LESSONS IN SHADOWS (GL)

The sun was still high when Jennifer, Angela and Cynthia strolled out from the dining hall, chatting lazily as they made their way back to class.

But then-

"Wait, wait, wait-what is that?"

Cynthia's voice cut through their laughter, her hand grabbing Jennifer's arms.

"Look under the jacaranda."

Jennifer turned.

Maria was sitting on one of the benches, cross legged like she owned the afternoon. On her lap was a long half-unwrapped bar of Al Ramadi- Dubai dark chocolate, broken into neat squares.

Jennifer's heart paused.

"That's-"

Angela leaned in.

"That's your brand. The one you got yesterday."

"What the hell is she doing with that?" Jennifer whispered.

Maria popped a piece in her mouth, chewing slowly, deliberately. 

Something inside Jennifer snapped.

"You thief," she muttered, marching forward before either friend could stop her.

"Give that to me."

Maria blinked up, feigning innocence.

"Excuse me?"

Jennifer snatched the box out of her lap.

"Where did you get this?" she hissed.

Maria stood up now, snatching the other side of the box back.

"It's mine."

"Liar!"

Angela and Cynthia reached them just as the two girls started pulling the box between them, pieces of chocolate falling, their voices rising.

"She took it from my locker-!"

"I didn't even see your locker!"

Students began to gather, murmuring, some cheering, others laughing. A few phones were already out, recording.

"Fight, fight, fight-" someone chanted softly in the back.

And then-

"Enough!"

The crowd parted instantly as Miss Emily, the discipline teacher appeared like a shadow behind them, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Both girls froze.

"My office. Now."

No one said a world.

...

Jennifer stood in front of her locker. The hallway was quiet. Her fingers trembled slightly as she turned the lock and pulled it open.

There it was. The chocolate. The same brand. The same glossy wrapping. The one she had thought Clara always sent her.

Her breath caught. Slowly, she reached for it, fingers brushing the edge of the packet as if afraid it might vanish.

But it didn't. It was real. Just like Maria had said.

Jennifer's mind turned over the pieces again. Maria, saying in the office- "Miss Emily gave me this yesterday." Yesterday. The same day Jennifer received hers.

She stared at the chocolate in her hand. Clara hadn't brought it. Not this time. Not last year. Not the year before.

It wasn't Clara.

It had never been Clara.

She clenched the packet, chest tightening.

Was it...her? Miss Emily? All this time?

Her heart kicked once, hard.

But why Maria too? Why her?

Something twisted inside her, something she didn't have a name for.

She slammed the door locker shut.

...

Back in the office, she said nothing at first.

Maria looked at her, cool as always. Miss Emily avoided her eyes.

Jennifer didn't look at either of them. She sat down quietly.

But her silence wasn't empty.

It was loud.

Inside her, a question kept echoing. If she gave it to both of us... does it mean she's...doing things with her too?

Miss Emily cleared her throat gently.

"I believe that's settled," she said, her voice clipped but steady have yours. Maria's explanation holds. You may both return to class.

Jennifer didn't answer.

She stood up slowly, her fingers still curled around the packet like it was something dangerous. She didn't look at Maria. And she certainly didn't look at Miss Emily.

Maria gave a short shrug and turned for the door.

Jennifer followed, her footsteps quiet, dragging, a breath behind. She didn't feel settled . Not at all.

Miss Emily glanced up once more, her expression unreadable-neutral, professional-almost relieved.

She had no ides.

Jennifer didn't say a word as they left the office.

But her mind was screaming.

... 

The classroom had mostly settled into a low hum of chatter, papers rustling, and pens scratching. But the mood at Jennifer's desk was far from calm.

Jennifer sat quietly, her fingers tracing the corner of her book. Not reading. Just ... feeling. Still shaken by what had unfolded in the office. Across the room, Maria laughed too loud with the girls around her desk. Their eyes flicked toward Jennifer, then back again, whispering. Snickers followed.

Angela leaned forward. "She's really enjoying herself today, huh?" she muttered under her breath.

Cynthia squinted toward Maria's group, then turned back to Jennifer. "Hey... was everything settled in the office? Like, did she get punished? Did she give it back?"

Jennifer's fingers froze on the page.

"It was hers," she replied softly, but the emotion in her voice betrayed her.

Angela blinked. "Wait-what?"

Cynthia frowned. "But that's what you always say..."

Jennifer gave a weak smile that didn't reach her eyes. "That's what I thought, too."

Her gaze drifted across the room-to where Maria leaned back in her seat, tossing her hair and smirking like nothing had ever happened. As if they hadn't almost clawed at each other minutes ago. As if nothing about that chocolate had shaken something loose inside Jennifer that she hadn't known was there.

And still...no one suspected the truth.

Not Angela. Not Cynthia. Not even-Maria-not really.

They still believed it was Clara who had sent the chocolate.

Only Jennifer was beginning to suspect the real weight of it.

Just then, Cynthia stood up and tapped her pen against her desk.

"Oh, I almost forgot," she said, loud enough to catch everyone's attention. "St. Peter's and St. Andrew's schools have requested to visit next Monday. It's for the Physics club-they really enjoyed the last showcase, especially the one Jennifer led."

She turned, eyes scanning the classroom.

"So, physics students...be prepared."

"I wish Brian is in the Physics Club," Cynthia muttered, her voice hopeful.

Angela didn't even lift her head. "I don't think so. Pretty sure he's in the Agriculture Club." She leaned back with a teasing grin. "Unlucky for you-he only knows his way around cows."

Jennifer glanced at them quietly. She didn't say a word, but she could feel it-the unspoken tension, the strange energy that always lingered between those two. It was almost amusing. Almost.

Jennifer leaned back in her seat, letting the low chatter of the classroom blur around her. Her gaze drifted to the window, but her thoughts weren't outside-they were somewhere between last year and the year before that.

Back then, she'd felt truly alone. No clara ( who was her everything)

And yet...that person. The one who had always left something for her on her birthday-quietly, without asking for anything. For two years now.

She had believed it was love. But now...now, someone else had received the same thing. And suddenly, it didn't feel special anymore.

She didn't know what to feel.

Grateful? Betrayal? Touched? Foolish?

She slouched over her desk, folding her arms and resting her chin on them.

Maybe it was just something kind-something flattering, not personal.

There was nothing between them. There had never been.

She knew that.

"You should tell Christine-the Form 4 North prefect-to inform her class too," Jennifer said suddenly, her voice sharper than usual.

Cynthia blinked. "Tell her what?"

Angela looked up from her notebook, frowning. "Tell the students?" Her voice had a confused tilt, like the words didn't sound natural coming out of her mouth.

Jennifer gave no explanation.

She moved between desks with quiet confidence, already speaking to a small group of girls near the window.

"The visitors will expect input," she said calmly. "We should be ready to share something practical. A simple demonstration, even."

The girls glanced at each other, surprised. But they nodded.

Then she turned to another table.

No hesitation. No delay.

Her voice steady, her hands folded in front of her like she'd done this before.

Angela leaned toward Cynthia again. "She's actually... organizing?"

Cynthia didn't respond.

And then it happened.

Just outside the hallway- Jennifer was talking to Edna.

Smiling.

Edna. The school paper girl Jennifer usually passed without a word. Now they stood side by side, deep in conversation.

Angela's voice dropped. "Okay. That's new."

Jennifer walked away with a a calm energy that didn't look like comfort.

It looked like a beginning.

...

The room was dark, expect for the blue glow of her phone screen

Jennifer lay on her side, blanket pulled up to her chin, her thumb resting over the power button.

Her eyes weren't really watching the screen. They were staring through it-into something further, something quieter.

She wasn't smiling now.

A notification buzzed.

She blinked.

1 new email-Miss Emily Wairimu

Subject: Regarding Today 

From: [email protected] 

To: [email protected]

Time: 9:42 PM

Jennifer,

I noticed your involvement with the visiting science team.

It was unexpected. Not in terms of your ability-that much is known-but in your choice to step forward.

You've always been confident in your answers, but never loud in a room.

I'm curious what changed.

-Miss Emily Wairimu