PERFECT FLAWS

Caught

'Are you avoiding me?'

Sheilagh stood in front of me, arms akimbo. Her brows were drawn with her intense stare focused on me. We had just finished the morning assembly and I was seated in class, preparing for the first lecture when Sheilagh approached me.

It was barely a week after the concert and I hadn't talked with Sheilagh face to face since then, not because I haven't been seeing her in class, but because I couldn't bring myself to talk to her. Every time I tried, Mercy's words keep ringing in my ears and I knew there was no way I'd have spoken to her without bringing it up. I never liked confrontation. Remember how it turned out the last time?
I also never expected Sheilagh to notice I'd been consciously staying away from her, but she did.
Did that mean she cared about me?
The thought alone caused me to feel warm and my stomach lurch in joy.

'Hey Sheilagh.' I smiled sheepishly, rising from my seat. I felt cornered and I was so unprepared for this. 'I've just been busy preparing for our exams next week.'

'Tom...' Sheilagh let her hands fall to her sides. 'You're the best Arts student in P.H! You would still get all A's without reading every second.'

An idea struck me at that moment. This was the perfect opening to confirm if all Mercy had told me about Sheilagh was true.

' I know, but you can never be too prepared, you know that. After all, WAEC is not the only reason I have to give it my best. '
Sheilagh nodded in agreement. 'But still...' She paused, turning sharply to look at me. 'You said WAEC was not the only reason you have to give it your best, and you've already written JAMB...' She looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to spill the details.

'You've forgotten there's the award for best graduating student, haven't you?' I chuckled when her expression changed into that of shock.

' Oh!' She exclaimed overexuberantly, an excitement which was only heard in her voice but her forced smile gave her away.
'Why didn't I think of that?'
A moment of awkward laughter passed, then she asked me.
'So...you really want it huh?'

'Totally. It'd be a great relief for my mum.'
I replied.

I had been on scholarship in Paramount High and it had really saved mum a lot of expenses because it would have been expensive to afford. It would also be great to save mum the stress of funding my university education, which I knew she had already been saving for.

'Success, then. I hope you get it.' Sheilagh smiled, before walking away to take her seat.

That was not enough proof for me to conclude Mercy was right.
Now I was torn between two opinions and I didn't know which to hold on to.

>>>

Ms. Shola was having a revision quiz with us when Micheal, the Head Boy, whispered something to her, making eye contact with me before leaving. I started to feel uncomfortable when Ms. Shola's big brown eyes lingered on me as well. The bell rung, signifying the end of the lecture and the beginning of break period and SS3B was audibly relieved. No one even waited to check the answer to the last question Ms. Shola asked before the bell rung. Picking her lecture notes and Past questions, she turned to face me.

'Tom, Principal Peters sent for you. You should go now. '

My chest felt heavy with dread. Why would Principal Peters ask me to come to her office? I suddenly remembered Carol and I breaking into her office about a week ago and the temperature in the room suddenly dropped, goosebumps rising up on my skin.

Was I in trouble?

I nodded, rising on my feet with legs trembling like noodles. Involuntarily, I looked in Carol's direction as I walked out of the class and she looked at me with a fearsome look on her face. I couldn't help the anxiety that overtook my entire being, taking unsteady steps towards the principal's office.