(1982)

“PLEASE, remained seated,” Mrs. Garson instructed when Clayton and Leedon’s section was about to leave the room.

“Before we end our class, I want you to put all your bags on top of your desk!” The entire class immediately followed even their faces are full of wonder.

“What’s wrong, Prof?” asked Barbara.

“Someone told me that one of you here stole a test paper from my desk so I want to know who that person is.”

When their professor said that, murmurs filled the room.

“Quiet!” the teacher yelled and began inspecting their belongings.

“What’s the meaning of this, Mr. Basilio? You’re cheating on my class?” Mrs. Garson asked when he saw the test paper inside Clayton’s bag.

His eyes widened in shock. “I-I don’t know anything about that, Ma’am.

“What do you mean nothing? Everyone and I can see this test paper inside your bag! How could you?! You are one of this school’s Dean’s Listers! How shameless of you!” Mrs. Garson is furious.

He bowed, not wanting to answer because he knew that even if he explained, she wouldn’t believe him because of the evidence she had and accidentally looked at the person who was now smirking at him.

Right! Nobody but her will plant that tests paper. And she proved it when she gave him a mischievous smile.

His hands were clenched. They will not relent in their efforts to expel him from BSU. He is certain that suspension will not be the only sanction imposed on him.

Mrs. Garzon yelled. “Go back to your seats!” Before returning her attention to him.

“Mr. Basilio, I urgently require your presence in the office, now!”

“Yes, Ma'am!” he answered and followed after arranging his belongings.

“I thought he’s smart?”

"So that's the reason why he's on the Dean's List because he's a cheater.”

“What a shame!”

He heard Barbara’s group say when he passed by in front of them. He stopped and looked at them evilly.

Barbara raised her right brow at him. “What?!”

“I’m not a cheater! And I’ll prove it to you!” he said as he turned away.

“Are you certain that our name will not be linked to what you did?” Barbara whispered to Jhonny when Clayton finally left.

“I can assure you. I found out yesterday morning that the CCTV cameras in the office were not working.”

“Are you sure?” Leticia interrupted.

“What if they have already fixed it by the time you get the test papers? My goodness, Jhonny! I don’t want to get involved!” Esperanza added.

“Calm down, girls. Jhonny made sure that his face was not visible to the CCTV.

On the other hand, Clayton is now facing the school president together with Mrs. Garzon and the college dean.

“How are you going to explain this, Mr. Basilio? Did you know that you can be expelled from this University for doing this? I’m very disappointed in you!” said Mr. Cristobal, the school president.

“Believe me, Sir, I really don’t know how that test paper ended up in my bag,” he affirmed.

He continued when they didn’t say any words. 

“Ma’am, Sir! Don’t kick me out. I still hoping to graduate here. I don't want to let my aunt and mother down. I don’t mind if you suspend me for a week or a month, as long as you don’t expel me.”

His companions exchanged glances until Mr. Cristobal continued. “I’m sorry, Mr. Basilio but we will investigate it first. And when we prove that you’re really guilty. You know what will happen. If not, I’ll give you another chance to take your exam. But we will give you a different set of questionnaires and take it right in front of me. Are we clear, Mr. Basilio?"

He smiled. “It’s fine with me, Sir! I promise that I will not let you down.”

“Good then. But don’t make any promises until the investigation is over.”

“I will, Sir! Thank you very much!”

“You may leave, Mr. Basilio.” He said as he walked away.

“WHAT happened? Why is he still here?” Barbara asked Esperanza and Letisha when they noticed Clayton in the imaret while he was with a girl from another college department.

“I heard that they will investigate the incident first and if proven that his not guilty, the president will give him a chance to take the exam. And to be fair with us, they will give him a different questionnaire. 

Barbara folded her arms. “What are they doing? And who is his new companion?”

She noticed that the girl with him seemed to be different from the last time she saw him.

“Oh my goodness! Don’t tell me he’s a call boy now?” Esperanza continued to accuse.

“From what I’ve heard, he tutors Math,” Letisha informed.

Barbara arched one of her eyebrows. “How the hell do those he teaches tolerate his appearance?”

“And I can’t believe that someone still trusts him after getting involved in the cheating incident," Letisha agreed.

Esperanza scoffed. “Yeah! How did that happen?”

Barbara shook her head. “Surely he’s just using him for money. What a gold digger!”

“GIRLS, you go first to the canteen. I’ll be back!” Barbara said when she felt her bladder was full.

“Okay!” Then she went to the restroom.

She was about to go back to the canteen when she was stopped by familiar voices in front of the men’s restroom. It was Clayton and Leendon who seemed to be seriously discussing something important.

“At last! We have proven that you are absolutely innocent. That you were in the library when the unknown man entered the office and took the test papers from Mrs. Garzon’s table.”

Clayton let out a long sigh. “Fortunately, my tutees didn’t change their view of me despite what happened.”

Leendon encircled his arms around him. “Because you are really good at teaching. Your notes are more understandable. Considering the possibility of converting long method computations to short method computations.”

“Thanks to my IQ then,” he said, laughing.

“I don’t know what I would do if they withdraw their tutorial class. My tutoring is extremely beneficial to us. My Aunt sacrificed a lot for me so that I could attend this university. I don’t want to rely on her any longer. My diploma is the only thing I can do to make her proud,” he added.

“Your sister is sick too, right?”

“Yeah. So I have to go home early.”

Barbara was stunned. Her conscience consumed her entire system when he heard Clayton’s life status. She remembered those days when they tortured and humiliated him several times. She didn’t believe he lived that kind of life.

Why hadn’t she considered the families of those who had previously been expelled from the school because of her?

She was taken aback when she heard their footsteps exiting the restroom, so she quickly left the place.