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 blaring alarm made the throbbing behind her forehead more intense. Throwing off her covers, Danielle sat up. Cracking her eyes open, she let the bright sunlight blind her, momentarily. Her eyes wandered towards Arianna's bed instinctively.
The bed was empty. Just like she had seen before falling asleep. She realised that Arianna didn't return.
Maybe she is staying with Joanna, Danielle thought. Switching off the obnoxiously loud alarm, Danielle started to get ready for the day. She looked at the clock: 6:10
"Wow, I slept through that blaring sound for ten minutes straight!" She chuckled.
Putting her tangled hair in a messy bun and taking her toothbrush and towel, she opened the door. The first sight that met her eyes was a very unusual one. Students were crowded around something in the corridor, some six feet from her room. Hushed whispers filled the air while tensed glances were exchanged. She couldn't see the object of interest but knew something was wrong.
"What happened?" Danielle asked out loud.
All eyes turned towards her and immediately, everyone fell silent. The silence was loud and suffocating. Even the soothing chirps of the birds and the bright sunlight didn't make the atmosphere lighter.
She started walking towards the centre of the crowd. Her eyes jumped from one face to another for an answer. As she started nearing the centre, the students moved aside making way for her. Finally, only two students were separating her from the mystery object. As the two slid away to make way for her, Danielle finally saw it.
Her towel and toothbrush fell from her hands. She took another step forward before her knees gave away. Falling on her knees with a thud; eyes wide and lips trembling, she finally perceived the object of interest. Breathing became a luxury to her as the walls of her throat closed up. The throbbing behind her forehead worsened. Nausea overtook her body and bitter bile threatened to crawl up her throat. Her nails tried to dig into the cold stone floor underneath her. Her body had turned into a cold, stone statue. A single lone tear trickled down her cheek.
In front of her lay the ashen body of Arianna. She looked quite lifeless- arms and legs were sprawled out. Her black hair created an eerie halo around her head. Lips parted slightly and eyes blew open in aghast, Arianna wasn't prepared to see death standing before her. Not a single drop of blood was around her.
A piercing scream brought back Danielle to her senses. Turning around she saw a shocked, pale Joanna. Joanna's lips were trembling. She clawed at Xavier's shirt, who was standing beside her in shock and pointed towards her sister. Tears cascaded down her cheeks. She fell on her knees. The sound of her heartwrenching sobs echoed in the otherwise quiet corridor.
Xavier sat beside her and pulled her into his arms. Joanna clung onto his hand which was cradling her head as she cried into his shoulder. He rubbed her back gently and whispered consolations in her ears.
