SPONSORED BY LOVE

CHAPTER SIX

SPONSORED BY LOVE

CHAPTER 6: THE BULLIES' PLAN

Sophie did not like what Rooney did.

After school, she called her group to the girls' toilet. The toilet that has mirror and good perfume. Not the dirty one juniors use.

"He is embarrassing me because of that village girl," Sophie said, fixing her lip gloss. "Since when did Rooney start defending hawkers?"

Jessy said, "Maybe he pities her. You saw how he carried her tray? The whole junction was talking about it."

Cyndi laughed, "Rooney carrying gala? That is the funniest thing this year."

Poonam was quiet. She is always quiet when she is planning something wicked.

"Do you think Rooney likes her?" Poonam finally said.

Sophie turned sharply. "Like who? Sammie? Are you mad? Rooney is my boyfriend. Everybody knows I have liked him since JSS2. That poor girl cannot even buy new uniform. How can Rooney like her?"

"But he gave her water and gala today in library," Jessy said.

Sophie's eyes became red. Not from crying. From anger.

"Then we need to teach her a lesson. So she will know her place," Sophie said.

"What should we do?" Cyndi asked.

Sophie smiled. That kind of smile that is not a smile.

"Tomorrow is Maths test. Mr. Jay will bring the question papers early. Sammie always sits in front. If we put a small expo paper under her desk, and tell Mr. Jay she brought it..."

Jessy clapped, "She will be disgraced!"

Poonam brought out a small paper from her bag. It was already written with Maths formulas.

"I have it here," she said. "My brother wrote it for me. We will say it is hers."

Sophie hugged Poonam. "Perfect. Tomorrow, village scholar will be caught cheating. Let's see if Rooney will still defend a thief."

They laughed inside the toilet, their perfume mixing with evil.

They did not know Rooney was passing by the corridor. He heard his name. He stopped.

He heard everything through the small window.

He did not enter. He just stood there, listening to their plan.

Then he walked away quietly.

The next morning, I came early as usual. I sat in front because my eyes are not very good and I cannot see the board from back.

Mr. Jay entered with his long cane. He is a strict teacher. He hates cheating.

"Everyone keep your bags outside. Bring out only pen and calculator," he said.

We did.

I opened my pen. Under my desk, I saw a small folded paper I had never seen before.

I picked it up. It had Maths formulas. Expo.

My heart beat fast. I did not write it. I never cheat.

I looked around. Sophie was looking at me and smiling.

I wanted to throw it away. But before I could, Poonam raised her hand.

"Sir! Sammie has expo under her desk! She wants to cheat!"

The whole class turned.

Mr. Jay walked to my desk. He saw the paper in my hand.

"Sammie Dickson? You?" he said, shocked. "You who I trusted as best in Maths?"

"Sir, it is not mine," I said, standing up. My voice was shaking. "I just saw it now. I did not put it there."

"Liar!" Sophie shouted. "She always pretends to be innocent. Check her bag!"

Mr. Jay held the paper. "This is serious. In this school, cheating means suspension for two weeks and zero marks."

Tears rushed to my eyes. Two weeks suspension? My mother would die. I would miss JAMB lesson.

"Sir, I did not—"

The back door opened.

Rooney walked in. He was late again.

He looked at me standing, crying. He looked at the expo paper in Mr. Jay's hand. He looked at Sophie smiling.

He went straight to Mr. Jay.

"Sir, that paper is not hers," he said.

Mr. Jay frowned, "How do you know? Were you with her?"

"Because yesterday evening, I heard Sophie, Jessy, Cyndi and Poonam planning it in the girls' toilet. They said they would put expo under her desk and accuse her. I heard them."

The class gasped.

Sophie's face turned white.

"Liar! He is lying! He likes her!" Sophie shouted.

Rooney brought out his phone. He pressed play.

A voice recording played. Sophie's voice: "If we put a small expo paper under her desk, and tell Mr. Jay she brought it..." Poonam's voice: "We will say it is hers."

Mr. Jay's face changed.

He turned to Sophie and her friends.

"So you four planned to destroy another student? In my class?"

Sophie started crying, fake tears, "Sir, it was just a joke..."

Mr. Jay tore the expo paper.

"Sammie, sit down. I believe you," he said to me.

Then he looked at the four girls. "All four of you, go to the principal's office now. With Rooney as witness."

Sophie stood up, angry, embarrassed. As she passed my desk, she whispered, "You will pay for this, village girl. You think Rooney will always save you?"

But Rooney was standing behind me.

He did not need to answer her.

He had saved me for the third time.