STRINGS BETWEEN US

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: OF ACCUSATIONS, A FALL FROM GRACE, AND THE

I slammed against the wall.

Did it hurt? Yeah. But I stood my ground. Got back up.

Unshaken. Unafraid.

I turned away. "I'm done."

But of course, she blocked the door.

"Move."

Something cracked inside me. I shoved her. Just enough to pass. She lost her balance. And fell.

Right as the door swung open.

Gasps scattered like shattered glass. High Chamber members froze in the doorway. Their eyes jumped from Bianchi—on the floor—to me.

Standing. Breathing hard. Fists clenched.

I didn't say a word. I didn't have to. The damage was done.

The summons came an hour later. Colder than a morgue in here. White walls. Ticking clocks. Silence so clean it felt violent.

Everyone was present.

KD was there. But he didn't look at me.

I stood in the center, like some exhibit in a museum of misconduct.

"Miss Del Rio, you are accused of initiating physical violence against the Vice President of the Student Council. What is your statement?"

I exhaled. Slowly.

"She dragged me. She slapped me. Twice. I only pushed her because she was blocking the door. I didn't throw her—she slipped."

Silence.

"Do you have any witnesses to confirm this... provocation?"

Silence.

I let out a soft, bitter laugh.

"Of course not. Wouldn't want anyone seeing the Vice President unhinged, would we?"

All eyes turned to Bianchi.

Her arm was now in a sling—so theatrical—and she still wouldn't look at me.

"Given the absence of corroborating witnesses," said the Disciplinary Head, "the council has decided: a two-day leave of absence. To cool off. No classes, no duties—"

I stepped forward.

Took the form.

And crossed out the words "two days."

I wrote:

INDEFINITE.

The silence cracked like thunder.

"Miss Del Rio," the Disciplinary Head said slowly, "are you certain? An indefinite leave will affect your grades, your rank, your—"

I smiled. Sweet. Sharp. Serrated.

"I wasn't called Celestine's Princess for nothing." I turned to face all of them.

"A leave like this doesn't scare me. My grades will be fine. Still better than the Vice President's."

Bianchi flinched. No one else moved. Not even him.

And that silence? That was louder than anything they could've sentenced me to.

KD's POV

She didn't look back when she walked away.

And I didn't stop her.

Not when the silence in the room echoed louder than a gavel. Not when Bianchi curled her fingers tighter around that ridiculous sling like it made her right. Not when Riyee's eyes flicked past me—once—without expectation.

That was the worst part.

She didn't expect me to defend her. Not anymore.

I sat through the hearing like I was carved from stone.
Fists clenched beneath the table.
Jaw locked.
Rage buried deep.

I heard everything she said—every clipped truth flung like a blade into the room.

And I didn't move.

Not when she laughed at the council. Not when she scratched out their sentence like it was a dare. Not when she walked away from the chaos.

Because if I had stood. If I had said even one word. I wouldn't just lose the case.

I'd lose control.

And right now, that was all I had left.

"You don't deserve him," Bianchi had hissed.

But Riyee never claimed to.

That was the difference.

She never asked me to choose her. Never said the words out loud.

Because somewhere between the chaos, the late-night silences, the rooms we stole,
and the war we never named.

I already had.

I stared at the empty chair she left behind.

Still warm. Still echoing.

And I hated myself for staying seated.