The Head Prefect's Problem
609 Words
By the time Ether had spent two weeks in Agunbiade Victory High School, one thing had become clear.
This school loved drama.
Every day there was a new rumor.
A fight.
A punishment.
A relationship story.
Or a teacher shouting somewhere in the corridor.
But one person rarely appeared in those stories.
Aminat.
As the Head Prefect, she was known for being disciplined, confident, and sometimes....a little too strict. Students respected her, but many of them were also afraid of her.
Ether noticed something about her though.
She wasn't proud.
She just didn't like nonsense.
Sometimes during assembly, he would see her standing in front with the other prefects, speaking confidently to hundreds of students like it was the most normal thing in the world.
That girl has courage, Ether thought.
And somehow without meaning to, he kept noticing her everywhere.
Walking through the corridor.
Talking to teachers.
Writing something in the notebook near the staff room.
Every time he saw her, something inside him became curious again.
One Tuesday morning, the school buzzed with usual tension.
During the morning lesson, whispers began spreading through the classrooms.
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"They're taking the Head Prefect to the disciplinary committee."
Ether looked up immediately.
Head Prefect?
"Why?" Someone asked.
"They said she refused to present something."
The school had organised a World Science Day presentation, and several students were assigned topics to present.
Aminat was given a topic.
But the problem was simple.
She has only received the topic one day before the presentation.
When the time came for her to present in front of teachers and students, she refused.
Not because she didn't want to.
But because she said she was not prepared.
The teachers didn't see it that way.
They believed she was being disrespectful.
Now they want to punish her.
Ether sat quietly as the story spread around the class.
Some students were shocked.
Some were happy.
"You see? One girl said. "She's always acting too serious."
Another boy laughed.
"Now the teachers will humble her."
But Ether didn't laugh.
Something about the situation felt unfair to him.
Later that afternoon, the whole matter became bigger.
A group of teachers called Aminat to the front of the assembly ground.
Students watched from distance as the teachers spoke to her.
Even from far away, Ether could see it.
Aminat stood straight.
Calm.
Unapologetic.
One teacher raised his voice.
"You should apologise for your behaviour!"
The entire compound went quiet.
Students waited.
But Aminat didn't apologise.
She simply said something that no one expected.
"I cannot present what I was not prepared for."
Gasps spread through the students watching.
One teacher looked furious.
"So you're refusing to obey?"
"I'm saying I needed more time," Aminat replied firmly.
That was when the teacher made their decision.
"She'll appear before the disciplinary committee.
Students began whispering everywhere.
Some were shocked.
Others were excited.
But one person suddenly felt something stronger than curiosity.
Ether.
He watched the scene quietly, his mind thinking fast.
He barely knew Aminat.
Yet, something about the situation bothered him.
Maybe it was because she had spoken honestly.
Maybe it was because she stood her ground even when teachers were angry.
Or maybe....
It was because he cared more than he wanted to admit.
Ether sighed quietly.
"This school likes drama," he muttered.
But deep down, he was already thinking about something dangerous.
Something bold.
Something that could either make things better...
Or make things worse.
Because for the first time since arriving at Agunbiade Victory High School -
Ether was thinking about getting involved.
And when Ether gets involved in something...
People usually remembered it.
- Writer
