After The Rain

Book excerpt: AZAHANI, or Aza, is determined to provide a better future for herself and her family. Reluctantly, she leaves home to attend life in a fully residential school in the heart of Kuala Lumpur at the tender age of thirteen. In the boarding school, she finds life more challenging than the simple, quiet one she enjoys in her hometown. It is difficult enough to make decisions on her own, without her mother''''''''s help when faced with dilemmas. What is even worse is to confront incidents which challenge some principles she has held on to all this while. She is learning that life is not just about studying what is in the books. And despite her vigorous efforts to remain focused on her studies and be at the top of her class, in seclusion of everything else, why does Aza find it increasingly important what the head prefect of the school thinks of her?