Daisy was climbing the stairs when the bell rang. She has two buckets of water on both of her hands. She cursed under her breath.
It was already 5:45 p.m. It was a warning bell as a reminder of the 6:00 p.m. evening prayer.
How she hated those bells, duty calls, and a kind of duty that overwhelms her.She hurried and climbed up the stairs, careful enough not to trip.
Her hostel, which was St. Marriacorreti, was on the last floor. She gently stored her buckets of water under her six-spring iron bunk. She was in SS3. She never believed in bullying other junior students just to get revenge for her days when she was a junior.
Her friends were good at it, but she never gave up on doing so; she was different from others. Before she could finish up her preparation for the evening prayer, the Angelus bell rang in her ears.
She stood at a place and recited the prayer before she hurried to the classroom to pick up her chair.
Daisy was the chapel perfect together with three more people, who made them 4.
She couldn't revamp the stress she had to go through screaming on top of her voice just to make the place like a graveyard before the prayer commerce.
Thinking of it was so exhausting. Even as an introvert who keeps to herself somehow, the mantle rested on her shoulder, even though she just wanted to stay in school without being noticed by anyone.
But that changed for her when she got the position. She came into the limelight as the topic of the day among both juniors and seniors.
"Keep quiet," she kept shouting on top of her voice to calm the roaring noise, which was so deafening.
Her colleagues who were chapel prefects felt less concerned. Instead of helping Daisy calm the students, they were transfixed on their chairs, acting like nothing was happening.
Suddenly, the chapel became so quiet, like a graveyard, when Sister Augusta was sighted from the window about to enter the chapel. Her presence commands authority for the students.
She heard the noise from the convent, which attracted her; her gait spoke of danger, and her storic face said it all as she entered the chapel. Daisy's colleague Dara and Helen jumped to their feet when they saw Sis Augusta pretending like they were trying to calm the students.
Sis. Augusta ascended to the altar and took the mic.
"All the chapel perfectly come out," she commanded with a cold tone and deep voice, which sent chills down Daisy's body as students wondered what would come of them.
Daisy sighed and walked towards the altar facing the students. She wanted the ground to open up while facing the crowd.
Her hands became more sweaty as she watched fellow students glare back at her while some looked at her with so much pity.
Dara and Helen came forward to the altar too, and then Daisy felt that Lyra's decision was the best decision she made for herself.
Lyra had immediately changed to another school, and Daisy was still wondering why she couldn't hold on for just a few months before leaving a school that was going to turn into her alma mater in just a few months.
Now that she gets it, she prioritizes her mental health over all. The position was so draining.
"You all can't keep this place quiet for evening prayer to commerce," Sis Augusta scolded. Daisy looks down to the ground, avoiding eye contact with her.
"Now where are the names of the noisemakers I asked you all to write?" Sis Augusta demanded.
Daisy stood there, transfixed to her position, not making any move. Sis Augusta has suggested the chapel perfects write the names of noisemakers, but it all boils down to Daisy being hated the most as she followed the rules of Sis Augusta, but that day she had nothing to offer.
"Now you all should kneel since you can't provide the names of the people who are making this place seem like a marketplace."
Daisy felt indifferent; how hard could it be for the position of a chapel to hold its tore on her? Her knees hit the concrete floor, which was rough. The chapel was still under construction.
The stones and sand were so uncomfortable. They all kneeled in front of the chapel, facing all the students and backing the altar, till the evening prayer came to an end. As everyone felt the chapel one after the other, their eyes fell on Sis. Augusta's position, where she sat at the far end of the chapel.
Does she want us to kneel here and miss our food before she releases us? Daisy asked herself.
Sis Augusta came forward to where they kneeled.
"I see you all default on my order. I want to see you all at my office by 9 a.m. tomorrow. You may leave." Daisy stood up and left immediately, not wanting to fall into any conversation with her colleagues.
Daisy smiled to herself when she left Sis Augusta's office; she had finally awarded herself and her colleagues a two-week suspension letter.
"Home, sweet home, here I come."