The only previous time I'd been that nervous and uncomfortable in school was when I had my first period.

Why is she still in school?' I wondered.

I looked around to check if John was present as well, but neither him nor his sister was in school.

In the middle of a lecture, Princess mum, Mrs. Boardman appeared at the front entrance, requesting for her daughter's presence.

Of course! I whispered. It all made sense. Princess was still in school because her expulsion had been revoked, and her mother's presence in school attested to that. Mrs. Boardman was a wealthy businesswoman, and one of the most powerful matrons of the school. The previous year, she almost highhandedly sponsored the construction of the ultra-modern e-library complex. Asides that, she had contributed to numerous school projects. For all she had done for the school, requesting for the verdict on her daughter to be overturned wouldn�t be too much to ask for.

During break, Sharon and Sophie came over to my class to check if I hadn't changed my mind about going to see Princess after school. Being discreet as much as I could, I motioned to them to check out the corner where Princess sat, patiently browsing through a comic that she held.

They were as startled as much as I was, upon seeing Princess in school after being expelled. When I showed them the note I found in my locker, they became even more puzzled.

This isn�t her handwriting, Sharon quickly pointed out.

Yes I know, but she could have easily changed it, I suggested.

Why would she change her writing? It doesn't make sense that she would try to hide the fact that she wrote it, if she indeed did write it, Sophie opined.

And what�s with the letters at the foot of the note, Sharon queried.

''XOXO? It means kisses and hugs. I get them a lot in the letters I receive from my many admirers'', Sophie admitted proudly. The school bell churned to signal the end of the lunch break, so Sophie and Sharon returned to their class.

I found it hard to concentrate in class that day, given all that had happened. At first, I was mystified, puzzled by the mysterious note with no bearer's name. Deep inside, I had a conviction it was Princess who wrote and kept it in my locker. The more I gave thought to this theory, the more enraged I became. The thought that Princess was trying to mess with me by sending me an enigmatic note infuriated me. I was on the verge of losing it.

At the sound of the closing bell, I approached her furiously.

What is the meaning of this? I said, holding forth the note, so she could see.

Appearing utterly unmoved by my delirious approach, Princess took a glance at the note. As she did, I took cognizance of her facial expressions. At first, she looked worried. I could tell by the way her brows folded up, begetting a slight strain on her temple. After a few seconds, she smiled.

I didn't write that, Princess declared, as she picked up her bag and left.

Something felt off. I couldn�t pin it down, but between Princess's strange reaction and her stark denial, I was certain of it. Even though she claimed not to have written the note, I was certain that she knew something, but for some reason, wouldn�t tell me.

I tossed the note in the thrash before leaving school, deciding to get it off my mind.

Days passed, and things returned to the way they were. Princess and I went back to ignoring each other's existence, and I was already forgetting about the mysterious note. On a particular day, a memo was issued in school to inform the students of an impending excursion. The trip was a yearly practice of the school, and students often looked forward to having the chance to break free from school activities during the term. Of course it wasn't meant for all the students, but just the interested ones and ones who could afford it.

I returned home that day with the school-issued letter to inform my parents about the excursion, but it turned out that I wasn�t the only one with an important news. My dad had jus

just gotten a job offer in another university, with a bigger salary package. Also, upon resumption, he would take up the mantle as H.O.D. Even though we were all pretty excited about the news, it was a bit worrying that my dad would only come home on weekends, due to the distance to his new place of work.

I gave my dad the letter after dinner, and he signed the consent form quickly. He even promised to double my allowance for the trip. The mood in the family was definitely gay at the time.

Exactly a week after I found the note in my locker, I uncovered another. I found it in the same position I found the first, after returning from the assembly hall. This time though, it�s content was precise and less mystifying:

Just a second with you thwarts any valuable gem.

Deserving to be in your presence is my earnest yearn.

Just a minute with you equates a utopian realm.

The privilege to be in your world is what I hope to earn.

XOXO

Sophie and Sharon teased and poked fun at me for having a secret admirer, but I shared none of the humour. I was worried. I was curious about the identity of the mystery lover.

Over the following days, I made sure that I got to school early, hoping to apprehend ''John Doe'', as Sophie often regarded him, since his identity was unknown. After my first three attempts to nail him proved futile, an important detail came to my mind. There was a pattern to the delivery of the notes. I got the first note on a Tuesday, after assembly, and I got the second exactly a week later, on a Tuesday. It was indeed peculiar.

I figured the pattern out on a Friday, so I had to wait till the following week to nab my admirer.

The days passed slowly, and eventually, Tuesday came. I hadn't told my friends about the plan since I wasn�t so sure about it. Moreover, I was unsure about how pleasing my discovery would be, so I kept it all to myself.

I snuck out of the assembly hall a couple of minutes early, advancing to my class, hoping to uncover who John Doe really was. While I jogged all the way too my class, series of thoughts flashed through my mind. I thought about several shocking scenarios about my discovery of John Doe�s identity. In the most unnerving versions, John Doe turned out to be John, Princess or both of them. I felt either or both of them could be playing a silly prank on me. I knew for sure that if my suspicion turned out to be true, I would definitely have a fit.

As I approached my destination, I reduced the pace of my strides significantly. Taking a peek through the keyhole of the back door, I saw the rear view of a male student, staring meticulously at the class board. I opened the door a bit in order to get a better view of the mystery student, but as I did so, the door creaked.

Just as though he had just......
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