Chapter 87

Waves crashed against the gazebo's wooden pillars, sending sprays of salty water over the deck. Alana barely flinched as droplets landed on her legs. She lay stretched out on a beach chair, swirling the last of her wine in her glass while watching Diane, Cameron, and Samantha snap pictures at the edge of the platform. Music drifted from the speakers, mingling with the sound of the sea. The suggestion for a short vacation from her friends came suddenly, but she embraced it as she needed the break. School had been suffocating, and now that the source of her tension had been permanently removed, she could finally breathe again. Until Samantha's sharp gasp shattered the moment.  "What!" Samantha shrieked, eyes glued to the phone.  Cameron, who had been holding Diane's waist, immediately let go and moved to her side. "What is it, Samantha? You're not saying anything." Samantha hesitated, glancing at Alana before swallowing hard. "It's a message from the department head on the faculty group chat ... Ashleigh's suspension has been lifted. Permanently." Diane sucked in a breath, her hand flying to her mouth. Cameron stood frozen. All three of them turned to Alana, whose grip on her wine glass tightened. "That has to be a mistake," Diane snapped, snatching Samantha's phone to check for herself. "It's not," Samantha murmured. "It's on the college website too. She was found innocent. A student was behind it." Diane paled. "Oh no... That means her test scores will be released. She's still in the competition team." Silence hung over them like a noose. Then, in a hushed voice, Diane asked the one question on everyone's mind. "Alana... what happens if you get caught?" Alana's jaw clenched. She grabbed her phone, scrolling rapidly until she found the post herself. Her gaze locked on the final words, bolded for emphasis: An investigation has begun into the injustice against Miss Ashleigh Hartman. The culprits will be punished severely. Her heart pounded. "Is this why Mrs. Cartwright never responded to me today?" A sick feeling crawled up her spine as Diane and Samantha continued to chatter anxiously. Cameron, in contrast, was frozen in place, his face eerily blank. Alana's gaze flicked to him, narrowing slightly before typing on her phone. Hope you didn't leave any evidence. Cameron's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, eyes scanning the message. Seconds later, he replied. Cameron: I don't know. It happened too fast. Alana's pulse spiked, fury creeping into her veins. Idiot. She lifted her eyes, the storm brewing in them mirroring the ocean waves in front of her. It seems she has underestimated Ashleigh yet again.  Her grip on the wine glass tightened, then a sharp crack rang out as it shattered in her palm, shards slicing her skin. The sound startled everyone.  "Alana!" Diane and Samantha rushed to her, grabbing her wrist as blood trickled down her fingers. Blood welled up along her palm, but she barely noticed. She curled her fists against the beach chair, ignoring the sting of broken glass. "Ashleigh..." she muttered coldly, her fury simmering just beneath the surface. "I won't let you win so easily." ******************** "I'm so excited for you, Ashleigh!" Arthur's voice practically shattered through the phone, making Fiona and James groan in protest. "Seriously, Arthur," Fiona muttered. "You and James are too loud. My ears are bleeding." Ashleigh giggled, warmth swelling in her chest. Just a few weeks ago, she was at odds with her friends. Now, they were cheering her on together like nothing had ever happened. She truly felt on top of the world. "Thanks, guys," she said, exhaling as she tucked her legs under her on the bed. "I finally feel like I can breathe." "The curveball is insane," Arthur added. "It's not just on our department's social network, it's on the college website too." Ashleigh's smile faltered. "Wait, what?" She rushed to her desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard. The announcement loaded on the screen, the words staring at her Her heart pounded. She hadn't expected it to be this public, more than that, she hadn't expected Adrian to go this far. "That means the evidence you submitted must have been solid, huh?" James said. Ashleigh let out a noncommittal agreement, her mind still racing. "To me, it seems like it's not just the evidence presented..." Arthur's voice turned teasing. "It's also who presented it." Fiona and James immediately latched onto his words, their voices dripping with curiosity. "Ohhh?" Fiona smirked. "So did mystery man help you out?" Ashleigh's cheeks burned. Her friends' teasing voices blurred in the background as her mind raced as she recalled how Adrian had spoken up for her. She hadn't expected him to go this far. To top it off, Ashleigh also found out he was the reason she even got into Robin College in the first place... She owed him a lot. But where was he? After the meeting, he had disappeared, and she hadn't seen him since. "Why so silent, hmm?" Fiona's voice snapped her back. Ashleigh coughed, willing her heartbeat to slow. "N-nothing. You guys are just being ridiculous." "There's no denial, though," Arthur taunted. "Your mystery man totally helped you." James scoffed. "Well at least he's of some use. Not only making her cry." Ashleigh rolled her eyes, ignoring the way her chest felt oddly warm.  Before she could respond, Fiona clapped her hands. "Alright, enough about that. We need to celebrate!" "What? No, that's too much," Ashleigh protested, shaking her head. "I'm just going back to college next week. It's not a big deal." Arthur groaned dramatically. "Ashleigh, you're forgetting the real reason this is huge. With your suspension lifted, you're officially the top student in your year for the midterms." Diane and James cheered. She blinked. "Dom say that. Nothing has been confirmed Arthur." Arthur smirked. "Don't be so modest. Damien mentioned it the other day too. It seems it was rumours were flying around in your department." Ashleigh's heart stopped. "Damien... talked about me?" A long pause stretched over the line. Then Arthur answered casually, "Yeah. He did." She held her breath, waiting for him to elaborate. But he didn't, and her fingers curled into the fabric of her blanket.  "So... he's still upset with me." Fiona, sensing the shift in mood, quickly changed the subject. "Anyway! About the celebration... why don't we have a sleepover?" "Yeah! The one Ashleigh promised but totally ghosted us on," James added pointedly. "Can we have it at your house?"  Ashleigh hesitated. Hosting a sleepover meant bringing them to the Cagliari mansion. It meant the possibility of them meeting Adrian. And she wasn't ready for that yet. Her fingers tightened around her phone. "Wait, actually ..." she said slowly, "why don't we do it at my aunt's place instead?" She could practically hear Fiona's grin. "Perfect." Arthur whooped. "Then it's settled!" As the group chattered excitedly, Ashleigh leaned back against her pillows, her mind still tangled in everything that had happened.