St. Catherine's High School was a place of rules, routines, and respect—at least on the surface. To anyone walking through its gates, it looked like any other elite school in Lagos: neat compounds, students in crisp uniforms, and teachers who carried themselves with pride. But to those who had spent years within its walls, it was clear that the school's true heartbeat wasn't in its classrooms or its assembly hall. It was in the principal's office.
Mr. Adewale was more than a principal. He was a figure of authority, a man whose reputation stretched beyond the school, into education boards and even government circles. He was tall, always impeccably dressed in tailored suits, his voice deep and commanding. To students, he was both feared and respected. To teachers, he was a mystery they dared not question.
Jide, a senior and one of the top students in his class, had always kept his distance from Mr. Adewale. He preferred to stay in the background, observing rather than participating. His best friend, Aisha, was different—sharp-tongued, bold, and always ready to challenge anyone who thought they were untouchable. And then there was Ngozi, the fearless student journalist who could sniff out a story from miles away.
It was during a routine after-school cleanup that Jide first noticed something strange.
The principal's office was being repainted, and a large portrait of Mr. Adewale—one that had hung on the wall for as long as anyone could remember—had been temporarily taken down. Behind it, on the wall, was a faint outline of a small, rectangular shape. It wasn't just a stain or a mark from the frame; it was too deliberate. Curiosity got the better of Jide, and when no one was looking, he slipped into the office.
He pressed his hand against the wall and felt a slight indentation. It was a hidden compartment, cleverly concealed behind the portrait. His heart pounded as he pried it open, revealing a small, sealed envelope. The paper was aged, the ink slightly faded, but the name on it was unmistakable: _Adewale_.
He didn't open it then. Instead, he slipped it into his bag, his mind racing. Whatever was inside, it was meant to stay hidden. And now, Jide had become part of a secret he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
That night, as he lay in bed, the envelope tucked under his mattress, Jide couldn't shake the feeling that his life at St. Catherine's was about to change forever.