Dignitas

forward. "Don't you bri

Mr. Williams said. "And if he raised you to s

as the

Chloe thought she was actually going

't you dare talk about my

, effective immediately. And a formal letter of apology to be sub

she'd been punche

anjo said. "Col

done anything wrong. And now s

rning. Your cousin's behavior reflects on you. Family reflects o

he just stared at the

he principa

ir

t concern you and mind your business no

s s

the door and dismis

The Walk

ed. He stepped in front of the gate when she walke

can't come back

ing back. Chloe walked with her to the bus sto

reet was noisy, Okada's honking, hawkers shouting, the u

loe said, "

be sorry for putting all of you into a big mess. But I'm not sorry I s

into it," Chloe said. Her voi

topped w

now. They use your family against you when they don't have anything else. Patrimonial

d. "Mum's going

Sharon. But not

the tricycle moved, she leaned out and said, "Don't let them make you think you did

loe standing on the curb with an

– Back

g at the desk. Charlotte sat across the aisle, pretending to read, but every few minutes she'd gl

bench under the mango tree, outside, picking at the gras

ting. Then he pointed his spoon to Chloe's mouth signifying to her to have a bite. She d

s" she

he finally spoke out, "Fi

up. "Great. Now

e. And I think you were right. Fiyin

at him. "Why are yo

simply. "And because I hate it when

at to say to that. S

s or anything. But if you need someone to go over quadratics with

y before Chlo

ango leaves rustling overhead. For the first t

and they chatted all through till when break was ove

ar

ung over one shoulder, tie loosened, looking sheepish a

ught if I said it, they wouldn't suspend the both of them. But it resulted into a fight between I and the MD's daughter. I was suspended due

two are a problem. A patrimonial problem." She said the word with a half-smile, like she'd been saving it. "Your grandfather used to say

"Patrimonial? Th

man word,"

(Chloe's mum)", she cut i

s into three bowls and poured sauce over it, the red swirling against the white. "Your grandfather got into three fights in secondary school defending h

I have to write a letter of apology before I'm allowed back." S

ith a speech and still have the man invite him to dinner after." She took the second bowl to her husband in the dining room and came back. "You two will draft the

roof now. Outside, the streetl

asted like tomatoes and shame and something else she

first time since she heard th

family stubbornness, you might as well inherit the family cooking too. Because if you get expelled,

stening to them said sm

ce" her mom said.

Entrance, A

s were still hanging around, laughing and gisting.

ps. Chloe looked

l backpack that looked too new for the lockers at St. Theresa's. He

said, like it was an obse

her notebook.

t away. Like he was giving her space to tell him to leave. "My mum said I should walk

t smiled. "

en at the notebook she was grippin

aid honestly.

ke that was a

ete, and the sky was that deep orange again, the same color it had been in the

st... She couldn't let Charlotte lie about Fiyin. And I also co

he ground. "That's what families do, righ

monial, apparently. My mum's word. Means w

Then I guess I'm stuck with my mum's joll

t, a little watery, but it was a l

he bad." He kicked at a pebble on the ground. "My dad always says you

. It was different from the way Mr. Williams h

up, yawned loudly and stood up, stretching. "U

ain quarterly opened which she was peeping through. She was filled with hatred and jealousy. Im

bag. "We should go be

r her shoulder. She didn't move toward the ga

sked. "You don't even know me. Yester

You explained question 4 to Fiyin without making him feel small. And because you didn't cry in the prin

. It wasn't pity. It wasn't admiration either. It was something qui

I wasn't going to gi

then, just a little. "But you can cry

e was smiling now too, proper

ter that night on the phone. "See you tomorrow. I'll save

started walking toward the

too close, not too far. "Could've fooled me

ck, and it sounded almost normal. Almost like the way s

"There it is aga

ide was quieter now, the sun dipping low b

id, but there was no real bite i

. I like it. When you smile. It's d

face go hot. Sh

he said quickly, stepp

ight away. He just stood there, hands in his pockets,

to hear but not loud enough for the

just raised one hand in a sm

er. The suspension still hung over her head. Charlotte

e wasn't carrying it all by herself. And t