The next day which happens to be Friday, the vice principal, Mr. Ken asked all the prefects to gather in the staffroom for an impromptu talk about the diner night coming up in three weeks. The dinner night was like a tradition in L.H.S, it has been done for years and many students looked forward to it.
After the VP announced the party during the morning assembly, the student roared with excitement it was a day all students in Light-house school looks forward to.
After the meeting, all the prefects including Jack; the sports prefect, walked out of the staff room to discuss the upcoming dinner party and how they were going to go about it. On Jack's way back to class, he ran into Julian in the corridor.
" Hey man, it's been a while," Jack said and threw Julian a friendly punch.
Julian smiled and said, " I have been a busy man. Not to mention now that the Kingslayer will be performing at the dinner night which means I will be busier."
" It almost felt as if you're avoiding me and Karen."
" Come on man, it's not like that I've been busy that's all."
" Have you picked a date to take to the dinner night?"
" Um, not yet. But trust your bro, I will get one soon" Julian smiled and patted Jack on the shoulder.
*
At lunch, Bee sat under the walnut tree her usual spot for eating her lunch when Sam walked up to her gloomily.
" Why is your face like that, did someone offend you?" Sam ignored her, sighed, and took his seat opposite her.
" The dinner night is around the corner and I don't have a date yet. I've talked to forty girls and all forty girls said no. They all think that I am fat. But I'm not, right Bee?" Bee looked at him, rolled her large eyes, and said,
" If you asked me out I will refuse you too" She joked. Unknowingly to her, she hurt Sam's feelings.
" Excuse me," He said as he stood up and walked back to class. On his way, he saw Celine. She was chatting and laughing with a guy from the school football team. Celine looked exceptionally beautiful in her red joggers with a pair of white sneakers. Her long dark hair was tied in a bun.
Most people, especially boys, called her brown-skinned girl because of her skin color. And to add to that, she has the cutest dimples when she smiles. She looks so innocent that people wondered how she could be friends with Karen and Sophia.
From a close distance, Sam was watching them. His eyes shift from Celine to the guys standing opposite her. He was tall and muscular not to mention good-looking. Sam stared at him for a while then turned to look at himself.
" I need to lose weight so Celine could look at me like she is looking at that jock." He muttered sadly and walked away. He went home that day without saying goodbye to Bee.
*
" Senior Bee," A junior student came running in Bee's direction. Bee stopped and turned to her.
" I need your help Senior," She said breathing heavily.
" Calm down, take a deep breath and talk to me"
After the girl had relaxed, she started talking
" Please senior, I need your help"
" What do you need my help with?" Bee said.
" Last week, Mr. Ken introduced a new male corper to us, he said he will occasionally fill in for Mr. Jude our Economics teacher."
" Okay, so what do you want me to do?"
" Senior, what am about to tell you is between the two of us no third party, you have to promise me" The girl whispered.
" Okay, I promise, no third party."
Bee replied and lift her hand.
" I...the new corper, Mr. Charles is molesting junior students"
" Do you say molesting?" Bee frowned and continued " How you sure?"
" Yes, senior. He has been doing it to so many girls including my friend, kate we are both in SS1."
" My goodness! Why didn't you report him to someone like Mr. Ken he will make sure he gets punished."
" Senior, he is threatening us. He said if we dare tell on him, he will hurt us, even our parents. Senior and besides we don't have any evidence. It's his words against ours. Please senior, help us, we're scared. No teacher will believe us they will think we're just making things up to spoil the corper's good image. Besides all the teachers like him. Please senior, you're the only one who can help us."
" I don't know but...I will try"
" Thank you senior"
" I just hope you're saying the truth."
" I crossed my heart. So what do you suggest we do now?"
" I need time to come up with the perfect plan but I will keep in touch. What is your name by the way?"
"Gloria, Gloria Yemi," Gloria replied smiling. " Thank you Senior" She walked away excitedly.
*
The next day.
" How are you sure this will work?" Gloria asked worriedly.
" I am positive. All I need is for you girls to trust me on this." Bee said and gave them a reassuring smile. She tried her best to conceal her fears. She had not done anything like this before.
" Okay senior, what should we do?" Kate, Gloria's friend asked.
" Kate, I need you to stay here and watch for anyone coming."
" Gloria, I want you to divert the teacher's attention I believe you already know what to do?" Gloria nodded
" I will stay by the window and video everything. One more thing, we need to pull this off, we might not get another opportunity like this one." Bee said whispering.
" Okay senior." They both said.
Gloria walked into the staff room and greeted the teachers. They were on lunch break so they were in the staff room relaxing awaiting the next period.
" Gloria, why are you not in the dining hall?" A teacher asked.
" I have finished eating. I came here to ask corper Charles to explain a topic in economics I didn't understand." She said smiling, her focus was on the corper who was smiling.
" Oh, that's a good girl. She wants to learn." Another teacher said.
" Excuse me" Charles smiled and stood up.
" Of course," a teacher said.
They both walked out of the staff room. When Charles knew they were a distance from the office he started rubbing his hands all over Gloria's body. His lips were spread in a sly smile.
" Stop Sir, I don't like it when you touch me like that. What if someone sees us." Gloria said a little frightened.
" My sweet Gloria, you know you're a fine girl na. Okay, tell me, what do you want? I promise to give you anything you ask."
" Really?"
" I swear" Charles replied with a smile showing all his brown teeth. The sight of him disgusted Gloria, she felt sick in her stomach. She looked at his large eyes that looks as if they will pop out of its socket.
" Okay but we can't do it here, why don't we go to the office instead." She said and faked a smile.
" Okay," Charles said with excitement. He has been trying to get Gloria but each time she would escape.
Within seconds, they arrived at Charles' office. Inside the office, Charles took off his shirt exposing his dark and hairy chest. Gloria almost puked at the sight of it.
" Take it, easy Sir, I haven't done this before" She quivered in fear.
" Don't worry, I promise it will be quick." Charles's mouth curved into a sly smile.
As he drew closer to Gloria she took a step back while Bee was outside videoing everything on her phone. Gloria should be an actress, she is really good. Bee thought smiling.
The corper was about to grab Gloria when she gave him a hard kick in his down below. He groaned in pain holding onto his below. He dare not screamed because it will attract others' attention and he didn't want that.
Gloria opened the door quickly and ran out.
" How was it senior?" Gloria said panting. She had never done that before but she had no choice it was the only way they could get evidence.
" You're an amazing actress. It was perfect." Bee lifted her thumb. Gloria smiled.
"So what's next senior?"
" I will play the video to Mr. Ken on Monday during lunch break then he will believe us and punish the corrupt corper."
" Okay senior"
" Senior, someone is coming, we need to leave now," Karo said as she walked to where they are.
" Let's go, see you girls on Monday."
" Okay senior," They said in unison. Bee headed for the computer room while Karo and Gloria headed in the opposite direction.
*
" Hey!" Someone called from behind Bee and she jerked. Slowly she turned to look at the person, it was Julian. Immediately she hid her hands behind her back.
" Bee Foster right? What are you doing here in the computer room and what are you holding in your hand? Is that a flash drive?"
" It is none of your business. And you, what are you doing here?"
" I saw you heading this way so I followed I knew you were up to something."
" Are you stalking me now?"
" What?"
" I don't have time for this nonsense, I'm out of here." She was about to walk out when Julian said,
" If you don't tell me the reason why you came here, I will report you to Mr. Ken," Julian said firmly but Bee wasn't scared. She clenched her fist and said,
" And what exactly are you going to tell him" she rolled her eyes and stormed out.
" This girl is so arrogant. Who does she think she is" Julian's eyes narrowed.
*
Inside the Adewale's Villa.
Sam walked hastily to his room after dinner. He went straight to the bathroom, stood in front of the mirror, and thrust a finger into his mouth so he could throw up. He has been doing so for a while now so he could lose weight.
" If I lose weight, Bee and the other girls in school will not laugh at me and call me fat. And Celine...she would start noticing me afterward." He had said to himself.
Sam started eating less, and after every meal, he would go to the bathroom to throw up. Gradually, he was losing weight. His parents were not always at home traveling from one business trip to another and if they were to be around they would not take notice of anything. They never cared.
*
After the third period, the bell rang for lunch, and as usual, everyone ran out of the classroom bumping into each other as if they were being chased. Hastily Bee made for her locker, She had promised Gloria and Kate that she would show the video to Mr. Ken today during lunch break. It was the only time she could see and talk to him. Mr. Ken is a busy man.
She opened the locker and carefully checked for the flash drive but she couldn't find it, she searched, again and again, and she turned the locker upside down but the flash drive wasn't there. She panicked.
" What I'm I going to do now? If I don't find that flash drive means there is no evidence... meaning all our effort and risk were in vain. No, no I have to keep looking those girls are counting on me, I can't fail them." She said and continue searching for the flash drive.
She checked in between books but it was not there. It was obvious that someone else knows about the flash drive apart from her, Kate, and Gloria but the question is who. She tried to recall when she heard a voice from behind her.
" I believe you're looking for this" Bee turned to look at the person. It was Julian. He leaned on the locker opposite her grinning as he waved the flash drive in his hand. Bee's eyes widened upon seeing it.
So it was Julian who took the drive from her locker but how? She wondered. Seeing the puzzled look on her face he laughed.
" Give it back to me it doesn't belong to you," Bee said in anger. She jumped up and tried to reach for Julian's hand but she couldn't she was not as tall as Julian who was almost six feet tall. He was quite tall for a seventeen years old kid.
Julian laughed it looked as if he was enjoying what he was doing.
" If you want me to give it to you then you must tell me what is inside."
Thank goodness he hasn't seen the video yet. Bee thought and breathe a sigh of relief.
" It is none of your business, just give it to me"
" Don't you think you should speak more nicely to me because I have the drive in my hand?" He said with the corner of his mouth raised in a smirk. He was enjoying this.
Bee feels irritated by his attitude. There was no way she was going to show or tell him what is in the drive. She was too stubborn to give in.
" It is a video of me and my younger brother playing It is not a big deal" Bee lied, hoping he would give up and give it back but she was wrong.
" Is that so now, why do I have the feeling that you're lying? If it was a video of you and your brother why hide it in your locker and not to mention how desperate you are to get it back." He shook his head " you're not a good liar Bee"
" The video is a surprise for his upcoming birthday party that's why I hid it."
Julian laughed " Common Babe Bee, you believed that I haven't seen it. I know exactly what is in it I was only teasing you"
" I...um... please don't tell anyone, I wanted to show the video to Mr. Ken so he will punish the corrupt corper for molesting...
" What! Do you mean a teacher is taking advantage of a student?" Julian cut in, he asked shocked.
" What?"
" I'm sorry Bee but I lied, I haven't seen the video I wanted you to tell the truth"
" Argh! I hate you!"
" Well you won't blame me, I want to help too. That teacher must be punished."
" What? Are you serious?"
" Yeah man, but first we need to duplicate this video in case something like this repeat itself." Julian grinned and Bee rolled her eyes.
" Why should I trust you?"
" I know you think I'm a bad person, a show-off, and a bully but...I can't stand guys who try to take advantage of girls, especially young ones." He said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
" Hmmm. Why do I have a feeling that this is personal"
" I don't want to talk about it. I have a plan do you want to hear it?"
" Sure..." Julian leaned forward and whispered something into Bee's ear.
*
The next day, during the morning assembly, Mr. Ken told the students about the incident that transpired between the corper and the junior female students he has been taking advantage of in SS 1 although the names of the girls were not disclosed, he pointed out that the behavior of the corper was wrong and he also advised the students to speak out if any teacher or students were taking advantage of them.
Corper Charles was dismissed from the school and the girls who were victims of his disgraceful act were sent to the school counselors for advice even their parents were invited by the principal to talk.
Some of the parents of the girls didn't take it likely, some threatened to sue the school while others redrew their kids from the school. It was a challenging week for Mr. Ken and the entire school. He felt ashamed that this happened in his school without him noticing anything. He was grateful to Bee and Julian who made him discover the truth. He promised himself to be more vigilant from henceforth.
" That's so bad"
" That copper should rot in jail"
" Poor girls, I can only imagine what they had been going through. Thank God that, that useless corper was caught"
" I wonder how the principal found out about it"
" Maybe someone told him"
Some students talked as they walked out of the assembly hall.
*
" Bee, wait up," Julian said jogging in her direction.
" Hey Julian, what's up," Bee said with a smile. Who would believe that this two will get along one day?
" I'm good, heading to the cafeteria?"
" Yeah, you?"
" Same. Let's go together then" Julian said and they both walked to the cafeteria, chatting and laughing as they went.
*
At the cafeteria
" Do you have a date for dinner night?" Julian asked chewing on his food. Bee paused and said,
" No, I haven't even thought about it. Is it compulsory to attend the party? Because I will not attend."
" But the party is important and if you don't attend you will have to mob the toilets for two weeks. It is that compulsory."
" Wow! What if I come alone I mean without a date will I still get punished?"
" Not really. Why don't I be your date? besides, I don't have a date yet" Julian asked. He was a little nervous. He was afraid of being turned down by Bee.
" I don't think this is a good idea. Aren't you friends with Karen?"
" Nope, at least we were friends but...long story."
" Oh, I see."
" Is that a yes?" Julian asked flashing his Mr. Cool smile.
" Okay, but I'm only agreeing to this because you helped me out."
" Fine by me" They both laughed and continue eating.
Suddenly, they heard a loud thump and students shouting.
" Let's go see what is going on" Julian suggested and Bee nodded in agreement.
When they got there, they were told that Sam fainted and was rushed to the school clinic. Without hesitation, Bee ran towards the school clinic with Julian closely behind her.
*
Author's Note
Hi dear reader, I'm sorry for the late update. School had just resumed and I was preparing to go back that was the reason I haven't updated this book for a while now. I'm sorry I hope you forgive me and it doesn't change your opinion of my book. Much love from your humble Author ❤️
-Victory Strong