"Good luck with that! People always seem to organize themselves as soon as possible. Am I wrong, Toto?" Nick asked softly, turning to his cousin.
"Right?! I already have a boyfriend, though. But I'm still just a junior student," Toto replied casually.
"Is your boyfriend at this school, Toto?" Elizabeth asked, curious.
"Actually, he's from another school. We grew up together... in love," Toto said with a small smile.
"That's understandable. I guess I misjudged you as anti-social," Elizabeth admitted. Then she added thoughtfully, "But you guys are really moving fast in relationships. Aren't you afraid of burning out so soon? You're still young and in that phase of adolescent self-discovery."
Nick nodded and said, "As long as someone is emotionally balanced, it might be easier. But honestly, it's tough. Teenagers face so many challenges — mood swings, peer pressure, and more."
Toto chimed in, "Staying true to the person you love helps a lot, like in my case. I usually keep boys at a friendship level. If they push beyond that, I slowly distance myself, politely but silently."
Shadd looked thoughtful. "Wow, you've been through a lot for your age. You speak from experience. I've never really thought about relationships — maybe I just haven't met the right person yet. But I do interact with boys, in friendly ways."
Nick grinned. "So, do you plan to get into a relationship anytime soon?"
Before Shadd could answer, Nick's phone buzzed loudly. "Oh, it's Tiffy… She's on her way here!" Nick said, checking the message briefly.
Feeling hesitant, Shadd stood up. "Guys, I have to go. It's getting late."
Both Toto and Nick noticed but didn't press her, each guessing the reasons behind her sudden departure.
"No worries. I'll escort you both outside," Nick offered.
---
When Elizabeth got home, her brother Lawrence was waiting in the sitting room.
"Hi, Lawrence!" she greeted.
"Hey, sis! You're home late today."
"I was at… Nick's place!" Shadd said cheerfully, using open hands to emphasize.
"What?! How did you even get there?" Lawrence asked, surprised.
"I got hooked up with his cousin Toto — my classmate — after practice. She led me there later on."
"But you're under suspension. How did you join them?" Lawrence pressed.
"I apologized to Tiffy earlier, and she accepted it, which let me join her during practice. Then I got the chance to meet Toto, who was a new comer today. Since Toto is Nick's cousin and Tiffy often visits Nick's place, I took a risky chance. I almost got caught when Tiffy messaged Nick she was coming!"
Lawrence shook his head. "You were lucky not to get caught by Tiffy. Otherwise, it could've been messy. Do you still plan to take her down?"
"I can't say that yet. One step at a time. I might have found the secret love of my life… and maybe my vengeance too."
Lawrence shrugged and turned to the TV. "Alright, I'm going to watch the news. You know, election updates worldwide... and my favorite — sports news!"
"Okay, I'll leave you to it," Shadd said, heading to her room.
---
The next day, the school director introduced a new teacher in Shadd's class.
"Good morning, class! I want to introduce your new History teacher, Ms. Sally. She's experienced in teaching History and coaching basketball. She replaces Mr. Jeff, who had similar roles. It wasn't easy to find someone suitable, but I'm confident she's a perfect match. I've heard complaints about Mr. Jeff's monotonous lectures, but Ms. Sally is energetic and engaging. Please give her time to settle in. Welcome, Ms. Sally!"
"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate it," Ms. Sally replied warmly.
The director left, and Ms. Sally addressed the class.
"Good morning, everyone! As you heard, I'm Ms. Sally. I'll be your History teacher and basketball coach. I come from Pimento High School — you may know us from recent friendly games. I saw your impressive win over us! I'm excited to work with you. Now, a quick question — what is a constitution?"
Several students raised their hands. She pointed at Shadd.
"You look familiar — maybe from cheerleading? Please explain."
Shadd answered confidently, "A constitution is a document that outlines a country's laws, government structure, policies, and the roles of various bodies and agencies."
"Great! Let's give her a round of applause," Ms. Sally encouraged, and the class obliged.
She continued, "A constitution is accepted by citizens through democratic processes. It holds everyone accountable — from the president down to the citizen — because no one is above the law. It also includes human rights and freedoms, like freedom of expression and association. Who can explain democracy?"
Ms. Sally randomly picked Toto, who answered, "Democracy is government by the people, of the people, and for the people."
"Exactly! Another round of applause!" the teacher said.
Ms. Sally added, "Democracy allows fair participation in governance. Most countries draft constitutions through referendums. However, lawmakers sometimes modify constitutional articles without public participation, which may end up causing protests or unrest. The head of state faces pressure during such times when deciding whether to approve such laws."
Her knowledge kept the class engaged.
---
During the break, Jasmine and Shadd talked about the new teacher.
"Ms. Sally seems promising, especially since she knows you already," Jasmine said.
"I hope so. I think I made a good impression. But I'm nervous about the evening practice," Shadd admitted.
"You just need to tell her about your suspension. If Tiffy lifts it by coercions, it could cause problems," Jasmine warned.
"That's the worry. I'm trying to make amends with Tiffy. If I get pardoned, I'll give her a letter of apology."
"What about our tutoring plans?"
"If Ms. Sally allows it, great. But she might be busy coaching and only monitoring us from afar, like Jeff did."
"True. Let's see how it goes tonight."
---
In the evening practice, Ms. Sally appeared in sports gear with a whistle around her neck. She approached Tiffy, who captained the cheerleading team.
"Oh, Ms. Sally! We were just waiting for you," Tiffy said enthusiastically. "I'm Tiffy, the cheerleading captain, and these are my teammates. That one over there is under suspension for breaking protocol."
Ms. Sally looked at Shadd, sitting nearby.
"Tiffy, maybe Elizabeth can come forward as I introduce myself!" Ms. Sally suggested.
Tiffy nodded and gestured for Shadd to come forward.
"Okay, come closer guys! I'm Ms. Sally, your new basketball coach. I also have cheerleading experience — I was both a player and cheerleader back in high school," she said with a smile. The team clapped.
"I'm still young but active," she joked, flexing her muscles. The group laughed.
"I don't know much about cheerleading yet, but we'll learn from each other. I look forward to working with you all. By the way, do you mix with the basketball team in locker rooms?"
"No! No!" they shouted, shaking their heads.
"I'll organize a meeting after practice for both teams to come together. We're a family — everyone's important," Ms. Sally said firmly.
She then turned to Tiffy. "What did Elizabeth do to earn that suspension?"
Tiffy hesitated, glancing sideways. "She… was just late."
"Late? How long is the suspension?"
"Almost over — maybe next week."
"That's a tough punishment. I'll pardon her. Elizabeth, you're welcome back to the club!"
Shadd nodded gratefully.
"Elizabeth Shadd, right?" Ms. Sally asked.
"Yes," Shadd replied.
"I saw you during the friendlies doing acrobatics after the game. That was you?"
"Yeah, that was me."
"Your act was impressive. Maybe one day you can teach us those skills."
"I'd be happy to," Shadd said humbly.
"All right, I'll check on the basketball team now. See you later in the locker room!" Ms. Sally said as she left.
Tiffy, looking a bit disappointed, resumed captaincy. "Shadd, you're lucky to be back. Don't forget my letter tomorrow."
"I won't," Shadd promised.
"Go get dressed for practice," Tiffy ordered.
Elizabeth obeyed. The session continued smoothly, with basketball and cheerleading practices both progressing well.
---
Later, Tiffy called everyone to the locker room. "Everyone, gather around! Ms. Sally wants to give us a lecture."
The group settled down under Ms. Sally's supervision.
"Hi, everyone! I'm your head coach for both boys' and girls' basketball and cheerleading teams. We have big games coming next semester. I coached at the regional level in Pimento, and I know your rivals Dasheen are strong nationally. The cheerleading team will compete in arts contests simultaneously. I'll coach basketball, and the deputy director will oversee the rest."
"Basketball is a game of skill — defense, passing, dribbling, dunking, shooting. Creativity is key. I've seen your captain, Nick — he's very skilled. Emulate him, and we'll go far. But I noticed you're weak in defense, leaving big gaps for opponents. Guards shouldn't push too far forward; stay alert and cover your zones. Also, work on long-range shooting. If Nick gets marked, it can become a one-man show. But if everyone contributes with three-pointers, we gain an edge."
Ms. Sally emphasized teamwork over relying on one star player.