In a blink of an eye, Friday came: heavy and tense.
Fear sat quietly in everyone's hearts: parents, teachers, and of course, the students 😰
Inside the Conference Hall, the same hall used for grand events and disciplinary judgments, the air felt thicker than ever.
It had high-arched ceilings with chandelier lights that sparkled too bright; almost blinding.
Rows of polished mahogany chairs stretched neatly across the hall, and a long rectangular table stood in the center where the school board sat in their crisp suits 👔
Behind them hung the school's giant crest
"ASF College: Discipline, Honour, Excellence."
But today, those words felt more like threats than values 😓
Principal Lawrence sat at the head of the table, files stacked neatly in front of him.
To his right sat the Mrs Bliss, Vice Principal (Academics) and Mr Bamidele, the Head of Disciplinary Committee.
To his left, the School Counselor and Chaplain, both with faces carved from stone.
Across from them sat two representatives from the Ministry of Education: a man and a woman, both polished and intimidating.
Their suits were spotless, their glasses gleamed under the chandelier light.
They looked more like judges than guests ⚖️
The atmosphere screamed courtroom, not school meeting.
Outside, through the tinted glass doors, students whispered in clusters waiting, praying, gossiping.
Some said expulsion letters were already printed.
Some said Lizzy's parents were suing the school.
And others? They just wanted to see who would cry first 😬
Inside, three empty chairs stood before the panel each with a name tag:
DIANA AKINKUNMI. LOLADE MAKINDE. ELIZABETH FALANA.
Behind them sat rows of chairs for all senior students who had attended the party.
It wasn't just a judgment for the suspended, it was for everyone involved under the party spotlight 😨
A bell rang softly.
"Bring them all in," Principal Lawrence said.
The doors opened slowly, and the senior students including prefects walked in with guilt written all over their faces.
Heads down. Hearts racing 💔
The sound of their shoes echoed sharply against the marble floor.
Behind them came their parents quiet, tense, and nervous.
Cameras from the Media Club were already set up at the back not for gossip, but for official record 🎥
Principal Lawrence cleared his throat.
"This session is being recorded," he said firmly.
"No one is here to play games. The truth, today, will speak for itself."
He turned to the massive screen on the wall and tapped a button on his tablet.
The CCTV footage from the rooftop party flickered to life 📽️
Laughter. Lights. Music.
Then… chaos.
A girl stumbling near the edge.
Another holding a silver water bottle.
And a third trying to help before the scream.
The hall went dead silent.
Diana swallowed hard.
Lolade gripped the edge of her seat.
Lizzy stared straight at the screen unbothered… or pretending to be 😐
One thing was clear: everybody was hiding something.
"Pause," the principal commanded.
He stood and walked closer to the screen.
"Now tell me," he said slowly, voice sharp. "Who was holding this bottle?"
All heads turned to Lizzy.
Her lawyer rose immediately.
"With due respect, sir, footage can be misleading. We need full context."
Principal Lawrence smirked. "You'll have it."
He nodded to the IT staff.
"Play from the beginning."
The clip restarted; this time showing Lizzy earlier, laughing and handing the bottle to someone behind the crowd.
And then a shocker.💥
The person who took it… wasn't a stranger.
It was Tomi. 😳
Gasps filled the hall.
Even Diana froze, eyes wide.
"Tomi as how?" she whispered.
Principal Lawrence folded his arms.
"So… it wasn't just the three of you involved after all."
He looked at the board.
"Tomi Adekunle, step forward immediately. The truth is just starting to unfold."
Tomi stood up and walked to the front, trembling slightly.
"What was inside the silver water bottle that Lizzy gave you?" Principal Lawrence asked, his tone strict.
"I… I can't— can't remember, sir," Tomi stammered.
"Try to remember, please. I'm not here for jokes and neither are your parents."
She turned to her mom, whose eyes were filled with fear... like she could see her daughter's flying abroad if found guilty.
"If you think you're going to save anyone with lies," Principal Lawrence said darkly, "remember,... I have more things to show. We just need confirmation from you."
"I honestly can't remember," Tomi said quietly. "Just that it tasted like a mocktail. The one shared at the party was fruit-flavoured, but the one in the bottle tasted like tonic soda. It was alcohol-free."
"But the one in the silver bottle was different, right?" Principal Lawrence asked, scrolling through his papers.
"Yes, sir… it was different," Tomi said.
"You can go," he replied. "We might be asking the wrong student."
The Mrs Bliss,Vice Principal leaned forward, voice sharp.
"Tayo and Bayo, the ones who gave the bottle to Lizzy ,...step forward!"
The twins stood, both tall and neat, looking around sixteen though they carried themselves like they were eighteen.
They looked exactly like their father, who sat at the back, more focused on his phone than the chaos before him 📱
"What did you put in the bottle for Lizzy?" Principal Lawrence asked.
Bayo's jaw tightened.
"Lizzy knows too," he said sharply. "Why don't you ask her?"
"Are you talking to me like that?" Principal Lawrence shot back, his tone icy while Bayo's father finally raised his head to see what was happening.
"Lizzy told us she needed a drink, so we gave her," Tayo blurted, stirring more chaos.
"What exactly did you put inside it?"
Both boys turned to glance at their father.
If they were caught guilty, they knew what awaited them at home.
Their father owned multiple breweries, wineries, and alcohol companies meaning free access to every drink, new or old.
Their transfer from Royal Academy had happened because of a similar incident: misuse of alcohol with minors.
Tayo swallowed hard. "It was just a soda mocktail, sir."
"With nothing inside?" Principal Lawrence pressed.
"Nothing!" Bayo snapped sharply.
Principal Lawrence raised a paper.
"We have the content analysis of that drink right here," he said. "It was a soda mocktail… mixed with a bottle of Grey Goose."
Gasps.
Grey Goose, a premium vodka from France. Tasteless. Colourless. Deadly if abused.
Bayo froze, his confidence collapsing. He bowed his head in disappointment as murmurs filled the hall.
Mr Bamidele, Head of the Disciplinary Committee, turned to the twins' father.
"Are you aware of this, sir?"
"Not at all," he said, standing abruptly. "Every drink at home is locked with a security code while I'm away. No one can touch them."
How they opened it; that answer would come at home.
He sat down slowly, face pale.
Principal Lawrence turned toward the Ministry of Education reps.
"Over to you, ma."
Prof. Yewande adjusted her glasses and stood, voice calm but firm.
> "After careful review of the incident that occurred on October 3rd on Oscar's 16th Birthday Party, involving the consumption and distribution of alcohol among students under the age of 18, the Ministry recognizes the seriousness of this breach of both school policy and national laws on underage drinking.
The students involved — Tayo Alade, Bayo Alade, and Tomi Adekunle are hereby directed to face the following consequences: suspension from all school activities for 30 days, mandatory counseling sessions, and parental engagement to ensure corrective measures are implemented.
Falana Elizabeth is hereby expelled from AllStars Foundation College due to deliberate access and consumption of alcohol, fully aware of its dangers. She will also undergo eights weeks of counseling.
This serves as a formal reminder that the safety, health, and welfare of students remain paramount. All schools under the Ministry are to reinforce strict policies prohibiting underage alcohol consumption and hold students accountable for any breach."
Suspension?! Expulsion?!
The hall erupted in whispers. The day had only just begun.
"Thirty days? What about our exams and tests?" Tomi shouted in shock.
"You'll be conducted at home," Principal Lawrence replied coldy. "Your study group will keep you on track. Your teachers will supervise your tests and exams at your residence during the suspension."
But what about the rest?
Are they all going free?
The whispers turned louder.
Things were just about to bubble… 🔥