It was Sunday afternoon Joella was supposed to be preparing to go to school while everyone was waiting the sitting room. ' Today no matter what they say am not going to boarding school and that's my final answer and am not going to change .' said Joella. ' Can you go and check up on your sister and tell her her father is waiting ' said Isabella . ' Yes mum ' said  Ava.

Ava goes to their room and finds Joella seating on the bed with her mind so far not yet dressed, she looks at her for a moment then turns to her in a polite manner saying ' do you know dad is getting late for work and you are comfortable relaxing and staring at the space. Mum does not have money to take you to school if dad leaves you what are you going to do '. Joella turns to her and gives her and gives her a harsh look and says ' listen just the way you were told to call me tell them am not going to school and this time round am serious. '.

Ava silently leaves the room and closes the door behind her and goes where the parents were and looking down and says to them ' mum dad Joella has said she is not going to school and this time she is serious about it ' and she leaves the room. The mum with furious anger stands up and goes to Joella's room bungs the door and gets in. ' Mum ' said Joella in big surprise. The  mum started speaking in loud voice ' I don't want to hear any excuse neither complains or anything , you are going to school so get yourself together to leave' Joella replies ' mum ' before she could finish what she was talking the mother start to talk ' I don't want to hear any more mum mum and when talking you should be dressing okay ' .

Joella also stands up from the bed she was seating and shouts back at her mother with anger at the same time afraid  ' mum , I have had enough of all this, am the one studying and I know the very best environment I want to be in . You can't keep forcing me going to boarding school. I told you from the start this time am very serious am not going and I mean it. ' With anger her mother slaps her and says ' I didn't raise you to talk back at me or raise your voice at me. Am done here don't make your father wait ' and she leaves the room. Joella went to bed and covers herself with the blanket and starts to cry.

' Am not going to waste my time waiting for your child . I have a lot of things waiting for me head. Since you like to entertain her then just take her to school alone am out of here ' said Peter. ' Baba ( Dad )  Liam please wait ..' said the mum . ' Mama Owen you should know how work is important to this family so please don't start dramas like your Joella ' said Peter. ' Have a safe journey ' said mum when seating down on the chair facing down as her husband walks away left thinking to herself .

        After the father had left the mother lowered her anger in her room silently alone and later went to make supper. At the table as everyone was having dinner Joella was still locked in the room and everyone was eating only the movement of the foods in the mouth could be heard everything else was like water in the drum. After dinner Ava went to clean dishes while her brothers went to arrange their things for school. From there the mum went to sleep not having a word with anyone.

        The next day Joella wakes up her eyes swollen and finds her siblings already went to school on the other side the mum was not talking to her or minding her existence around. Their air together was as if contaminated to poison everyone trying to find her way to survival. From there Joella goes to brush her teeth as heads to take tea with kiporo ( ugali that has slept ) for her breakfast and while she was taking breakfast the mum went to take a shower and immediately the mum finished taking a shower heading back to house from the distance where the bathroom and the toilet where located away from the house Joella had finished her breakfast.

        Few minutes later the mum leaves the house . Joella remains alone at home and does the morning dishes then sweeps the compound, picks the dry leaves and finally waters the flowers around their house. From there she goes to seat at the mukuru (  cement like bench at the side of the muddy house )  where the sun was slightly reflecting from the bright morning, the birds from the nearby planted forest singing lovely together with the cold breeze coming from the close flowing and splashing river close to her home and closes her eyes starts to thinking to herself.

        'I am pretty sure my mum right now is seriously angry with me but I cant risk it again going to boarding school. I totally have no friends, I still bed wet and everyone makes fun about it , I have low grades in school... a boarder but still manage to be at the end of the list after the results are out, am careless not to mention on visiting days my mum does not come but I cant blame her since she also working hard digging for people garden to also support my younger brothers the one I blame is my aunt Vasoline for putting my mum in such a hard spot. I just this time they can take things through cause am tired of all that depression I just want to stay home..' and she suddenly falls asleep outside there.

        Hours later the mum comes back and finds her asleep there, she takes the things she brought from the market and keeps them back in the and comes back to where Joella was sleeping and pulls her closer and she sleeps comfortably on her lap. Minutes Joella is woken up by a strong wind and finds herself sleeping on her mum's lap and she was totally confused surprised and scared then she stood up immediately in a shock afraid her mum will beat her up but what shocked and frightened her the most was when her mum tells her to seat next to her , with a little resistance she had see seats a bit far from her mum ready to run away in case her mum pulls out of nowhere a cain. Suddenly her mum moves close to her and hugs her with her warm loving arms to her and the mum smiles.

        As they were hugging Joella looks at her mum and realizes the mood of her mum was bright was right time to talk to her mum but she didn't want to spoil her mum's good mood again because her smile was too precious to her and a sad never matches her pretty face. So she faces down as she places her arms around her mum. The the mum starts to speak ' am sorry for not listening to you the whole time but don't worry cause mama will always find a way to solve all her children's problems and for that tomorrow we will go and buy new school dressing .. oh you will be attending school with your younger brothers and sister and i hope you take good care of them.'

        With a joyful and cheerful emotions Joella stands up and starts jumping and dancing shabbily  with massive smiles with her black colored eyes shining brightly in the clear sun that she could not control her emotions she offers to milk the cows that evening , make breakfast for her siblings daily and prepare warm water everyone in the morning. She felt on top of the blue sky riding on golden dragon. Her mum was watching her and felt so glad to please her daughter but inside she hoped nothing goes wrong. Joella got her mum aware and asks her what she will do with the things they bought for boarding and the mum replied abruptly they will be used for normal household and then Joella had nothing to worry about.

**T**he next day Joella wakes up very early dawn when the cocks were crowing and went to set up light of the three stone and put cold water to boil. While boiling she goes to prepare soap in the bathroom and water to add on the hot water. When the water was boiled she wakes up everyone and prepares her two brothers and sister to get ready for school.

The moment she goes to the bathroom the mum goes to milk the cow and makes breakfast for them. Later the kids go to school as Joella waits for her mum to finish dress herself.

**B**y the time they were ready the sun had risen shiny and bright. The birds were buzzing as the enjoy the morning. 'mum we are going to be late on the first day ' said Joella. 'Its your first day but I don't expect you to be nervous or is it because its your first time in day school. ' the mum said . ' Its my first time and first day in day school so its obvious for me to be nervous but am also happy and I was always waiting for this day to come... ' added Joella . ' I know am done now we should get going and remember do not joke in school and land all the blames to me do you hear clearly. ' said the mum as they were closing the door. ' I have heard that loud and clear no need to remind me of that cause everything you talked to me yesterday night as are still fresh ' said Joella. ' Good. We are going to use the short cut in the forest I hope you have not forgotten the root. ' ' How can I even forget such a place. I despite using that route because its a little creepy there but some how I will manage cause you are around.. ' ' Enough with your sweet talk and get moving ' ' Yes mama '

**A**s they walk down the planted forest the dew in the grass stick on their shoes everyone silent thinking to theirselves . ' I wonder how it feels like to study in a day school. How am I going to make friends. I have never made any true friends in my life but this round I must do something new life new things. Nothing is going to spoil the joy I have no matter what ...' said Joella. As they were busy and deep in thoughts they suddenly realize the fact they are in school already.

**A**s the head to the head teacher's office she comes across a guy in corridor and almost steps on him and she says sorry not looking at the person in the name nobody is going to spoil her day. From there they head to the head teacher's office , first formalities and without even knowing what time the mum talked with the head teacher , everything was arranged for her. ' Welcome to saint John primary school feel welcomed and in case you need help or encounter any trouble feel free to come and tell me Joella ' said the head teacher. ' Thank you so much I will put that down in my brain and hope to have the best educational time for the next coming two years ' said Joella. ' We will do everything to meet your educational requirement as long as you are in the school facilities ...' said as they both have hand shake . ' I will get going to... don't divert your mind to useless things focus on your studies ' .... ' yes mama '... ' I will get going ... teacher I leave her to your hands ' ..... ' take care mama ' ....... ' I will lead you to your class ' said the teacher as he stands up wearing his blue ironed suit with a well shined brown shoes with his phone on hand. They both head out of the office and head to the classes using the front side after looking the door behind him.

**A**s they were heading to class the boy who knocked each other near the head teacher's office sees her and remembers her... ' So she is a new comer in class seven well this is the reason I have never seen her around. I don't why I see something important about her but I don't know what is it.... ' said the boy and suddenly he hears the voice of the teacher calling him to answer a question on the board. Joella heads to the class and the head teacher introduces her to class and she chooses to seat the front desk of the class. She was surprised his friend she used to know now is their social studies teacher and his church friend was in the same class with her and the worst her desk mate.