Ethan's pov
I followed Mr Raymond to the principal's office dragging my feet behind him
I didn't even bother to say anything more because it seemed he was well convinced that I was the thief.
Murmurs echoed behind us and I didn't need to turn around to know that the students were following.
Of course they were.
Who would want to miss the downfall of the 'poor orphan'
A mocking smile tugged at my lips. Looks like I had become even more popular.
On reaching the principal's office, Mr Raymond raised his hand to knock on the door.
"Come in" the principal's voice sounded from inside.
Mr Raymond cast me a brief glance before opening the door.
I followed him into the office, my head bent low.
"Good day sir" Mr Raymond greeted the principal respectfully.
"Good day Mr Raymond. How may I help you?" The principal asked. He glanced at me briefly before shifting his gaze back to the teacher.
"I came to report an incident to you sir." He said.
"Go on. We don't have all day" the principal said, sounding impatient.
I raised my head to look at him and the man sure had a stern face.
" I had a class with grade six this morning. Few minutes into the lecture I realized I had forgotten the equipment I needed for the lesson. I asked Ethan to head to the staffroom to get the equipment. After the class, I found out the necklace my wife gave me as a gift had gone missing. No one else had gone to my desk except for the boy. The annoying part is he kept on denying that he took it." Mr Raymond said in one breath, his expression one of frustration.
The principal looked at me with a frown and his frown only deepened when he took in my appearance. I wonder what he was thinking about.
"Boy, did you take the necklace?" he asked me with a calm voice.
"I didn't sir" I replied, looking straight at him.
I'm never going to admit to something I didn't do, no matter how much of a coward I might be.
"Shut up. You were the only one who went to my desk. Why do you keep denying it?"
It seems like everyone believes that those who have no background are nothing but riffraffs. No one even bothered to give me the benefit of a doubt except the girl, Emily.
I'm still confused as to why she stood up for me.
"Can't you hear me?" The annoyed voice brought me back from my thoughts.
"Why are you silent? I asked why you keep refusing when he said you werea the only one who went to his desk?" The principal questioned.
I stared at both of them for a moment, unsure of what to say.
"How are you so sure that I was the only one that went to your desk sir? And why are you so sure that I stole it? What evidence do you have to prove it?" I shot back with gritted teeth.
Both men looked at me dumbfounded. I'm sure they didn't expect me to ask them such questions. But am I to keep quiet when something I didn't do is being pinned on me?
" Fine then. You want evidence right? Let's go to the security room. Then we'll find out if you are really innocent or not." The principal said and walked towards the door, compelling I and Mr Raymond to follow.
When the door was opened, we saw the students standing few steps away from the door with guilty expressions.
The principal sneered and made his way to the security room.
"What do you think happened?"
"Do you think he might have confessed?"
"Did he really steal the necklace?"
"Of course he did. Who else would?"
The students whispered among themselves loud enough for me to hear as I followed the two men.
As I shifted my gaze to the far corner of the corridor, I saw Emily looking at me, her eyes filled with mixed emotions.
Our eyes met and I felt the voices in the background drown.
In her eyes I saw fear, confusion , curiosity and pity.
My gaze on her was filled with indifference but only I knew the turmoil I felt inside.
I stepped into the security room feeling nervous. Even though I knew that I never stole anything, I know how unfair life can be.
Life has never favored me and I doubt there's a high chance it will favor me now either.
The principal asked one of the securitymen to play the footage and we watched the footage from the time Mr Raymond entered the staffroom in the morning till when he returned from my class, searching for his necklace.
From the beginning to the end, I was the only one who went to his desk, his bag apart from him.
There was only two CCTV cameras in the staffroom as no one would suspect anything happening there. The footage showed that I was the only one that went to his desk but the angle of the cameras made it hard for it to show what I was doing behind the desk.
My heart sank to my stomach after watching the footage.
How am I to prove my innocence now?
"Are you still going to deny it?" Mr Raymond asked me, his voice filled with disdain.
I shifted my gaze from the computer to look at him. I opened my mouth to defend myself but no word came out.
I felt so miserable and unlucky.
"Why are you quiet? Answer him" the principal shouted.
"I didn't steal it. I swear I didn't steal it" I said with gritted teeth, my fists clenched so tight that it drew blood.
"If you admit to your mistake, I am willing to let this go Ethan. I just hate liars the most, so stop wasting our time and confess already" Mr Raymond said, frustration laced in his voice.
"I didn't do it. Why should I admit to something I didn't do?" I refused to back down.
"So stubborn. Okay then. Unfortunately Mr Ethan, this school is no place for thieves and liars. Therefore you are expelled from this school." The principal said resignedly and left the security room.
Mr Raymond looked at me for a few minutes as I stood there, looking drained. He sighed and left the room.
"You can leave now boy. We don't want anything getting missing here" one of the securitymen present said with contempt.
I didn't bother looking at them and dragged myself out of the door, towards my class.
My emotions were a mess. I didn't know what to do anymore.
Going to school was the only hope I had in life. Despite the whole maltreatment I received from my aunt's family, I was still grateful to them for sending me to school.
Now getting expelled like this, I'm sure they wouldn't bother enrolling me in another school.
Why is life so unfair?
My eyes were fixed on the tiled floor as I dragged my feet to the classroom. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed the red fluid on my hand and I scoffed, my eyes brimming with unshed tears.
I entered the classroom and walked to my seat to pick my bag without looking at my classmates' faces.
As I turned to leave the classroom, I felt something hit the back of my heard, a sticky liquid sliding down my dark hair, the shell falling to the ground. Raw eggs.
Just then I felt another, and another.
The whole classroom was filled with laughter and mockery directed at me.
I stood there fixed at a spot, receiving the assault without any protest.
"Stop it, all of you" a female voice echoed amid the laughter. I slowly raised my head to the direction the voice came from.
It was her, again. Emily.
"Emily what is your problem? Why do you like standing up for a thief? Didn't you hear what happened in the security room? This rascal here stole the necklace but still had the nerve to keep denying it. Now his stubbornness has gotten him expelled" a girl shouted, pointing at me.
"Yeah, serves him right. I wonder where he got the nerve from"
"Not only does he lack parents but also a sense of dignity"
"That doesn't mean he should be treated this way. People make mistakes. Must you all be this harsh?" Emily spoke up again and I could feel how nervous and unsure she felt at the moment.
My heart was filled with gratitude towards her. She was the only one who stood up for me and I was really grateful. She didn't need to stand up for me anymore. There was no point.
I forced a smile at her and moved a foot to leave.
Just then I felt a punch on my face, making me stagger back a bit, taste of metal filling my mouth.
I raised my head and saw Daniel looking at me with anger and disgust.
"Look at the shame you brought to our family. I've always disliked you but right now, I hate you so much. I wish my mom never brought you home" Daniel shouted, his eyes blazing with anger.
The punch itself didn't hurt as much as the word that came with it.
I sneered at him and continued making my way out the door.
As I walked out I saw Emily looking at me from the corner of my eye. She looked as if she wanted to say something more but couldn't.
My whole body reeked from the raw eggs thrown at me.
As I walked out of the school gate, a smile came across my face. A smile that bore all my sorrow and unhappiness.
Guess this is where my academic journey comes to an end.