A NEW FRIEND OR A FIEND.

Vanya was in the hospital with her sick mom. She took hold of her mom's hand, as she lay on the bed.

'Mom, when are you coming home?' Vanya asks rhetorically. 'I really miss you; your bedtime story, and your sweet words.' Vanya stares at her mom for a while, and then, she dozes off, beside her mom's bed.

'Hello, young lady. Wake up; your dad is here.' The nurse taps Vanya, waking her up. She walks to her dad reluctantly.

'Oh my precious daughter, I sincerely apologize. I forgot to come earlier – I was busy at work.' The senator says apologetically.

'Dad, why is mom still in the hospital?' Vanya asks.

'It's just complicated. Her health is not yet stable. The doctor recommends that she should remain in medical care, for some time. Very soon, your mom will come back home.' Senator Theodore informs his daughter. The both enter the car and drive home. Vanya missed her mom a lot. She really wished she could help, but she couldn't.

In the morning, Vanya got ready for school, as every other day. Her nanny, Angela, was nowhere to be found. She searched every where she could think of, until she found her sitting in the garden, studying the bible.

'Good morning, Angela.' Vanya greets Angela, who looked a bit uptight. 'Angela, you're tensed. Why is that?'

'It's nothing. Do you need me now?'

'No, I don't. I was quite worried; I didn't see you this morning, but seeing everything is fine, I will be off to school.' Vanya waves Angela goodbye as she enters the car and Angela waves back.

When Oliver reached school, his core assignment was to get to the technological department. He drops his books in his locker, and then walks to the Technological department, holding his mom's picture close.

When he reached the department, he sneaks into the ICT unit, where all the gadgets were kept. The ICT unit was the greatest collection of gadgets Oliver had ever seen, up-close, in his life.

'Wow!' He exclaims. Immediately, he hears footsteps approaching. He hides behind the projector, which was in the center of the ICT unit.

Soon enough, the glass door was opened wide, Vanya, Charlotte, and Maryam enters the ICT Unit.

'Can you imagine Mr. Albert; he gave us a big scar, when he told us we had an emergency test.' Charlotte utters.

'It isn't a big hitch if we'd any test - I was ready for any that came by.' Maryam brags.

Vanya was not interested in her friend's chit-chat – she had too much in her mind. Vanya takes the laptop Mr. Albert requested for.

'Girls, let's go.' She says, as she leads the way. The girls were about to go, when Oliver hits the table by mistake, causing a gadget to fall, breaking it.

'What's that?' They ask in unison. The three slowly walk to the projector.

'Who is there?' They ask again.

Oliver was now fidgeting badly, his lips were shaking, and he was sweating. He wanted to run out, but it was no use; the girls were coming from the entrance.

Oliver was still hiding when Charlotte saw him.

'It's the new boy!' Charlotte exclaims.

'Which boy…?' Vanya asks impatiently. She walks to Charlotte. 'Is this the new boy? What is he doing here?' Vanya asks, baffled.

Oliver wanted to disappear. He was so ashamed, or better still embarrassed.

Maryam saunters to the two girls and glares at Oliver.

'Maybe he lost his way or something; he's new.' Maryam tries to defend him.

'No, I don't think so. If he really lost his way, he won't be hiding like this,' Vanya replies.

'Yes – true; if he had nothing to hide, then why hiding here.' Charlotte adds.

'I have a thought that he is here to steal one of the gadgets. We'll take him to the principal.' Vanya concludes.

'No, don't act so cruel; we should hear the boy out – he may have something to say.' Charlotte suggests.

All eyes were on Oliver, they watched him intensely, waiting for him to say a word. But Oliver could not tell them what he had in mind – I can't just blurt out that I am looking for my mom; they would laugh at me, he thought. He just stayed like a goat taking to the slaughter house.

After several minutes of silence, Vanya breaks the stillness.

'It's crystal-clear that our guess was right. He has nothing to say.'

The three girls took him to the principal's office instantaneously. He was so scared; he almost peed on his pants.

At the principal's office, Oliver could not breathe; the atmosphere around him was choked up despite being well ventilated. If he was expelled from this school, what would his father think of him? His father's efforts will then be in waste. He couldn't possibly let this happen.

He stood in front of the principal of Cyberson's Gold Dream Academy, he couldn't think straight.

'Young man,' the principal says, 'is it true that you were found in the ICT unit?' The principle asks calmly, which made Oliver surprised.

'Yes sir, it's true.' Oliver replies sadly.

'Is it true that you wanted to steal some gadgets from the unit?' The principal asks.

'No sir; I had no intention of stealing any gadgets, and I am new in this school. I wanted to simply use a gadget for personal research.' Oliver replies smartly.

'It's understandable that you're new, but Vanya told me you hid the moment you saw her and her friends. It's suspicious, don't you think so?'

'Sir, my intentions were right. In most schools I've been to, students are not allowed to use the ICT unit for personal research. When the girls came in, I was triggered by fear of being caught, so I hid. But, I heard from some students that this school is quite unique. I am sorry for the problem; I assure you, it won't happen again.' Oliver replies smartly yet again, impressing the principal.

'You're a brilliant young chap. I love how you speak – it's appealing. You can go on the basis that you would seek permission from Mr. Albert, the ICT teacher, or any other official, whenever you felt the need of doing "personal research" again.' The principal says, smiling.

'Thank you, sir.'

'What's your name?'

'It's Oliver. Oliver Sparrow.'

'See you again, Oliver.' The principal says, as Oliver leaves the office happily.

'Thank God.' He heaves a sigh of relieve.

Vanya was still at the ICT unit, when she saw a picture on the ground, near the projector. She picks it up. It was quite old. She was about to drop it, when she realized that the person in that picture looked very much like the new boy. And she remembered that he hid there all along. So she takes the picture with her.