It was just before assembly when a crowd gathered in front of the classroom. Pupils were chattering excitedly, some whispering furiously, some were laughing and shaking their heads.
Then Mimi walked through the school gate and there was a sudden hush, she noticed some students were pointing at her and making funny and awkward gestures. "What could be the matter ?" She thought.
Just then Anna her best friend came running to her
"Mimi, don't you know what's happening?"
"What?!" Mimi asked, eagerly
"Some students are saying some things about you...about you and Mr. Benjamin! Some terrible things about the both of you!"
Mimi froze while Anna continued.
" I got to school this morning when I heard the boys in art class laughing and making rude jokes. Of course, I thought those boys were just fooling around the way they usually do until I heard there was a letter... supposedly written by you...to that Corper Benjamin. And that's not even all...I also heard that there are photocopies of that same letter going round the school... I haven't seen it though!" she added hastily, she then lowered her voice to a whisper saying, " they said you wrote that you were..lovers! That you kiss and hug and ...oh I don't know what else to say!...but trust me Mimi , I don't believe any of it of course".
At this point, there was a roaring In Mimi's ears. She tried to talk normally but her voice came out a quavering whisper, "Did you say...a letter?" She stopped as her heart increased it's pounding
Anna stared for a moment before repeating " I don't believe any of it " only this time, it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.
'Mimi, I think that you should stay away from class today". She added noticing that Mimi was lost in thought.
The news, just like Anna said, had rapidly spread like wildfire among the students, and embellishments had been added along the way."Mimi and Corper Mike". It was the most deliciously horrifying thing to happen at Primes College in a long time. And the worst of it was that the letter was there in Mimi's handwriting.
"Can you imagine? You can never trust girls!"
"No wonder she never looks at boys her age..."
"I knew there was something wrong with her. Poor David. I almost feel sorry for him.
Some group of boys muted as she passed through.
There was so much uproar among the students that the principal was forced out of his office.
."what is the matter ?". Mr. Pot demanded as he entered the nearest class.
" We don't really know sir", a girl said." it seems like a Mimi Stevens wrote a letter to the corper. I haven't seen it, but some boys in the art class have it. I will go and get it from them ".
When Mr. Pot saw the letter, which appeared to be the original, he seized it at once and instructed the head boy and head girl to bring any copies they could find to his office immediately. Then he sent for Mimi Stevens.
Mimi was throwing up in the toilet when Lola(the head girl and one of her closet friends) came looking for her
Calm down Mimi, this isn't the worst thing that has happened to you. It isn't. She thought as she sat before Mr. Pot, the vice-principal Mrs. Silvia, and Mr. English the guidance counselor whose mouth was twisted in self-righteous horror.
She began to imagine what was going in on inside the minds. Oh the immortality! shocking! I always knew she was a bad girl...
"Now, Stevens, did you write this letter?". The Principal asked in an authoritative tone.
"Yes, sir", she said with her head bent to the ground.
Mr. Pot shook his head. I should dismiss this, but some of the students are saying damaging things and it concerns the teacher. There are some things written that are er, disquieting, you understand?"
" It's not true sir, it's not what it seems. We are very fond of each other of course, but..."
"Fond of each other ?" Mr. Pot's voice became colder at this point. "Please explain yourself"
Realizing that she might have just put an innocent man's job in jeopardy, she remained quiet.
The principal sighed ' I think we need to send for your teacher. You stay here ".
When Mr. Benjamin came in, he hesitated at the doorway. He seemed confused by the trio who sat in echo of silence as Mimi stood in front of them.
"Mr. Benjamin, do you know what is going on ?" The principal asked without preamble.
"No, not really ", he replied
"It appears you are the object of affection of young Miss Stevens here. She also claims you are very fond of each other. Can you please clarify that?".
The corper glanced at Mimi before speaking.
"Mimi Stevens is interested in the IVSA group of which you know I am the project organizer. She seems to like the idea of helping the poor and has joined us on our weekly retreat to the orphanage, and hospitals. And she has been a very dedicated volunteer to the group."
"I'm sure she is, "the principal said dryly. "What I mean is, has er, er', the principal scratched his head looking for the right words". Mimi watched all of the. As if in a dream.
"I mean to say, has there been any improper relationship between the two of you?"?
The corper whipped his head up "Absolutely not, sir !". He was indignant.
"Well, I have a letter here, where she writes of you in her indiscreet manner. She writes that you embrace each other. This is a serious thing, Mr. Benjamin, I know you will soon be leaving here for a new station for the remainder of your service, yes, but we take a dim view of teachers embracing students. Do you do other things? ...I know how the human body works and sometimes it's just beyond our control...so have you..??"
Mimi gave a strangled shriek. " Sir it's nothing like that !, They were just thoughts!".
All eyes turned to the distraught girl, and Mr. English shook his head disapprovingly.
The corper quickly spoke, "I'm ...I'm embarrassed, sir, I consider Mimi here as a student, nothing more. She's an enthusiastic volunteer, but clearly confused and disturbed. She's just a young girl".
"In any case, you ought to have known better, you seem to have been more familiar with your student than expected of a teacher, but you will be excused as you are still inexperienced, and of course you will be mandated to take a leave of absence for two weeks starting from next week. We need to lead by example, Mr. Benjamin you may leave my office".
And so the corper stood up and left. Then the principal turned to Mimi
"Miss Stevens, you may take the rest of the day off, and tomorrow I would like to see your mother or guardian".
Mimi left the principal's office weeping. She stopped when she saw David passing on his way to class.
"David!" She called relieved, "can you imagine what they are saying about my letter? Why would people think...?'
"I don't know what to think too. You wrote it." David said cutting her off.
"David," she said wearily, "you don't understand".
"I read the letter and someone stole it from me," he said "Tracy, one of your closet friends saw it first and she did know what to think either...the only thing I'm sorry about is that the whole school knows"
She went silent
"You... You hid your true self under a farçade', he said quietly
"And what if I did? What business of it is yours? She said angrily.
"It's none of my business!.. I hope you two are happy, he said angrily as he turned to walk away. It was cruel of him, he knew, but she made a complete fool of him.
"I'm proud to have known a person like him" she called after David.
"The both of you??!, do you even know what that means?', he stopped but didn't turn to look at her.
"Yes, and I don't care! He is ten times the person you or anyone else here could ever be.'
He was now completely triggered by her words, but when he turned to face her she was gone.
Back at home, Mimi lay on her bed heavy with tears as the fear of losing the only two people who made her happy crossed her mind. But eventually crying herself to sleep with an aura of sadness hovering over her.