3- Blue eyes

Amari.

Moving out from the dormitory to the staff quarters after sister Agatha left wasn't quite an easy task, although Aunt Marie and her friends had helped her. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and breathed out heavily, yawning, standing in front of the empty fireplace, hands on her waist and accessing the work she had done in the living room, it was great to her taste, the center rug, army green and furry like, a center table, a flower vase of purple hibiscuses were on it, the settees were arranged, a sofa on the opposite side of the room backing the small dining room and kitchen, the armchair was facing the fireplace above the television stands and the other sofa was backing the way to the room. 

Amari smiled knowing how much effort she had put into her life and working in the convent, she had been here since she was seventeen, Aunty Marie's words ringing in her ears, 

“You have a lot waiting for you outside the convent, I'm sure you've known God and you know he won't watch you go astray, you should come home and take over your father's business and have a family too." 

"I know right," Georgina said. "I want to leave too, but there's no one out there for me, no one to receive me, I have lived in the convent since I was a child, I don't even know who my parents are." Georgina chuckled.

"My mom thought it's the best decision to come here, she thinks it would cleanse what Mercury's father did to us. To be honest, it's scary." Bethany said with a shrug of her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, no one has to go through that kind of atrocious act." Aunty Marie said. "Gina, if you ever want to leave, I'll help you find a place to stay, my old house is still good, I go there once In a blue moon to clean, I don't know why I haven't sold it." 

"Maybe I am the reason why," Georgina said, smiling. 

"You are. I will keep looking after it." Aunt Marie assured her.

"I'll let you know once I'm ready for the outside world.” Georgina said, hugging her.

"I will think about what you've said, Aunt Marie. I've thought about it too, but I want a sign from God. I don't want to make mistakes."

"Mistakes are a part of us, child, there's no one on this earth without mistakes, We don't let it define us, we make corrections, and we continue to act right in the way of the Lord."

"God, I know you're listening to me right now, I know, if it's your will that I leave your house, give me a sign, anything." Amari prayed.

Her eyes darted to the clock and her eyes widened in shock, "Holy Mary! I have thirty minutes before I leave to teach these people." Amari said, hurrying out of the living room to the room she chose for herself, out of the two rooms, she peeled off her garments and scarf and entered the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, she was done getting ready, she carried her Bible and pamphlets and books in her hands, her rosary on her neck as she leaves the quarter and locked her door.

Amari was walking fast, climbing the stairs in twos, and was careful so as not to slip and fall, just one more corridor, she would be in class, she told herself, as she was rounding the last corridor, someone bumped into her.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking at where I was going." The voice said, crouching down to help her pick up the pamphlet and books.

Amari not saying anything, looked up, found herself staring into the most beautiful eyes she has ever seen, his clear crystal blue eyes, they were beautiful and as he continues to apologize to her, his voice was sweet and angelic in her ears like a pianist playing a melodic song. 

"Hello." He waved a hand in her face, she blinked and composed herself.

"I have been apologizing for like forever." He said, a smile plastered on his face.

"It's... it's.." She cleared her throat, "it's okay." 

"Great, thank you. I'm Jerald." 

"I'm Amari."

"See you around, Sister Amari." With that being said, he turned down the corridor and down the stairs, Amari found herself peeping at him as he was going down.

"Wait! I'm late." It dawned on her and she hurried to the class, the sisters and brothers were waiting for her, patiently, even though they were talking among themselves.

"Good morning, I'm sorry, I'm late."  Amari apologize.

They all gave her a cheerful smile and told her not to worry much about the lateness. 

"Before we move to our next topic, 'Restitution,' let's take a quick revise on our last topic," Amari said, smiling at them.

Three hours later, the class had ended and Amari had enjoyed every bit of the teaching as much as the sisters and brothers enjoyed it, it was much more interactive and she answered every question and doubt they had. Packing her books, it was time to find her friends so they can go to the cafeteria to eat as she was sure that they must have skipped breakfast as she did.

Amari was walking down the stairs and met her friend at the edge.

"Hello, sisters of St. Agnes convent." She greeted with a smile.

"Hello, sister Amari. How do you do today?" Georgina asked her.

"I'm very well, thank you, and you sisters?"

"We are very well, thanks to the Lord," Bethany answered. "Are you not hungry, cause I'm starving.” Bethany added, batting her lashes at her.

"I'm starving, let us go to the cafeteria," Amari said.

"I enjoyed teaching today, it was the most interactive class I've ever had,"  Amari said, chewing the bread.

"My class was as if they forced those children to come," Bethany said facepalming. 

"Mine too, those teenagers were something else. I don't know why they won't let me continue to teach older people, sister Beatrice doesn't even like to teach her age range but I do." Georgina said sighing.

"It's okay Gina, maybe it's just for a while," Bethany told her.

"Who knows?" Amari said.

"It better be for a while," Georgina said, picking up her fork to eat the spaghetti.

"Are there new monks to be in the convent or friars?" Amari asked.

"They came in a week ago or so," Georgina answered. "The Bishop didn't want to announce their arrivals." She added.

"Why?" Amari asked. 

"Nobody knows, it may be an order from the Arch Bishop, everyone knows they usually announced and welcome them, but the welcoming they did wasn't as large as it used to be nor ceremonious,"  Georgina explained.

"Someone bumped into me on my way to class this morning, he said his name is Jerald, he looks so new, he still had his hair.” Amari asked.

"Oh!" Georgina exclaimed. "I met him twice, he's cool, quite funny and I wondered what brought him here at his age." 

"How old is he?" Bethany asked, licking her fingers.

"He's twenty-five.” Georgina answered.

"There's no age limit for one to come here," Bethany said.

"I know right," Georgina said, chuckling.

"You know a lot of people here, you're so friendly." Amari noted, "I get jealous of you, and everyone you know always likes you, they're so fond of you." 

"It's God's gift." Georgina declared.

"What's that girl doing?" Bethany said with irritation laced on her face, her friends followed her eyes to what she was looking at.

It was a teenage girl who was flirting with a teenage boy, licking her lips lustfully, and even though what she was saying was inaudible, one could understand her body language, it was clear that the act she was putting on was getting to the teenage boy as he whispered something in her ear.

As the two teenagers got up to go to only the heavens knows where, Georgina spoke, "Maddison, come here, and you Williams off to the boy's scout." 

Maddison slowly retraced her steps and went to their table, "Yes, Sister Georgina."

Georgina eyed her, "What was that act in the place of God?" 

Maddison looked down, playing with her fingers, "I'm sorry Sister Georgina but I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Lying is a sin and you've committed two sins in a day, only Lord knows how much you've sinned, I don't want to report you."

"Please do not report me, Sister Georgina, I'll go and confess my sins right away, and beg God for forgiveness," Maddison begged.

"Right away!" Georgina said in a commanding tone and she went away. 

"What about Williams?" Amari asked.

"I will find him, I didn't want them going to the confession room together, who knows, they might not go. It's fair that I sent him away to boys scout, When we finish eating, I'll find him and he will have his share of scolding."

"That's quite fair." Bethany said, "Children of these days." She kissed her teeth.

The day had gone by faster and everyone had returned to their dorms and quarters, Amari yawned for the fifth time that night as she lay on the bed which was a lot more comforting than the one she had in the dorms, even though they usually take out the old ones and bring in new ones, still she felt more comfortable on this bed.

She had prayed that night and reminded God to give her a sign, she had prayed like a child praying to God to bless her parents so she could have more sweets and cookies.

Amari closed her eyes and took in deep breaths, like a picture, his face had shown in her mind.

She didn't open her eyes, his clear crystal blue eyes had drawn him to her and she was swimming in it, if he hadn't waved his hands in her face, Amari would have continued to swim, then his voice.

His voice sounded like an Angel singing praises to his creator and she was lost in his words as he spoke. 

She smiled inwardly to herself and something from within her stomach fluttered, she opened her eyes and blinked and was met with darkness, only the fan rolling above the ceiling was the only sound she heard.

"What was that?" She asked herself, thinking about a man, no, not that. 

The other thing was what she felt down in her stomach. 

Amari went to her knees and prayed to God for forgiveness. 

She climbed into the bed and closed her eyes to sleep. 

In her dreams, "he was holding her hand, he gave her flower and she held it in her other hand, smiling at him as his gaze was upon her, it was filled with love as much as she loved him. She was happy, wearing a yellow flower printed dress and running about in the garden of flowers, she spread her arms out and breathed in sweetly, he stood with his hands in his pockets and watched as she danced to the tune of the soft breeze, removing his hands from his pocket, he had walked toward her with a small box in his palms, he handed it to her and she opened it, a small gold necklace with a tiny heart pendant, he took it out and wore it on her neck."

"It's beautiful." She said, tracing her finger on it and toying with the pendant. 

"Do you like it?" He asked.

"Like? I love it." She giggled like a little girl. 

"It's so beautiful on you. And you're the most beautiful girl I ever had." He complimented her, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"I love you, Jerald." She said.

"I love you more, Amari. I'll be here always and no matter what happens, I would never leave." He said, sealing the promise with a passionate kiss.