When River walked into class Mplio saw how his mood had shifted. He seemed to be depressed. His hair had been untied and was covering his face. He was slouching and staring at the ground as he walked. It was as if he was trying to hide. He sat down in the seat in front of her. She tapped him on the shoulder, he turned around. “ are you ok?” she asked him.

“Yes thanks for asking” he replied

“Ow”

*

When the final school bell rang Mpilo promptly went home. She was welcomed by silence. She walked into her dad's old study, took out her school books and started doing her homework. Her alarm clock rang at 18:30. She went to the kitchen and started cooking dinner for herself.

When she finished cooking she went outside to her father's garden, whilst waiting for the food to cool down. She looked at a rose bush she had planted three months ago, “You’ve finally bloomed dad.” She picked the rose and walked back into the house. She put it in a glass and placed it next to her bed in her room upstairs. She then went back to the kitchen and ate her dinner in solitude.

*

The next morning Mpilo went to school early. When she arrived the school was fairly empty. So decided to go sit in class.

“Morning you're early today,” River said to her as she walked into the class

“Yea”, she replied, “why are you so early?”

“To mentally prepare for the day”

“Ow?”, she said whilst looking concerned.

“Why’re you looking at me like that?”

“Sorry”

“No, no… what I meant to say is don’t worry about me.”

“Ow”

“Do you mind lending me your notes again”

“Notes?”

“Ok ok. Do you wanna compare the answers we got……. .”

“OK”

They sat in silence showing each other their homework.