The next day, I walk to school with a strange feeling. How will things go today? We didn't hear anything from the police or the school yesterday, but rumors are already circulating on social media about documents that have gone missing.
When I enter, everyone is already talking about "the theft." Groups of students are discussing what they think happened and who might have done it. The hallways are filled with gossiping students, but there's hardly a teacher in sight.
We start the day with an hour with our mentor; apparently, they've adjusted the schedules for this, because normally we don't see Mrs. Brooks again until tomorrow afternoon. "Good morning everyone, yesterday was quite a day! Now I'm here with you to talk about yesterday. To say that if you want to talk about how things went, you're always welcome to. I also have to ask you to contact the police immediately if you remember anything that might be helpful. And of course, I have to tell you not to talk about this too much with your fellow students, meaning no gossip. Now, I know perfectly well you'll do that anyway, but I told you."
A classmate raises his hand, and as soon as it's his turn, he begins to speak. "But if you tell us what's really going on, then we won't have to gossip." Mrs. Brooks smiles briefly, knowing full well where this is going. "You know what? You're practically adults. I think you know how to handle this kind of information." The class chimes in, hoping for a bit of information that might spark a new rumor. "Like the stories are going around; important documents from the boardroom have been locked away." "Like what?" "I have no idea! I know just as much as you know now." The class nods briefly, a sign that it doesn't really matter.
Of course, as soon as we leave the classroom, students start chattering. Who could it be? Classmates point to the new IT guy; after all, he's only been working at this school for two weeks! Or the cleaning lady who's only been here a month; no one would notice if she walked into the office. Some even mention the substitute janitor who's only been here for a few days. Everyone's in a heated discussion about who it could be; it's clearly the topic of the day.
I try not to think about it too much; I just want to get through my day peacefully. The police will definitely handle it; they've been trained, if necessary. They might even have a suspect after yesterday's interrogations. As I turn the corner, I see the police are still in the boardroom. The room has been cordoned off; it looks like they're taking fingerprints. However, I wonder how far they can get; there must be so many fingerprints to be found. Every student with problems, teacher with questions, or assistant has been in there. If necessary, the fingerprints you need are on the missing documents.
As I walk outside, I run into Mrs. Brooks. She pauses briefly and then follows me. "Justin." I turn around, and she takes me aside. "I heard you were in the hallway. Did you really see anything besides the noise? I understand if you don't want to snitch on anyone, but you can always talk to me." I nod briefly. "I really only heard the noise, otherwise I'll tell you." She seems to accept this answer and walks away with a nod.