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.

"I hope your exams are going well..?"

"Yes Sir, I've..."

"With all due respect Sir, I suggest we go straightforward with the questioning, there is no time for beating around the bush" the physics teacher said. The Principal looked at the Vice who nodded in concordance and signed.

"Alright..." he said leaning backwards. "...I'll go straight to the point"

"Ifechi, you have been accused of stealing six 3d printers at our school" he said plainly and almost casually.

"What?" Ifechi said. Sure she'd expected they'd query her on entering there when she wasn't supposed to, especially as Gabriel had clearly exposed her. But to accuse her of stealing an equipment, the 6 of them for that matter??? that was absurd.

The principal thought so too.

"I know it sounds sudden and hilarious, so please defend yourself, tell us anything you know" he sounded rather informal, like he believed she could never do such and was just querying her for formality.

"Sir I don't understand anyt..."

"Lies sir! Lies!!..." Gabriel cut her off and leaned forward, almost standing from the chair. "...She was in the lab the day after almost all the equipment were bought, she came by herself, nobody called her. It was even surprising how she found the lab, but then she said she was very interested in 3d printers, then, she threatened to steal them and went ahead and did it"

"A..ahh!" Ifechi exclaimed. Sure some part of his words were true, yet the majority were misrepresenting. "Sir I came to don't know what he's talking about, I'm sure you d..."

"Ifechi, have you ever been to the additive manufacturing laboratory?" The principal brought a stop to their bickering.

"Yes sir"

"How many times?"

"Once"

"Did you enter the lab and touch any equipment?"

"Yes"

"Were you aware or informed that the lab was out of bounds?"

"Yes"

"But you entered anyway?"

She bowed her head "..yes sir"

He signed.

"Sir to be fair, I didn't sneak in, he let me in" She said pointing to Gabriel who flared up in response.

"don't try to put this on me...."

"Quiet!" The Vice principal warned, the seething teenager muttered a 'sorry' and sat back down, frowning and shaking his head at the girl beside him. Ifechi on the other hand looked down at her fingers, goosebumps traveling up and down her arms.

"Gabriel is the only student allowed in the lab for special duties, no other student is to be found there, not even the head prefects. Do you understand?" The Principal said with a high tone.

"Yes Sir" She replied with her head still bowed.

He heaved a sigh and leaned forward. "Miss Ifechi?" He said, his voice a little calmer. Ifechi raised her head to meet the eyes of their faithful principal.

"You are an outstanding student, one of the best we've seen so far. It is uncommon and even shameful that one of our brightest students is caught up in something like this. Of course I'm sure that Gabriel here has made a mistake beca..."

Gabriel stood up abruptly. "...a mistake??!! Excuse me Sir, but miss "outstanding" student here...." he said moving his hands towards Ifechi "...said she was capable of stealing a printer and would do so if she wished, I ain't making no mistake Sir!" He blurted, any care that he'd just interrupted the principal completely dismissed.

The principal was taken aback. "Is this true Ifechi?"

"Sir...I, I didn't...no that wasn't..I..." She stuttered, the tall boy beside her pressed on.

"...'Or I could just steal one you know'...oh yeah, 'the greatest disasters are often the ones you underestimate?' Remember?.. those were her exact words Sir!"

The three adults stood up at once.

"What?! Is this true Ifechi?"

"Sir..."

"Did you make such claims, Yes or No!" He roared.

"Ye...yes, but I was only joking"

The principal let out a groan.

"Can you imagine!" The physics teacher

"You were only joking??" The Vice president was dumbfounded.

Ifechi was visibly shaking now. "He did something that of..offended me so I sai....sai...said that in retort, but I swear I d..d didn't mean it. Look at me Sirrr, I...I I'm not capable of lifting one of those things by myself, not to talk of stealing i...it..." She stuttered, she never knew she could be this afraid.

The principal took heavy breaths, exhaling loudly. He sat down and placed both elbows on the table and leaned his head. The two adults remained standing exchanging doubtful stares amongst themselves.

"...I...I was just trying to gain a new skill that I can add to my college application, I didn't mean any harm" She said more quietly, a sob threatening to form in her throat.

There was a brief silence in the room before the principal surprisingly said in a calm voice.

"It's alright Ifechi, we don't have any proof to hold you with, so you're free for now..." Principal Powers spoke up

For now? What did he mean by 'for now'

"Meanwhile, you defaulted a school rule for entering a place that was out of bounds, and for that you'll be disciplined, Mr Samuel will tell you your punishment, meet him once the final bell is rung. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir"

"Good, the both of you may go"

She didn't need someone to tell her to leave immediately. Gabriel followed her dragging her forcefully once they were out of the office.

"Let me go!" She cried, wriggling her hand painfully.

"You may have escaped this time, but not for long. Start saying your prayers barbie doll, if we don't get those printers back soon, you'll pay for it dearly" the intimidating boy said and flinged her arm roughly.

She watched him bounce away with tears in her eyes. Who knew that a simple quest to get into her dream school would cost her so much.

Or it was the careless statement you made.

She trotted back to class, praying fervently that the news about her being summoned hadn't spread yet, knowing how cruel students can be when it comes to gossip.

Even though she had finished her papers early, she waited till it was school over and trotted over to the physics lab where Mr Samuel, the lab instructor was to give her the punishment.

"You'll clean the lab after school everyday, for 3 days straight starting on Monday"

She heaved a little sigh of relief. The punishment wasn't as bad as she thought, her little joy in midst of chaos came to a pause when the man spoke up.

"Don't think you're free yet, I'm sure they'll find something to hold you with soon..."

Ifechi ignored him and turned to go when he added with a snicker. "...if you like steal something here too" he said and laughed as if it was funny. Ifechi quickened her steps out of the lab while he muttered something along the lines of 'all these scholarship kids and their wahala'

The trip back home was dreadful and mentally exhausting, several thoughts went through her mind.

"What was her fate?"

"What if they actually found something to tie her down with?"

"What could they possibly use?"

"Didn't they have cameras, if they did it would be in her favour"

"Or would it? What if she'd done something they'd use to implicate her on video"

"What if..."

"Why are you looking as if you've seen a ghost?" Her mother spoke up when Ifechi walked into the house. She was surprised to see her mum back earlier than usual. The same woman who asked her if she was okay didn't look fine herself.

"Mummy is everything okay?" She asked, her mum's eyes looked darker and her lips were cracked, her hair which was in twists and packed into a bun was slightly scattered, some strands had even loosened. She looked like she'd been in a heavy argument, or worse a fight.

"Are you okay? Didn't I ask you a question first?" She replied harshly. Ifechi shrieked back slightly. So first a problem in school, now her mum was in a bad mood as well.

"I'm just tired from the exam, nothing serious happened" She lied.

"Hmm...okay" the older woman eyed her before turning back to look into space.

Ifechi stared at her mum for a few seconds before leaving. Her mum didn't seem like she was in her right mind to talk, not to mention to receive any bad news. After all, she was just questioned in school, it's not as if they had evidence against her or had charged her to court or something serious had happened.

She went to bed feeling very heavy
As she closed her eyes, she prayed that she'd wake up to realise that her entire day was a dream.

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