FLOWER

CHAPTER 10.1

 I leave the women's locker room. Ascher in the corridor circling like an angry horsefly. He argues loudly with his brothers about the shirt. He holds his PE clothes in his hand.

- I put everything on my pants, and in a moment she was gone. And don't make me look like a loser.

Fortunately, that's not my problem. I'm going to class. On the way, I pass girls excited. Sofía and Mairi have plain white T-shirt in their hands, but they act as if they were holding the most precious gold. Ascher wears a similar one in PE. I don't like the way my thoughts are going. It's definitely a pure coincidence. I'm moving on. Erich calls me on the stairs.

- Have you seen the fan club?

- So what?

- The triplets lost something, they are about to unleash storms. I am stating the possibility of the fan club having a hand in this.

- There's a chance it's not Ashera T-shirt in their hands.

- NO. Take it before it is lost forever.

- Why should I save their ass and put myself at risk?

- Please, Sheila promised her father to keep an eye on Mairi, so that she doesn't get into more trouble. She will break down. She didn't keep her word again.-

- Give me a second. - I sigh and head back. I look around. - They are no longer here. - Then I hang up.

And the bell for classes rings. I'll catch up with Sofía in class, though. I hope everything goes smoothly. Of course, the girl is already in her seat, but most of the class hasn't arrived yet. I walk over to her.

- Did you take Ascher's T-shirt to PE? - I ask as gently as I can.

- And why would I take a sweaty T-shirt from anyone? This is disgusting.

- I saw you holding it in your hand with Mairi.

- No, it's an autographed T-shirt. It's better to change the informant.

- You want to have boys through a piece of fabric. Asher is furious.

- I even ordered it in front of you. - It turns slightly red. I should think first. - But don't believe me. You're lucky I didn't return it to the locker. Look.

She rummages through his purse and pulls out a T-shirt and hands it to me. I wipes his hand on his pants in disgust. The material is not pleasantly damp. Something metallic slips from my hands and falls to the ground with a clatter. It's a silver whistle that the girl picks up. He frowns. I look at the short sleeve but I don't see the autograph. Unless he's invisible. Sofía suddenly snatches T-shirt and nervously looks at it from every angle.

- I don't understand, It was here. This T-shirt is still like an elephant.

- Whose whistle is it?

- I don't know. But going by your accusation it's triplets. - She says with uncertainty. - A lot of people in the settlement have whistles.

- I'm not judging you, but you should return it to its owner.

- Who told you about this, Erich?

I take it from the girl and fold it. By the way, the scent of Mrs Smith's dog reaches me. This nasty creature smelled exactly like this short sleeve. I lay Ascher's clothes on his bench. Sofía follows me and the whistle lands there too. I feel like my fingers are wet with sweat, and what's worse, it's not mine.

- Believe me. It's not me. Why would I rob these poor people. I can afford clothes and a whistle.

- Poor people?

- Yes and no at the same time. Mr. Davis always had a flair for business, and his ex-wife had a considerable fortune from before their marriage. He started the entire company himself, only she put up the money for it. When they started to succeed, they bought part of the land near the border between the town and the settlement. But suddenly something broke down between them. And she is still demanding her rights to the land and the company. He just wants to pay it off. This is how the wheel turns. And there are other problems. You can talk about this for hours. I really wouldn't steal anything from them. - He says in a panicked voice.

- Stella, everything is fine now. Maybe you switched shirts... Or something like that.

- Surely. - She nods, although his thoughts are elsewhere.

I'm going to my seat. The triplets, the teacher, and the principal enter the classroom one by one.

- Good morning.

- Good morning. If anyone knows where Asher's shirt and silver whistle are. - Soíaf turns pale.

- On the bench. - I answer. The boy quickly approaches and carefully checks whether he is not cheating.

- Is everything OK?

- Yes, they are mine.

- It's so nice that the matter was clarified so quickly. - Then the director leaves.

The teacher reclines and looks in our direction.

- Strange, we were told that the things were stolen by you Sofiaía. - She turned even paler. There was an awkward silence.

- Sofía forgot herself and accidentally came into possession of Asher's things. As soon as I knew it, we were already in class. - The teacher nodded in approval.

- Good thing it was just a misunderstanding. - Apart from the fact that someone reported Sofía.