Empire High School Episode 24 by Ademide

Empire High School Episode 24 by Ademide

••• Previously on EHS •••
“So can we date?” I asked
Kate nodded with a smile then I hugged her.
Yes!
“Thank You” I said
For not saying no to me! I realized that confessing to Kate wasn’t as hard as I had thought. I took the bold step.
She said Yes! Kate loves me too! And now she was mine!

? •• ? •• ?
Chapter 24
Katherine’s POV
It was on Monday morning. I walked down the crowded hallway. It was just before assembly and some students gathered in groups. Pupils were chatting, some laughing, some whispered furiously, shaking their heads. I stopped to look around, and I noticed students were pointing at me and making furtive gestures. What’s going on?
Why are they staring at me?
Do I have something on my face?
“You can never trust anyone..” A student said
“I hate pretenders” A female student on my right said as she stared down at her phone.
A girl bumped into me as I was studying the expressions on their faces.
“Oh! Don’t touch me! I’m not a Les!” She growled at me and i jumped in fear.
Students laughed
And I tried to think of what she just said..
I’m not a Les?!
I apologized and continued walking. I was already feeling scared and I didn’t want to accept what my mind was telling me.
“I never liked girls only school. Those girls engage in improper things” Another student said to a couple of girls.
I stopped on track and turned to see the person. She was a Junior Students.
what are they looking at on their phones?
And what could be the matter?
I continued walking
“Kate! Kate!”
The bell rang at the same time someone was calling my name. Elena came running to meet me.
“Get to the assembly ground!”
She growled at the students. And they started leaving the hallway to the assembly ground.
I was confused!
“Elena what’s going on?”
Elena gave me a serious look
“Kate, don’t you know what happened?”
She said
“What? I noticed the students won’t stop staring at their phones. And someone said something..about Hating girls only school..”
“Yeah..Some students are saying something..about..you” she stuttered
And I froze immediately.
Elena continued
“When I got to school this morning, I heard some junior students talking about you. And there’s a picture of you..kissing..another..girl from..your previous school”
“What?!” I went still again
Elena nodded as she brought out her cellphone. She showed me an image..The same ones that had ruined my reputation in Linda Girls College.
How did this happened?!
No! This can’t be happening again!
I trembled and my palms became sweaty! I tried to talk normally but my voice failed me.
“They are saying that..You are a Lesbian” Elena said
Oh! That’s it! No wonder a student used the word “Les” On me!
“H.Ho..How..Who..No..Please who posted this on the school page?”
My voice came out in a quavering whisper. My heart was pounding hard like marching soldiers feet.
“An anonymous person sent it out to the students” she replied
“I don’t believe it Kate but I think its better to stay away from class today” Elena said
I nodded and walked away from Elena in a rush. I motioned towards an empty class, opened up one of the empty lockers there and then I sat in it. The locker was the only safe place I could think of now.
It was happening again!
Who Is the anonymous person?
I thought deeply
Cynthia?
No!/she doesn’t even know my new school. And we haven’t spoken since the incident at Linda Girls College.
How do I clear myself now?
A tear slid down my cheekbone as I sat in the dark locker.

?
Jeffrey’s POV
“We can’t find her” Elena panicked when she came to me with Temi and Jones behind her.
“Have you checked the library?” Emeka asked
“She isn’t there either..” Temi replied
“And we checked the tuckshop too” Jones added
“Elena, but you said that you saw her this morning” I said
“Yes and I only told her to stay away from class today” Elena explained
Where could she be at this time?
It was closing time and we’ve been searching for Kate since we saw the pictures posted on the school page.
Everyone was talking bad about about Katherine. Students made some rude jokes about it and also said some silly things about her. It was rumored that Katherine was a lesbian in her previous school.
Lesbian?! Impossible! I can’t even believe it!
“Kate is not a lesbian!” We all tried to defend her but the rumor had gone around Like a wide fire. The anonymous poster had claimed that Kate was caught kissing and having sex in the girls toilet at her previous school. The poster further explained that Kate’s partner was her Senior and School mother.
Rubbish! I wish I could locate that Anonymous Poster!
The news was everywhere, even the teachers already heard about it. And Mr Joel requested for Kate’s presence in his office but we couldn’t find her.
“Did she sneak out of school?” Jones asked
“No, I don’t think so. Mr Ben would have seen her” Emeka replied
“What do we do? Its getting late” Temi said
The time was 4:35pm. And the school was extremely silent.
“You guys can leave, I’ll stay back and search for Kate” I said
“I’m not going to leave until I find Katherine” I added
“Same here” Emeka said
“Who could it be?” Elena whispered
“Who?” Emeka repeated
“The anonymous poster” she said
“I think, it’s someone from Kate’s previous school” Emeka answered
I tried to think
“And what if its someone who doesn’t like Katherine presence at EHS?”
Jones interjected
And we all stopped on track
“Come to think of it, Kate had a fight with Angella last week friday and she promised to deal with Katherine” Jones added
“That’s true!” Temi exclaimed
“Even if its Angella’s doing, then how did she get those pictures?” I asked
“You don’t even know what Angella is capable of doing. She’s a witch. She could go extra mile just to destroy anybody” Emeka said
“I’m sure she visited Linda Girls college page and did a background check on Katherine to tarnish her good name here at EHS” Jones Gritted
Something is missing! I don’t think Angella was involved in this case!
How could she go to such an extent to destroy another person?
“We have to find the truth and help Kate. I don’t like the idea of junior students calling her a lesbian” Emeka said in a sad tone.
“Despite the picture, I still don’t want to believe Kate is a Lesbian. She’s not a lesbian!” Elena said
A lesbian is attracted to other females! And Katherine was in love with me.. And not Elena or Temi.
She’s my girlfriend!
I wish I could just scream it out to the students so they would know Kate is not a lesbian!
“Let’s search one more time” Jones said
Suddenly we heard footsteps down the hallway. We all turned towards the direction and then Katherine was there. She stopped walking when her gaze fell on us.
“Kate!” Temi and Elena rushed to her.
She has been crying! I knew it from the look on her face. It was red and swollen.
“Where have you been?”
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you Kate!”
Temi and Elena questioned about her whereabout.
Kate didn’t say anything . She was trying to avoid an eye contact with everyone.
“I don’t believe it” Emeka said
Then she started to speak but she stopped as soon as our gaze locked.
“Katherine, no matter what they say, we don’t believe the news” Temi squeezed her hands gently.
“W..why?..But you saw the pictures?” She said shakily
“Yes but it doesn’t matter. I mean any computer guru could have made up such pictures” Elena added
Kate closed her eyes
“But..its true” Kate said
“What?!” We exclaimed, mouths dropping wide.
“Are you a lesbian?” Jones asked furiously
“No”
She reopened them
We sighed in relief
“The picture is real but the news is false. I am not a lesbian” she said looking straight at me.
Yes I know, and you don’t have to defend yourself because I don’t Believe the news too.
I said to myself and wished Kate could read my mind at that moment.
“Do you want to tell us what happened at your previous school?” Elena asked
“You have to tell us everything so that we can find the anonymous person and also for us to be able defend you properly” Emeka said
Kate swallowed hard
“Well..It’s a long story”
She said
“Tell us the essential part maybe we might be able to find the missing puzzle” I said
And they nodded in agreement
Kate gave me a short nod
And we all made our way to the class. Ready to listen to Katherine’s tale of her previous school.