Chapter 1
“Rule two: Always be on time for class, Ms. Oakfield.” The lecturer stated in her heavy Jamaican accent.
“Yes, Mrs. Kenton.” Penelope answered again as her eyes drifted back to the floor.
“If you are fifteen minutes or more late to class you are not going to be allowed entry and will be marked as absent. Do you understand, Ms. Oakfield?”
“Yes, Mrs. Kenton.”
“I’ll make an exception since its your first day of school.” Mrs. Kenton said. Her eyes trained on Penelope, like a predator watching its prey. No sooner had she finished speaking that Penelope’s phone began to ring.
“Four, all cellular devices have to be turned off. Ms. Oakfield?”
Penelope reached in her pocket hastily, fumbling to cancel the call and switch her phone off. She looked up to meet Mrs. Kenton’s disapproving stare, her eyes and cheeks burning with embarrassment. The girl swallowed, forcing the lump in her throat down. “Sorry, it won’t happen again.” Penelope promised.
She was at the front of the class. Everyone saw her come in late and Mrs. Kenton wasn’t subtle with her reprimand, the whole class had heard. From the corner of her eyes Penelope saw a few smiles and stifled chuckles. Mrs. Kenton hadn’t allowed her to take her seat, but kept her standing in front the class as she recited the rules.
Mrs. Kenton was the head of the department of Electrical, Electronics and Computer engineering. A short, stout woman with wide eyes that seemed wider when she looked at you through her glasses. Her hair was braided into locks that hung to the centre of her back and held together by a thin black ribbon. A strong personality was evident in her hard, sharp stares and the solid way in which she spoke. She had conducted the student interviews last week and briefly gone over the rules, as well as expectations she held for the students. Despite her terrifying demeanour, she had been cheerful during Penelope’s interview. Now the girl was standing in her displeasure.
A wrinkled expression of contentment worked its way across Mrs. Kenton’s face as she eyed Penelope deliberately. “Take up your seat.” She said pointing with a thrust of her chin towards the desks.
Penelope nodded her thanks and turned to face the room. A packed room, filled with only boys. The desks accommodated two people and the only free seat was at the back, left of the class. Penelope made her way down the centre aisle, with Mrs. Kenton still reciting the rules and calling her name after each.
The open seat was next to a shaggy, lanky looking guy. He was on the aisle side of the desk and had made no attempt to move over. Penelope crossed over to the next seat, pulling the chair out. A blue backpack sat limply, its top drooping over like a parked drunk. She turned to the boy annoyed but he never looked at her and moved unhurriedly like she was a bother. Seeing her still standing, Mrs Kenton called out to her again. Penelope sat down resolutely, she noted the faces off all who had laughed at her.
Mrs. Kenton’s session wasn’t a class, but served as an information brief for all the classes they were taking this term. She made a point that mocking the teachers, especially for their accents or poor English, was not tolerated. As a final note before she ended the session, their current seating arrangements would remain for the rest of the term.
“I’ve already made note of where everybody sitting.” Mrs. Kenton said as she perused the class. “Your desk buddy will also be your partner for all paired up assignments.”
There were a few groans and murmurs across the class and even fewer celebratory laughs. Penelope sighed. The boy next to her hadn’t said anything or really reacted, but had made a passing remark to a pair of boys across the aisle the next row down. They returned knowing, insinuating nods towards Penelope who gave them her meanest glance. The boy gave a dismissing wave of his hand as he clicked his tongue.
The morning went on without further incident, their classes were in the same building block, so Penelope didn’t get lost again. The rooms had a very practical layout once you knew where you need to be. The administrative offices were at the centre along with the bathrooms, with labs to the block on the right and the lecture rooms block on the left.
The department had arranged class schedules so at midday everyone was on lunch break. Penelope ate her lunch on the bench under the canopy outside the administrative offices. She took in the stone arches and flowers of the garden courtyard to her left and the sprawling lawn and labs to her right.
Mrs. Kenton walked out of her office and met with the two girls who had been in the wait area. They were querying a section of their final project documentation. From their conversation the girls sounded like seniors in the Electrical Engineering programme. The same programme Penelope was in. It wasn’t the programme she’d wanted to join, but the college wasn’t offering Electronic Engineering this year. So it was the closest thing she could think of as substitute. When the girls left, Mrs. Kenton’s gaze lingered on Penelope before she returned to her office.
Before leaving the canopy area, Penelope checked the notice boards. She jotted down her programme’s schedule then made her way to the labs block. Their first class after lunch was Health and Safety, and would be taught in the Electrical lab. She walked along the empty block of rooms, peering through the lattice panels that made up the walls facing the lawn.
Inside the Electrical lab, she saw the two girls from earlier and a handful of guys. They were working on wooden boards mounted to the walls with bulbs and sockets. A small explosion and some sparks flew. “Yo!” One of the boys called out.
“Aye, aye, aye.” A thin, and very hairy man called out as he walked to where the incident happened. He took one look at the wiring. “No, no, that is not how we do it, okay.” He said, lingering on the is. He went on to instruct the student, demonstrating the correct method, his pitch rising almost to a squeak as he spoke faster and with less English. The two girls exited the lab chuckling quietly to themselves.
“Garcia is so animated.” One said.
“Only when he gets upset.” The other corrected.
The first one to speak, stopped at the doorway when she saw Penelope, “You’re a first year?” She inquired, pulling her friend to a stop.
“Yeah.” Penelope answered.
“How many girls in your class?” Her friend asked.
“Just me.”
“Woah.” The friend exclaimed.
“I told you. By next year there won’t be any girls in this department. Everybody wants to do CAD.” The girl stated matter-of-factly.
“Good luck eh girl.” They sympathised then left Penelope alone.
Penelope watched the girls walk away merrily and settled in her mind how she would take her revenge for this morning. She would top every class, theoretical as well as practical. She wouldn’t be a helpless girl coursing through the programme, and certainly wouldn’t let any of them think they could make a pass at her. She'd never fall for any of these fools.
