Before the morning assembly, Karen walked through the school corridors and there was a sudden hush. She stopped, noticing that some students were pointing at her and making furtive gestures. What's going on? She thought.
She turns to look at her uniform to check if perhaps she might have worn it wrong.
Sophia sights her from the crowd that has now gathered in front of her classroom, SS3 A.
Hastily, Sophia walks up to her pushing through the crowd.
" Karen, have you checked the school group chat today?" Sophia asks in a worried tone.
Karen stares at her as if she has grown a pair of horns.
" No, I haven't. Why?"
Sophia blink.
" Someone with the username, S.A, posted a video of you and Julian kissing in front of..."
" Wait, did you just say kissing?" Karen's eyes widen. Her relationship with Julian is secret, no one besides them knows about it, so how...No, Sophia must suspect something and she is only trying to make me spill the truth.
Karen fakes a smile that shows only her upper teeth and shrugged
" Julian and I are friends nothing more"
Sophia looks at her tentatively and blinks.
" Okay, if that's the case, then I believe you can explain this..."
Sophia fished out her phone from her bag, scroll through and show her a video captioned with #Busted!! Karen covers her mouth with her hands in shock.
She couldn't believe her eyes, someone had seen them the previous day and made a video of everything they did and said, but the question is, who did it?
Karen panicked and grabbed Sophia's hand nervously.
" Please tell me, Sophia, where did you get the video, and how many people have seen it?" She said frightened.
" Weren't you listening? I told you that someone posted it on the group chat this morning, about an hour ago. And I'm certain a good number of people have seen it already before it was deleted. I managed to save it on my phone before it was deleted."
Karen almost passes out on the spot, she stutters
" Do you think Mr. Ken and Jack have seen the video?" At this point, Mr. Ken and Jack are the only people she thinks about.
She can only imagine what Mr. Ken will do to her especially now that she is walking on thin ice with him. And Jack? Oh my goodness! What will he say, what will he do when he finds out? He will differently kill her.
At this point, all she can do is pray and hope that neither Jack non-Mr. Ken has seen the video.
" I don't know if they have seen the video or not. But I saw Jack's car drive in a few minutes ago. I didn't see him afterward. Maybe he is in the field. You should go there and talk to him." Sophia pause and whisperer,
" Karen, please tell me it's not true." Sophia's light brown eyes search Karen's lively blue eyes cautiously for answers.
She knows her best friend well, at least she thought she do. The video came to her as a shock. She knows Karen can be mean and arrogant but she wouldn't believe it if someone had told her that Karen was cheating on Jack with his best friend. Not only cheating but breaking the rules by getting intimate in the bathroom.
" Karen I think you should stay away from classes today." Sophia pats Karen's shoulder and walks out.
Karen stared after her in regret then she turn to look at the crowd that is a few distances from her. Their gaze was solely on her. It was then she understands why they were looking and motioning at her when she walked in earlier.
She felt so embarrassed when she sees the junior students looking at her with disgust. She wishes the ground will swallow her up so all this will end.
*
After searching the entire school for Jack, Karen found him in the least place she could ever imagine him to be, under the walnut tree. Seriously, that is Bee's spot. What is he doing here? She thought.
Jack comfortably sits on the beach staring at the school fence. He has no expression on, and his bony but handsome face looks calm and gentle. He seems to be thinking about something but Karen couldn't figure out what.
She watches him from the side. She is only a couple of steps away from him. The weather is cold and a little windy. Dark clouds gather in the sky. It is about to rain.
Slowly she walks up to him and stops by his side. Karen bit her lower lip praying silently in her heart that Jack hasn't seen the video yet.
" Jack," she begins after gathering enough courage to speak.
" I..."
Jack turns sharply to look at her and she swallows in at his sight, choking on her words.
Without another word, Jack stand up to his feet, and with his bag in hand, he walk out of Karen who couldn't do anything but stare after him.
Karen bit down on her lower lip, her eyes were beginning to teared up. Jack had never treated her in this manner. He loves and respects her. But she can't blame him, anyone in his shoes would have reacted the way he did.
At that point, she regrets everything she had done. She wishes she can go back in time to change things. She can accept any punishment but losing jack is something she will not be able to handle. It will shatter her completely.
Karen wasn't ready to lose Jack." I will make amends. I don't mind falling at his feet begging him. I will do anything, anything all I want is his forgiveness" with this she encourages herself, wipe her tears, and run after Jack.
In a split second, she catches up with Jack who is already halfway to the school field.
" I'm sorry Jack. I promise I can explain what happened. Julian was the one who seduced me and I..."
Jack turn swiftly to look at her. His dark eyes are scary at the moment. He gives her that cold look he gives to everyone else that doesn't matter to him. She quickly look away as his gaze met her. So does this mean that he sees me like everyone else, less special and important? Karen questions herself.
" I'm truly sorry..." Karen's voice quivers.
Jack's expression didn't change even when he saw her crying and begging. He looked at her indifferently as if she was nothing more than a rag. The expression on his face scared Karen, Jack has never looked at her like this before.
She could feel her heart bouncing in her chest. Although she wasn't looking at him, her six senses told her that his dark cold eyes were fixed on her. She could feel his gaze burning through her skin.
Jack leaned forward, Karen thought he was going to hug her, she tilt her head to look at him with a smile on her face, but what happened next surprised her.
Jack grabbed her by the neck, tightening his grip around her fragile neck. Karen clasped her hands around his hands trying to loosen his grip but she was too weak for the athlete. She was fighting for breath.
" Please...let me...go..." Karen cried out. She managed to get the words out.
Jack didn't listen, he thighed his grip even more. Karen was beginning to feel weak. She felt as if all life and air were sucked out of her. At that point, she thought she was going to die and join her mother wherever she is.
When she thought it was over, Jack dropped her on the ground and she crumbled at his feet gasping for breath.
Jack leaned down, gripping a handful of her hair to tilt her head backward so she could look at him.
" You will never speak of this incident to anyone. This never happened! Do you understand?!"
This time his voice was not only cold but frightening. Karen could see the rage in his eyes which she haven't seen before. This guy would kill me. Karen thought.
Without hesitation, she nodded her head."Yes, I understand"
He let go of her hair and she lay there hurt. Without any remorse, Jack left her.
Karen felt her heart broken and shatter into a million pieces. Tears broke free and streamed down her face.
*
Sam sighted Bee at the entrance of the school gate he hurried to meet her. They had settled the last rift between them the previous night. Bee called and apologize for her bad attitude earlier that day and of course, Sam forgave her but that was after he had reprimanded her.
" Bee, have you seen the video?" Sam asked. Bee stared at him as if she didn't know what he was referring to. She has seen the video.
" I guess you haven't seen it then. But who would have thought that Karen and Julian are secret lovers? Poor Jack I wonder what he is going through." Sam was expecting Bee to say something but she was just staring into space.
Sam frowned and snapped his chubby fingers in her face. Bee jerked back to reality.
" Um, what were you thinking about? You seem absent-minded these days. What's going on?"
Bee shook her head " Nothing, I'm okay."
Sam narrowed his gaze. " Are you sure?"
Bee nodded. " By the way, what where were you saying?"
" Seriously, Bee! You mean I've been talking to myself?" Sam was annoyed, and without another word, he turned to leave. " I'm going to the assembly hall." He said and made for the big hall in front of the school.
" I wonder if the morning assembly will hold with all the uproar going on." He murmured as he went.
Bee didn't bother to stop him. She knows that Sam doesn't stay angry for long. He would come around. Bee thought and shrugged.
She dips her hands into her side pocket and brings out a flash drive. Her mind drifts to when she gives a junior student the flash drive to make a video and post it in the school group chat.
She has gotten what she wanted but why isn't she happy? She knows about the secret relationship going on between Karen and Julian she wanted the whole school to know, she wanted to get back at Karen and ruin her relationship with Jack.
She thought she wanted to ruin Karen's relationship with Jack because she was mad at her but she knows deep down that, that wasn't the reason, the truth is she is in love with Jack and wanted him for herself. She couldn't believe how selfish she was, really selfish for a Christian.
" The heavens have answered my prayers, but why I'm I not happy? I thought I will be happy after what I did." She muttered sadly.
She was still deep in thought when the bell rang for morning assembly.
Mr. Ken and the other staff were struggling to calm the students down. The more they ask them to keep quiet, the more they whispered furiously.
Mr. Ken noticed the uproar when he drove in this morning. He demanded what happened from the head prefect, Jim.
Jim told him about the indecent video that was posted on the school group chat. Mr. Ken was furious. He demanded from Jim "who sent the video?"
" I don't know Sir, no one knows the sender. All we know is the sender's name, S.A. her name and number disappeared from the group after she sent the video. There was no trace, Sir."
Mr. Ken was furious. Some few weeks back, a video was sent to him containing the footage of a corper molesting a junior student. It took everything he had to resolve the issue. And now this.
My goodness! What is L.H.S, the envy, and pride of Lagos turning into? What will I tell the proprietor now? He thought pacing back and forth in his office.
Cold sweat popped out of his forehead and blade head. What will happen if this matter should get out to the public, it will differently tarnish the image of the school. I was able to conceal the first incident but I don't think I will be able to handle this issue or prevent it from getting out not when all the students are involved. It will differently get out. I'm In big trouble. Mr. Ace will not spare me. I will lose my job for sure.
Mr. Ken paced around in his office helplessly. Although he asked the head prefect to delete the video, he wasn't still comfortable. Deleting or not deleting the video doesn't change anything because a lot of students had already seen it.
He asked all the staff that was present to gather in his office immediately for an impromptu talk regarding the issue on ground.
At the end of the meeting, they agreed to talk to the students to calm down and send the trio involved in the issue to go home for the rest of the day. When they come to school the next day, they will serve their punishment.
The uproar didn't subside till after an hour. The teachers were already running out of options when an old man in his late eighties walked into the hall and climb up the stage.
When the teachers and Mr. Ken saw him, they were shocked. The old man scanned through the hall. Without a word, the entire hall was as silent as a cemetery.
Everyone was terrified at the sight of the man in front of them. His cold eyes and indifferent attitude sent a shiver down their spines. He has this aura that says ' don't mess with me ' The blue suit he wore made him look smart and sharp.
He did say much, he dismissed the students to their various classes. After the students left, he turned to look at Mr. Ken who was shaky even when he tries to conceal it.
" Mr...Mr. Greg Robert..." Mr. Ken stutter.
" Mr. Ken, I think you should start looking for another job." Mr. Greg said without glancing at Mr. Ken.
Mr. Ken almost past out when he heard Mr. Greg. He tried to plead and ask him for another chance but Greg Robert doesn't give second chances.
*
Outside the proprietor's office, Karen sat on a bench opposite the office door. She sat there staring at the floor.
Julian walked up to her. He has heard about the video from one of his bandmates. He wasn't planning to come to school today because the doctor called earlier that Jane's condition was worsening. He had to stay with her in the hospital. He rushed to the school after he heard what happened to Daniel.
On his way to school, all he could think about was Karen and the pressure and humiliation she must be going through. He cared about her so much that he left his sick mother to be with her.
" Karen," He called almost whispering.
Karen tilts her head to look at him. Her face was exactly what he had expected to see. Her lively blue eyes were now red and puffy from crying so much.
She didn't say a word, she glanced at him and look away. The message was clear, he was the last person she wanted to see right now. Julian could understand our she felt because he is feeling the same way too.
Suddenly the office door opened and an elderly man came out of the office. Karen was shakey as soon as she saw the man. She quickly stood up and wiped her tears. Julian stood on his spot staring at the man. He looks familiar. Julian can swear that he has seen him before. But he couldn't recall where.
The man glanced at Julian and then turned to Karen. He looked at them with disgust.
" Let's go" His cold and a hard voice rang through the corridor. It frightened Karen, even Julian was a little shaken as well.
Julian watched as Karen trailed behind the man. She looked so scared. No one had ever frightened Karen as this man do. Whoever he is, something tells Julian that he isn't an ordinary person.
*
Later that day at Felix Lunch, Julian was clearing the tables with other employees, getting ready to close the eatery for the day because Felix Lunch only opens from 7 am to 6 pm. Mr. Felix went on vacation with his family to Enugu. He asked Julian to come every evening to supervise everything going on in the eatery.
Within the last few months, he has grown fond of Julian. He sees him as a son. He has tested Julian so many times in so many ways but he had always proven himself faithful and Worthy. Mr. Felix was at peace knowing his business is in safe and capable hands.
Knock! Knock!! Knock!!! There was a knock on the glass door.
" Sorry, but we're close!" Julian didn't bother to raise his head to see who was knocking he went on cleaning the floor with a vacuum cleaner.
Main while, the person kept on knocking at the door. Julian was pissed.
" Can't you see the sign on the door? We've close. Please come tomorrow." He repeated but the person kept on knocking at the door.
" Mira, please go see who is there," Julian said to one of the female employees. She nodded, drop her dustpan, and made for the door.
A few minutes later Julian heard Mira arguing with someone whose voice surprisingly sounds familiar. Julian dropped the vacuum cleaner and went to check what was going on.
" You can't come in. I'm sorry but you can't come in"
" Let him in" Julian's voice came from behind them. Mira turned to look at him in disbelief.
" Don't worry, Mira, he is my brother." Julian nodded and gave Mira a reassuring smile. She looked at Julian then Jack and back to Julian before she left.
Julian and Jack stared at each other. Anyone present could feel the tension in the room.
Jack puffed. " You just called me your brother, tell me now dear brother, which brother goes behind the other's back and dates his girlfriend even worse sleep with her in the bathroom." Jack's jaw and teeth were clenched in rage.
" I came here to ask you just one question, Why Julian, why?"
Julian's heart sank at hearing Jack's question. He knew this day would come but it never occurred to him that it will come this fast.
" I'm sorry" Those were the only words Julian could say he knows he was wrong.
Jack chuckled bitterly. " You think I came all the way here just to hear you say sorry? No Julian, no. I trusted you and you betrayed me. You looked me in face every single day without remorse. If someone hadn't found out, I wouldn't have known that you have been sleeping with my girlfriend." As Jack spoke each word, his anger grew. Julian could see his vein popping out of his forehead and neck.
" I know how you feel but I promise you, all Karen and I ever did was kiss we didn't do more than that. I know this wouldn't make you feel better but that's the truth. I'm sorry brother..."
" I'm not your brother, Betrayer!" Jack lost control and landed a punch on Julian's face. Julian didn't fight back he told himself that he deserved it.
Jack unleashed all his rage, punching and kicking Julian from every side but Julian didn't fight back he allowed Jack hit him as he pleased. Maybe this will serve as some kind of redemption for him.
Not long the police arrived and arrested them both. Mira was the one who contacted the police. She had no other choice than to do so because Jack was trashing the entire place. If the police haven't come on time, Julian would have died because Jack was nothing going to stop until Julian's heartbeat stopped.
When the police arrive, they tried to hold Jack to stop him from attacking Julian who was now bleeding profusely from his face. They tried to hold him back but they couldn't. More and more police officers join forces to hold him down but they couldn't.
One of the police officers suspected that Jack's strength was not ordinary, something must be influencing him. A teenager can't possess such strength. They had no other choice than to hit the back of his head with a gun and he blank out.