Chapter 62
She smiled. We hadn’t really talked much, so I couldn’t figure out that tight, sugary little smile that made me want to throw salt at her like she was a demon in disguise.
“Morning, Ellie,” she cooed. “Thought you should see this.”
I looked down.
A form. An official one.
Conduct Warning – Indecent Behavior.
My stomach dropped to my toes.
“…What?” I blinked. “Indecent? Who? Me? But I-” My mouth froze. No way.
Karina leaned against my desk like we were best friends having girl talk. “You really shouldn’t be so surprised.”
I crossed my arms, faming innocence. “I literally have no idea what this is.”
“Oh, Ellie.” She clicked her tongue sympathetically. “Reports are anonymous. We just handle the paperwork. Well -I do.” She flicked her hair. “Perks of being ahead of your year.”
The smugness radiating off her could have powered the Academy for a week.
I gripped the paper. “Okay, but what am I accused of doing?”
Karina shrugged dramatically. “Not my place to say. The warning’s already filed. Just know indecent behavior on campus is a no no.”
“And the part where it says I get expelled if I fail the midterm?” I held up the paper, voice slowly rising. “That seems a little bit…much?”
She smiled sweetly, too sweet. Poisoned honey kind of sweet. “Oh, that rule’s always been there. You just… never had a warning before.”
“Because I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Well.” She leaned closer. “Someone disagrees.”
I stared at her. She stared back, blinking innocently. I had the distinct urge to shove an anatomy textbook into her mouth.
Instead, I hissed, “What did you do?”
“Nothing,” she said brightly. “Pass, or be expelled. That’s all you need to worry about. Signed by the principal.”
She tapped the desk twice, like she was dismissing me, and sauntered away with her little friend trailing behind
her.
I sat there, heart pounding, hands shaking.
Indecent behavior.
Anonymous report.
Expulsion on failure.
1/3
I wanted to scream.
+25 Ranis
At lunch, the new didn’t go over well.
“I’m going to kill her,” I said flatly as I dropped my tray across from Sarah.
She looked up mid-bite. “Who? Karina? Oh gods, what did she do now? You know, she totally lied about her student council credentials. And stole my pen once. Oh, did she try to steal you man? She likes Dom, you know. But like, who doesn’t.”
I threw a carrot at her. “He’s not my man.”
“Uh-huh. So what happened?”
I slid the warning across the table. She scanned it, eyes widening.
“Oh-oh wow. That’s… okay, that’s actually insane.”
“I KNOW!”
“She accused you of indecent behavior? For what? Wearing a shirt with a neckline?”
“I think…she saw me leaving Dom’s dorm. In the morning after the Alpha Ball.”
Sarah scrunched her face. “Did you-”
“No.”
“Okay. Okay. You think she’s doing this because of Dominic?”
I groaned into my hands.
But she was right.
Sarah’s expression softened. “Look… Ellie? She’s older. She helps professors build practice exams. And if she’s really out to get you…”
“She’ll make the midterm impossible,” I finished.
Sarah nodded, “You’ll have to study twice as hard.”
I sagged back, exhausted and furious and weirdly energized all at once.
“I swear, Sarah, I was so sure Vivian was behind whatever happened, now I have to deal with Karina.
“Oh, Vivian’s still a sweet little menace,” she said confidently, “Just a pretty one. It’s weird though. You think she drugged you?”
“I don’t know,” I muttered. “But apparently she’s not the only girl who has claws when it comes to Dominic.”
Sarah arched a brow. “You saying you do too?”
I threw another carrot at her.
And she laughed.
And for a moment, for one small moment, I remembered why I was fighting so hard to stay here at all.
2/3
I would pass. Threat or not.
P
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