Emeka and Samson knew why Mr. Amos resigned, but they didn't tell anyone. They believed other students knew too. Everyone pretended nothing had happened, and nobody said anything about the Mathematics teacher's absence. He was replaced three days after, so everything went back to normal. Emeka was on his way to get lunch one sunny afternoon when Sandra stopped him. He hadn't faced a lady apart from his maids in a one on one conversation before, so her presence made him tensed. Sandra is his crush. He'd always wanted to talk to her. The young girl wasn't smiling. She looked like a wolf ready to attack a dog. Emeka shifted back in fear. He looked at her for some seconds and smiled. The girl still look beautiful, he said in his mind.
"How may I help you, Sandra?"
"Wow! So you know my name?" She raised an eyebrow. "Well, that isn't important right now."
There were two other ladies behind her. Emeka didn't notice until Sandra turned back to confirm if her friends was still with her.
"You think you and your friend can just send any teacher you don't like away?" She shouted. Some students passing by had stopped to watch the scene. Emeka wanted to leave, but she stopped him again. This time, her left hand was on his chest.
"Mr. Amos suffered before getting a job in this school. He's gone back to the factory he was working before he got here. They pay him peanuts there. Do you even know how difficult life is for some people?" She paused to see if Emeka would respond, but he didn't.
"How would you know? Spoilt kids like you don't care what's going on out there since life is fair to you." She hissed and walked away.
Emeka couldn't leave the spot he was. He watched other students disappeared into their various classes. His eyes were filled with tears. He stood there for hours, and didn't know he was crying. Meanwhile, Samson had heard the rumors. The students of Malhotra college are good in spreading information. He had never seen his best friend cry, so he was shocked when he sighted Emeka standing on the school's field. It was after he shouted his name the third time he looked at him.
"Trust me, I'm going to deal with that girl. Just look at what he did to you." He said, after the long silence.
"No one has ever spoken to me the way she did today. Not even my parents."
"That's why we need to teach her a lesson." Samson replied.
"No! You would do no such thing." He left the spot. "I'm going home."
Samson couldn't believe his friend's reaction. He left the field in anger in search of Sandra. A teacher was in her class when he got there. He decided to take the lecture with them since they were all in the same level. He and his friend are science students, while Sandra is in art department. The English teacher, Mrs. Steph didn't bother sending him away since she hadn't taught Emeka's class the topic she was teaching them. After the class, Samson quickly walked up to Sandra and whispered in her ear.
"I'm giving you forty-eight hours to apologize to Emeka. Else, you will regret your stay in this school."
He didn't bother listening to what she had to say. He walked out immediately, but he was sure he heard Sandra saying something. He just chose not to listen. Emeka didn't go to school the following day and the day after. His parents tried finding out what went wrong. They went to his school for enquires, but the principal denied having anything to do with it. Samson never planned to reveal what went wrong, but he realized his parents would be in the best position to deal with Sandra.
Emeka had been living in his room since he left school. Thomas was the only one he allowed into his room. The young maid was forced to live with him since then. Emeka couldn't joke with his stomach, so Thomas was available to prepare his meals in the small kitchen in his room. Samson had visited the previous day, but he didn't allow him in. His parents hadn't seen him for two days, and they were devastated. He was still in his scattered room one morning when he heard a knock on his door. He believed it was either his mum or dad, so he cared less. The person behind the door finally said something since she wasn't getting a response.
"Open the door, Emeka. It's me, Sandra."
To be continued.
