New year morning was quiet. Many were tired.

School would resume in a few days time but already, I had heard a lot of rumors.

That the headmistress had a heated argument with the school proprietor and was sacked. That Willie’s parents had been transferred to the capital Accra, hence he wouldn’t be joining us when we reopen. That Priscilla got pregnant.

Priscilla, pregnant, at 16? I remember how she contributed so well in class when Master Kutcher taught on teenage pregnancy. And now, she was a victim and would be dropping out of school.

A small school. Center of big drama

In the south, pupils in Primary 4 were below age 10. Here in the northern part of the country, you had big boys and girls old enough to be parents in Grade 4 and it was cool.

If indeed our headmistress had been sacked, many would celebrate her downfall.

They said she was rude. She treated teachers like slaves. Parents complained about her incompetence in managing the school. There were even rumors that she dated the school secretary.

I didn’t believe any of those rumors.

But our school Mt. Zion was a place  if you doubted rumors, you would later bow your head in shame if you saw whoever was the first to inform you…