Chapter 60
Chapter 60:
“Jessica,” Seraphina whispered, sounding heartbroken. “Why would you say that? I know you were jealous of Skye, but to blame me p>
“You told me to do it!” Jessica screamed, standing up. “You said the photos were real, but we needed a better caption! You typed it out p>
“Dean,” Seraphina said, tears spilling over her lashes, “I tried to stop her. I told her it was wrong. That’s why I went to the library with her, to try and talk her out of it. I didn’t know she actually posted them until I saw the board p>
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “I have texts. Look p>
She handed the phone to the Dean.
Skye watched from her corner. She knew exactly what those texts would say. Seraphina would have sent messages like “Jessica, don’t do this” and “It’s not worth it” to cover her tracks, knowing Jessica wouldn’t read them in time or understand the setup.
The Dean scrolled through the messages. He frowned. He looked at Jessica.
“Ms. Davis, the evidence is clear. You logged in. You uploaded the files. And your friend here tried to dissuade you p>
“That’s a lie!” Jessica was crying now, hysterical tears of frustration. “She’s lying! Tiffany, tell him! You were there p>
Tiffany sat frozen. She looked at Seraphina, who was dabbing her eyes delicately. Then she looked at Jessica, who was unraveling.
Tiffany knew the pecking order. If she sided with Jessica, she went down too. Seraphina was the one with the connection to Liam Kensington.
“I…” Tiffany stammered. “I went to the bathroom. I didn’t see who pressed enter p>
Jessica let out a sound like a wounded animal. She slumped back into her chair, defeated.
“Jessica Davis,” the Dean announced, “you are suspended for the remainder of the semester for violation of the student conduct code. Ms. Miller, Ms. Blaire, you are dismissed with a warning for not reporting this sooner p>
Seraphina stood up. She wiped her eyes. “Thank you, Dean. I’m just… so sorry it came to this p>
𝘙𝖾𝗮𝖽 𝗐𝘪𝘁𝘩o𝘂𝗍 c𝘂𝗍s оn b𝘦𝗹ոov𝖾𝗅𝘴.𝗰𝘰𝘮
She walked out of the office. Tiffany followed, head down.
Jessica sat there, sobbing into her hands.
Skye stood up. She walked over to Jessica. She didn’t gloat. She didn’t smile. She reached into her bag and pulled out a packet of tissues.
She placed them on Jessica’s knee.
“She was never your friend, Jessica,” Skye said softly. “She’s a parasite. She feeds on people until they’re empty, and then she finds a new host. You were just today’s meal p>
Jessica looked up. Her eyes were swollen, her makeup running.
She looked at Skye—really looked at her—and saw not an enemy, but the only person in the room telling her the truth.
“I’m sorry,” Jessica whispered.
“Don’t apologize to me,” Skye said. “Apologize to yourself for letting her use you p>
Skye walked out of the office.
In the hallway, Seraphina was waiting. She was checking her makeup in a compact mirror, the tears miraculously gone.
“You think you won?” Seraphina hissed as Skye passed. “You just got a nobody suspended. I’m still here p>