story. I've hated being a Crestford since I realised I'd never love a skirt. Well, I used to try my elder brother's clothes and I just liked it. It had this aura of cool I loved and those corsets and ball gowns just didn't give me. So I stopped wearing them. I changed my wardrobe without anyone's consent and well mum was furious. She yelled and put me in a girl's only Catholic school. It was the worst Elementary school of my entire life. They wore these huge skirts and weren't allowed to try to make it look moderate. It was also a boarding school. Did it make me feel comfortable in skirts, no. It actually made me hate gowns and those stupid things. I did have an uncle who visited me with some wears. He brought skirts for me. I could actually wear them because one, they were actually nicer than our uniforms and two, they actually had shorts underneath. So I guess that actually made me comfortable in short skirts cause no unnecessary air was getting in my area." Dada laughed at Miemie's description but caught herself before guesturing for the story to continue.
"Well, the woman hated my uncle for it, but I loved that man. She banned his visits soon enough. Then my first crush. One of the teachers had her son come over one afternoon to help with coaching. He was an absolute darling. Emphasis on was. I fell fast and hard. We started dating. I didn't tell my parents. Not because they'd say no, but I just hadn't grown close enough to ever tell them things like that. Fast forward to when I was 10, he leaked fake photos and claimed they were my nudes. Girls who absolutely hated me before actually made the pictures spread and then bullying came. Then, my parents pulled me out because I tarnished their image and took me to a rehab. Which was where I met Davis. He was volunteering there. Did I trust him, no. Heck I was a misandrist. Eventually, we became friends, then we were close, now, we are probably the closest duo in that class. But before I even came to this school, my mum changed my school to an all girl's school in Sounmth Africa because she felt if I had a little African training, then maybe I'd behave better than be downright rebellious."
"It didn't work." Dada said flatly.
"Obviously. I met my girls. Mavis and Gracey. Then I figured out my mum was actually South African and so was I. The sun also brought out this beautiful earthen brown colour." Miemie said, showing off her skin. Dada slapped her arm away playfully.
"Hater. Anyways, then the three of us made out dance channel. The Amapiano triplets, then it was M3. Mavis, Miemie and Melanie. That one stuck and then popularity and rumors. They said we were lesbians. Grace's mum sued the principal though. Badass judge. She also had us all transferred to this school. So yeah, I've just always been extremely rebellious and now, I'm even more rebellions and it kills my parents. My mum publicly came out and said I wasn't her daughter. According to her, a girl who would wear short skirts and found joy in what she calls seductive dancing wasn't a Crestford. It shouldn't hurt, but it did. Which was why I was actually snappy earlier. Sorry about that."
"It's fine. Wow. Your family is a lot. For what it's worth, I feel what you do is amazing. You shouldn't stop because it doesn't follow certain rules that confines you to someone you're not." Miemie smiled at Dada's encouraging words.
"It's past midnight. I'm going to sleep." Dada announced and stood up.
"Sleep well." Miemie muttered as she strapped her mask on and slipped beneath her sheets.