The following day before school fees drive Mr. Stones came to take names of attendants. He did not go straight to doing what brought him, instead he was going round checking the class, looking for where to find fault.
“So this is where it has gotten? You now sit in their middle” Mr. Stones said furiously to Lovett. It really pained him to see them not only together as lovers but sharing one seat after all his struggles to sunder them. He reacted as if it was outrageous for a girl to sit with boys.
“Sir, it’s the dean of studies that mixed us like this” One of the big boys in the class that found his reaction irritating spoke fuming.
“Will you keep quiet! Did I ask you anything? Was it the dean that placed her here? Why must she sit here? are there no vacant seats elsewhere?” Mr. Stones snapped at the boy as if they sometimes had unsettled dispute. The boy muted and only watched them. He didn’t see anything bad with what he said for he thought that’s what he demanded for.
“Are you still sitting there? You want me to beg you to get up right?” He raved at Lovett.
Lovett stood up quietly to go. She stood up to leave, taking Godwin’s direction so Godwin shifted his leg aside for her to pass.
“Oh! you don’t want her to pass. You are barricading her. Stand up, go to the front and kneel down. Since you can not come out of the seat for her to pass you will do it in another way”
Godwin stood up quietly and went to do what he was asked to do. He did not try explaining anything or giving excuses. He always expected such from him and there’s no need arguing when he’s made up his mind to deal with him. Mr. Stones took Lovett to another side of the class far from where she was removed. Everyone was marveled by his reactions. They kept grumbling.
“So now when I am talking to you, you take it that it’s a dog that’s barking. You look at me as if I am nothing…” As Mr. Stones was still talking the class were murmuring. They were not happy about how hostile he’s become towards Godwin.
“What is that Godforsaken noise for?” He yelled. “Let me catch just one of you talking and I will use that person to set example. Idiots! And as for you, let me finish”
Mr. Stones started calling names from the register, so when he got to Godwin’s he skipped it and marked him absent. Not long after that the dean of studies and the cashier came in with their list. As they called, Godwin’s name was there too, he was asked to get up and join the rest and go. Mr. Stones was not happy that Godwin was leaving without completing his punishment as intended.
“You will continue it any day you come. You can’t run away from it” Mr. Stones assured Godwin. Godwin did not talk but he was glad that his plans against him did not come to pass.
After the school debtors were led out Mr. Stones called the names to the end and after that he asked Lovett to follow him outside.
“I can see you are very stubborn. You allow that good for nothing boy deceive you. What do you gain loving him? What can he offer to you that I can not give double? I am not asking you to leave him now, I have said enough. You can continue but get ready to face me--both of you. I am sparing no one. I will make sure you both regret coming to this school. Lets I forget, i heard you are sick” He said and chuckled in a very silly way then shook his head. “So he succeeded? See that? You are ignorant and you are doing something with your fellow category. Just pray it’s not what I am thinking”
“Sir” Lovett called because his words were tossing her off and she could not bear it any longer.
“Ehh! Please don’t call me. You have chosen your preferred path. It’s okay. We will do it the way you want it” He left her there.
When Lovett returned to the class her mates that were concerned drew closer to ask her what’s been happening. She explained, though some already know, it wasn’t new to them. They persuaded her to report the case to the principal but she was scared. They spoke to her, offering to go with her. She finally agreed so then they planned on how to go about it.
During break Lovett, Peter, Sarah, Amara, Lovett’s other seat mate and some other guys from their class went to see the principal but they met the dean on their way.
“Where are you all flocking to?” He asked them making them draw closer. He was sitting on a packed bike under a flower tree shade.
“We want to see the principal”
“What for?” They found it difficult to speak for they don’t know if he will lick their secrets to Mr. Stones and worsen everything.
“Sir, it’s about our form master” Peter spoke looking mean. He wanted his looks to depict how serious and unworried he is.
“Ehen? What about him?”
“We no longer want him as our form master”
“Why?” The question became tougher again, a strong reason is expected but should they say much about him, which might unfortunately turn against them? However, they can’t withdraw any bit of what needs to be said otherwise all planned will get ruined. And there’s a tendency that it’s possible to get implicated by what they say and now It’s late to avoid it unless the dean doesn’t want to. Actually they needed to talk. But before Peter could conclude on how to say it Sarah spoke.
“He has been molesting we the girls”
“How do you mean?”
This question got them wondering. Does it mean this man doesn’t know what molestation means or he just want to hear them say everything so that he will have full evidence when acting against them? They began having a second thought for having revealed their secret to him at first.
“Say your minds, I’m listening”
Again it was Sarah that spoke. “He made advances to me severally with promises of making the school a bed of roses for me but I refused then he got angry and started despising me. He hates seeing me with anyone as far as you are a male, he finds a way to come in between. He finds fault from minor things and in fact sir he is making this school a hell for me”
“Yes sir, exactly what we are facing” the other succumbed.
“Calm down. Are you saying he is making sexual advances to you?”
This statement was suspicious. They did not include ‘Sexual' when they spoke, so for him to include it means he wanted to get something from them.
“Make me get you” His curiosity for details became inauspicious and menacing. The handsomeness of his face was covered with the aura of fear he’s erupted.
“Exactly sir” Now the oldest boy among them replied.
“All right. Who and who is a victim?”
All the girls there raised their hands, plus two boys.
“Were you molested too?” the dean asked bewildered and somewhat amused.
“No, he’s been frustrating us because some of the girls he chases are close to us”
The dean of studies, after listening to then he hesitated before speaking. Looking at their faces one after another as if ensuring their looks corresponds with their claims or perhaps to mark their faces, which however was heart throbbing.
“You guys are lucky you did not take this directly to the principal. Look, don’t say this to anyone else. Do no talk about it again. I will personally look into it, have I made myself clear? Now return to your class”
They obeyed him but were doubtful about his promise. Why should he tell them not to let anyone know? Does it mean he too is working in the favor of Mr. Stones? Is he that kind of person too? They know him to be a prestigious man but on this they were doubtful. They believed he had a negative reason for what he said, from the way he said it. They became confuse and blamed themselves for disclosing their plans to him.
Not more than an hour the news got to Mr. Stones. He came to the class to see them.
“So you guys went to report me to the principal?” He said. As he was speaking he was looking at the faces of those that were involved which makes it clear that he got the information from the already thought source.
They were irritated at the dean of studies for exposing them. Although they have expected a thing like that but it was so disappointing to have come from a man they respect so much. How could he have betrayed them that way?
“I know all of you that is involved. You will see me at my office and tell me exactly what you told him. Like I said I know each one of you. I know your faces so if I don’t find any of you then count yourself finished” He finished talking and stomped out.
“There’s something I don’t understand, he said he knows all of us that went there” One of the boys drew closer to talk to Peter.
“obese lie. He just want to put fear in us so we can come out by ourselves”
“But he was looking at our faces as he was speaking”
“See, dean of studies doesn’t know our names even if he knows our faces, and you saw yourself that he didn’t come along. He only suspects those of us because of the previous encounters. Unless if Mr. Stones himself saw us. But I am still wondering he said we should come and tell him what we told the principal not the dean. It’s confusing”
“Maybe he want to say it that way so that we don’t think the dean told him”
“Yes, yes. That’s it. How did he think we will not know?”
Later they gathered and decided not to go to Mr. Stones. They wanted him to come for them if he really knew them. To their utmost surprise the man came at his free time and picked them out without mistakes or contemplation. He flogged them mercilessly including Lovett, though he did not use cane on her as he did to others but her punishment was worth the strokes.
“How did he know us all?” Lovett’s seat mate asked her.
“That is what has been bothering me. I doubt the dean of studies told him that”
“Then who did?”
“Maybe somebody from this class”
“Don’t say that. Nobody in this class aligns with that man”
“You never can tell. Some people are not what you think they are. We really have to be careful how we say or do things, it’s not everyone that’s with us. Some are against us”
“Still I have to watch that man well”
“You mean the dean?”
“Yes, him”
“Careful”
The following day too Godwin did not come to school. Lovett really felt his absence. She felt lonely even in the midst of the entire class. She was dull and quiet. Nothing interest her and she couldn’t think of anything. She gets distracted by her own thoughts. Time annoyingly slows and lessons boring.
During break, while Lovett was returning from the toilet the same SS 2 boy she complained about walked behind her, calling her to stop. Not being in a good frame of mind she didn’t want to talk to anyone. But all of a sudden something made her stop spontaneously, but she did it in a way the guy won’t reason it. This was the reason for her action, Mr. Stones was watching her as she was approaching so she saw talking to the guy as a way to hurt him.
“Why do you despise me so much?” The guy said not looking as humble as he sounded. He looked very neat and smart however, but left his shirt loose, which was notable of stubborn students.
“I don’t despise you. I know what you want but sorry it’s hard for me. Having anything to do with you in such environment will land me into trouble, including you. I don’t want anyone to suffer for my sake, so suit yourself”
Lovett’s words were different from her intentions. She doesn’t want to sound cheap and was certain that what she said alone won’t discourage any guy who wants a girl. More still, she wanted the discussion to last a little long so as to get Mr. Stones wondering what they were discussing. She could fake anything but not smile that will ruin the plan instead, for there was no reason for that.
“What exactly are you insinuating?” The guy asked really looking muddled.
“That teacher over there,..” She nodded at Mr. Stones. “Will make this school hell for you. I’m sure you don’t want to run away from this school for the sake of anyone”
“Is he your uncle?”
“God forbid!”
“What business do you have with him?”
“He’s been bothering me. He wants us to have an intimate affair, but I often turn him down”
“How could he? As old as he is. Don’t he know he’s old to be your father?” the guy vexed. By then Mr. Stones have walked away from the spot.
“You dare not say that to him, otherwise you face his wrath in a brutal perspective” All these were said to know the boy’s reaction, whether he is a coward or the brave and snippy type.
“Tahhh! Says who? He no reach. He can’t do me anything as long as this school is concerned. In fact whether here or outside. And as it is now I have paste that in my mind. I will watch him. Any day he misbehaves just inform me. Who is here? Why should I panic? He came to this school the same way I came. I am more important here than him. I am the reason he is here. I pay the school while the school pays him. I feed him in a way. I de plan that idiot self”
Lovett was impressed about his courage. He was really the kind of person they needed but at some point she was getting scared that he will overdo what they wanted and make it more complicated for her. And again, if really they succeed through him, how will she leave him?
“Bring your voice down” She persuaded as the voice was going higher but the guy didn’t stop immediately. The thing pained him as if he have had fracas with him before.
“See, forget about him. He can’t do anything. See I really cherish you and I can do anything to prove it. I have been admiring and stalking you but this time I’ve decided to let you know. Understand me, I am not joking here”
“That is what every guy would say”
“I am not every guy. This is me. I keep my words, trust me I will not treat you bad”
“I have to be going, we will talk later”
“I don’t get to know your name”
“Call me Lovett”
“Lovely name. I’m Jude. But you go so quick”
“Sorry about that, I just need to catch up with something”
“It’s all right, see you later”
“Bye” Lovett hastened off without looking behind but she was certain that Jude was still rooted at the spot watching her back. The guy was overwhelmed having revealed to her his mind. He stood there watching her until she was out of sight.
Lovett got to the class and after some minutes she recalled the incidence. This was unlike her, how could she have done that? What was she thinking, to hurt Mr. Stones and get herself into some kind of unavoidable mess? What will Godwin think of her if he gets to hear it or see Jude around her? Haven’t she betrayed their love? He will loose trust on her and thinks it’s because of his two days absence that gave her the chance to do what she did. She could not stop blaming herself. She went to explain to Peter what she did.
“You are there! So soon. Smart girl” Peter rejoiced making Lovett befuddled. She has to explain to him the reason she brought the issue to him. Peter still did not see anything wrong with all that she’s done. He assured her safety, that nothing will happen and he will make Godwin understand the purpose for it.
“Don’t relent. Get him and he will work for us”
“But I am not going to make it easy for him”
“But don’t do it in a way he will loose interest. You can keep him on suspense, saying yes to him but be very genial to him. That will definitely keep him as long as you want. And he will find you more interesting”
“Peter” she called finding his tone silly. Me
“I haven’t said anything wrong”
“You are making me get scared”
“Sorry, nothing will happen, I assure you. We are together in this”