Page 86 - The Mending Season

nineVeronica came back from the principals office wiping her face and not looking directly at any ofus. Her hair was standing up all over the place and she was tightening the belt around her waist. She looked like she had been in a fight.All the Black girls - with the exception ofKB - were anxious to hear what Mrs Allison had said to Veronica. We all stood up when she walked in and rushed to her side. There was no teacher in the class at that moment - Mrs Tanner was next for Religious Studies, and I guessed that she was late because she was proba­ bly talking to another teacher about it. She was always gossiping, with teachers and students alike, about everything that was going on in the school.Tamz put her hand on Veronicas shoulder and asked in Setswana, “What did Mrs Allison say?” But Veronica would not speak. She sniffed and walked to her desk. Trish handed her a hairbrush and repeated Tamz’s question.“They dont believe me,” Veronica said flatly. I sighed, because her tone told me that they wanted to let it go, and I was relieved.“Tshidi heard her,”Trish said. A few girls gathered around us, their faces pleading with me, asking me to comfort Veronica. But she was not interested. She knew that I had heard. For some reason, this was not important to her.“What did she say, Tshidi? You can tell Mrs Tanner when she comes in, shell believe you,” said Tamz.“Yes.”“Yes, she will.”86