Doors started opening along the corridor. Girls poked their heads out, curious and alarmed by the noise.
"What's going on?"
"Is everything okay?"
"What are you doing?"
More students gathered in the hallway now, whispering and staring.
Then one girl—tall, perfectly styled hair, designer pajamas—stepped forward with her arms crossed.
"Excuse me?" she said loudly, her voice dripping with irritation. "Some of us are trying to study. Do you mind keeping it down?"
Penny spun around, her patience snapping.
"Are you serious right now?" Penny said, her voice sharp. "Take your fake noise complaints and shove them back in your room. We have real problems to deal with."
The girl's mouth fell open, her face flushing red.
"How dare you—"
"Move," Penny said coldly, turning back to the door.
The girl huffed, muttering something under her breath, but she retreated to her room and slammed the door.
The other students lingered, still watching.
But when Lincoln, Auriella, and Penny stepped into Celeste's room and saw the state of it, their whispers grew louder.
"Oh my god..."
"What happened in there?"
"Is she okay?"
Lincoln stood in the middle of the trashed room, his hands clenched into fists.
"Everyone go back to your rooms," he said, his voice tight. "Now."
The authority in his tone made the students scatter.
When the hallway was clear again, Lincoln turned to Auriella and Penny.
"I'm going to the Dean of Students," he said. "Right now. I'm reporting her missing."
"We'll come with you," Auriella said.
"No." Lincoln's voice was firm. "You stay here. You've already done enought"
"But—"
"I mean it," Lincoln said, his eyes hard. "I don't want you two around me now ,this is literally your fault "
The calm , friendly Lincoln was gone , replaced by someone else they couldn't recognise.
He left before they could argue.
Auriella and Penny stood in the hallway, staring at the open door to Celeste's destroyed room.
"This is bad," Penny whispered.
"I know," Auriella said, her voice shaking.
"We should have said something sooner."
"I know."
Guilt crushed down on Auriella's chest, suffocating her.
If they'd told Lincoln right away—if they'd reported Celeste missing the day after the party—maybe things would be different.
Maybe she'd already be found.
"Come on," Penny said quietly, taking Auriella's hand.
"Let's go back to my room."
They lay on Penny's bed, side by side, staring at the ceiling.
The silence was heavy. Oppressive.
Neither of them knew what to say.
Finally, Penny spoke, her voice small.
"Do you think Lincoln will tell them we were at the party too?"
Auriella's stomach dropped.
She hadn't even thought about that.
"Maybe," she said quietly.
Penny turned her head to look at her. "That means we could get expelled."
"Yeah."
"And Celeste still hasn't been found."
Auriella closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing.
Everything was falling apart.
I wish we had told him earlier,what were we thinking.
It's going to be okay."penny said holding Auriella's hand.
They lay there in tense silence for a few more minutes.
Then a knock on the door made them both jump.
Penny sat up quickly. "Who is it?"
"Campus security," a male voice called from the other side.
Auriella's heart stopped.
Penny looked at her, eyes wide with fear, then slowly got up and opened the door.
A man in a dark uniform stood there—middle-aged, stern-faced, with a radio clipped to his belt. His badge read Security Officer - J. Martinez.
"Penelope Ashford and Auriella Thorne?" he asked.
"Yes," Penny said, her voice barely steady.
"The Dean of Students would like to see you both. Now."
Auriella felt the blood drain from her face.
"Can you give us a minute to get ready?" Penny asked.
Officer Martinez nodded. "Five minutes. I'll wait here."
He stepped back into the hallway, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Penny closed the door and turned to Auriella, panic written all over her face.
"Oh my god," Penny whispered. "This is it. We're getting expelled."
"We don't know that," Auriella said, though her voice shook.
"Why else would they call us in? Lincoln told them about the party. They know we were there."
"Maybe they just want to ask us about Celeste," Auriella said desperately. "Maybe they need information."
"Or maybe they're about to kick us out," Penny said, her hands trembling.
Auriella stood and grabbed Penny's shoulders. "We don't know anything yet. So let's just... let's get dressed and go. We'll deal with whatever happens."
Penny nodded, though tears were brimming in her eyes.
They moved quickly, changing out of their pajamas and into something more presentable. Auriella pulled on jeans and a sweater, her hands shaking so badly she could barely button it. Penny threw on a simple dress, ran a brush through her hair, and tried to steady her breathing.
When they were ready, they looked at each other.
"Whatever happens," Penny said, her voice cracking, "we're in this together."
"Together," Auriella repeated.
They opened the door.
Officer Martinez straightened. "Ready?"
"Yes," Penny said.
He gestured for them to follow him.
They walked through the quiet campus, the night air cold against their skin. Every step felt like walking toward their doom.
Auriella's mind raced.
What if they expel us? What if Celeste is hurt? What if this is all our fault?
Beside her, Penny was silent, her face pale, her jaw tight.
Officer Martinez didn't speak. He just led them across campus, his footsteps steady and certain.
Finally, they reached the administrative building—a towering Gothic structure that looked even more ominous at night.
Martinez held the door open for them.
They stepped inside.
The hallway was dimly lit, the walls lined with portraits of past headmasters staring down at them with cold, judging eyes.
Martinez led them to a heavy wooden door at the end of the hall.
He knocked once.
"Come in," a voice said from inside.
Martinez opened the door and gestured for them to enter.
Auriella and Penny stepped inside.
The office was large and imposing. Dark wood furniture. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. A massive desk at the center of the room .
A huge glass wall by the side ,showing their reflection.
And behind the desk sat Professor Ezekiel Onim.
His sharp eyes fixed on them, cold and calculating.
"Sit," he said, gesturing to the two chairs in front of his desk.
They sat.
Officer Martinez closed the door behind them and stood by the entrance, arms crossed.
Professor Onim folded his hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly.
"Miss Ashford. Miss Thorne," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "I believe you have some explaining to do."