Temi's POV

  Everything had happened in just one day. How is that? From the cigarette incident to pushing Lela, then to Lela's fight with Edith and now suspension?

  Lela looked so dejected when I saw her on the stairs, she was so lost. I knew this would end badly, if only she knew who Edith was.

  I did try to stop her from fighting, but she was so hot headed. The first time I saw her, she seemed so innocent and fragile like a porcelain doll. I thought she would need a lot of pampering and that she couldn't even hurt a fly, but today she proved me wrong. I expected her to be in Edith's condition, but I and everyone else had underestimated Lela Adams.

  She had been suspended and it made her bitter towards everyone. I can't help but feel like I'm responsible for everything that happened today. Well, I still can't believe that everything had happened today, in one day.

  I tried all I could to right the wrong. I went to speak to aunt Clara, but she remained obstinate about it and I understood why.

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  “Aunt, I just saw Lela now. She looked lost,” I said, barging into Aunty Clara's office. “She came from here, right?” I asked as I sat on one of the chairs in front of her.

  Aunty Clara remained quiet for a while, peering at me from her glasses. Her forehead wrinkled in annoyance at my insolence.

  “I can't remember asking you to come in,” she said, closing a file she was looking at. “I didn't ask you to sit as well.” she gritted her teeth and I totally ignored her which annoyed her more.

  “Just tell me what happened.” I demanded.

  Aunty Clara sighed and leaned on the table as she got to her feet.  “She got suspended.”

  Of course, I knew that already. Lela had told me. I only wanted to hear it from Aunt Clara's mouth. Aunt Clara strolled towards the glass cupboard that held the trophies and awards.

  “Was there absolutely nothing you could do?” I raised an eyebrow and threw my head in her direction. “She's been here for barely two weeks and you got her suspended?”

  “And what was I supposed to do?!” She yelled, turning abruptly to face me. Rage steamed out of her. “You know better Temi.”

  “It was a case of two fighting you know.” I said, getting to my feet. I tucked my hands in my pocket and stepped a little closer to the door.

  “I know, I know.” Aunty Clara sighed and turned back to the cupboard. She stood there, wiping off imaginary dust from the cupboard. “In my head, this decision was the best thing to do.”

  I raised an eyebrow and turned around swiftly. “How so?”

  She pulled the doors to the cupboard open and brought out one of the trophies. The rays of sunlight from the window hit it and it glistened, the light almost blinded me, but I squeezed my eyes shut and turned my face away. She used her sleeves to wipe off a tiny speck of dust from the trophy. From the side of her face, I saw her lips curve upwards.

  'She was, smiling?'

“I worked really hard to get this school to where it is today.” She turned around to look at me and a wide smile was on her face. I wondered where she was headed with this, still I listened patiently. “My sweat went into this school and I can't let everything go to waste, Temi.”

  “What are you trying to say aunt?” I asked, stepping closer to her.

  “You are a risk to my school already, Temi and I can't do anything about it.” She turned around and placed the trophy carefully back in the cupboard. “I can't bear having another risk. I'm already stuck with you.”

'What? I see how she really feels about me. I'm a burden she forcefully has to bear.'

  “Please, stop acting like you are doing me a favour. I've told you already to expel me!” I half yelled.

  She turned around to glare at me, “shut up boy, you are misunderstanding my point.”

  “What point are you trying to make exactly? You just keep going round and round!”

  “You already know that Edith's parents are our biggest benefactors!”

  “So, is it what this is about? You must be kidding me,” I threw my hands up in the air. “Is the money all that matters? You are overlooking justice for the money?” I scoffed.

  “Is that how you see it?”

  “Yes! That's how I see it. Can you just for once in your life, make a decision that's not influenced by money or financial gains?” I shook my head and walked over to the  door. I  was so mad and I needed to leave that place.

   “When it comes to you Temi, my decisions are not influenced by money.”

  Her words threw me off balance and I refrained from turning the knob. It was true, as much as I would love to deny it, her words were true. She stood to gain nothing by leaving me here and I all I did was bring her one trouble or the other.

  “I'm sorry.” I heaved a sigh and didn't turn around to look at her. My hand left the door knob to my pocket.

  “It's okay.” She said, placing one of her hands on my shoulder. It made me flinch, still I didn't turn around. I felt her hand drop from my shoulder and the clanking of her heels told me she was retreating.

  When I finally turned around, she was seated on her chair.

  “So, you won't reconsider your decision?” I asked, motioning towards her desk.

  “No,” she simply said, looking down on her files again. “When Edith's mother hears about this she wouldn't want to stop until Lela's life is miserable.” She brought her head upwards to look at me like she was waiting for me to say something.

  “That's true.” I simply said and I pulled one of the chairs to sit down again.

  “If I had left Lela and dismissed the matter as a case of two fighting, Edith's mother would never understand.”

  “Just as troublesome as her daughter...”

  “What was that?” She asked with an eyebrow raised and a smile she was trying to hold back.

  I grinned, “did I say that out loud?”

  “Well, I'll pretend like I didn't hear that,” Aunt Clara said with a smile. “If Lela stays at home for a week, it would allow the atmosphere to calm down and it would be easier to convince Edith's mother to overlook the matter.”

  'I never thought about it this way. Still, Lela would never understand.'

  “That's a very nice plan aunt. So, left to you alone, Lela would never have been suspended?”

  “Left to me alone, they would both be punished,” she said, adjusting her glasses. “Lela has so much guts to be fighting on her second week here.”

  'I know right?'

  “Why are you smiling like an idiot?” Aunt Clara asked with an eyebrow raised.

  “Uh....nothing,” I cleared my throat and shifted in the chair. “You know Edith can be a handful aunt and it isn't very easy to ignore her.”

  “Tell me about it. Her parents are really important to this school financially, if not I would have kicked the likes of her out of this school.”

  “True aunt.” I laughed.

  “Hey, I thought she was your girlfriend or something,” aunt Clara grinned, “so why are you supporting me?”

  I gave myself a face palm, “seriously aunt—”

  A knock on the door cut me off  and aunt Clara and I turned towards the door.

  “You have overstayed your welcome Temi, you may now leave.”

  I laughed and got to my feet. “I'm leaving, don't worry.”

  “Remember, don't come to school tomorrow Temi.”

  “Yeah yeah, whatever. Best gift ever.” I grinned and pulled the door open.

  I couldn't help but gape at the woman I saw standing outside the door, she was stunning and she had high cheekbones and an earth-brown colored skin that shone radiantly. She smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back, like a complete idiot. She looked so familiar.

  “Can I step in?” She asked and the voice sounded so familiar as well, like I had heard  it before, but I was too entranced to remember where.

“Huh?”

  “Temi, who's there?” Aunty Clara asked from within the office.

  “May I?” She gestured.

   I shook my head swiftly, “oh, yeah...sorry. Please.” I said, standing by the side to let her in.

  “Thank you.” She smiled and it sent a warm feeling running through me.

  'Where did I know this lady?'

  “Ahhh, Mrs. Adams. You are welcome.” I heard Aunty Clara say before I shut the door. 

  “Mrs. Adams? Adams,” I muttered to myself. 'Where have I heard that name before?' Then it hit me and I stopped dead in my tracks. “Oh....my....God! Lela Adams! The resemblance. That's why the lady seemed so familiar.....she's Lela's mom!” I said excitedly, at the top of my voice and the students that walked past me turned to stare at me, but I ignored them. I couldn't believe I had just met Lela's mom. She was so pretty.

  'Oh my God. Now I knew who Lela took after.'

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  Now I stood here, watching as Lela's car drove away. From the expression on her face I could tell she was shocked to see me standing there.

  I really wished she could believe it when I told her I was sorry. If only I hadn't been smoking, perhaps all of these wouldn't have happened. I had myself to blame and I had my stupid father to blame.

  In a way, Aunty Clara was doing something nice and I hope Lela would be able to understand.

  A question had been bothering me though. “Why were they fighting in the first place? What was Edith even doing at the sickbay?"

  'Only one person could answer my question though and she's going to do it right now.'

  I turned around and hurried to the sickbay to find Edith.

A/N

Hi guys. Sorry for the late update, again. Lemme just say it's not easy. Please forgive me.

So, what did you guys think about this chapter? Was the principal's decision justifiable?
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With love, Anna 😘😘💜