Sometimes, doing what’s right meant standing alone. Yinka walked confidently to Mr. Ajayi desk, she told the entire truth about the cheating and explained that Sade was her friend and that was the reason she kept quiet about it.

“I knew already but I needed you to see that you were following the wrong path” Mr . Ajayi said and Yinka was quiet.

Mr. Ajayi continued. “I noticed these past few weeks that you and Sade were hanging out as best friends and she was changing you so I needed to interfere in my own way so that you open your eyes and see clearly that you need to remain focus.”

Yinka didn’t know what to say but she was grateful that she was able to correct herself back to the right path.

The week passed slowly for Yinka. Sade still didn’t speak to her. The other girls kept their distance, but Nnenna stayed close.

They started eating lunch together every day. They walked home together sometimes too. Nnenna was not loud or funny like Sade, but she was kind and smart.

One day, while they sat on the school steps, Yinka asked, “Why did you sit with me that day?”

Nnenna shrugged. “Because you looked sad. And I don’t like to see people alone.”

Yinka smiled. That small answer warmed her heart.

On Friday, something surprising happened. Mrs. Okoro, the school counselor, sent for Yinka.

“I heard about what happened in your class,” she said gently. “It must have been hard to speak the truth”

Yinka nodded slowly but remained silent.

“Doing the right thing is not always easy,” Mrs. Okoro continued. “But I’m proud tht you were able to break the silence, event hough Sade was your friend.”

Yinka blinked. “Everyone in class thinks I am a bad friend even when I didn’t speak up. I couldn’t hold back the truth anymore so I told Mr. Ajayi everything.”

Mrs. Okoro smiled, and opened her drawer. She gave Yinka a small storybook. On the cover, it said, Be Brave.

That night, Yinka opened the storybook and began to read. The story was similar to the situation that she was in and it spoke more about how doing things right could lead to a narrow and lonely path but it always guarantee peace inside the heart and gives reward.

Yinka closed the storybook and smiled. She was happy and proud that she listened to her mother and did the right thing.