For new readers;Natalie joins Hamerton, a large school that has a lot of things going on, most of it being illegal and terrorizing. She is agonized by the news of her friend's tragic death and she has to face up with the Hamerton's bloody governance in order to secure the President's badge that has the power to decode a bomb that could cause a large massacre. she teams up with Trevor, the ex and most renowned president of Hamerton and Class D students against Nicky and her fellow evil seniors.

Where it ended last time; Natalie steels herself to speak in the debate competitions with Suresh backing her up. 

Continue;

About two hours later after a raging debate session, Natalie was walking to her room with her cellphone in hand. “Hallo?” she called, nearing her bedroom door.

“Congratulations!” Ingrid screamed over the phone.

“Ingrid?”

“Yes Natalie. We were watching you on TV. You got us to the quarter finals!”

Natalie chuckled. By this time she had entered her room, discovering that it was also empty. “Thank you.”

“So when’s your next match, session or whatever?”

“The day after tomorrow. We’ll be up against St. Jones. If we win and St. Ann Marie wins against Neumann, then we’ll meet at the finals.”

“Aah you can beat that St. Ann Marie girl. We also saw her today. She faltered in many pronunciations.”

“Ingrid, there are no marks for that. She’s French and our hosts are Germans likely, no one is expected to speak the standard accent.”

“Okay okay.” Ingrid replied with impatience. “But hey, you sound down.”

“I miss you guys, Trevor.”

“Oh we miss you too.” Ingrid said as if coaxing a crying baby. Natalie imagined her grimacing and pouting her lips.

Natalie laughed a little. “Thank you Ingrid.”

“It’s fine dear. Listen amh, Erin’s sick and I have to take care of her.”

“Oh. What’s she suffering from?”

“Not sure. She has fever but, we calmed it down with some tablets.”

“Not sure?” Natalie’s mind was stuck on Ingrid’s first sentence. “Why don’t you consult a doctor?”

 “She doesn’t want to. She’s so conservative and I can’t change her mind.”

Natalie imagined the hard look that Erin always wore on her face. It gave her chills and she decided to change the subject. “Hey, you and Steven are still going out?”

“Is that even a question? Yeah but, he’s been undercover lately. Unreachable.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure.” Ingrid replied, probably shrugging. “But, that’s how he gets when he visits his folks. He neglects even me.”

“Are you sure?” Natalie asked recalling what she learned about Steven.

Ingrid took time to reply. “Natalie, why are you asking that?”

Natalie swallowed. “Amh, it’s nothing, nothing. He must be with his folks.”

“I remember that I have to get Erin some water. Bye!” Ingrid said quickly and hang up.

Natalie sighed. She could not bear lying to her friend and yet, she could not let her know the truth. It could break Ingrid.

She lowered her phone to the bed before there were footsteps inside the room. She turned around to face the entrance.

Paula walked in with her two friends. “Oh, girls? Is it me or is the air too heavy inside this room?” she greeted and her friends laughed, cynically.

Natalie frowned. “You know, you can always leave.”

Paula eyed her with fiery eyes. “Why should I? You can go.”

“Then stop making it so difficult to share the same room with you.”

Paula remained silent and walked to her bed, opposite Natalie’s. She picked up a bag and turned to her girlfriends, ushering them out.

what happened next? stay tuned to find out.