Facade (Romola 1)

78: Course Adviser

No one had approached her but she could see it in their eyes. Their accusations. Maybe she was imagining it. The only reason she was returned to school was because her course adviser demanded that she showed up. She had wanted to wait until two or three weeks had passed. At least, she would no longer be the hot topic in school.

She pushed her sunshades up to her face, lowered her hat and increased her pace. The closer she got to the department, the more fear filled her stomach. The central courtyard, where student spent their free time friends, was an inevitable path she had to take.

"Aren't you going to move?" The man behind her barked.

She stepped out of his way and watched him march across the courtyard, to the net like structure that housed the department's generator, without a care in the world. She couldn't walk as freely as he did. The tears in her eyes had almost broken through again. She could just walk back and return to Bukky's house but that would mean saying goodbye to any opportunity to salvage her education.

She took a step forward. There wasn't much sense in pursing a career in accounting any more. Now that her nudes had graced the web, she was certain that if she wasn't expelled from school, she would still be unable to get a good job at a reputable firm. What was the point? The tears began to flow. She turned to leave but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"You're late."

"I'm sorry ma-" Romola faced her course adviser, Mrs. Adekunmi, a petite woman with an aged face.

"Let's go to my office."

Romola followed the woman closely, even though the courtyard had a fraction of its usual congregation. She passed a group of three students who seemed to be invested in their notes and she thought all was going well until one of the students, a fair skinned woman with orange highlights in her braids, whispered in a shaky voice. "Isn't that Romola?"

"Ah yes oh. I used to think scholars were saints but in this case. Hmm. Wetin moneky no go see for market?"

"I even heard..."

The students voices faded as Romola and the lecturer entered the main building. The lecturer greeted the receptionist and Romola genuflected. They walked up the staircase to the right corner of the building on the second floor. The lecturer unlocked the door and Romola followed, closing the door gently behind her.

The table was a neat land of files and documents. Everything that did not fit was crammed into the shelves around them.

"Sit."

Romola sat on the chair opposite the table. She took off her glasses and the glare of the light in the office blinded her briefly.

"Do you want something to drink? Soda, Coffee, or water?"

"I'm fine ma." Romola's throat itched. She had spent the weekend soaking Bukky's carpet with her tears.

"Okay." Mrs Adekunmi picked a file from the topmost pile. "I'm sure you know why I called for you."

"I didn't send out those videos ma. I don't know how they got out."

"But you were the person in the video. I have warned your class several times to know that whatever decisions you make will affect your future. Is this how you want to waste your father's money?"

"I would do anything to go back and not shoot those videos?"

"I know you know who sent them. You see, whatever is done in secret will always come into the light."

Romola didn't have the energy to reply. She had cursed herself a thousand times, wondering why she had let Yetunde shoot a videos of her naked dancing. All her mother's warning, although addressed to a fictional evil friend, seemed to be ringing true in the light of recent events.

"It was in your own interest that you showed up today. The senate council is meeting and they want to see you. This wouldn't even be a problem if the first person that tagged you in the photo didn't tag the school."

"What will happen to me?"

"You're asking me? Is it my nudes that were leaked. Young girls of these days never learn anything." The woman opened the file, her painted nails tracing the surface of the paper. "Moromola Ibikunle, I always thought you were a model student but now see how you have ruined your life. How would your parents feel?"

Romola swallowed her thick sobs and blinked to keep her eyes clear. "What do you think the council will say?"

"Your best chance is to convince them that you did not leak these videos yourself. Even at that, you would be lucky to get off without any form of rustication because you have besmirched the school's name. Tell me how this happened."

"The videos. Yetunde shot them. I was trying to teach her how to dance. She must've uploaded it."

"She or he?" The adviser leaned close with a piercing gaze. " I heard rumours that a man released it. One Mr. Olumide. You should know his father. Chief Peter, the CEO of Baboga Industries."

"Ma?" Whatever was holding the pieces of Romola's heart together snapped.