Kelechi and Ronke ran after Jazz as fast as they could- more like Kelechi ran after Jazz and dragged Ronke with her. Jazz hopped along the dorm's corridor, waving at onlookers and singing off-key.

"Catch her!" Kelechi shouted at Somto who had just come out of her room and was shocked by what was happening.

Somto caught her and held her tight as Kelechi and Ronke ran towards them.

"Jazz, what are you doing?" Somto asked her.

"I'm having fun!" Jazz replied and tried to free herself from Somto's grip, but she was too drunk to do so.

"What is wrong with Jazz?" Somto asked Kelechi and Ronke as they approached them.

"She's just feeling very excited today," Ronke replied as she and Kelechi put either of Jazz's hands on their shoulders, helping her up the steps.

Matron came into the dorm and saw the girls going up the steps. "What is wrong with her now?" She asked, worried.

Kelechi broke into a sweat and just stared at her. Ronke replied, "Um, she was on her way to the cafeteria when she fainted so we're taking her to our room to rest. The migraine is very serious."

"Oh my god, the poor girl. Here, give her these and she will feel better when she wakes up. Also take some food to her, it's not good to take medicine on an empty stomach," Mrs Kayode said and gave Kelechi a packet of Ibuprofen.

"Thank you ma," They thanked her and proceeded up the steps as she exited the dorm.

"What is that smell?" Ella asked as they walked past her.

"Nothing," Ronke replied.

Ella sniffed. "It smells like beer. Has she been drinking? Is that why she's acting all crazy?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Ronke said and pushed open the door to their room for them to go in.

"I'm very sure that smell is beer," Ella said to her friends.

"You're right, how else do you explain her behaviour from earlier," Titi agreed.

"Those girls are just trying to protect her by lying that she has migraine. I'm sure if we sneak around we can find the bottle of beer in their room and expose Jazz," Grace said.

"Good idea Gracey, when they leave for dinner, we'll go into their room and search for the evidence." Ella smirked.

When they were sure that the girls had left for lunch, Titi and Grace went to Jazz's room on Ella's commands. They looked around one more time before trying to open the door, but it was locked.

Titi groaned and hit the door. "Those girls are very sly, they locked the door!"

"Don't worry, we will catch them next time," Grace said as they went back to their room.

"Well?" Ella asked.

"The room was locked," Titi replied.

"What?"

"They locked the door."

"Those girls think they are smart, but I will get them one day," Ella said, more to herself than to her friends and they stared at her.

"Just leave it Ells, let's go and have our dinner," Grace said and they left for the cafeteria.

××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

"I still can't believe I passed out after taking just one bottle of beer. Usually, I take several bottles at a time and still be able to walk. What has this school done to me?" Jazz said after her roommates explained to her why she was vomiting and had a throbbing headache.

"Is that what you have to say for yourself after what you did?" Kelechi asked angrily.

"Were you expecting me to apologize or cry about it?"

"At least show some remorse! You nearly got us into trouble yesterday. I don't know what matron would've done to us if she had discovered the truth after we lied to her."

"But she didn't so why are you getting all worked up?"

"I knew we shouldn't have helped her, she is so ungrateful," Ronke said and brought out her uniform from her wardrobe.

"Look, now you're making us regret helping you," Kelechi said to Jazz.

"Whatever," Jazz said, drinking the bottle of water Kelechi had given her.

"You are unbelievable, Jazz."

"Fine, fine. Thank you for covering up for me and not letting me get into trouble," Jazz said, imitating a little girl's voice.

"I don't hear an apology," Ronke said.

Jazz hesitated before apologizing. "I'm... sorry," She said and looked out the window.

"Now that that's settled, please go and have your bath so we can go to school together." Kelechi pushed a reluctant Jazz into the bathroom and started to get dressed.

××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

After the Monday morning assembly, the students were waiting for the teacher for the first period until Mr Nwosu stormed into the classroom and bellowed, "Emmanuella Okoye!"

Everyone nearly jumped out of their seats and all heads turned to stare at Ella, wondering what she had done to upset the grumpy giant. "S-s-sir?" She answered and quickly stood up from her seat. "Good morning sir," She greeted but he ignored her.

"Where are your cohorts?" He asked.

Ella turned to Titi who slowly got up and managed to keep herself standing by resting on her desk. "Ibrahim," Mr Nwosu spat. "So you are also involved?"

"No sir, I-I just..."

"Quiet! Where is the third girl?"

"She-she's in sci-science class," Ella replied fearfully.

"Who is she?"

"Grace."

"Grace Bello?"

"Ye-yes sir."

"I can't believe you managed to corrupt these girls," Mr Nwosu said to Ella. "These girls used to be good girls before they joined your company, now look at what they are busy doing. Carrying out your punishment while you go on outings?"

Titi looked like she was going to cry. Getting into trouble with Mr Nwosu was equivalent to getting in trouble with the military. He was authoritative and never listened to apologies no matter how sincere it was. He was only interested in punishing offenders and doing it in the harshest way possible.

If this was how he was as the vice principal, how would he act if he was the principal of the school? This was something the students didn't want to find out as they hoped that Mrs William would remain their principal for as long as she could.

"Come with me while we go and fetch your friend." He gestured to Ella and Titi to follow him.

Jazz chuckled as Ella lost her balance and almost fell trying to hurry after him. Everyone remained silent because they knew all too well what would happen if they laughed.

"What is amusing you Armstrong?" Mr Nwosu asked Jazz.

"Nothing." Jazz suddenly kept a straight face when she noticed how quiet her classmates were.

"Good, because if I see your teeth again, you will join them," He warned and turned to the girls behind him. "Come on, I have just the punishment for the three of you," He said before going towards the science class and they scurried after him, trying to keep up with his strides.

"That was close, I thought the man was going to punish all of us, my palms were already sweating," Abu said. "Serves them right, they were trying to be friends indeed and thought they could outsmart Mr Nwosu but now they are all in trouble."

"Yes, they deserve it. They are so mean," Princess agreed.

Miss Chinaza then walked into the class and glared at them. "What are you busy gossiping about?" She asked before they could even greet her. "Instead of you to get out your textbooks and prepare for the class, you are busy chatting," She continued.

The students just stared back at her.

"They cannot even greet! No respect at all!" She bellowed and they quickly got to their feet.

"Good morning ma," They hollered.

"Please sit down, I don't need your greeting." She dismissed them with a wave of her hand and opened her textbook.

"Jazz, how are you today?" She asked, looking up from the text in her hand.

Jazz refrained from rolling her eyes and just smiled instead. "I'm great," She replied.

"Good, I hope they don't influence you with their laziness," She said and Abu rolled his eyes.

Jazz smirked. "Not to worry about that, I can be as diligent as I have to be."

Miss Chinaza didn't catch the sarcasm in her voice and just smiled at her, starting the lesson.

××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

"Hey girls," Abu chimed as he joined Jazz, Kelechi and Ronke at the table they were eating at. He signaled for the girl sitting next to Ronke to move for him to sit.

"I hope you have not come here to find my trouble," Ronke snapped at him.

"Nothing like that. I just want to sit with you girls, it's been a while I sat with you during lunch," Abu said and took a bite of his food.

Princess walked over and sat next to Jazz. "Hey," She greeted, but only Kelechi and Abu responded.

"So, do you guys know the punishment Mr Nwosu gave Ella and her friends?"

They shook their heads, wondering what piece of information Princess had for them. Princess always provided them with information they needed and didn't need. If you wanted to know about something or what happened to it or the things related to it, then Princess was your girl. She was usually teased as being the school's human BBC and CNN.

"He told them to rearrange the library. You know the librarian has been on leave for a few weeks now because she wasn't feeling well, now everything is in disarray. Mr Nwosu then asked Ella and co to make sure everything is in order again and he said he was going to personally check the arrangement to see if they did it well otherwise he was going to give them a worse punishment. Poor girls, they spent over an hour arranging the library and even missed first and second period." Princess paused to take a breath but Jazz stopped her before she could continue.

"Can you please not bore me because I really do not care what happens to them," Jazz stated.

Princess shrugged. "I just thought I should tell you guys."

"Thanks for sharing," Ronke deadpanned.

Ella and her crew came to the table and sneered at them.

"What do you want now?" Jazz groaned.

"To let you know that I know why you acted like that yesterday and would stop at nothing till I expose it," Ella retorted before walking away, her crew trailing closely behind her.

"What is she talking about?" Abu asked.

"I have no idea. You know how Ella can be atimes." Kelechi laughed nervously and Ronke frowned at her.

Meanwhile, Ella and her crew took this chance to go to Jazz's room to continue their quest to find evidence against her. They searched the room, careful not to tamper with anything. Just as they were about to give up on their search, Ella's eyes caught something in the wastebasket.

************

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