Chapter Seven: Keeping Silent
1764 Words
Della was shocked to see of all people, Mr Martins Vans in the cafeteria that day. He was a very strict and feared man and above all, proprietor of the school.
"Sir.....sir." Della stammered.
"Speak up, young lady!" Mr Martins Vans yelled.
"It's Ava, sir. She's lying on the floor in the male's bathroom and she isn't waking up." Della rephrased. Then, there were loud chatters from every corner of the cafeteria.
"We have to go there now." Mr Martins Vans said to his staff that were with him.
A group of teachers and other adults quickly ran to the male's convenience to confirm. They were as shocked as della to see ava in a very bad state.
"We have to call the ambulance now." Mr Martins Vans said.
"I'm on it, sir." A male staff said. Mr Martins Vans kept on tapping Ava but she didn't wake up.
"This is way too serious. Of all places, why the male's convenience? Could it be she was......"
"r***d? That's what I think also, sir." A male staff interrupted Mr Martins Vans.
"No. More like beaten up or something. There are bruises all over her. This seems like she was attacked." Mr Martins Vans said.
"Sir, maybe she was being attacked by some boys that were trying to r**e or at least, take advantage of her. Maybe she didn't want it and they had her beaten up." The male staff said.
"Quit the r**e talk, Mr Robin." Mr Martins Vans said to the male staff. After a few seconds, siren was heard around the school.
"That must be the ambulance. Quick, we have to carry Ava there." Mr Martins Vans said to the male teachers present. In no time, the paramedic team bursted into the male's convenience. They had ava carried on a stretcher all the way to their van. This drew the attention of many students as they followed the paramedic team all the way to the van were ava was been kept.
"This is way too dramatic." A student said. Della noticed aiden from a distance. She quickly remembered when Aiden bumped into her on her way to check up on Ava in the convenience. Della gasped loudly and whispered to herself, "Oh no. Could it be that aiden was the one that had ava beaten up? It can be so possible. He rushed out of the convenience like something had happened."
As she kept on looking at aiden from a distance, aiden too began to look at her. This was too scary to della.
"This is weird. I should look away." Della said to herself in fear and in shame as well.
* *. *
Ava woke up, finding herself in the hospital. She groaned in pains as she tried to sir up right.
"Oh, thank goodness, you are awake." Principal Smith said to her.
"What....what happened? Why am I here, sir? Ava asked him. Immediately, Mrs Miller bursted into the ward.
"Mom!" Ava exclaimed in shock.
"Oh my goodness, ava. What happened to you? Who did this to you? Why did you pass out?" Mrs Miller asked.
"Ma'am, you really have to calm down. We are in the hospital. Your daughter will be fine in no time." Principal Smith said.
"You should know exactly what happened to my daughter since you are the principal." Mrs Miller said.
"That's it. We also don't know what happened to ava but be rest assured that will get to the bottom of this." Principal Smith said.
"What's all these? Her face isn't even looking very well." Mrs Miller said.
"Ava, who did this to you?" Principal Smith asked.
"Sir, please. Now's not the right time for interrogations." Ava replied.
"What do you mean by that, ava? Don't you want to get justice for yourself? Or wait. Was it those boys..." Mrs Miller asked.
"Oh mom." Ava cut in.
"Which boys exactly? Do you mean aiden and his friends? Are they the ones that did this to you?" Principal Smith asked.
"Did you cross their path again?" Mrs Miller asked.
"Everybody, just stop! Take a look at me. Do I look like I'm in a good and suitable condition to answer such questions?" Ava said, angrily. Then she began to groan in pains again.
"Are you alright, Ava? Where is the doctor anyway?" Mrs Miller said.
"Mom, I need to rest, okay. Not one did this to me, just so you know. I just need to take proper rest." Ava lied.
"You are lying to us, Ava. You know you have to tell us the truth." Principal Smith said.
"Perhaps, you have been warned against revealing the person that did this to you or something but you see, that thing you are hiding will surely come to light." Mrs Miller said, angrily.
"I'm not lying, sir and no one warned me against anything, mom." Ava said. Then, the doctor stepped into the ward.
"It's good you are awake now. How are you feeling?" The doctor said.
"I'm okay, doctor. Since I'm awake, can I go home now?" Ava said.
"Not yet. I still have to prescribe some pills before dismissing you." The doctor replied.
" Doctor, judging by my daughter's looks, can't you tell that she has been beaten up?" Mrs Miller asked.
"Well, there are bruises, yes but it doesn't mean she was beaten up. Or were you beaten up, Ava?" The doctor said.
"Doctor, you aren't believing what my daughter is saying, are you?"
"No, doctor. I only slipped on the floor and hit my head on a sanitary ware and then, I found myself here." Ava lied, again.
"We aren't babies, okay? Just quit the lie already." Mrs Miller said.
"Mrs Miller, for now, let's focus on her treatment without stressing her. Come, let me give you the list of pills to get for Ava." The doctor said.
"That wouldn't be necessary, doctor. She can stay here with her daughter. I will handle the bills and everything coming afterwards. " Principal Smith said.
"That's so nice of you, Mr Principal.Thanks a lot " Mrs Miller said.
"That's what the school owes you right now, Mrs Miller. You know she's under our care." Principal Smith said.
"Alright, let's head off to my office, sir." The doctor said and the principal left with the doctor.
"Ava, you really have to tell us what happened to you." Mrs Miller said.
"Mom, that's all I will tell you because there's nothing else to say. I am also shocked as well that I had to pass out because I fell." Ava said, trying to backup her lie. After some time, the principal and the doctor came into the ward again.
"You were on the ground according to Mr Vans. That, I believe but come on, Ava. With all these bruises around your body and your face, I find what you are telling me and everyone else extremely hard to believe." Mrs Miller said.
"Ava needs to rest as soon as she gets home. At least, for a whole day." The doctor said.
"Then, she's skipping school tomorrow then." Mrs Miller said.
"She won't be penalized. She sure has to rest." Principal Smith said.
"Alright then. We'll get going now." Mrs Miller said.
"I also need to get back to the school to update the proprietor on ava's matter.Get well soon, Ava. I'll get going now." Principal Smith said, handing over the pills to Mrs Miller.
"Thank you so much, Principal Smith." Mrs Miller said.
*. *. *
"We also strongly suspect that she's lying and perhaps, the boys must have threatened her not to say a word to anyone." Principal Smith said, explaining things to the narrator.
"Hmm. Well, you know there is a way we can know the real truth." Mr Martins Vans said.
"Really, sir? What other way?" Principal Smith said.
"The CCTV cameras. We can watch the footage on what happened earlier. It's a good thing it's connected to the male's convenience." Mr Martins Vans said.
Principal Smith kept mute.
"Why so silent all of a sudden, principal?" Mr Martins Vans said, smiling.
"Sir.... I really don't think it's a good idea." Principal Smith said.
"Or because you know there is something behind the installation of the CCTV cameras." Mr Martins Vans said. Principal Smith kept mute again.
"Few months ago, the rate at which the students were committing atrocities was becoming alarming. We had to devise a plan to reduce it and so, we decided to install CCTV cameras around every nook and cranny of the school. Now today, a terrible thing happened and we all needed the CCTV camera to know what exactly happened only to see that the thing we all called CCTV cameras were fake." Mr Martins Vans said.
"I'm so sorry sir." Principal Smith apologized.
"You know, I feel so stupid for not even knowing earlier. Like, how come I didn't know until now? Why did you install fake CCTV cameras? You know how much was arranged to install these cameras still you went ahead to install fake ones. For what? To go way with my money or what?" Mr Martins Vans said, angrily.
"I will never do such a thing, sir. I wasn't after your money at all. You see, sir, the students do not like to be watched. They felt like we were controlling them and not giving them freedom. So I decided to hit two birds with a stone by installing fake CCTV cameras instead so they will think it's actually real. That's it, sir." Principal Smith said. Mr Martins Vans began to clap his hands after Principal Smith had explained himself to him.
"Did you even hear yourself as you spoke? Does that make sense to you? Now, because of you, we can't even know what exactly happened to Ava, our newest student and now, the school's reputation is probably on the line." Mr Martins Vans said.
"I'm so sorry, sir." Principal Smith apologized again.
"Principal Smith, this is a serious offense and it doesn't even make sense." Then he paused for while, heaved a heavy sigh and said, "You are suspended as Principal till further notice. You may leave my office."
"I'm so sorry, sir." Principal Smith pleaded.
"Trust me, Principal Smith, I am being extra kind and merciful by just giving you a suspension. You should be glad I didn't fire you. Please leave before I change my mind." Mr Martins Vans said. Unknowingly to them, Della overheard everything.
"This is very huge. So fake cameras have been watching everyone all these while?" She whispered.
- Writer
