This Is Not Love

The Principal was on the phone with someone when he heard a knock on the door then it slowly creaked opened. Seeing Lucretia at the door, he beckoned her in. "Let me call you back later Mr. Morrison." He muttered and hanged up, placing the phone beside him. "Why did you skip school yesterday?" He relaxed his back on his seat as he clasped his hands.

"I'm sorry sir." She looked down. "I did it because I had to prove that I was innocent about the video circulating the net. I heard you invited my parents over yesterday." She looked up.

"Yes Lucretia. So now, what do you have to say about the video? You will have to face the disciplinary committee if you don't have anything better to say about it. Your parents..."

"I do have something to say sir." Lucretia hastily snapped in, cutting the Principal off as she rummaged through the small pocket on her bag for the drive. "This will clear my name." She finally got hold of the drive and stretched it out to the Principal. He glanced sceptically at her face then to the drive, reaching out for it. "And what is this?" He took it.

"Evidence to prove that the whole incident was a well laid out plan of Daisy. I really knew nothing about it sir."

The Principal stared quizzically at her for a while and then asked to take a seat whiles he inserted the drive into his laptop. Lucretia sat down, taking a deep breath as she waited with apprehension for the Principal to find the folder and play the footage.

*****

Nikita and Nelly stared nervously at Philip and they could see his face contorting with so much rage. The normal sweet and witty aura around him gradually fading away and leaving a dark aura. Nelly panicked and held onto Nikita's hand.

"What are we going to do?" She whispered to Nikita.

"Don't ask me Nelly. I wish the ground could open now and swallow me up." She took a quick glance at Nelly then back to Philip who was throwing daggering eyes at Daisy.

"H–how did you get here Phil?" Daisy stuttered.

"What do you think you were up to Daisy?" He ignored her question. "Did you think I will never find out all the bad things you did to Lucretia? Did you even have to go to that extent? God– Daisy." He ruffled his hair in near tears; not knowing what to do nor say for a short second. "You know what? You're coming with me." He graped her hand and pulled her along. Nelly and Nikita glanced at each other in agitation as the feeling of horror flashed on their faces. "Oh no." They chorused and rushed after them.

"Where are you taking me to?" Daisy hastily asked out of panic as they took up the same path which Lucretia took. There was no way she should get caught. She grumbled mentally to herself. It will really affects her father's political career and businesses. She tried to release her hand from his grip but there was no way that was going to be easy.

"To the Principal's office." He paused in his tracks and he took a quick gaze at Daisy. "You're going to tell him everything." He muttered and continued dragging her along. There was nothing both Nelly and Nikita could think of doing at that moment than to just tag along. "I did this because of you Phil.." She shouted almost in tears. At that moment, they trod past Lorena, the gossip of their class. Just at the glance of them, she knew something big was about to happen. She grasped and rushed off towards their class. The bell had already went off for lessons to begin so almost all the students were in their class; leaving the corridors and hallways barely empty.

Philip instinctively came to a halt and deftly glanced at Daisy, stunned. Nelly and Nikita also stopped right beside Daisy. "Because of me?" He queried.

"Yes Phil." She uttered amidst tears. "I did it because I love you. What did you think? I couldn't stand watching her always around you. I couldn't stand watching you care so much about her instead of caring for me." She sniffed, "Did you even realized that the way you look at her changed?"

Philip felt dumbfounded for a brief seconds not really knowing what to think nor feel at that moment. Seeing him like that, Daisy thought she had gotten to him but what happened next took her by surprise. "That's not love Daisy.." He slightly shook his head. "It's the lamest excuse ever." He took her hand and continued to drag her along.

It was around 8:45am and yet still the teacher was not yet in class. The whole class was bustling with the giggles and witty chats of students; making the room a bit noisy.

"Hey girls, have you seen Lucretia?" Jayden questioned.

"Oh yes." Mimie paused her chat with Crystal and glanced at him. "She went....." She didn't even end her statement when Lorena slammed into the class, "Hey guys." She shouted, panting heavily as she swallowed a loop of salver. The whole class instantly fell silent, pausing whatever they were doing as they all turned their gaze to her in wait for whatever news she had in her pocket." I just saw Philip dragging Daisy to the Principal's office." She announced, making Mimie, Crystal and Jayden took quizzical glances at each other whiles the rest of the class broke into whisperes among themselves. "I thought she said we shouldn't say anything to Philip." Mimie queried.

"Come on guys," Lorena's voice interrupted. "I think something big is about to happen." she exclaimed and without waiting for another minute, rushed out.

The entire class was thrown into rumpus as everybody made their way out of the door, following after Lorena. Crystal, Mimie and Jayden were no different from the others. Hearing the noise from the corridors, other students leaned on their windows whiles others and their teachers trod to the door to find out what was going on.

"This is going to be crazily big." one of the students exclaimed as they hurried by.

****

The Principal kept glancing at Lucretia the whole time he was watching the video. He was quite composed but the looks in his eyes was evident enough that he was astonished by the whole incident unfolding before his eyes.

Just as the video ended, the office's door slammed opened without a knock. Both Lucretia and the Principal deftly glanced at the door only to see Philip, Daisy, Nelly and Nikita.

"Phil–?" Lucretia sprang up from her seat, quiet confused as she didn't understand what was really going on.