Riptide Academy

Sabotage?

I was cramped in the back seat between Kyia and Xaiver as Kyle drove us back to the campus.

"You know, I wouldn't mind you drop by at the station sometime to help with this case. You're really good for just two years in high school." Kyia mused.

"Oh? If I can bring some friends with me, then sure." I replied.

"Yes. As long as they don't destroy anything and are well behaved."

"But. It's not really about that is it? You want me to help with some other stuff?"

"You are a smart girl. I was wanting your help with something to do with the centenary. We have been getting reports from your principle that someone may want to savatage the event." Kyia revealed.

I turned to look at Howdy, wide eyed and she shrugged, "There was nothing else I could do and since I found most of the stuff near the houses of the older students, Kyia suggested to let the Police handle it and report anything else to her." Howdy said.

"By houses you mean they can't be high school students because they aren't allowed outside the gates. But maybe they somehow escaped and place the stuff there? What did you find anyway- if I can know?" asking to know what Howdy found was a big risk.

"Some paint. Disturbing plans to cut rope and destroy property. Nothing major. But it could cause some serious damage to the school and or someone, so Kyia, who's also the schools police officer, wanted me to hand the stuff over to the station to look for possible clues to find the person responsible."

"I want you to see if you can find someone, or possibly the group who are trying to ruin the event. Even if it is just suspicions."

"What? Wouldn't they notice the stuff would be missing? You basically want me to spy on my other classmates?"

"Yes, unfortunately. And as for the stuff, after it was cleared off all traces- we found nothing by the way- Howards had the groundsman take it back to their shed, purposefully walking past the spot where it was found and your houses." Kyia explained.

The rest of the car ride was quiet. As we stopped next to the police car outside the office, I thanked Kyle and hoped out- some people who were gawking started to whisper as they seen me step out of the car. Kyia and Xaiver took Mathew in the squad car back to the station to inform the personnel involved with making sure the area was safe and examining the rock about what he saw and other details.

I was about to walk off to my house when Howdy caught my arm, "Can you come up to my office, I wasn't finished explaining."

I followed her up the spiral staircase and into her office, following her into the door she gestured to a chair in front of her desk for me to sit in while she went through another door, behind it I could see another desk, smaller than the one in front of me; a bathroom and a bedroom; accompanied by a loungeroom and a kitchen just behind the door Principal Howards went through. I sat there for another few minutes admiring how much dirt and dust I had acquired on my sneakers; desperately wanting to escape and clean the once black souls.

"Spying on my room, are we?" Howards said complacently.

Tearing my eyes away from her door I looked at Howdy who was now seated behind her desk in new clean clothes, "No. I- I just was surprised. I didn't know you had your own place up here; I thought you had an office not an actual living space." I explained.

She laughed, "Yes, most people don't know I live on campus. Only on holiday's I'm not here and actually at my home- that includes the weekends. I don't have to stay here actually but I choose to since my house isnt far away from the beach."

"WAIT YOU LIVE ON THE BEACHFRONT?" I shouted.

"Yes".

"No way! Howards? As in Demi Howards?" I asked, bewildered.

Principal Howdy looked at me with wide eyes and a palling face, "How do you know my first name?" she asked, rather angrily.

"I thought you would have recognised my last name being Williams but no. Your Dawson's sister; my auntie knows you guys- I stopped by with her last time the house was being done up with my auntie a couple of years ago" I explained.

"Your Alex as in Brooks's niece! WOW! How you have grown!" she realised "It's nice to see you come so far. But don't tell anyone about us knowing each other; I still am your principal. And how did your shoes get so dirty from the walk?"

"Huh?" I looked down at my shoes, only now pretending to notice how dirty they had goten "Oh wow, they did get dusty. I don't know, maybe dirt, dust from the path since it's so hot. On the way back the loose dirt must have created dust."

"Now, to what I actually brought you here for. The reason you're here is because I want you to report anything to me if it is not major enough and because I found the stuff near your house." Howards explained.

"Are you saying someone's trying to sabotage Charli?"

"Possibly. But do send her up please."

I left Howdy's office in a haste to clean my shoes and ignored any of the gawking and gossiping students looking in my direction; upon reaching the house I knocked to see if anyone was home. To my luck Charli opened the door.

"Hey Charli, Howdy wants you up in her office. Though, I'm not sure why."

She grumbled something as she opened the door wider to let me in than said, "I know why. Just let me change out of this and I'll go" she said, gesturing to some old paint-stained shirt and jeans.

"ELI! You have to the count of one to run!" I shouted.

He was dumb enough to poke his head around his bedroom wall, "Whyyyyyy? What for, what did I do?"

"You know why!"

And with realisation dawning on his face, he bolted out the backyard door and through the fence gate.