Days At D.C.A

🌺~51~🌺

Have you ever had that feeling when you knew you weren't guilty of something, but your mind still wouldn't rest and your heart was troubled?

That was exactly how Ifechi felt walking into school the next day. She felt eyes on her even though the mass of students were all rushing down to assembly. While one of the teachers was addressing the hall, she felt it again and turned back swiftly, earning a quizzical look from the boy that sat behind her. As she faced front, the hall was thrown into silence as the principal came on stage to speak.

"Good morning students"

"Good morning Principal Powers"

The principal took a deep breathe before he spoke.

"I am aware of the rumours that have been propagating within the school concerning the loss or should I say missing of some certain lab equipment..."

There was an ominous silence as he spoke, as if each words were heavy weighted and calculated.

"...we wish to announce that all forms of discussion regarding this issue should seize immediately, no rumour will be tolerated henceforth and anyone caught in the act of spreading false information, whether student or staff will be disciplined accordingly.."

"Is he saying that the rumours are false?"

"So no thing was stolen then?"

"Maybe they're just trying to hide it..."

Ifechi could hear the whispers from her classmates on the pews. In a matter of seconds, the hall was filled with noise, with murmurings from students and teachers alike.

She left the assembly feeling heavier than before, something wasn't right and she knew it. She forced the thought at the back of her mind as she headed for the next paper, further maths. After two and half hours of mind-wrecking exams, she rushed out of the hall happy to have gotten one of the tough subjects off her chest.

She scurried back to class to grab her purse before heading to the canteen, the heavy feeling returned to her, more stronger than before. The popular saying "you attract what you fear" became real to her as soon as she stepped out of the class building and stopped in her tracks immediately.

There standing in her front- a small crowd of students gathering around them- were Gabriel, the physics laboratory teacher, the vice principal administration and two other teachers.

"She's the one" Gabriel spoke up.

"Miss Ifechi Okereke, Principal Powers would like to see you in his office...now!"

And so she went along, like a sheep taken to be slaughtered. It didn't help that the small crowd that had formed started to grow larger as more eyes beheld her while they walked. Ifechi knew exactly why they were calling her- she was one of the few people that had been to the lab, despite it being out of bounds for students. Her mind did not go to a certain careless statement she'd made few days earlier. It was when she entered the principal's office to meet the usually cheerful principal Powers looking stoic that she knew she was in a big mess.

"Ifechi Okereke"

"Good morning Sir"

"Please sit down, I would like to have a few words with you" he said gesturing to the sofa by the corner. She quietly sat down and watched in tiny relief as he dismissed the teachers, her fears returning when he told Gabriel, the physics laboratory teacher and the vice principal to wait behind.

"Miss Ifechi, how are you doing?" The principal spoke up when the door had been shut.

"I'm...I'm fine sir" She replied meekly, earning a snort from Gabriel who sat beside her. The Vice principal watched her carefully while the physics lab teacher eyed her suspiciously, Ifechi felt like an ant under their gazes.