After supper, Korah was in his dorm room, seated on his bed, waiting for Jackson to return from football practice.
During supper in the cafeteria, everything had gone back to normal. Andrew ate with his friends, Lisa ate with her squad and Esther ate with Korah. Jackson did not eat his supper in the cafeteria because he had been at practice since prep ended.
Jackson walked into the room dressed in fresh clothing. In one hand he was holding his sports attire and school uniform, and in another hand he was holding a towel that he was using to dry his damp hair.
"Dude, you should take a shower. The water's really warm," Jackson said and attempted to throw his towel on the top bunk where his bed lay, but he failed miserably and the towel landed on Korah's head.
"Gross," Korah said with a look of disgust on his face as he lifted the towel of his head. He dropped it on the floor and used the hem of his shirt to dry his hands. "It is still wet. Why'd you dump it on my head?"
"It was a slip of the hand, okay?" Jackson said and walked over to the closet.
The dorm rooms of Preston Prep were large enough to accommodate three students. In each room there was a wooden double bunk, or triple bunk bed (depending on how many students accommodated the room), that was placed near the door, a large closet that was to be shared by the students, two, or three desks and there was a vacant spot in the room for the students to put whatever belongings they owned.
Jackson's belongings occupied most of the vacant spot. His mini fridge, various football shoes and his collection of action figures occupied the spot. Very few people knew about Jackson's action figures and Korah happened to be one of the few. There was no shame in collecting action figures but it was an embarrassing thing for Jackson who always tried to portray himself as a macho man. Jackson especially did not want his girlfriend, Lisa, to know about it.
The only thing that belonged to Korah in the vacant spot was his collection of novels. He placed the novels in the vacant spot as he had no more space on his desk to place them.
Jackson threw the clothes into his section of the closet, and then walked over to the vacant spot and gently placed his shoes beside the others.
"Why do you have to occupy most of the vacant spot?" Korah asked. "Your desk is empty most of the time because you hardly ever use it. Why don't you place your action figures on the desk and your shoes under the desk?"
"My action figures are none of your business and my shoes need to be aerated. I prefer them to be in a more open space," Jackson replied.
"Then keep them outside," Korah pointed outside the window. "There's a lot of fresh air outside."
"Do you want them to get stolen?" Jackson asked. "Do you know how much they cost?"
"Does it matter?" Korah asked. "Even if they cost hundreds of thousands I'm pretty sure that your dad would new shoes for you."
Jackson scoffed and made his way to his mini fridge, "I have nothing to say to you."
"That's because you know it's the truth," Korah stood up from the bed and kicked Jackson's towel away from the foot of his bed. "But that's besides what I want to talk to you about."
"You want to talk to me? What about?" Jackson asked as he opened the mini fridge and brought out a can of soda. He wiped the top of the can with his shirt and opened the can. "If it's about all the homework that I make you do, just know that it's all your fault. You're the nerd of the class and for some reason you always have to keep asking the teachers impossible questions, and they end up giving the questions to us as research homework."
"It's not about that," Korah shook his head, "and every one in that class is a nerd, in case you didn't know. Heck! Everyone in this school is a nerd. The school is only for those who are academically outstanding."
"Then what do you want to talk about?" Jackson asked with one eyebrow raised and took a sip of his soda. "I don't suppose that you're going to complain about my bad decisions such as my choice to drink a cold soda even though it's freezing outside."
"No. Your bad decisions are yours to make and I wouldn't care if you died of hypothermia," Korah replied with a blank face.
"Again, what do you want to talk about?"
"Sunday afternoon," Korah replied.
"Huh?" Jackson's face scrunched up in confusion.
"What you told me on Sunday afternoon."
"Mhm... I don't recall," Jackson shook his head.
"Then let me remind you," Korah crossed his arms and then walked over to Jackson slowly. "On Sunday afternoon, right after the church service, you came up to me and said, 'What makes you think that those two are actually your friends? I don't know what you guys are up to but they're just using you. You're like a piece in a game of checkers. You're just being played by much more powerful people'. Do you remember now?"
Jackson avoided Korah's eyes and walked passed him to where Korah had kicked his towel (almost underneath the closet). He picked it up with his free hand and looked at it with a look of disgust on his face. "Look what you did to my towel. Now it's all dirty."
"So you just made everything up?" Korah scoffed with a sarcastic smirk on his face, his eyes not leaving Jackson's body.
"Ugh, now I have to wash it," Jackson ignored Korah and foolishly tried to blow the dirt of the towel using his mouth.
Full of anger, Korah walked up to Jackson, grabbed the towel and threw it across the room. "Answer the stupid question, Jackson!"
Korah's eyes were now red and tears of anger were threatening to fall from them.
"If it's a stupid question then why do you need me to answer it?" Jackson asked and moved away from Korah and walked around him. "And haven't you heard of respecting personal space? I don't want you spitting in my mouth when you speak."
"So it's all a lie then," Korah looked down and said to himself but Jackson heard him crystal clear. Korah turned around to face Jackson and grabbed the collar of Jackson's V-neck. "How could you do something like that?"
"W-what did I do?" Jackson stammered and smiled nervously. This was the scariest version of Korah he had ever seen and he wasn't ashamed to admit that he was terrified.
"Don't play dumb with me!" Korah yelled. "You told me that Lisa spoke about me to you behind my back. You told me that she called me a fool. That she said I was a loner and no one would ever befriend me. Well, no one but a fellow fool as well. You told me that she said Andrew called me a fatherless brat. A boy abandoned by his father. Whose mother was only used by his father because, apparently, being used by others run in the family. Well, guess what, Jackson, we have the same father, I guess your mother must have also been used."
"Don't bring my mother into this!" Jackson yelled. "And I made it up. So what? You and those two were never supposed to be friends. They're just too good for filth like you. I understand why that Vice Student President girl is your friend. You both lie in the same class. But Lisa and Andrew. No. You are nothing compared to them."
Jackson concluded his sentence by pouring the contents of his soda can on Korah's head. At that moment, all Korah saw was red. Without thinking about the consequences he lifted his right hand and threw a punch directed at Jackson's face. His fist landed on Jackson's left eye, forcing Jackson to fall to the ground. His soda can went flying out of his hand and crashing down, emptying its contents on the floor.
"H-how dare you do that?" Jackson asked as he held his injured eye, slowing dragging him body backwards, away from Korah. "Don't you know that I can make you pay for this?"
"Then make me," Korah said and walked over to his bed. He lifted his pillow and blanket off the bed and proceeded to walk out of the room. However, he stopped in his tracks and without sparing Jackson a glace, he said, "Just because I've been quiet all these years doesn't mean I'm someone to be messed with. Don't play games with me. I can be a very dangerous person when I want to be."
With that said, Korah opened the door and walked out the room. As expected, a few other boys were standing outside their room to see what commotion was taking place.
"We heard noises and came to see if everything was alright..." the voice of the boy who had taken it upon himself to explain the curiosity of the group of boys died down as he peeked into the room through the opened door and found an injured and slightly terrified Jackson lying on the floor.
Korah took a deep breath and turned around to look at Jackson. Looking at Jackson, he felt guilty and sorry for what he did but he did not bother to apologise. He rather turned his head and left for Andrew's room. He was hoping to spend the night there since Andrew had no roommate.
Korah made his way over to Andrew room and knocked thrice on the door.
"I'm coming," he heard Andrew mumble from behind the door, followed by footsteps.
Andrew opened the door and once he saw who was standing behind it he tried his best to shut it, but Korah used his foot to stop the door from being closed. A battle then commenced between Andrew and Korah to see who would gain control over the door.
Andrew weighed more than Korah and was much stronger considering that he played soccer occasionally. The only athletic activity that Korah engaged himself in was speed walking to class and fighting with Jackson. He was athletic but compared to Andrew, he was weak.
Korah noticed that his efforts to keep the door open were in vain, so he chose to use another tactic. "I'm sorry for what I said to you at lunch time!"
When Andrew hard that he stopped pushing the door but he did not step away from it either. "What did you say?"
"I said that I'm sorry for what I told you in the gym during lunch time," Korah sighed heavily. "It was wrong of me to say that without knowing your side of the story."
Andrew stepped away from the door and opened it to look at Korah's face. "Then tell me: why would you say something like that to me and Lisa? I know that we've only known each other for three days but that's how friendships start. We've been nothing but kind to you since day one. This attitude of yours may be the reason why you don't have many friends."
"I know," Korah said and looked down, "but if you were in my place then you'd understand. I'm someone who has been pushed and pulled all my life. I've only been used. If a stranger came and told me that I was only being used by the people whom I thought were my friends, then I'd believe them."
Andrew's attitude completely changed after Korah ended his sentence. He had one eyebrow raised as he asked, "Did someone tell you that you were being used by us?"
"Yes. Jackson did."
"Lisa's boyfriend?" Andrew asked. "Isn't he your roommate?"
"Yeah, we kind of had a fight," Korah replied, "I was just wondering if you'd be willing to share your room this once?"
It was then that Andrew noticed the pillow and blanket in Korah's hands. "Oh, of course. Come on in."
Andrew stepped away from the door to make space for Korah to enter his room.
Andrew's room was quite different from Korah's room in that there was only one bed and only one desk. That meant that there was more space in the room, even though the rooms were the same size. There was a window through which Andrew could see all that was going on outside.
Andrew also had a mini fridge in his vacant spot and a heap of exercise books. There was also a small cabinet beside the mini fridge.
"What's in the cabinet?" Korah asked Andrew.
Andrew looked at the cabinet, walked towards it and opened it. In it were a variety of snacks and candy.
"You really don't joke with your snacks, huh?"
"Nope," Andrew shook his head, "Do you want one?"
Andrew did not wait for Korah's response and grabbed a packet of potato chips, and threw it at Korah. Korah dropped his blanket and pillow on the ground to catch the snack. "Thanks, man. Hot chilli flavour? My favourite."
"That's my favourite too," Andrew laughed. He made his way to his bed and sat on it. "By the way, I only have one bed, so I'm not sure where you're going to sleep."
"It's okay," Korah said as he opened the pack of chips, "I can sleep on the floor."
"Are you sure?" Andrew asked. "The weather may be warm in the afternoons but it is very cold in the evenings. You might get a cold."
"My blanket's thick enough for me to wrap it around myself, and even if I got a cold I'll just ask Esther how she got rid of hers so quickly," Korah replied.
"Different bodies require different methods of healing," Andrew said. "If Esther's method worked for herself, it doesn't mean that's it's going to work for you."
"I'll still try," Korah said and placed his packet of chips on Andrew's desk.
He then took hold of his blanket and spread it out on the floor. He placed the pillow on top of the blanket, grabbed the pack of chips off the desk and then sat on the floor.
"You know what? I can't watch this," Andrew said and stood up from the bed. He walked to his closet and after grabbing a spare blanket he threw at it Korah. "That's my spare blanket. Use it for this night. The weather is cold and you shouldn't get sick."
Korah looked at the blanket that was thrown at him and sniffed while wiping invisible tears. Andrew, however, thought that he was actually crying.
"A-are you crying?"
Korah lifted up his head to look at Andrew. "It's just that no one's ever been this kind to me before."
"Gosh! You scared me!" Andrew walked back to his bed. "I'm pretty sure someone else has been kind to you, even if it's your mother."
"I mean yeah, sure, but ever since I came to this school only Esther has been kind to me. And some students and teacher's occasionally," Korah replied.
Andrew lay on his bed and folded his arms behind his bed, "But weren't you friends with a red head boy before Esther came?"
"You actually remember? How? We didn't even speak back then."
"Didn't he commit suicide? People never forget things like that. I remember that you two had a fight in the third term of the Eighth Grade. It was pretty bad. What was it all about?"
Korah remembered that day crystal clear. However, he did not want to remember anything about that day. After that day he lost his friends and the other students were afraid to associate with him. He tried rebuilding his image but Esther was the only one who befriended him. She wasn't there when he was involved in the fight and he did not want her to know about it either.
"He wasn't my friend and I'd rather not say," Korah simply replied.
Andrew understood Korah's position, though still curious, but changed the topic nevertheless.
"So, do you read novels?"
"Are you kidding me? Novels are my life," Korah said and shoved a fistful of potato chips into his mouth.
"Me too. Which one's your favourite?"
"I can't pick just one. It's like being asked to pick your favourite book in the Bible," Korah replied with a scoff.
"I feel you, man. I feel you."
"I loves Jules Verne's works. I also love reading the background of each writer whose works I read."
The conversation between Korah and Andrew lasted until nine when the lights were supposed to be turned off. Andrew got up to turn off the lights and after telling Korah to have a good night, he tucked himself in bed and drifted off to sleep.
---
The following morning Korah felt well rested and happy. His back hurt from lying on the floor but it wasn't too bad. He and Andrew were up early, had taken their showers and were dressed for school before six-thirty.
Korah and Andrew spent their spare time in the library before the bells rang for breakfast time. They then made their ways to the school cafeteria.
After grabbing Wednesday's breakfast the two sat at an empty table. The cafeteria wasn't quite full yet, but students were piling in quickly.
"Ooh, corn pudding, my favourite," Andrew said and inhaled the aroma of his corn pudding. "I love Pudding Wednesdays."
"I love Pudding Wednesdays but I hate corn pudding in particular. Chocolate pudding is my favourite though," Korah said and lifted up his spoon and dug it into his pudding.
"Why? Is it because you're dark skinned," Andrew attempted to joke. He knew that racist jokes were rude, but after the conversation that he had with Korah the previous night he felt that he could be comfortable.
Korah was just about to give Andrew a snarky reply but the slamming of a tray onto their table startled the two of them.
Andrew looked up to see the person who had slammed the tray onto the table.
"Correction: Korah has a caramel skin tone, and what's going on?" Lisa asked. "I thought we discussed this yesterday and decided to give him the silent treatment,"
Another person slammed a tray on the table, on Korah's left. It was Esther this time.
"Whoa! Slamming trays is louder than I thought," Esther said to herself. She then turned to the other three, "Anyway, don't you guys think that we should talk this out?"
"Talk what out?" Lisa asked. "There's nothing to talk out. He judged and insulted us before getting to know us fully."
"Exactly," Esther said, "the major problem in this group is communication. To connect we must communicate. We probably should have gotten to know each other before diving deep into our investigations. When we solve this Eugene Walter case we need to have a get together to know more about each other."
"So what's your point?" Lisa asked.
"We should listen to what Mr. Caramel has to say," at the sound of the name Esther had given him, Korah sent her a playful glare and she simply smiled back. "I'm not doing this because I'm his friend and will always take his side. I'm doing this because we're all in this together. To work together we need to help each other and not bite each other. We just started conversing last week but that's how friendships start. We start as strangers and gradually become friends."
After Esther concluded her sentence she sat down. Lisa reluctantly sat down.
"I guess everyone deserves a chance," Lisa mumbled.
"Korah, this is your chance to clear things up," Esther said.
Korah took a deep breath before speaking, "Firstly, I want to apologise for what I said to the two of you. It was wrong of me. Someone convinced me that I was just being used by you..."
Korah then went on to explain what was said that Sunday afternoon without mentioning Jackson's name.
"Who told you this nonsense?" Lisa asked.
"I mean, it's not actually complete nonsense. We barely know each other. Everyone in the school is probably thinking that our friendship is somewhat fake," Korah replied.
"I asked you a question and you better answer it."
"Does it really matter now? Like, we're friends again. Isn't that what we both wanted?" Korah said, trying his best to change the topic.
Even though he and Jackson did not have a good relationship, Korah did not want to ruin the relationship that his brother had with Lisa.
"Look, Korah, if this person has enough influence over your life and your decisions, then he will probably try telling you some other lies in the near future. Just tell us who it is," Lisa said."
"Fine, it was Jackson."
"Jackson who?" Lisa asked.
"There's only one Jackson in this school. It's obviously Jackson Wicket," Andrew said. He then turned to Korah, "Is that what your fight with him was about last night."
"You and Jackson fought?" Lisa asked in disbelief. She had always known Jackson to be as gentle as a dove. His classmates sometimes said that he got into fights but he had assured her that it was nothing physical.
Korah gave Andrew an eye and nodded in response to Lisa's question. "Yeah, but I threw a great punch though."
Korah did not see the punch that was thrown at him by Esther coming. The girl really knew how to punch.
"Ouch! What was that for?" Korah asked, rubbing his painful shoulder.
"Violence is never the answer," Esther replied and then stuffed her mouth with her pudding.
"Wow! You lead by such a great example," Korah said sarcastically, still rubbing his shoulder.
"I honestly can't believe that Jackson did that," Lisa scoffed. "I mean, he told me that he only had verbal fights. Where is he anyway?"
"I don't think he came for breakfast," Esther said, "I overheard some of the juniors in his dorm ward saying that he has a pretty bad bruise on his eye."
"I need to go speak with him," Lisa said.
She was about to stand up from her seat but Andrew grabbed her by her arm and forced her to sit back down.
"What?" Lisa asked.
"We came together to hear Korah's thoughts, not to fight the person behind his thoughts. Let's focus at the task at hand, and besides, the cafeteria doors won't open until it's ten minutes before breakfast is over," Andrew explained.
"So, do you guys forgive Korah?" Esther asked on Korah's behalf.
"I forgive you, man," Andrew said, giving Korah a fist bump, "I'm still offended that you insulted and questioned my thinking capabilities, but we'll work it out as the days go by."
"Lisa?" Korah asked. "Do you forgive me?"
Korah knew that Andrew would forgive, considering how they had rekindled their relationship the previous night. However, he could not tell what was on Lisa's mind. He had offended her the previous day and just recently dropped a bombshell that her boyfriend was a liar and the reason behind his behaviour.
"I still don't support your actions. If someone told you what Jackson told you, I think that you should have come to us first. You definitely shouldn't have just straight up insulted us," Lisa said.
"I know," Korah groaned, "and I'm sorry, but you've got to understand where I'm coming from. I've barely known you guys but I've known Jackson almost all my life. It's no doubt that I would take his word of yours."
"Wait, didn't you start schooling here in Year Nine?" Esther asked. "How could you have known him almost all your life?"
"That, my friend, is a story for another day," Korah replied, patting Esther's shoulder.
"Come on, we want to hear it," Lisa said and the took a bite out of her food.
"Guys, let's leave it for another day," Andrew said. "I'm pretty sure each of us have our own secrets. We'll reveal whatever we feel needs to be revealed in due time."
"He's right," Esther said. "Now, what about this Winter-Walter problem? When is it going to be solved?"
"We can meet up at lunch time to discuss it. I have a plan," Korah said.
"Dude, why do we have to keep skipping lunch?" Andrew asked. "You're going to make me malnourished."
"Sacrificing a few meals is worth it considering our cause," Lisa said with a roll of her eyes. "And it's not permanent. We just have to get the principal out of the school and then we're done."
"Our main purpose Is the missing students. We haven't even identified most of them. How are we almost done?" Andrew asked.
"It will be easier to identify the missing students when the principal is gone," Korah said, "that way there won't be many eyes on us."
"That makes sense," Esther agreed.
"Can we eat now?" Andrew asked. "My lovely pudding is going cold."
"Sure thing, corn boy," Lisa said, earning a glare from Andrew.
---
The four were not able to meet until lunch time. Their schedule was tight as they had their mid-term exams coming up and this was their last year before they could be considered for college and university. They had to pay hundred percent attentions in class as their minds were elsewhere out of class.
They met up in the school gymnasium during lunch time as usual. The weather was much warmer than in the morning, hence all of them had gotten rid of their coats and jackets.
Korah was the first one in the gymnasium. He lifted up his trousers and sat in the middle of the floor of the gymnasium, Indian style.
The gymnasium was only meant for basketball and netball games, but it was also where most physical education classes took place when the weather was cold. If the weather was hot, then physical education would be done outside.
The school also had an indoor swimming pool. It was for those who were on the swim team. The school never held inter-school competitions but often travelled to other schools for their competitions.
The swimming pool, however, was hardly ever used.
The other three entered one after the other. Andrew was the last person to enter the gym.
"Sorry, I had to stay back for a few minutes because Mr. Jones refused to leave the class until he finished teaching," Andrew apologised.
"Classic Mr. Jones," Korah chuckled. "I'm glad he only teaches my class in the morning."
"He doesn't teach my class," Esther said.
"Mine neither," Lisa added.
The other three sat down like Korah, in a circle. Esther to Korah's left and Andrew to his right. Lisa sat in between Esther and Andrew.
"So, what's the plan, K?" Andrew asked, throwing Korah a soft punch on his shoulder.
"Listen to this," Korah whispered with a smirk, "how about we expose him via media?"
"Media?" Andrew asked. "Can you elaborate?"
"I'm thinking that we should write an article on Mr. Walter, and then publish it online," Korah explained briefly.
"Is that really your plan?" Andrew asked. "I mean, it's a good plan but we don't have any devices and we can't disclose our identities to the media. How do we release this information to the media without devices and without any social media accounts?"
"We don't have our devices but we still have the Computer Lab and there's someone who I'm sure still has an electronic device apart from the teachers," Korah said.
"Who?" Esther asked.
"Jackson Wicket."
"You seriously think Jackson Wicket will lend us his phone?" Andrew asked. "You must be delusional."
"I know it sounds crazy but we'll think of something along the way," Korah replied.
"And what about keeping our identities hidden?" Esther asked.
"No one said that we have to use our real identities," Korah answered. "We can make anonymous accounts. It will be harder to reach an audience with a brand new account but it's not impossible. We'll use the computers in the Computer Lab to upload the article. It will obviously take more time but something is better than nothing."
The other three nodded their heads in understanding. They were not certain that the plan would work but it was all that they had.
"So, what do we have to do?" Lisa asked.
"Andrew, your own job isn't that complicated. All you have to do is distract Mr. Stone when our time to use the computers is up. Try your best to make him not notice that our time is up," Korah explained. "Esther, get the documents that you found in Principal Winter's office."
Andrew and Esther nodded unanimously.
"Lisa, you on the other hand have a more complicated job," Korah said. "Try to convince Jackson to lend you his phone. He may not know that he has the phone with him but ask him to check under his mattress for it. I saw it yesterday while waiting for him in the room."
"No way! I don't want to speak with him. If I ask him for his phone I'll feel like I'm going against myself and using him," Lisa said.
"You don't have to use him per say," Esther said. "This is also an opportunity for you to confront him. Listen to his side of the story."
"I don't know," Esther heaved a deep sigh.
"Just do what you think is right. We won't force you but you know that we can't postpone this any longer. We wasted a lot of time yesterday and it was all my fault," Korah said. "Let's try to do what we can without wasting time from now on."
"I'll do it but I'm not sure about now. Isn't the cafeteria already closed?"
"It is but I don't think he had his lunch," Andrew said. "I saw him headed to the library on my way here. It is shocking because Jackson's not one to skip lunch unless it's time for practise."
"You guys go do your part," Lisa said, standing up, "I'll go speak with him."
She left the gymnasium without waiting for a response from the others and made her way to the library.
The librarian was not in the library, but Lisa found Jackson sitting at a desk behind a book shelf. He was wearing a blue hoodie and had his nose buried in a book but Lisa knew that it was him because of his build and his body posture. Jackson had the habit of leaning back into his seat whenever he was reading something. Lisa was worried that he would be walking with a bowed back even before his old age.
Lisa silently walked up to him and took a seat to his right.
"Hello, Jackson."
Jackson was in his own world that he did not realise that his girlfriend had come into the library and sat beside him. He jumped slightly but the cleared his throat.
"Hey, Lisa. How are you?"
"I really don't know," Lisa replied truthfully. "And how about you, Jackie?"
"Ahem, I'm good," Jackson replied unsurely after clearing his throat once again.
"Are you sure about that? You don't sound too certain."
"I'm really fine."
"Then why are you wearing a hoodie?" Lisa asked, pulling the hood off his head. "The weather is not even cold."
"It's not because of the weather," Jackson said, "I just don't want anyone to see me reading. They'll think I'm a nerd."
"If I didn't know any better I'd honestly think you were telling the truth."
"What makes you think that I'm lying?"
"The fact that your book is upside down," Lisa replied.
Jackson was so upset about the previous night that he just stomped into the library, picked up a random book and turned the page to the middle of the book. However, his mind was elsewhere and he did not focus on the book. Jackson closed the book and dropped it on the table.
"I heard that reading books upside down improves the intelligence. It opens one's mind," Jackson lied.
"Okay, from what you read, tell me the name of the book and what it's about."
Jackson peeked at the book from where he was seated to check the title of the book.
"The name of the book is Little Women and it's about young ladies fighting over wealthy old men to gain a status in society," Jackson answered. "There is also a shortage of men, so the fights occur pretty often."
"Wow! It must be a really entertaining novel!"
"It is," Jackson laughed, "I'd love for it to be adapted into a film because this book is hilarious."
"Jackson, I know that you fought with Korah yester-night," Lisa said.
Jackson sighed, "The little brat told you, huh? I bet you're just going to take his side."
"I'm actually here to listen to your side of the story, Jackie. Why did you lie to him?"
Jackson let out another heavy sigh and then took off his hoodie. He threw the hoodie onto the table and sat straight in his chair.
"I was... ugh... I was jealous," Jackson said.
"Jealous?" Lisa asked. "Jealous of what, Jackson?"
"T-the bond you're forming with him," Jackson said and looked away from her. "You've been spending way too much time with him and I'm afraid you'll choose him over me."
"Is that really a reason to spread lies, Jackson?" Lisa asked. "You almost ruined the friendship I have with Korah. Korah and I are nothing more than friends. I'm sorry for neglecting you all this while but you should have just spoken to me about it. You filled the boy's head with lies and ended up making a fool out of yourself. I heard he punched you. Is that true?"
"Yes," Jackson mumbled, turning to show her his bruised eye, "and it hurt. A lot."
"Well, that's what you get for lying, Jackson," Lisa said. "I and Korah have been working on something else. I'm really sorry for neglecting you. And why did you only lie to Korah? I also associate with Andrew."
"Andrew is built like a withered twig, he doesn't stand a chance against me," Jackson replied. That was just the partial truth. It was mainly because he hated Korah to the core. Korah ruined his life and took away everything he loved.
"Don't be rude," Lisa laughed. "And Korah is smaller in stature than Andrew."
"But much stronger. Believe me. What is it that you and that gang are working on anyway?" Jackson asked curiously. "It can't be a school assignment because you four are in different classes."
Lisa was expecting Jackson to ask her what kept her so occupied but she had not expected it to come that soon. She wasn't a liar. She was someone who either told the truth, or just kept silent and left people to their imaginations. She also often gave sarcastic responses. However, she couldn't remain silent with Jackson. He was very persistent and would continue to ask her.
Lisa then made the decision to tell Jackson. She was sure that she could trust him with their secret. They would be closer that way as they could hang out more often, and Jackson could actually help them. That was killing two birds with one stone.
"Jackson, what I'm about to tell you should be kept only you, me and the other three," Lisa said.
"Gosh, you're scaring me. Is it anything that I should be worried about?"
"You are aware that Richard went missing recently, right?" Lisa asked.
"Are you involved in this? Because if you are, Lisa, I swear that I-I..."
"You'll do what?" Lisa asked.
"I-I'll... Flush your entire life savings down the toilet and then torture Korah until he tells me where you guys kept him," Jackson answered.
"Interesting answer, but no. Quite the opposite actually. We came together to find out what happened to our missing classmates," Lisa replied.
Lisa then went on to tell him the entire story and what they had already found out about Principal Winter. She also told him the main purpose that she was sent to him and how urgently she needed his phone.
"Whoa! This is a lot to take in," Jackson said. "So, you're telling me that Principal Winter is a fraud?"
Lisa nodded her head, "Yes but lower your voice. Someone might hear you and there are cameras around the school."
"I still can't believe this," Jackson said in an audible whisper, "but I'm not sure that I have a phone. 'Principal Winter' collected all our devices. Remember?"
"Korah said that he saw a phone from under your mattress. Just go to your room and lift up the mattress. If you find it come to the Computer Lab, you'll find me standing outside the door waiting for you," Lisa said.
"Under my bed?" Jackson asked himself, stroking his chin. It was he remembered that he usually had his devices under his bed. Whenever he got into trouble with Miss Greene she would temporarily confiscate his electronic devices as a form of punishment but he would always hide one.
Miss Greene hadn't punished him by confiscating his phone in quite a while and he had already forgotten about the phone. He couldn't believe that he had forgotten about the phone even though his other devices had been confiscated.
"Oh, yeah! I kind of forgot about it," Jackson said with a small laugh, "have I been living without any electronics for this long?'
"It's barely been a week but okay," Lisa said.
"Why don't you escort me to get the phone?" Jackson asked. "Do I really have to go alone?"
"Girls aren't allowed to go to the boys' dorms."
She felt like a hypocrite saying that because she had actually followed Andrew to his room the previous day. His room was a hundred times neater than she had expected. She did not know why but she expected his room to look like a barn. Her room back home was a complete mess.
"Whatever you say, Lisa," Jackson said, standing up.
"Listen, Jackson," Lisa whispered, grabbing a hold of Jackson's hand, "you can't tell anyone else what I've told you just now. It is strictly between the five of us. The others will probably be offended that I told you but don't let them think worse of you be telling someone else."
"Don't worry, Lisa," Jackson said, taking Lisa's hand into his own. "I promise not to tell anyone else."
Lisa smiled and stood up, "I'm really glad that I told you. At least we can hang out together more. And let me see your bruised eye once again."
Jackson turned his face to show Lisa his full eye, "It hurt really badly last night but I endured the pain like the man I am."
"Yeah, right. That punch served you right. Did you have lunch?"
"No. Not yet but I have some snacks in my dorm room," Jackson replied.
"Do you have food packaged food like noodles or spaghetti?"
"I should."
"Then I'll make noodles for you after Korah's done uploading the article," Lisa said. "I'll ask Bertha if I can use the kitchen. I'm certain that she won't refuse."
"Thanks, Lisa."
The two walked out of the library with their hands entwined. Outside the library stood the school custodian with an apple in his hand.
"Oh! Good afternoon, William," Lisa and Jackson greeted with smiles on their faces.
"Whatever. Is Miss Briggs in?" William asked.
"No. We didn't see her when we went in," Lisa replied.
"Uh huh," William grunted and walked past them into the library.
"What do you think is up with William?" Jackson asked. "He's always so grumpy and I thought he only comes for work during the night?"
"What if it's an office romance?" Lisa whispered. "A hidden love between a grumpy school custodian and a lazy librarian."
"Yeah... no," Jackson shook his head, "William only started working here this year, so I don't really know his personality, but as for Miss Briggs, I don't think that she's ever getting married. Well, at least not to someone from this school, seeing that they already know how she behaves."
Lisa chuckled, punching Jackson's arm lightly, "Just go and get the phone. Make sure to turn it on while you're in the room to avoid its launching sound in front of Mr. Stone."
"Okay," Jackson said and made his way past the school cafeteria and up the stairs to his dorm room.
"I'll be in the Computer Lab," Lisa yelled.
The Computer Lab was adjacent to the school library. The library was found on the left of the Computer Lab.
Esther and Korah were seated behind a computer at the far back of the Computer Lab. Andrew had pulled up a wooden chair and was seated in front of Mr. Stone's desk. Mr. Stone was seated in his chair, at his desk and had an irritated look on his face.
Mr. Stone was the first person to notice Lisa's entrance into the Computer Lab. He looked up and when he noticed who it was that entered the room his look turned from irritation to complete disgust.
"Great, another one!" He exclaimed.
The other four looked up to see Lisa. Korah waved at her, asking her to go over to where he and Lisa were seated.
Lisa grabbed a chair and carried it towards them. She placed the chair next to Esther's and took a seat.
"Make sure to take those chairs back where they belong when you're done doing what you're doing," Mr. Stone said.
"Yes, Sir," the four of them chorused.
"And you," Mr. Stone pointed at Andrew, "why are you sitting here? Your friends are all over there. Go and sit with them."
"But I want to sit with you," Andrew whined.
"Why? I don't want you to be near me at all," Mr. Stone said.
"I want to tell you some stories from back home but the others refused to listen to me," Andrew said.
"I wonder why. Look, child, I'm not interested in-"
Mr. Stone was interrupted by Andrew.
"So, get this, during last year's Christmas break our family from all over the world came together to celebrate," Andrew said with a laugh. "But then my younger cousin, Devin, was upset about it because he hates being around many people. Do you want to know what he did?"
"No. I'm really not interested in-"
"The nine year old brat was raising an ant farm, so he released the ants in the kitchen."
"I told you that I'm not interested-," Mr. Stone stopped himself, "did you say ants?"
"Mhm," Andrew nodded his head.
"What happened next?"
Andrew went on to tell Mr. Stone the entire story of his family's Christmas family reunion.
"Mr. Stone's distracted," Korah whispered with a smile and then reached out his hand to Lisa expectantly.
"What?" Lisa asked.
"The phone? Where is it?" Korah asked.
"Oh! It's on its way."
Korah's smile faltered, "What do you mean by that?"
Lisa remained quiet and a moment later Jackson walked into the Computer Lab.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Stone," Jackson greeted.
At the sound of his voice they all looked up to see Jackson. Korah and Esther simultaneously glanced at Jackson and then back at Lisa.
"Him?" Korah asked. "You told him?"