Block 5 was the only building of the primary section that was closely connected to the secondary section. So, its cafeteria was fully used by the primary students. That meant, after breakfast, the café was super messy.

Natalie fell on her knees after the staff cleared out. She thought that she would die before the hall was even half tidy, especially if it was the tidiness that Mr. Gram expected.

She collected her strength afterward and begun moping the floor. She cried as she did so. She did not deserve the punishment that she got. She never sneaked out of the dormitory but, why was Nicky harassing her?

What if Mr. Gram really demoted her? What if he also disqualified her from participating in the debate competitions? Then, she would lose her studies.

The thought made her burst into tears.

“It’s unfair. It’s unfair.” She cried.

She was so absorbed in her gloom that she did not notice when someone walked in with a colleague.

“Yeah. Thanks, Trevor. I should have thought of this.” One of them was saying.

They stood at the entrance many meters from where Natalie was.

“So, I’ll just tell Nicky and, we can have the disco here, later tonight.” The boy went on.

“Sure.” Trevor replied shortly. He already noticed the odd in the cafeteria hall.

“Mmh. Punishment?” the other guy asked glancing at the girl at the opposite end of the hall.

“Could be.” Trevor replied. He narrowed his eyes attempting to recognize her from the back side. His colleague had already left.

He padded across the whole and the sound of his feet echoed making Natalie turn around. Trevor frowned with confusion at the grotesque expression that Natalie gave away.

“Natalie?” he called in a low voice.

Natalie sighed and vainly tried to wipe the tears from her face.

He paused at a single step from her, still staring at her with disbelief. “What happened?”

She sighed again. “I didn’t do anything Trevor. I swear… last night. I, I … I just went down for a drink and your friend, one of the seniors. She met me and, I didn’t do anything to her… now, she took me to Mr. Gram and, he could withdraw me from the competitions.” She mumbled.

“Listen.” He spoke after she did. He grasped her both arms forcing her to release the mop from her grip. He felt her hands tremble, but, that was not a detail to retain at the moment. “Take a deep breath and calm down.”

“I can clean this hall Trevor, I can drop down from the post I have but, I need that sponsorship… you don’t understand.” She cried.

“I do and, I promise you that, you will participate in those competitions.” He assured hoping that he got the main concept. “Now, will you please stop crying?”

She squeezed her eyes shut, exhaling loudly. A lump of tears stuck in her throat. More than what she already mentioned, Nicky and what they must have done to her Caitlin terrorized her. She was agitated to but, she could not let him know.

“So, was it a Minister who took you to Mr. Gram?”

She nodded reopening her eyes. Perhaps, for the first time he could meet his gaze closely. His emerald eyes looked straight through her when he said anything.

“Which Minister?”

“Nicky, Irene Stewart. The sports lady I think.”

“What were her grounds when she reported you?”                                                         “She said that, she saw me last night, half nude…seriously? And, that I sneaked out, which is not true. I only went for a glass of water in the kitchen downstairs of our dormitory building.”

“Did she bring witnesses?”

“She mentioned Paulina, the St. Ann Marie student from France. They must be testifying against me at his office right now.”

Trevor, who just realized that he was still holding her hands, released her and walked backwards a few steps. “I don’t get it. Why would Nicky want to implicate you?”

“She’s your fellow senior I know but, can you please side with me in this?”

“Natalie, I believe you. Don’t think that I cherish having classes in our community. We’re all students and, she could be wrong as much.” He paused, glancing at her environment. He then looked up at her and said, “Let’s do this, leave this work, the workers have to do it for a disco later at eight.”

“Mr. Gram?”

“I’ll see and talk to him.”

“He asked me to see him during recess. Perhaps, you’ll also come?”

“No. I’ll see him now. You said that, Nicky is with the St. Ann Marie girl in his office now, right? Let me go and take care of things for you. You go back to class.”

She smiled gratefully and for the first time dared to spread his hands around him. She had him close to herself, his broad chest beating strongly against her own. He was warm and, Natalie almost thought that she could snuggle on him forever and forget all worries. But, only a few seconds later she drew back. Probably he experienced the same thing. Special, ethereal.

She swallowed. “I’m… I’m sorry.”

He smiled on one side. A gesture that tantalized her. “It’s fine. Hey, leave that. I’ll take care of it.”

She nodded quickly and briskly walked out.

Trevor mused on the few seconds that he held Natalie. Ha had not feel the heat of a woman for a while. The last he remembered was that of his own mom six years back. Probably in the August holiday, he could feel it again.

He looked down at the fallen mop, the bucket of soap and there he knew what he must do.

He had an hour to turn the hall clean and thirty minutes to see Mr. Gram before recess. He had lied to Natalie that he could talk to Mr. Gram to withdraw her punishment. What he could do however, was serve all that were due to Natalie himself. And that meant all that were due.

did that include demotion from President? stay tuned and find out...