The morning air at the university felt heavy, like the walls themselves were whispering.
Raye clutched the strap of her bag tighter, forcing herself to keep walking. Her sneakers tapped against the pavement in a rhythm that matched her heartbeat — fast, nervous, unsure.
Four days away from campus had felt like an eternity. Every step toward the main building made her stomach twist tighter.
She could already feel the stares of people who had seen her name on the notice board, the ones who whispered, "That's the girl who got suspended."
Jane walked beside her, keeping pace, her tone unusually serious. "You sure you're ready for this?"
Raye gave a small nod. "I don't really have a choice. I need to face it."
The two entered the administration block. The corridors were quieter than usual, the echo of their footsteps filling the space. Raye's mind replayed that horrible day in the archive room — Danielle's voice trembling over the phone, the panic, the confusion, and then… everything falling apart.
Inside the counselor's office, the air smelled faintly of paper and lemon disinfectant. Mrs. Lewis, the student counselor, sat behind her desk, a woman whose calm voice could either soothe or scare depending on her tone. Today, it was the middle ground — firm but not unkind.
"Raye, Jane," she greeted, folding her hands neatly. "Please, sit."
Raye obeyed quietly, lowering herself into the chair. Jane sat next to her, giving her a reassuring glance.
Mrs. Lewis adjusted her glasses and looked at Raye. "I wanted to meet with you first before the official announcement is made. The investigation into the archive room incident has been completed."
Raye swallowed hard. "And?". Heart thumping loudly .
Jane moved holding her hand giving her a reassuring squeeze as Raye finally let the breath she was holding out .
Thank you Jane she thought nodding her head slowly.
Mrs. Lewis sighed, tapping a pen lightly on a folder in front of her. "It turns out this was far more complicated than it initially appeared."
She opened the file, revealing printed security logs and damaged photo stills. "The archive room's main security system was tampered with. The footage that was originally reviewed only captured partial moments of that day — specifically, the clip where you entered the room."
Jane frowned. "So that's why it looked like Raye was the only one there?"
"Exactly," Mrs. Lewis said, nodding. "After further inspection, we discovered that part of the footage was erased — not deleted through normal access, but through a physical malfunction. The security technician reported that the main camera wire was deliberately loosened. It wasn't just a glitch, Raye."
Raye's pulse thudded in her ears. "You mean… someone sabotaged it?"
"Yes," Mrs. Lewis confirmed. "And after reviewing the maintenance records and checking time logs, we found something else. Danielle entered that room approximately twenty-five minutes before you did. She used a staff access card that wasn't hers."
Mrs Lewis turned to the security officer who was standing close to the window , something the two girls hadn't noticed after stepping into the room .
They were two worried to notice any other thing in the room
The security officer cleared his throat. "After reviewing all footage, we found a discrepancy. While initial surveillance showed you entering the archives room at the time of the incident, a deeper review of the cameras revealed someone else entered first—someone who tampered with the display cases and scattered files."
He paused, then clicked a remote. The screen behind him flickered on, showing a timestamped video: Danielle walking briskly into the archives room, alone. She was wearing gloves, glancing nervously around, and moving quickly to displace the files.
Raye's jaw dropped. "Wait… that's Danielle?"
"Yes," the officer confirmed. "She also disabled one of the security cameras during her actions. That's why the initial footage didn't capture the full sequence clearly. Your involvement was after the mess was already done, and your entry was at her request."
Raye's heart began to lift slightly, hope flickering in her chest. "So… I'm… innocent?"
Mrs Lewis nodded with a small smile watching the girl rest back on her seat with a happy smile .
"See I told you everything would be fine " Jane said even though she was anxious too , she looked at Raye who had her eyes shut tightly closed smiling .
Jane's frowned turning back to the counsellor before asking "Wait—how did she even get a staff card?"
"That's still being looked into," Mrs. Lewis said carefully. "But it seems she had a copy made earlier this semester for her work on a class research project. She claimed it was temporary access, but she used it again without permission."
Raye's hands tightened around her bag strap. "So she went in before me… and no one saw her?"
"The moment she entered," Mrs. Lewis explained, "the camera feed went black, like he just said . We only have footage of her leaving — in a hurry. When the IT department retrieved fragments from the system backup, it showed the room's lights flickering. Danielle damaged the new audio machine installed for student recordings — a very expensive one."
Jane's eyebrows shot up. "You mean the one the journalism and art students use for their podcast and interview work?"
Mrs. Lewis nodded gravely. "Yes. That device cost thousands of dollars and was meant for cross-department projects. Its internal chip was fried. We thought it was an accident, but the technicians found scratch marks on the power box — indicating someone tried to pry it open. Likely an attempt to cover up something."
Raye's throat felt tight. "So… that's why they suspended me? Because they didn't know all this yet?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Mrs. Lewis said gently. "At first, the evidence pointed to you being the last one inside before the power cut. Danielle's name wasn't even listed in the entrance logs because of the card override. But once Joshua admitted that he had seen a clip showing Danielle entering — and that she was the one who provided it — we began to suspect something wasn't right."
Jane leaned forward. "So Joshua told the truth?"
"He did," Mrs. Lewis said. "He also admitted that he didn't realize she was the one responsible. He thought he was helping clarify the situation, not framing someone else. He's been suspended for a week for spreading false information, but Danielle…"
Raye's voice came out small. "What happened to her?"
Mrs. Lewis hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "She's been expelled. The administration took it seriously because the archive room isn't just for storage — it holds important research papers, project submissions, and even student data records. If the damage had been worse, we could have lost entire semesters of academic work."
Jane exhaled slowly. "That's… heavy."
Raye's eyes stung, but this time it wasn't from sadness. "She really did all that… and I thought she just hated me."
Mrs. Lewis softened. "Sometimes, people let jealousy or pain push them too far. You don't need to carry her mistakes anymore, Raye. The university board has cleared your name completely. You can return to classes tomorrow."
Raye blinked back tears and nodded slowly. "Thank you, ma'am."
Mrs. Lewis smiled faintly. "One more thing — take this as a lesson. Trust is fragile, especially when people wear masks. But I've seen your records, and you're not the kind of student who gives up easily. Don't let this define you."
Raye managed a small, grateful smile. "I won't."
When they left the office, Jane slipped her arm through Raye's. "See? Told you this day would come."
Raye let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah, but it feels… weird. Like part of me is relieved, but the other part still can't believe she'd do that."
Jane tilted her head. "Believe it, babe. Evil has a manicure now."
That made Raye snort, laughing through the ache in her chest. As they walked past the courtyard, she noticed students glancing her way — some curious, others pretending not to. But for once, she didn't look down.
Tomorrow, she'd walk into that class again, not as the girl who got suspended —
but as the girl who survived the setup.