Fool's Paradise

Chapter Fourteen

Morgan Mushega walked into the prefect’s common room first thing in the morning and found Aida Namatovu sipping on a cup of tea and reading a textbook on some subject he didn’t quite catch. Morgan ignored her as he retrieved a soda from the fridge. Aida watched him opening it. “What, you’ve never seen a person open a soda before?” Morgan enquired.
“No, I was just wondering when you were going to stop ignoring me.”
“I’m not ignoring you.”
“Well, you’ve been doing a very good imitation of it.”
Morgan sighed and then took a sip of his soda. “Look, Aida, we’re two very different people who have to do the same job. Some things have gotten in the way, but I think we should concentrate on doing our duties and ignore our animosities towards one another.”
“I have no animosity towards you. Yes, you do irritate me at times and I’m sure I irritate you but that is no reason to be adversaries. I realise that most times I come across as being uptight and puritanical, but for me that’s the only way I know how to get the kids in line. For you, your interpersonal skills are more finely tuned and that’s how you get your duties done, people open up to you, making it easier to either deflect a problem or solve it. We both get the same thing done but with different approaches.”

Morgan took another sip of his drink as he looked at her. “The funny thing is,” he said, “is that for the first time, I don’t have this urge to disagree with you.” Aida shrugged her shoulders, “Maybe we’re just getting used to each other.” Morgan grinned wickedly, “I could get used to that kiss you gave me the other time.”
“Don’t start that nonsense now.”
“Hey, I’m just being me.”
“Yeah, you just keep being you with Connie Mafabi.”
“Oh, her, she proved to be too fast for me.”
“Wow, there’s a first!”
“Wonders never cease, huh?”
“Too true…so, we’re friends?”
“Friends…though to be honest I’d rather we were more than –.”
“Don’t even go there.”
“Hey, you can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“Yeah, just try with somebody else, this girl is not on the market.” Morgan let out a chuckle as he sipped on his drink, “You’re so easy to tease.”
“I should have guessed; you get a kick out pulling people’s legs.”
After a brief pause Aida said, “Why is it that some people can’t seem to keep out of trouble?”
“Who’s in trouble this time?”
“Anthony Baiga.”
“Oh him, I’m tired of that boy! I’ve tried everything I can to keep him out of trouble but he just doesn’t listen.”
“I caught him last night in girls end with an S1 girl. I’m handing him over to you.”
“Why, I’ve had enough of his nonsense, you deal with him.”
“Well, for starters boys are your responsibility, I’ll deal with the girl. Secondly, he’s your cousin so that’s another reason you should deal with him.” Morgan sighed, “I suppose you’re right.”

♣ ♣ ♣

César rushed towards the cluster of trees by the football field. Word had gotten to him that Cassandra was in distress. He found her crying as if her heart would break. “Hey, baby girl, talk to me,” he said as he wrapped her in his arms. For a while she couldn’t say a thing but her brother’s presence calmed her somewhat. Stroking her hair César rocked her like he used to when they were little. “I messed up big time,” Cassandra croaked, “I pushed him too far. Maureen kept on warning me but I wouldn’t listen. He kept on assuring me that I was the only one in his life, but would I listen? No…I just had to let my irrational ego get in the way. The more girls threw themselves at him the more jealous I became. It was as if some monster was growing inside of me. Even Maureen stopped talking to me and she can take a lot, but I guess she’d had enough. In the end, he lost patience and told me that he didn’t want to deal with my insecurities any longer.”

César let her ramble on has he continued to stroke her hair and rock her in his arms, as if he was trying to absorb her hurt and lessen her suffering. “Kamal is the only guy that has treated me like I was precious and not some thing to be ogled at by a bunch of hormone crazed hooligans…and what do I do? I ruin everything. Maybe I should go to him and grovel.”
“Maybe, but if I were you, I’d give him some space first. Why don’t I talk to him?”
“No, don’t, you’d probably scare him. You have a tendency of doing that to him.”
“Really? That’s news. I actually like the guy. Look, I’ll be gentle, I just want him to see where he stands and if there’s a chance that he’ll forgive you.”
“Do you think that will work?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
“As horrible as I feel, just knowing that you’re looking out for me is doing wonders. The world doesn’t look quite as horrible.”
“Hey, that’s what I’m here for, your safety net.”
“Thanks.”