April wets her dry lips while they step into the principal's office. Her mind drifts back to the first time, she stepped her foot into the office. 

She had only seen professor Nsirim on a few occasions since then. The chilly atmosphere made her feel cold, she simply hugs herself to control it.

She watches Professor Nsirim asks Mrs Nnaji to have a seat. They both exchanged pleasantries before he replied to their greetings, she doesn't fail to notice the way, Prof Nsirim warmed up to Ibinabor.

"April Kuti!" Prof Nsirim calls out while he pulls his glasses down.

"Sir," April responds with fear in her eyes.

"I'm sure you have gone through the school's prospectus." He says while he looks up to her. "Or haven't you?" Prof Nsirim asks.

"I.. H.. Av.. I have sir!" April stutters.

"You know we don't condone stealing here!" Prof Nsirim says.

"Sir, I didn't steal her money..., "

"But it was found in your possession?" Ibinabor cuts her short.

"Ibinabor Anete! Don't talk until you are asked to, " Prof Nsirim gives Ibinanor a stern look.

"Sorry, sir!" Ibinabor responds in a soft tone. April throws a quick glance at her, the girl looked harmless and innocent, she wondered how such a person could be this cunning and heartless.

"April Kuti, it was found in your possession." Prof Nsirim says.

"Sir. I promise, I don't  know how that money got there, I would never steal, why will I steal your money?" April says turning to Ibinabor.

"Why do people steal? Even though you are from an extremely poor family, that doesn't mean you should steal, you could have at least asked. Honestly, I am not that heartless, not to help the needy." Ibinabor says facing April, who was short of words.

"Oreoluwa William's!" Prof Nsirim calls out.

"Sir, I saw her take the money!" Oreoluwa replies almost immediately. "Senior, why are you lying?" The Junoir girl asks, making April more furious, if not they were in the principal's office, she knew she would have given her a dirty slap.

"April, I really want to believe there is a mixup somewhere, but the money was found in your possession and there is also an eye witness, this makes you the culprit." Prof Nsirim says.

"Sir. I would never steal, why will I steal her money.., "

"Yes. You might not want to but the condition you find yourself in might push you, firstly you are here on scholarship, I also heard your mum is trying hard to make earns meet. I mean she sells pepper and tomatoes in a local market. You really need money, but your parents can't afford it, that's enough reason for you to steal it. Even though you don't want to. I feel your pains, but that doesn't mean you should steal." Ibinabor says with a concerned look on her face, April didn't miss the mockery in her voice, although she sounded genuine.

"Sir. I promise, I didn't steal the money, " April says ignoring Ibinabor. "Why are you lying?" She faces the Junoir girl, obviously, trying to hold back tears. "Ibinabor, you know deep down I didn't steal your money, you both know how that money got into my bag. But God will judge you both!" April says shedding tears.

"And she is accusing me! Also shedding crocodile tears. Girl stop this acting. Everyone knows you did it, just admit it!" Ibinabor says.

"Ibinabor, let the principal talk, " Mrs Nnaji says.

"April, you are under a scholarship, which isn't sponsored by our school, we need to have a word with your parents, then the organization sponsoring you, before we act on your punishment." Prof Nsirim says with a serious look on his face.

"Sir. I am telling the truth!" April cries out.

          ______________________________🖊

"You see your life?" Wealth asks while he burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Jordan laughs to his heart content.

The look on Goriola's face is priceless.
 He looked like he had been caught stealing.

"So that's why you left the class? Later you will say it's Wealth that is always trying to implicate you. Guy, you are the one implicating yourself." Wealth says with mockery evident in his voice.

"Mind your business!" Goriola says flatly.

"Please, pass it round and stop saying rubbish!" Jordan says now taking the weed from Wealth, he had this smirk on his face.

"Jordan, you are on duty. Have you forgotten? You go high oh! (You will get high)" Wealth says with pidgin which was sounding foreign coming from him.

"Guy, chill!" Jordan says while he takes a drag. He starts laughing after doing so.

"Let me shut the door before someone comes in!" Wealth says with a smile, while he walks down to the door.

"No oh! I thought you don't want to take a drag! Besides i am not sharing!" Goriola says flatly.

"Dem no born you well (They didn't give birth to you properly)," Wealth affirmed while he locks the door properly.

"Please, that language you are using is irritating me!" Goriola says meanwhile Jordan burst into laughter. Both guys throw glances at each other.

"Just this small thing!" Wealth says now turning to Goriola.

"Pass it!" Jordan says while he yanks it away from his friends.

"Jay!" Goriola exclaims. "Can you imagine, my own.., "

"Jay, pass it to me." Wealth says cutting Goriola off.

     ______________________________🖊

  April uses both hands to cover her face while her mind drift's back to what went down, she had succeeded in hiding close to the old library. She wasn't ready for the weird stares, she was sure the news had gone viral. Everyone now saw her as a thief. Wondering how the money got into her bag, she takes a deep breath, she was very sure, Ibinabor had a hand in this, and also the girl who testified against her, she hardly saw her around.

She couldn't help but wonder what she did to Ibinabor that would make her do this to her because she was damn sure, it was a set-up. also remembering the confrontation they had made her wonder.

Wondering what her fate would be, she let the tears roll down her eyes.

"April!" She looks up immediately only to see Light's confused expression. "Why are you crying?" He asks making April wonder how he found her out, she cleans her tears immediately. "Why aren't you in class? Further Maths teacher just gave us a test, I looked for you everywhere I could think of." Light says.

"I was at the principal's office!" April says calmly.

"You didn't do it right?" Light asks while he squats to her level.

"Of course not!" April responds.

"It's on the lips of everyone in class!" Light says calmly.

"Ibinabor set me up!" April says.

"Why?" Light asks.

"I don't know," April says before she starts narrating her ordeal with Ibinabor to Light who listened patiently, till she was done.

"And you can't remember doing anything to spite her?"

"No!" April says.

"This is serious, April. Honestly, you could be expelled or suspended for this!" Light says.

"But I didn't do it!" April burst into tears.

"It doesn't matter if you are telling the truth, they got concrete, evidence against you!" Light confirm.

"Why would Ibinabor set you up like this?" Light asks himself. "Let me go and talk to Flourish!" Light says, meanwhile April buries her face in her both hands, it was obvious she was shedding tears. "Hey. Stop crying, everything will be fine!" Light assures.

"You know it can never be fine!" April cries out. "Who will believe whatever I say, when Ibinabor is opposing it. She has all the advantages, I mean her dad owns the school. While i am just the poor girl on scholarship, The facy i am poor doesn't make me a thief!" April says now cleaning her eyes. While Light who knew she was right, stood there staring at her, he didn't know what to say, that will calm her down.

           ______________________________🖊

"She could have just asked us if she needed money. Why steal, now we will be tagged as someone whose friend stole!" April couldn't believe her ears, she knew they hadn't noticed her yet, because they were on Science bunk, clearly backing her. She wasn't surprised Dumlesi could say such.

"I am still finding it difficult to believe. April can't be a thief, nothing has gone missing in this hostel, and honestly, I keep my things carelessly." Science contributes.

"Science, the girl is apparently broke, what do you expect from someone with her background," Dumlesi urges.

"I didn't steal the money!" April says audibly enough for them to hear.

The both girls turn around immediately, April could see the guilt on Science's face, but Dumlesi's facial expression was blank like there were no emotions.

"I know you didn't!" Science assures. "Come to think of it, this one Ibinabor is involved..., "

"I don't know what I did to her, i am hundred percent sure, she set me up. I didn't steal the money for sure, then how did it get into my bag?" April asks.

"April, as far as I can remember you have no issues with Ibinabor, why would she set you up, " Dumlesi chides. Meanwhile, April pauses and takes a good look at her face, she didn't see any form of pity, she noticed Dumlesi had been acting strangely towards her, but couldn't place her hands on why.

"Science, she threatened me, during the social night. I didn't think it was so important, that was why I didn't tell you." April says totally ignoring Dumlesi.

"But why? Did you cross her path?" Science asks quite interested.

"No, I don't remember doing anything that would spite her. She clearly told me to watch my back." April concludes.

"Then, what happened to the eyewitness? April if you needed money, you could have asked us, what are friends for? We would have lent you or even give it to you, not expecting a refund, I am really disappointed..., "

"Dumlesi, what is it? We all know Ibinabor, we know what she is capable of doing. If April said she didn't take it, then she didn't take it. Besides, even if she did, we are her friends and we aren't supposed to judge her at least not in front of people. Everyone makes mistakes, what about you who went around spreading rumours about Nancy for a reason best known to you, did anybody kill you?" Science asks plainly.

"Honestly. I didn't take the money!" April says, tried of emphasising on that.

"Now she is your good friend, Science we have been friends since Junior class, and she?" Dumlesi pauses, shakes her head and walks out almost immediately, without waiting to hear another word.

"April this is a mess, they got evidence against you, which clearly proves you stole the money, you could have pleaded not guilty saying the money was kept to frame you. But they got that girl's statement against you." Science concludes, pretending like she didn't hear what Dumlesi said.

"What do I do now?" April asks in fear. "I wonder what my punishment will be..., "

"If you fought and injured someone, you and that person would be suspended, if you were caught cheating during exams same issue. But stealing, " Science pauses and takes a good look at April. "Such action isn't condoned in this school, you might be expelled or given a long term suspension!" Science concludes.

"For a crime I know nothing about! God my mother, " April says remembering her mother.

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