Ms Neo leaned forward, glaring at me. I shrank back in my seat. "Shall we talk honestly?" Her voice was cold and hard. I nodded my head fearfully. That seemed to please her and she leaned back in her chair. "So, tell me about something that has been happening in school." She phrased her words like a statement but her real meaning was clear---"You did something wrong! Now own up!" I chewed on my lower lip and avoided her gaze. I scanned her table. Files and worksheets were scattered all over the desk. Gifts from past-year students were stacked haphazardly on the shelves behind her chair. An empty coffee cup, downgraded to a stationery holder, was filled with various confiscated stationery. I recognised my old ruler among the other items. "Tell me..." Ms Neo's voice snapped me out of my reverie. I looked at her and took a deep breath. Should I admit it? I kept silent. This displeased her greatly and she frowned at me. "Hurry, now...." Her growing irritation was obvious. Her words were charged with exasperation. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.
"How bout I refresh your memory? What happened on Thursday?" Beads of perspiration formed on my forehead. So she knew, but how? Who had let the cat out of the bag. Could it have been her? I discarded the thought immediately. She would not betray me. "Well... I was in the Library during recess and after that we had Chinese lesson and English lesson and... well nothing else!" It was obvious from my tone that I was lying. "Uh huh... And what were you doing at the Library?" I froze. I could not escape. I had to answer her question. "I was reading a book." A lame answer. "All 3 of us know what happened, Thomas, so there is no point for you to lie." All 3 of us. Ms Neo flinched. She realised her mistake. (END OF PART 1.)
N.B This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
