The Soles Of Damini Manor

CHAPTER 23: NIGHT NOTICE

Kola

We still haven't found Mom's heels, a pair of bedazzled sneakers, and brown loafers later.

And we've officially ran out of time so we're transitioning to plan B. Kanyin, Deb and I have agreed to sit through the demolishing of the manor in protest. Of course, Dad knows nothing about this, but we went out this evening for groceries to keep us well fed and taken care of when the Williams and their team get here tomorrow for the demolishing. About four hours ago, a group of men from the William's construction team came over to scour the area. They never came inside and weren't aware of the fierce glares we were sending their way from behind the curtains.

The doorbell chime snaps me and Kanyin's attention from our respective devices, her phone, and my Nintendo switch. It's 7 p.m., the construction team couldn't have possibly returned, it's too dark to do any work

"You, get it. I got it last time," Kanyin orders, panic in her voice.

"You think we're getting evicted right now?" I ask, my breathing growing rapid. I thought the William's would at least give us till tomorrow, not tonight.

I slowly climb out of the sofa in the living room, heading towards the door with hesitance. When I turn to the hallway, I notice Deb has reached the door before me.

Thank God.

From what I glimpse from behind her, there's no one at the door, but the mask of dread that clouds her face when she turns is what has my spine stiffening.

"Are they demolishing the manor right now?" Kanyin asks in a small voice from behind me, stealing the words right out of my mouth.

Deb clutches the red envelope she has in hand, stepping closer to us.

"No...this isn't about Damini Manor," she states, and relief takes me for a spin like I've been hit by a tornado.

"Then what's happening?" Kanyin asks, anxiety seeping into her tone, and I can tell she's trying so hard to disguise it with impatience.

"You've been given a Night Notice," she answers simply, like we're supposed to understand what she means.

"I'm so sick and tired. Why the hell does everything in this town sound so ominous? What the hell is a Night Notice?" Kanyin blurts, unable to hide her displeasure any longer.

I monitor how Deb shuts her eyes halfway like she's contemplating how to explain this to us.

"This Night Notice is why the students at Iroko are so well behaved...except Yvonne, of course. She's new at Iroko, so she must not know about it. Anyways, while I was at Iroko three years ago, my best friend and I got caught doing coke by some teacher, but he never did anything, not even a reprimand." She pauses. "Two weeks go by, and we think we're off the hook until we find this red envelope at our doorsteps... I've heard rumors about how Iroko is more lenient than Dark Sole, but I'm afraid they have their dark side, and I should have warned you earlier. Unlike Dark Sole, you don't get reprimanded or punished when you do something wrong. Instead, they wait for you to commit so many misdeeds that you're in too deep to plead your case. Then they send you the Night Notice, a red envelope that contains each misdeed before inviting you over for the night detention," she finishes.

I inch a brow. "All this ceremony, over detention?" I ask in disbelief.

Deb scoffs in amusement. "That's what you think until you realize the detention is at an abandoned wing of Iroko, supervised by our masked and cloaked principal, whom I've never seen. That's what you think until one person doesn't leave the detention with the rest of you, and you're supposed to return to classes the next day like you didn't just lose one of your closest friends the night before." Deb's fists are clenched now, her nose flaring.