"She's here Mr. Bolu" Tom said as he entered the staff room with Rebecca. The other students waited outside trying to see what was going on through the window.

"I understand that Tom submitted his note to you" Mr Bolu said to Rebecca

"Yes sir"

"And then he found it in the dustbin not too long ago"

"Yes sir"

"Care to explain yourself?"

"Sir, when Tom submitted his book, I didn't touch it afterwards. I have no idea what happened to it"

"Then who took it?"

"I don't know"

"Tom" Mr Bolu said "Have you asked everyone in the class if they saw who took it?"

"Yes. I didn't give it to anyone and all the people I've asked said that they were at the snack shop during break time. No one saw anyone with my note before break time either"

"But I was at the snack shop during break time too" Rebecca argued

"Sir... I don't think Rebecca threw my note away. Maybe..." Tom started to explain but Mr Bolu cut him off.

"Rebecca, what was your score in the class work?" Mr Bolu asked.

"Two out of ten marks" Rebecca said tentatively

"What about you Tom?" Mr Bolu asked.

"Nine out of ten marks" Tom said.

"Mr Bolu I know what you're implying sir" Rebecca said "But I would never do that. It's just one bad score"

"Give me a few minutes" Mr Bolu said. "I'm going to get the Head of the math department" He left the staff room. After checking to see that he was really gone, Gabriella and Hannah walked in.

"You believe that I didn't really do that, right?" She asked Tom.

"But everything points to you" Tom said. "Even Sarah has an alibi. Betty says she didn't go anywhere near the note books"

"You're taking Betty's word over mine?" Rebecca asked

"No, I'm just not sure what to think right now" Tom said walking away from her. Rebecca turned to Hannah and Gabriella.

"You guys believe me, right?" She asked.

"Of course we do" Hannah said "Don't you Gabriella?"

"Actually... I'm with Tom on this one" Gabriella said. Hannah frowned at her.

"But there is one way you can make me believe you" Gabriella added.

"I'll do anything at this point" Rebecca said.

"Answer me truthfully" Gabriella said "Do you like Tom?" She asked. Rebecca looked around. Tom was at the window talking to Daniel. Rebecca looked back at Gabriella.

"Now is definitely not the time to..."

"Just answer ah!" Gabriella said.

"Well" Rebecca began "I've never liked someone before but I can describe how Tom makes me feel. He's nice, smart and puts up with me even when I'm at my worst. Whenever he's close to me I feel this tingly feeling all over and when he touches me, it's even worse. When we weren't talking, I was really upset and asked myself why. I realized that maybe what I feel for him is more than friendship" She said.

Hannah squealed and Gabriella hugged her.

"That's exactly how it feels to like someone" she said before letting go.

"Back to the matter at hand" Hannah said.

"There has to have been one person in the class during break time" Gabriella said.

"I'm pretty sure that Betty and Sarah have something to do with this" Rebecca said.

"Definitely. But how do we prove it?" Gabriella asked.

As an answer to her question, Richard, Betty and Sarah entered the staff room with Mr Bolu and the head of the math department. Tom left the window and turned to face them.

"Good afternoon sir" The students said.

"Good afternoon to you too and a lucky afternoon it is for Rebecca" The man said.

"I saw Betty when she took Tom's note. I had been to the class to get my English note when I saw her. When I asked her what she was doing she had said that she was just taking Tom's note and that he said she could use it. I didn't know until someone told me what had happened that Tom's note had been thrown away" Richard explained.

"And why didn't you know?" The man asked.

"Because I had English lessons during break time and I just got back" Richard replied.

"He's lying sir" Betty said.

"What would I gain from lying. Besides aren't you the same two students who got Rebecca and Tom locked up in the library" Richard said.

Sarah and Betty didn't say anything for a while. Then Sarah began to cry.

"She forced me to do it sir" Sarah wailed "She always threatened to beat me up if I didn't do her bidding"

"Sarah, I hope all is well with you. We are in this together. I never bullied you" Betty said angrily.

"You did. Sir, please believe me" Sarah cried. "She's been secretly bullying me for quite some time" Sarah said. Well, Betty might not have been a bully before but she sure did look like a bully now. The Head of the math department looked at Rebecca and Tom.

"You two may go" The man said "I hope these girls haven't caused you too much trouble. Sarah and Betty please follow.me to the principal's office" He said. He walked away with Betty and Sarah in tow.

Rebecca, Tom, Gabriella, Richard and Hannah made their way back to the class with the rest of the students.

"I'm sorry for not believing you" Tom said "That was very foolish of me"

"It's okay" Rebecca said conscious of the fact that Hannah and Gabriella were making heart shapes with their hands behind her back. "At least it's over now and we have Richard to thank for that" Rebecca said.

"Yeah, thanks Richard" Tom said.

"You are very welcome" Richard said. Hannah held onto his hand as they walked down the stairs. Gabriella wasn't bothered at all. She was busy talking to Daniel.

"Well that was a close one" He said.

"Yeah" Gabriella said.

"I mean, if Rebecca had been suspended, who would have been there to give me dubs when she was away" he said

"Firstly, Rebecca only gives you dubs for your assignments. Secondly, I was the one who helped you in class today" Gabriella said.

"Point taken Oh ye wise one" Daniel said with a mock bow.

"Don't you dare make fun of me" Gabriella warned.

"Or what?" Daniel asked.

Gabriella gave him a shove and he stumbled almost falling down flat on his face.

"Be careful Gabriella. What were you trying to do?" A teacher asked. She had been speaking with a student and had seen what Gabriella did.

"Sorry Ma" Gabriella said.

"That wasn't very wise wise one" Daniel said.

"Tease me again and I will slap your face" Gabriella said.

"And I would love to feel those beautiful hands on my face" Daniel replied.

Gabriella giggled and blushed a bit before speaking.

"You do realise how stupid you sound right?" She asked him.

"Not as stupid as Sarah looked lying to the head of the math department" Daniel said.

"Betty is in for it now" Gabriella said.

"Serves her right though. A rational person wouldn't have agreed to help Sarah with those foolish pranks of hers" Tom said.

"I'm just waiting for Sarah to get what she deserves" Rebecca said.

"I have a feeling that she is going to learn her lesson very soon" Daniel said. Rebecca looked at Tom curiously but he only shrugged.

What could Daniel possibly be talking about?

____

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