The next morning, Yinka walked into class with her heart pounding. She had barely slept. The verse from the Bible stayed in her mind like a quiet voice.

Sade greeted her with a wide smile.

“Hey bestie,” she said, linking arms with Yinka. “You okay?”

Yinka nodded, but her voice was stuck again.

“About yesterday…” Sade leaned in. “You saw the paper, right? You’re not angry, are you?”

Yinka looked away. “I’m just tired.”

Sade laughed. “Ah, you worry too much. These teachers don’t care. Everyone cheats a little. You think all those people getting As are holy?”

Yinka didn’t reply. She didn’t know what to say.

That afternoon, Mr. Ajayi, their class teacher, called all the students for an emergency meeting. 

“There’s a report of cheating during the last test,” he said, arms crossed. “I want the person responsible to come forward. If not, I’ll cancel everyone’s result.”

Gasps filled the classroom. 

Sade’s eyes snapped to Yinka. Their eyes locked again but Yinka looked down. Her palms were sweaty. Her throat dry and her mind raced. If she spoke up, she could lose the only friend she had made in years. If she kept quiet, she would be part of the lie.

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After school, Sade pulled Yinka aside behind the building.

“You didn’t say anything, right?” she asked, voice low. “Because if you did… I swear, I’ll never talk to you again.”

Yinka felt tears rise. “I didn’t say anything,” she whispered.

Sade stared at her for a moment, then nodded. “Good. Because you’re not a snitch. We’re best friends now, right?”

Yinka nodded again, but her heart felt like it was breaking.

At home, she didn’t eat. Her mother came to sit beside her.

“Yinka, talk to me.”

“Mummy…” she paused. “What if someone knows the right thing to do, but they’re scared to do it?”

Her mother looked at her gently. “That’s when doing the right thing matters the most.”

Yinka nodded and slowly went to eat her food. She refused to play with Ayo when he tried to play with her. Their mother could sense that something was wrong but she trusted that Yinka would do the right thing, it was what they taught their children every morning before they leave for school. As soon as Yinka was alone in her room, she burst into tears.