Novel Square
Found it
The officers searched the room, their eyes scanning every nook and cranny, leaving no stone unturned. They moved quickly but methodically, their movements practised and were efficient. Nothing was overlooked, nothing left to chance.
One of them wanted to prove Lily’s innocence, having been from a humble background herself and the other just wanted to get the work over with so she could go back to watching the movie she had been seeing.
Priscilla’s side of the room was the last place to be searched and while everyone had different emotions showing all over their faces, Lily remained calm as she stood by the window with an expressionless face.
“Found it” the first officer announced as he brought out the stolen items from Pricilla’s wardrobe. Horrified gasps filled the air as all eyes turned to face the pale-looking Pricilla who instantly began to shake her head in denial, “Who’s side of the room is this?” the second officer asked and Lily pointed to Pricilla which earned her a glare from the other girls.
“She was the one who saw me stealing the things. I didn’t take it, I promise I didn’t. I left for class easier than the three of them. “You can ask, Officer Ella, since I took a cup of coffee from her in the morning while leaving for class,” Lily explained and walked back to her bedside with an expressionless face, “You can compare the timing to the other” she added.
“There must be a misunderstanding” Jasmine gritted out and glared at Lily with eyes filled with malice and contempt. “I was in the room with Pricilla and we both left to class together all through the day, there is no way she could have stolen the items” She explained and the first officer sneered.
“You were together a day?” she asked suspiciously and Jasmine gave a nod, “We have a party to attend and so we came back to prepare what to wear when we found those things missing and we immediately reported it to you, it could only get, or someone from the outside that stole it”
“Did you somehow forget that the wardrobe where the stolen items were seen has a code key? Seeing how none of you trusts her as she was just assigned to you last night, I doubt that you gave her the codes to your things, how would she have been able to get the stolen items in there?” the second officer asked with a knowing look and all three of them kept mute at the subtle hostility in her voice.
Lily walked towards them, her schemes were finally heading in the direction she wanted them, “I never knew you guys hated me so much that you intended to set me up and get me kicked out of the school. Why would I steal your things?” she demanded innocently, gathering sympathy from the officers.
“I have done nothing to deserve your harassment, yet from the moment I moved into this dorm, you three have attacked me without mercy. Do I not deserve a chance to change my fate and that of my family? Do I not deserve to live in peace and study like the rest of you? Why does class matter? Why does social standing matter? In the end, everything you have is the fruit of your parents’ labour, not your own. I don’t see you working hard or making anything of yourself – all you do is scheme and gossip, like a pack of jealous hyenas.” Lily snapped with an aggrieved innocent look, melting the hearts of the officers to support her.
“I will leave this dorm if that is your wish, but not until you three apologize for spreading lies and slander about me!” She spoke with a steely conviction, her voice ringing with authority and command. “You may have thought you could destroy my reputation and my future, but you are wrong. I am not going to let you get away with this,” she added firmly, making Jasmine and her minions red with anger.
Lydia’s jaw tightened, her eyes flashing with anger as she glared at Lily. She stood, fists clenched, in a confrontational stance, her body language radiating hostility. She resented Lily for her success and her ability to hold her head high, for her talent and intelligence that allowed her to be one of the top students in the school.
She, like Lily is also a student from a humble background who was sponsored into the school by a rich family, waiting for her to be their cash cow when she graduated. Suddenly being thrown into the life of the rich and extravagance made her loathe her background to the bone and when she sees people like Lily, who defines, the natural order of the poor submitting to the rich, she gets jealous and angry.
“You were the one who stole it! Priscilla could never steal this thing, her family could afford it unlike yours” she bite out with an aggressive tone.
Lily narrowed her eyes at Lydia threateningly as she stepped back to create a distance between them, “You say that I stole the items, repeating it like a broken stereo, do you have evidence of me stealing it? Provide your evidence!” Lily demanded angrily and Lydia’s face drained colour, “She said she saw me taking the items. Should she have recorded it as a means of evidence? If she can’t provide the evidence, hurry up and apologise or I will get the school board involved!” she threatened.
Jasmine pulled Lydia back, “We won’t press charges against you so we can all let it go” she voiced and Lily scowled in anger. “Charges? What charges? I didn’t steal it so what charges would you be letting go of? Excuse me, officer, I want an apology from the three of them or else I’m charging them with defamation with evidence!” she explained and pointed to her phone sitting by the window, quietly recording what had been happening.
The officers gave a proud nod in their hearts. Happy that Lily was smart enough to deal with the bullies on her own. However, they could not help but worry for her as she would be the one to suffer if she charged the rich kids.
Jasmine gritted her teeth and glared at Lily, her heart filled with indignation and revenge as she forced out a smile while wanting to hold Lily’s arms like they were friends. Seeing this Lily stepped back, “Watch it, we aren’t close enough to be buddying up to one another” she warned.
“You should apologise to her” the first officer voiced out, “She doesn’t want more, she just needs you to apologise to her, while three of you were advocating to send her out of the school” she added.Exclusive © material by Nô(/v)elDrama.Org.
After several back and forths, the three finally realised that they were at a disadvantage and without apologising they would not be leaving so they decided to apologise. While planning to deal with Lily at a later time. “We didn’t mean it. The things were expensive and we got a little jittery, that’s why. Sorry for the inconvenience caused” They gritted out and Lily smiled.
“Whatever, I hope it doesn’t happen next time. I won’t be as forgiving as I am now” she threatened and went to sleep