INNOCENT THIEF
Innocent Thief – Episode 12
© Ameen Oppy
“Which letter is this again, is it not last week you promised to be a good girl? Now what is this?” Mrs Jones shouted.
“Mom I’m sorry” Zoella cried.
“You don’t have to be sorry, where did you always keep the things you steal because you never brought it home.” Mrs Jones asked.
“I don’t know”. She said in tears.
“You don’t know Zoe? This is third time you gonna received this kind of letter and you are telling me you don’t know. Your father always be the one that persuade me to forgive you but today you gonna learn how to keep your eyes away from people’s things you little thief.” Mrs Jones rasped and reached for a belt. She lashed her all over and she burst into tears that echoed through the big mansion.
Zoella woke up with pain all over her body, she moved slowly to the standing mirror in her room because she could hardly walk. She checked herself in the mirror and see how badly her face has bruises and her skin had so many scars. She called herself ugly and burst into tears.
“I wish Dad is at home, it won’t be be worst like this. I hate Mom with passion.” She cried and hit her bed angrily.
Two weeks had passed, Zoella returned back to school with scars all over her spotless skin. Throughout the weeks she was given suspension, her friends always came to her house to taught her what they learn in school. She didn’t lack anything.
“Zoella, why is your face look like this? Did you got into fight with someone?” Asked Mrs Wyatt, their government teacher.
“No, she doesn’t got into fight. I think she stole she stole something and the owner beat her black and blue.” Keaira mocked as other students laughed.
“Keep quiet. Keaira you are getting on my nerves. Do you have to be a bitch? Daddy’s wife.” Emmaline detested and keaira thought about her abusive words”Daddy’s wife “.
“Does that mean she knows about the affairs between me and step dad? No it can’t be. Maybe she is just trying to make me feel bad. No one knows about it, not even Mom.” She thought inwardly as tears was about to fall from her eye.
“Keaira, is it true that you are daddy’s wife? Emma jist us, what are we missing.?” David asked.
“I’m not the type so, count me out.” Emmaline said with an eye rolled and David clasped his hands in embarrassment.
Mrs Wyatt who had been watching the scene since morning clear her throat before she made her speech.
“Do you have lesson at all? I’m inside the class and you turn the class to a market.” Mrs Wyatt scolded.
“It’s keaira, Emmaline and David ma”. Anne retorted.
“Enough of this shit! I didn’t asked you a question, I suppose to punish everyone of you but we have a lot to discuss before the examination.” She said. “Now let’s work. Who can tell me the meaning of democracy?”
“Democracy can be defined as the society in which there’s treatment of each other citizens as equal and absence of class feeling. ” keaira defined.
“That’s good. Anyone else? She asked and Zoella stood up slowly. She didn’t want to stand up but something in her tell her to participate in the lecture.
“According to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of USA defined democracy as the government of people by the people and for the people but it now define as the country with government which encourage and allows right of citizenship such as freedom of speech, religion, opinions and association, the assertion of the rules of law, majority rules, accompanied by respect for the rights of majorities.” Zoella answered and sat down on her seat.
“Clap for her.” Mrs Wyatt said and few people clapped for her while some rolled their eyes and muttered thief.
“It doesn’t matter if she steal, people change so, don’t ever humiliate her. By the way, she is brilliant than you all. ” she scolded. Now let’s proceed.
“Emmaline you don’t have to be arguing with keaira because of me , you know what? Keaira is a controversial and you don’t want to be like her so, just leave her for her own problems.” Zoella said as they were walking to the cafeteria.
“I just don’t like it when someone is badmouthing you but I will leave her alone.” Emmaline grumbled.
“Okay” she said and stopped abruptly. “I don’t want to go to the cafe.” She said.
“Why?* Harsha asked.
“The last time I visit there, everyone was looking at me as if I was about to steal their things.” Zoella replied.
“Come on you don’t have to think that way, you will just walked passed them , then we’ll eat and leave but I don’t have any cash on me “. Harsha said.
“The bill is on me.” Zoella said.
“I trust you “. Harsha beamed.
“What is she doing here, I hope she doesn’t come here to steal like she always does?” One of the junior boys said while others kept whispering.
