Chapter Eight: Keeping Silent Pt2
1547 Words
"I should better not tell anyone before things get worse in the school. Things are already ugly here as it is. Telling people the cameras are fake will make things going on in the school even way worse. I can't do that." Della said to herself. Then she quietly ran away from the Proprietor's office to avoid being seen by Principal Smith coming out if the office. Everything that happened that day seemed very weird to della. First, Sophia and Ocean were nowhere to be found. Then, ava's predicament.
*. *. *
"Ava, this clearly doesn't seem like you fell down and all of these happened to you." Jake said that evening.
"Exactly. You know jake, I was so shocked to hear the doctor of all people backup ava's lie." Mrs Miller said.
"I'm not lying, mom." Ava said, lying again.
"If so, why then were you found in the male's convenience of all places? One will think you were r***d or something." Mrs Miller asked.
"For crying out loud, mom, I'm a new student there. Of course, I'm still trying to adjust there and I haven't been there for a week yet. I was really pressed so I decided to visit the convenience not knowing it was for males." Ava replied. Within her, she felt she had escaped a big obstacle.
"So you are telling me there are no signs to indicate male's only at the entrance of the loo. That's farfetched, ava. I won't buy that lie." Mrs Miller said.
"Oh mom. Please stop doing that. You have been trying to convince me to say something apart from what I have been saying and it's not fair." Ava said.
"I'm gonna go to your school. I have to find out myself who really did this to you." Mrs Miller said.
"Oh mom, please don't do that. I have already told you everything that happened." Ava said.
"No, ava. You aren't gonna talk me out of that. I have to know. You leave me no choice." Mrs Miller said.
"Mom, I'm off to bed already. Good night mom, ava." Jake said, yawning.
"Night, ava. Don't forget to pray." Mrs Miller said.
"I have to go to bed as well." Ava said.
"There will be no need for that. You aren't going to school tomorrow anyway." Mrs Miller said.
"For the second time this week, I haven't gone to school. Am I really in that school at all? I hate the way I have been skipping school. It can affect my studies, you know." Ava complained.
"Don't be dramatic. You know you can't go to school with your condition. Do you want to pass out again?" Mrs Miller said.
"Mom, I'm not as sick as you think. I can definitely handle myself." Ava said.
Mrs Miller kept quiet.
"I have to take my pills right now." Ava said. Then Mrs Miller began to speak again.
"Remember, it's two tablets per dosage." Mrs Miller said.
"Thanks mom. For reminding me." Ava said.
"Ava, my dear, I really need you to tell me exactly what happened to you. I can't help but worry. You can tell me. I am your mother. I will go extra mile just to keep you safe. You don't have to keep any secrets from me or cover up for anyone. You have to tell me the truth, at least to prevent this nonsense from repeating itself because if you ask me, I really don't believe everything you told us." Mrs Miller said.
"That hurts me even more. To hear you say you don't believe me hurts me, mom." Ava said.
"You can't blame me for not believing you, can you? Your story sounds really farfetched. Have you seen yourself on the mirror? You look like someone that has been pummelled." Mrs Miller said.
"You know what, mom, you should quit trying to find out what happened to me and be more focused on my recovery." Ava said.
"What are you saying?" Mrs Miller said.
"Mom, this topic is really pissing me off. It's fine you don't believe me but don't inconvenience me by your suspensions. I really hate it. You are putting me in a very tight corner and I hate it. Good Night mom." Ava said and walked out.
*. *. *
The next day, at school , all that trended was ava. A lot of people, especially girls used what had happened to ava as the latest topic to be talked about it deep gossips. Della couldn't control herself as she narrated the whole story to Ocean and Sophia. They didn't know exactly what happened because they skipped school a day before that day.
"You should have seen ava. She was lying lifeless on the floor of the male's convenience. It was so awful. She looked like she was beaten up or something." Della said.
"Or raped." Ocean said.
"Ocean!" Sophia exclaimed.
"Chill. I'm kidding." Ocean said, smiling.
"Yeah, 'cause Aiden doesn't r**e people. At least, that's the only good thing he doesn't do." Della said with a much lower tone.
"Why bring aiden to the conversation?" Sophia said.
"Yeah, why?" Ocean asked further.
"Girls, I strongly suspect aiden was the one that had ava beaten up to that extent. I mean, if it wasn't him, then who?" Della replied.
"Della, you know, we all know how terrible Aiden and his friends can be but that doesn't mean that no one else in this school is capable of doing something like that. In other words, let's not jump to conclusions yet." Sophia said.
"Sophia, I get what you are trying to say, okay but hey, let's not act dumb here. Moreover, I saw aiden running out of the convenience on my way there, only to find ava there also in a very bad state and that's not all. Of all places to be, why the male's convenience? Male's convenience? The evidence is all over us, girls." Della said.
"Seriously, della, you actually saw him running out of the convenience that day? That's enough evidence." Sophia said.
"Totally." Ocean said.
"But how did ava get to the male's convenience?" Sophia asked.
"Aiden might have probably dragged her there." Della replied. Immediately, the morning bell rang.
"It's time for class. We will discuss this later." Sophia said to her friends and left for classes. Hours passed till it was finally closing time that day.
"Today was so stressful. Biology class was so long. It was like forever." Della complained to her friends.
"Well, good that we are heading home now." Sophia said.
"Should we continue what we were discussing this morning before the bell rang? You know we haven't really seen each other since then." Ocean asked.
"Yeah.About that, we have to be very sensitive when we are discussing matters like that. You know, it's a very big topic and shouldn't be discussed anywhere." Della said.
The whole school was already very scanty. People quickly went home that day.
"Are you really sure....." Sophia began.
"Yes, Sophia. I know it was aiden. I know it was aiden that had ava beaten up. The evidence is so clear. Don't you think? I don't care but I will report aiden when the time is right. Especially now that the school's got no evidence." Della said. Sophia and Ocean were confused. "What do you mean by no evidence?" Sophia asked.
Della sighed heavily and said with a much lower voice " Girls, what I am about to tell you is very big and it's also the school's big secrets."
"What's that? What's that?" Ocean asked with curiousity.
"Chill, ocean." Sophia said.
"Girls, Principal Smith has been suspended. He was suspended yesterday for installing fake CCTV cameras in the school premises." Della broke the news.
"What!" Sophian exclaimed in shock.
"Keep your voice down. You know we aren't supposed to be in the premises by this time." Ocean said to sophia.
"Ocean's right. Now, you see why I have to report aiden immediately. There are no evidence to prove that aiden was the one that did that to ava and who knows, ava might decide to keep shut." Della said.
"Oh, I don't think ava would do that for sure. She's a strong and courageous girl." Sophia said.
"Yes but you know aiden. He threatens people like his life depends on it." Della said. Immediately, Sophia's phone beeped.
"Oh, I've gotta go now, della. My driver is here." Sophia said.
"Oh, can your driver take me home as well, Sophia? I don't know why mine isn't here yet." Ocean said.
"Alright then. Bye della." Sophia said.
" Bye della."Ocean said.
"Bye, guys." Della said to them.
Unknowingly to della, Aiden was behind a pillar close to where they talked. He made noises from behind the pillar to get della's attention.
"Who's there? Come out." Della said, fearfully. Aiden laughed and revealed himself. Della was very scared, embarrassed and confused.
"Aiden....what are you doing here? Leave me alone." Della stammered.
"But I'm not touching you. At least, not yet." Aiden said, smiling.
"You will never touch anyone in this school ever again as soon as I report you to the school management." Della threatened.
"And I dare you. You will certainly regret the outcome." Aiden said, frowning this time.
- Writer
