Chapter 446:
Word of Zaylee crying in the hallway traveled fast. Whispers turned into full-blown gossip, and soon everyone knew she had been scolded by the Director of the Academic Affairs Office and the principal for openly accusing Melany of cheating, with claims that the matter would be hushed up.
What had begun as unfounded speculation on the school forum had spread like wildfire through the entire campus in a single day.
“There’s no way Melany honestly scored perfectly on those extra questions,” a student muttered under their breath. “My sister’s in the physics department at Crolens University, and even she only managed to solve half of them last year. Melany doing better than that? Not a chance.”
“Exactly,” another voice chimed in, edged with irritation. “Earlier, some people were acting like she’s a prodigy, praising her nonstop. But what’s there to admire? If someone slipped me the answers beforehand, I’d ace the test too.”
“It’s pathetic how Zaylee spoke up and is being punished for it,” a third student added heatedly. “She exposed something wrong, and now the school leaders are trying to bury it. We can’t let them sweep this under the rug.”
The whispers multiplied, spreading from one corner of the hallway to the next. Students, bitter about their own results, eagerly fed the growing rumor mill. Melany made her way through the corridor, every pair of eyes burning with suspicion, their stares sharp enough to pierce her skin.
Just as a passing student spitefully stuck out a foot, intending to send her sprawling, Melany’s eyes went wide. She clenched them shut, bracing herself for the inevitable fall and the pain that would follow.
Instead, two firm, steady hands caught her mid-stumble, halting her fall before it could happen.
The faint, familiar scent surrounding her brought an immediate wave of comfort, steadying her trembling frame. Snapping her eyes open, she was met with Rylie’s face bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, her expression a mixture of quiet strength and gentle warmth.
Keep reading at gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs.cøm
Melany had spent the entire day surrounded by cruel whispers and accusing glances, and now, feeling the first warmth of support, tears brimmed in her eyes.
“Rylie, you trust me, right? I swear I didn’t cheat.”
Her voice carried desperation, as if the only thing that mattered in that moment was holding on to Rylie’s trust, the approval of the person she admired most.
“Of course, I trust you.” Rylie steadied her on her feet and softly patted her head, her tone calm yet resolute. “But if you want this to end, you’ll have to do your part too.”
Melany blinked, momentarily stunned by her words. “Do my part?” she asked, her voice laced with confusion. “How?”
Melany snapped out of her thoughts and noticed Rylie walking from the direction of the teachers’ office. “Did you go see my class advisor?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were treated fairly.” Rylie gently took Melany’s hand and proudly led her away from the school. Their presence caught the eyes of many as they climbed into Rylie’s sleek Lamborghini.
Melany looked confused. “What am I supposed to do now?”
.
.
.