The previous week was unsteady but encouraging. We were all relieved when we learned about Babylon's conflict. We laughed about it at our lunch table, but we were sorry that happened to him.  Actually, no we wasn't. We were all simply relieved to be free from the fear of being detained for a murder we did not commit especially Dustin. Every-time he even caught sight of an officer his heart would race. But for now he could breathe, we could all breathe. And for a while we could worry about our disastrous lives...

6:18 a.m
Saturday. This was what a quintessential day in Dustin's life looked like. He would get up early, brush his teeth and wash his face, wash the dishes that his family members had left in the sink the night before, prepare breakfast for his sister and grandparents, prepare himself for school if there was any that day, then go to work with his aunt once school had ended, return home around ten, clean up the house, unwind, and get him and his sister ready for bed. Today he started earlier than usual to get in some time to play a game of Minecraft with Mandy and I.

He reheated some cassavas from the fridge for his grandparents and made a cup of ginger tea for each of them. He placed the food on the tray next to their medication and waddled down the hall to their bedroom door. He despised the creaking floor boards as he walked over them and asked his uncle to repair them before entering their room for the hundredth time.

As he walked in, he noticed his grandfather perched in the rocking chair that sat in the balcony of their bedroom, listening to a radio station. His grandmother, on the other hand, was fast asleep, the comforter wrapped around her from head to toe. He called out to them as he poured pills from the pill bottle, "Ma! Pap! "Please come and get your breakfast and medication!"

   His grandfather limped into the bedroom and started feasting. But his grandmother remained motionless and silent. He called out to her again, not thinking much of it. There was no response. He approached her and took the comforter off of her. The icy chill of her body brought his heart to a halt as he shook her to try to wake her. She was gone.

It was as if he blinked and everything changed in a split second. Her body was collected by the funeral home. He blinked once more. His mother was sobbing and clutching her sister for comfort. He blinked again. His grandfather was having a nervous breakdown. And once he blinked once more he opened his eyes to find himself in bed that night, unable to process what had even happened that morning. All he knew was that he would never see his grandmother again.

8:40 a.m
Monday. Dustin told us the terrible news about his grandmother as we filed into the auditorium that morning in single file lines. This morning felt a lot different to him as he had to only make three cups of tea.

We all took turns saying "accept my sympathy" before sitting next to each other in the auditorium's north-east corner. We always rushed to get those seats because they were in the most open part of the auditorium that let in a chilly draft. This morning all eyes were on us as we waited for the assembly to commence. Some students even made their way to where we sat asking if we knew what happened to DeeJay or if we did it. Which I don't get. If people are looking at us for potentially murdering another, WHY would you ask us about said murder? Can't you see you're just asking to be the next victim?

Once the assembly began the principal gave his usual opening speech after he made us pray, then he began to announce the list of students who was running for "Head Prefect". We weren't surprised when he called Beth's name. She has always wanted to be head prefect but had put it in the dark when she and Gary began to date. So for the last two weeks she had been planning an unbeatable campaign to finally crack but into what she likes and mot what other people like for her. But what we didn't realize was that her main mission was now to change the school's ways and make it better. Particularly among the male population. But first she needed to appeal to them to make sure she swept the ballots. We have more male students at school so just half of their vote would guarantee a win.

    She gave a speech talking about how if she was elected, she would make sure the school rules were lessened. She would motivate the principal to allow male students to wear skinnier school pants, wear jewelry and allow the use of electronic devices within school hours. As soon as she was done with her speech the boys began an uproar of cheering and clapping for her. The victory noises they made sounded like a firework display as they ran to the ballots. Everything was going into place nicely.

    But there was something else Beth needed to do. After her speech, she pulled the principal aside to a place where they could speak without interruption from the commotion of the boys.

"Yes, Ms. Rainyman. What would you like to speak to me about?"

"Gary"

"What about him?"

"I've heard some things about him. A couple weeks ago I found out that he sexually assaulted and harassed a bunch of girls at this school!"

"Huh? Who are these girls?"

"Um- I don't know. I just heard about it from someone else"

"So basically you're accusing someone based on hear say?"

"No! I would like for at least an investigation to be created into the entire situation. Plus I was at a party with him a couple months ago and he had a girl in a room and it all seemed-"

"Let me stop you right there. I heard about that incident from a few little birds. Gary apparently cheated on you. So tell me what actually is your mission in all of this? Because you're clearly trying to get back and damage the reputation of someone because the two of you's relationship ended badly. Things don't always work out. You're a teenager, you will grow up and find someone else. Now if you would excuse me, I have a few things to take care of!"

His words to Beth caused her throat to prickle. She returned to the auditorium feeling discouraged since a teacher wanted to talk to her and the other candidates about a few election-related topics. For the most of that conference, his remarks lingered in her mind, leaving her feeling helpless and defeated. There was an immense debt she had to pay back for not correcting Gary when he did certain things and now she couldn't because everyone would just call her the jealous ex-girlfriend. But as her gaze wandered throughout the room, she had an epiphany.

Her mathematics teacher, who is also a teacher of the pupils graduating this year, entrusted her in placing an envelope in her desk. It was one of the first copies of the pre CXC exams. She did as she asked and delivered it to the classroom which was coincidentally the same homeroom Gary was in.

    Soon after the teacher came to get from the class asking her if she misplaced the exam or put it in the wrong class as it was missing. She knew where she put it and let her teacher know which launched an investigation at the school.

   Soon after, it was stated over the intercom that the principal and a few security guards would be examining our bags and desks, and that anyone discovered with the "stolen item" would face severe consequences. So everyone was detained in their homerooms for the next three hours while they searched each class and kid one by one. Dustin, Mandy, and I were pleased because this would take up the most of the remainder of the school day.

     Gary's classroom in the sports department was the last stop. The security guard inspected everyone's baggage after he escorted them away from their desks. The principal personally inspected Gary's bag and discovered the test papers and more than five booze bottles. He couldn't hide him now that everyone had seen. Gary was stripped from class and as they passed our class, he had all heads in his direction.

   Beth told her brother all this whilst he sat down on the sofa on a call with him today. But soon she had to hang up because he had to be given medication. So she said goodbye and that she loved him and just walked around the house taking in the scenery. Their family pictures, their old toys, her brother's clothes. Everything. Someone who she watched grow up and even changed their diapers is now suffering and there's nothing she could do about it. Every little piece of the scenery took her to tears. But thats not all what she took from the scenery of her house over the last couple of weeks.

    She overheard a call her mother took a couple days ago admitting that she was merely obtaining the job opportunity through Kendrick in order to pay for her brother's medical expenses. It was a good plan but him being here still had her jittery. Plus, those medications were making her brother himself again and he had a surgery soon. She sat back down, stared up at the ceiling with everything clouding her mind until she fell asleep.

4:33 p.m
    After school I made my way to Gob's house alone considering he didn't have school today. Since I wanted to get my grades back up to par I asked Gob to help considering his transcript could match Carson's. What I didn't expect was how long we took covering the topics.

As I began to pack up my stuff for me to head home Gob's parents walked through the door. I instantly became nervous considering I hadn't met them and didn't know how they would react to me. They shuffled in carrying bags that Gob helped take to the kitchen.

"Who's this Gob?" asked his father.

    Before Gob could answer, his mother butted in. "Oh is this the girl you've been telling us about?" Her interest peaked and she began analyzing me with sharp looks. I couldn't tell if she knew I was transgender but I sure as hell knew she would find out sooner or later and knowing her faith and how she respected God, she wouldn't want her son to date me.

"Yes, this is Toy"

"I was just leaving. You don't have to worry about me bothering you... I'll see y'all sometime soon" I uttered throwing my bag over my shoulder.

"No, no, don't be silly. Sit we bought food from an African restaurant and there's plenty to go around. Eat with us, I would sure like to have a conversation with the girl who sparked my son's interest!"

  Knowing he wouldn't be able to talk his mother down, Gob motioned for me to stay, and I set down my bag, my heart pounding harder than the school bell. The food was flawless, and I finished before everyone else. "Big appetite huh?" His mother said. I laughed nervously with them, watching his mother from across the table. She hadn't even touched her food the entire time and was creating a data analysis document of me in her head. If appearances could kill, I'd be buried alongside DeeJay from the moment I sat at that table.

    But something unlucky but also fortunate saved me. I noticed that the time was ten minutes earlier than the usual when my sister returned home from work. I quickly excused myself and left the house, my bag almost on my shoulder. By the time I started up the hill, I could see my sister get off the bus and start walking to the house. I took a shortcut through the neighborhood's tall trees and leaped through a window that led to my mother's room. I let my sister knock on the door and call my name for about ten minutes while I undressed and removed my makeup quickly before answering the door and pretending I had just woken up from a deep slumber.

"Finally motherfucker! If there was someone out there coming to kill me I would've been dead thanks to you!"

    Another bullet dodged.

7:18 p.m
    Mandy took a seat at the dinner table. A bowl of pasta was within her reach, and her phone was propped up against a flower pot on the table. Mandy's mother walked into the room. She asked Mandy to make her stepfather a bowl of pasta and deliver it to him, but Mandy refused. She told her mother, well, let me use her own words.

"That man is over forty, with two hands that get more manicures than both of us put together. He can make use of them. I'm tired of having to clean up and do stuff for him. That's your man. If you want, YOU make food for him!"

Her mother started fuming and foaming at her and scolded Mandy for being "disrespectful". Mandy, on the other hand, paid no attention to her and continued watching her show. When her mother realized she couldn't reach her with her words, she stormed out of the room, calling every relative she had saved on her phone and telling them how rude and ungrateful Mandy had become. But Mandy was unconcerned.

12:15 a.m
The streets and rooftops of the homes and buildings were soaked from the rain that had fallen over the last two hours. It had been like that for the previous couple of days, and by this time the gnats had emerged to announce their presence. Flooding in the gutters and drains was driving debris, muck, and fallen leaves down the drainage system.

At Mr. Rainyman's house a car drove into the driveway. The car had tinted windows and was in dire need of a fresh paint job. Four pairs of shoes jumped out of the car and strolled into the house after being let in by Mr. Rainyman.

He took them to his office, sat them down, and then opened a new box of beers, removing their caps with an opener before slipping one to each of the men. The golden color from the desk reflected off the silk robe that he wore. One of the men had bruises on his knuckles, and all of them had hand contusions on the palms of their hands. A wound above his eyelid on the man on the far right still contained glass fragments as he touched it.

They all nearly simultaneously chugged their beers down before setting them down on the coasters. Beth's father complimented them for finishing "the job" and opened the desk's top drawer. He pushed two bundles of cash over to them while grinning broadly.

"That's all of it and a little interest. No cheques for no evidence. Am I right boys? No evidence at all"

They all snickered in unison.

The money almost hypnotized the men. One of the men used his thumb to wipe the condensation from the beer tower, giving the similarity of a skilled window washer who was washing a window while hanging from a fifty-story skyscraper. The money looked back at him as he glared just like his wife did on her wedding day as she strolled up the aisle. They all came from humble beginnings and only did the job just to earn money to support their families. And what better way to get dirty jobs done but by the hands of impoverished individuals seeking money and a better life?

And as the moon doodled itself into the beer, the five men howled in unison as they split the money, Mrs. Rainyman put her hair in curlers, and the cat that frequently stole food from the garbage they put out for collection leaped on top the house, BerkVille had officially lost all of its innocence. Even the good people did bad things.

12:30 a.m

"Dear Diary, it's me, Beth, again. I've became someone different, today I placed exam papers in Gary's bag and got him expelled!"