My table was just in the middle of the big staff room that housed all the staff of Stars Memorial. It wasn't a good thing that I was in the line of sight of anyone walking into the room. This staff room had all the big mouths, small mouths, those with trending gists, and even those who were clueless and just waited to get gist of what others knew. Here I was in the middle of all this, about the youngest teacher in the school.
I had arrived just in time for my morning classes that day. After a double period of an engaging class with my students, I was about to retire to the staff room only to hear a deep voice from behind.
“ Miss Treasure, please do well to see me in my office,”
That was the instruction from the Vice Principal.
The Vice Principal, Mr. Jacob, had been flipping through pages of several books before him since I walked in. He said nothing to me for about thirty minutes. This was strange to me. I didn't understand this silence. There was definitely something he had in mind to say before he asked that I see him, so the silent session was what I couldn't comprehend.
Source
“I'd like you to be the secretary of the PTA. I've seen you write, and I'm sure you'll do a good job”
After his statement, he went back to the book he had before him. I had believed that was all he had to say, so I made to leave the office.
“ You know you can always stop by anytime” he said
“Sure, Sir” I quickly turned and made to leave the office, only to bump into Mr. Akpan, the teacher who sat just next to me in the staff room.
He sized me from head to toe in a very strange way as he saw me leave. I tried to greet him since we had not seen each other the entire day, but he didn't respond. I knew this was suspicious, but I had to let it slide.
Mr Jacob gradually became fond of me. He was an easygoing and jovial man who loved to crack jokes and play around. It was impossible for him to come around the staff room to either make an announcement or meet someone, without stopping by my table to tease me or make jokes. If he spent 10 minutes talking to others, he would spend twice the time talking to me. The conversations were always friendly and harmless, but the likes of Mr Akpan didn't think the same.
I could sense someone staring at me as I marked the notes on my table. It was Mr Akpan. He kept stealing glances, but I pretended I didn't notice all that happened. I got tired from marking and just wanted to rest a bit. Some students had come in to call Mr Akpan for a class. As he made to leave, he suddenly withdrew his steps.
“That thing you want to start with that man, you better stop”
For a while, I was lost. I kept thinking of what he said, but could only respond
“I'm not sure I understand you, Sir.”
He looked at me with a look of disdain, hissed and left the staff room. The war began.
I was a bit late this morning, so I got in to meet a full house at the staff room. Everyone in small circles chatting. I greeted them, but the conversation obviously made them take no notice of me, so my greetings got no response. I was gradually getting used to this attitude from them, but whatever caused this, I didn't know, and to be honest, I didn't really care.
The day had been a pretty long one, so I needed to take a break from the classes I had for the day. I didn't know when I slept off only to be woken by a soft touch on my shoulder.
“ Are you okay? He asked me
“Yes, I just needed to rest a while.”
“I'll be going for lunch, and if you don't mind, you could join me.” Mr Jacob asked.
I had felt really bored the entire day, and didn't mind walking out a bit to stretch my legs and have something to eat too. As I picked my purse to leave the staff room, I could sense murmurs from the corner where Mrs Ikpe sat, but that was typical, so I left.
There was a letter on my table when I returned from lunch. I was curious. It had the official stamp of the school on the envelope. I tore the envelope open, removed the letter and began to read. “This is unbelievable!” I said as I read.
A panel had been set up by the school to investigate an amorous relationship between two teachers, who they suspected were romantically involved, and the female teacher was myself. It was absurd that it was reported to the school that I was in a romantic relationship. It didn't make sense. Beyond the school environment, I had never seen Mr Jacob. The funniest of it was that I didn't even have his contact. How on earth was I romantically involved with all these surrounding realities.
Source
Everything began to make sense at this point. The murmurs and strange looks each time I got into the staff room became clear. Someone had reported me to the management, and since it was against school rules for two teachers to be romantically involved, this was a big case.
My job was on the line. I was about to lose my only source of income to some petty jealousy and insinuations from someone. One of the strongest allegations was that we were always on video calls during work hours. I was asked to surrender my phone for checking. Mr Amin went through my WhatsApp to check my call history.
He kept checking for minutes in silence, but obviously found nothing. I had never spoken to Mr Jacob on the phone. We only communicated in school. After a lot, he was unable to find anything.
“ She doesn't have his contact, and there's no history of My communication between them.” Mr Amin said
“That's not possible!” Mr Akpan who was also a part of the panel retorted.
His face began to redden, and he fumed as he looked at me as if to scare me. He was about to lose the case. Certainly, he had made this up. After he saw me leave Mr Jacob's office when I had resumed newly, and his attention whenever he came around the staffroom, he believed there was more between us, and even had to cook up lies to prove this. I always made video calls, but they were with my brother who stayed abroad.
The shame and disappointment on his face as the panel apologized and closed the case was one I wish I could capture. The chairman immediately asked that he should be served a query for such behaviour and face and indefinite suspension. I walked out of the room that afternoon, victorious and free.
