Getting blamed for a murder she never committed isn't something Danielle expected when she let her anger get the best of her for once in her life.
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Danielle Imchen has always considered her boarding...
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The dinner hall was full of chatters. The recent death of a teacher had done nothing to dampen the mood of the residents of Calliope Academy. There were four long tables along with benches stretching from one end of the hall to the other. At the extreme left stood the unhappy staffs dressed in black uniforms behind another long table serving food to the students and teachers. The last table on the left was exclusive to the teachers.
Danielle was sitting between Rayana and Anuskha fiddling with the food on her plate. She looked at the end of her table and immediately spotted Arianna who was sitting beside Ryan. Danielle thought she would never see the day when Ryan left Xavier for someone else. They had the friendship people only dreamt of. She didn't know the intimate details of their friendship but whatever she saw was a testament to her theory. She hoped that someday she would find a friend like Ryan who would become her sibling over time.
Despite the strangeness of the scenery, Danielle felt relieved to know that someone was there for Arianna and that she wasn't isolating herself from everyone.
"Never thought I would see the day when Ryan chooses someone over Xavier," Anushka remarked munching on her fries.
"You make it sound like they were dating," Danielle mumbled, eyeing her untouched meal.
"Who knows?" Anushka shrugged. Picking up another fry from her plate and popping it in her mouth, she asked, "Why didn't Ryan take her to his table? Scared that Arianna will replace him?"
It was Rayana who answered. "Arianna and Xavier are each other's ex."
Anuskha's eyes widened. "Since when?"
"They dated for a month or so back in class 9," Danielle informed. She looked over at the table on the extreme right where Xavier and his friends usually sit. Joanna and Xavier were the only ones there today. Joanna threw worried glances towards Arianna then and now while whispering something to Xavier.
Danielle felt a sharp nudge in her ribs. With an 'oof' she turned to look at Rayana who was pointing at something behind them. She followed Rayana's finger to see her pointing at Sameera. Sameera looked different. Much like Vijay, there were bags under her eyes and her hair was put in a messy bun. Her face was ashen and her lips chapped. The white shirt and blue pants she was wearing was wearing were crumpled. She had piled her plate with extremely little food. But then again, Danielle was in no place to complain- her own plate full of food had been untouched by her. This was highly unlikely of Sameera. Sameera was always calm and composed; neat and clean. But the Sameera she was seeing right now looked like she had been hit with the greatest of greatest tragedies. Suddenly, Sameera stood up with her plate full of food. On her way out of the dining hall, she dumped her plate in the dustbin.
She swept her eyes over the table and as expected there was no Vijay. She sighed. Pushing away her plate of food, she stood up.
Rayana looked at her sceptically. "Are you sure you're okay?"
