✮Ｓｔｅｐｈａｎｉｅ✮

CH.12: RELIEF

After we got discharged from the principal's office, I went as far as possible, away from Nicole because I assumed she would kill me.

Later on, after class, I sought for Arthur around but couldn't find him anywhere. Meanwhile, he said nothing to me in class all through. I found him with Emlyn, Andrew, and Richard at the basketball court with several students practicing.

"Hey, Emlyn." I said to him. He was tying his shoe.

"Hey," he smiled back and his attention was drawn to a coach who needed his help with something.

"Where have you been? You missed a whole lotta drama," said Andrew.

"Yeah, the Dance Squad made an entrance today with the greatest performance anyone has ever seen," Richard added.

"Really?!"

"Yes. They are recruiting new members specially for the OVC High School Boys Basketball Championship."

"Darn it! So, that's where everyone was!" I've always wanted to join," I said disappointedly. "I can't believe I missed this."

"Yeah, where have you been? Arthur was looking around for you."

I turned to Arthur who was a distant away and went to meet him.

"You done with your one-minute potty break? Way to keep promises," Arthur frowned as I entered, and he noticed I was cold and alarmed.

"What's wrong? You don't look good," he said and I told him all that happened, leaving no detail out.

"What?!" Bewilderdly, he said. "Wait, wait, wait, are you kidding me?"

"Why are you shocked exactly? Is it because I caught Nicole doing... You know what, or because I denied the incident?"

"You shouldn't have lied about it... but mostly, I'm shocked about Nicole. She even had the nerves to threaten you."

"What do I do Arthur? I'm so scared," I said anxiously.

"Well, it's not completely your fault, I mean, panic led you to deny the crap but when the truth comes out from the boy, you've got to admit it was you, but I'm not so sure telling them that crime you saw Nicole committing will do any good.
Just tell them you ran and accidentally hit the dude and you denied it due to panic and fear. Nicole would have to handle the aspect of her holding a knife and if she can't give a reasonable explanation then that's gonna be her cross to bear," he said. "Man! I am so shocked... What was she thinking?! In school?! It just had to be during school hours! That girl is crazy, for real."

"So, you mean I shouldn't tell them I saw Nicole...?" I motioned the secret with my hands and Arthur got the message.

"Yep. Just keep it to yourself and let's see what happens. Else, you'll get things more twisted."

                     ***
Few minutes later, I and Nicole were being called into the school's resting ward and there I could see the boy on the bed with a plaster on his forehead and he was staring at me but not with angry eyes or eyes that even told he was offended by me.

The principal and Mrs Kayla stood athwart the bed in which the boy sat and I and Nicole stood beside the bed. Nicole glared intensely at me and took her face off when Mrs Kayla turned to look at her.

"I am very certain you know why we are here. I need the plain truth and nothing but the truth, Christian," the principal said and Christian nodded. In few seconds, he pointed a finger at Nicole, "it was Nicole," he said and Nicole froze.

"Could you please explain how it happened?'' Mrs Kayla asked and Christian responded, "well, they both got into a serious fight and that's when she pulled out a knife to scare Stephanie, and when I tried getting in between, she pushed me hard and I bumped my head on the washbasin."