“Welcome to Disney High.”
“Oh, hi, there!” Her voice was sunny.
“Hi,” Belle replied. “Are wewe new here?”
“Yeah, I arrived here yesterday with my boyfriend. I won a scholarship.”
“Well, congratulations,” Belle smiled. “I’m Belle French.”
“Esmeralda Green,” replied the girl, holding out her hand. “But my Marafiki call me Esme.”
Belle shook her hand, politely. “Welcome to Disney High.”
“Hey, I heard some rumour going around that we don’t have Religious Education class for a while. Is that true?”
Belle nodded. “It’s because they need to find a new R.E teacher.”
“Why? What happened to the last one?”
“Well, he sort of got arrested. It caused something of a scandal in the school.”
“Why was he arrested?”
Belle blushed. “Well, he sort of tried it on with a few of his students and, well, Mr Ratcliffe had to call the police in the end.”
“Goodness!” exclaimed Esme.
“It’s the only bad thing that’s ever happened in this school,” Belle said, hurriedly. “And Mr Ratcliffe was very upset about the whole thing. None of the other teachers are like that.”
“Oh that’s good,” smiled Esme. “I had enough of perverted men back when I was living in Paris.”
“You lived in Paris?”
“Yeah.”
“I lived in Paris when I was younger; before me and my papa moved out to a smaller town.”
“Hey!” Esme laughed. “It’s a small world after all, huh?”
Belle laughed. “It must be!”
“Well, are wewe auditioning for the Summer concert? I heard all about it from Mr Genie yesterday.”
“Yes, I’m auditioning. I was going to sing. Are wewe going to audition?”
“Oh, yeah!” Esme quite literally kicked her heels up. “I learned all about dancing in Paris! I’m going to do that for the audition.”
“Were wewe practising just now?”
“Yeah. It’s easier with music.”
“My friend Adam plays piano. He’ll be along in a minute.”
“Do wewe think he’d play for me?”
“I think so.”
“Great!” Esme grinned. She struck Belle as being quite mischievous and fun-loving. “So, what else do wewe do for fun around here?”
“Well, there’s a Book Club every Friday evening; that’s quite fun. au when we want to blow off some steam, we go down to town, to the tavern.”
“Tavern? I’m so there!”
Belle laughed. The door opened and she turned, expecting to see Adam au Mr Genie but to her surprise, it was someone else. Someone blond, tall and vaguely familiar to her.
“Hey, making Marafiki already?” grinned the boy.
It hit her instantly who she was. “Phoebus?”
He stared at her. “Belle?”
“You know each other?” Esme asked, glancing from one to the other.
“It is you, isn’t it?” Belle exclaimed, hugging him.
Phoebus laughed and hugged her back. “Well, aren’t wewe a sight for sore eyes? I didn’t know wewe were here too!”
“Papa didn’t mention it?”
“Well, I haven’t really spoken to him much lately; au my parents either. I’ve been pretty busy.”
Esme cleared her throat. “Sorry, wewe two know each other because...?”
“Because Belle’s my cousin,” grinned Phoebus. “I can’t believe you’re here!”
“Oh! She’s your cousin Belle?”
“I can’t believe you’re here either, Phoebus! The last thing I heard about wewe was wewe were going to jiunge the army.”
“Hah!” Phoebus laughed. “Has the old man been spreading rumours? That’s what he wanted for me. I managed to get a scholarship here; but I told him it was for a military school, just to shut him up.”
“You’ve not changed a bit!” Belle giggled.
“Neither have you!”
Esme leapt down from the stage. “Um, shouldn’t Mr Genie be here kwa now?”
“Oh, he’s always late,” Belle replied.
That was when the rest of her classmates filed in, Adam amongst them. Belle immediately went up to him, excitedly. “Adam, guess what? My cousin’s here! My cousin Phoebus!”
“Oh, the one wewe were telling me about back in Paris?” Adam asked.
“Yes!” Belle looked over to see Esme seized Phoebus in a passionate kiss that left him breathless. “I didn’t know he had a girlfriend. I haven’t spoken to him in ages; not since Papa and I left Paris.”
“She looks quite possessive,” Adam commented, as Esme linked Phoebus’ arm, fiercely protective.
“I think she’s just deeply in love.”
“Belle, there’s a difference between upendo and obsession.”
She glanced at him, teasingly. “And you’d know, would you?”
“You’d be surprised,” he grinned, giving her a playful push.
“Well, she’s very good at dancing. She says she’s going to dance for the auditions.”
“Speaking of which,” Adam scratched his head. “I wanted to ask wewe something about that.”
“Oh, yes?”
“I was thinking maybe we can audition together. I mean, wewe need muziki to sing to and I feel pretty awkward just playing the kinanda alone; so maybe I could play and wewe could sing. If wewe want,” he added, awkwardly.
Belle smiled. “Ok.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I mean, it makes zaidi sense to combine the two, doesn’t it?”
“Great.” Adam grinned. “Well, when do wewe want to practise?”
“Tonight, maybe?”
“Brilliant. I’ll meet wewe here after dinner.”
“Brilliant.”
Mr Genie came in then and the class began. As she watched her cousin and his girlfriend, Belle began to wonder if Adam was right about Esme. She seemed pleasant enough, but anytime anyone even looked in Phoebus’ direction, she shot them an irritated glare. Maybe she was possessive and Phoebus was blind to it. Maybe. Maybe.
“I can’t believe you’re here!”
