55

"She looked so hurt, Iris. Like I kicked a puppy." I met Iris at the gate before walking through campus with her. I've been rambling about me and Daniela, giving her updates.

I groaned, tugging at the strap of my own bag. "I tried talking to her. Twice." My voice faltered, and I looked down at the pavement. "She saw me holding Cameron's hand."

Iris stopped walking and turned to face me, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "You were what?"

"It wasn't like that," I snapped, though my cheeks burned with guilt. "I was explaining things to him--about Elijah, about... stuff--and I just grabbed his hand to make him listen. Trust me, he knows I'm not into him the way he is, and he understands."

Iris sighed. "Pookie, do you hear yourself? You're not into him, but Daniela doesn't know that. To her, it probably looked like you were confessing your undying love or something."

As soon as we stepped into the building, something changed, like the energy shifted. The hallway was still loud and packed, but everyone we walked past turned their heads to us. Some whispered to themselves, looking away. Other just kept staring at us with a mixture of emotions.

Iris noticed it first, her eyes darting around suspiciously. "What the hell is going on?" She muttered under her breath.

I shrugged, trying to ignore the students staring, but it was almost impossible. Every glance felt like a jab, every hushed whisper like a scream.

Two girls passed us, their eyes flickering to me before one leaned into the other and whispered something. They both burst into quiet laughter, quickly looking away when Iris glared at them.

"Alright, no," Iris said, stopping dead in her tracks. "What is their problem?"

I tugged at Iris's sleeve, trying to keep her moving. "I don't know, and I don't care. Let's just get to class."

But Iris was having none of it. "Nope. Not letting this slide. If they've got something to say, they can say it to our faces." She turned around, her sharp gaze scanning the hallway like a hawk. A few people snapped their heads away in fear as Iris stared back.

Before she could cause a scene, a group of three familiar figures strolled toward us.

Cheryl lead the pack, her perfect blonde waves bouncing with every step, walking with confidence. She walked like she owned the entire campus, her piercing blue eyes zeroing in on us like a hawk spotting prey.

She had a grin plastered on her lips as her eyes met mine.

Trailing slightly behind her was Carol, her expression a stark contrast to Cheryl's. She kept her head low, her eyes flicking nervously around the hallway as if she were desperate to avoid eye contact with anyone, especially Iris. Her blonde hair was pulled into a neat ponytail, but the tension in her shoulders betrayed her unease.

Bethany followed closely, but she was quiet.

They stopped just in front of us, Cheryl positioning herself center stage while the other two flanked her like loyal sidekicks. She cocked her head to the side, checking us out.

"Well, well, well," Cheryl smirked. "If it isn't NYU's finest troublemakers."

I felt my stomach twist, but Iris crossed her arms, standing her ground. "What do you want, Cheryl?" I mumbled.

She brought her hand up to her face, checking her nails. "Oh, nothing really. Just wanted to congratulate you two on your... stunning performance. Who knew you had such a wild side?"

"What are you talking about?" Iris snapped, narrowing her eyes.

Cheryl feigned surprise, placing a hand over her heart. "Oh, you mean you don't know? The footage is all over now. Quite the scandal, I must say."

My heart sank.

Footage? Scandal?

Carol shifted uncomfortably, her gaze flicking to Iris before quickly looking away. "Cheryl, maybe we should--"

"Shh, Carol," Cheryl interrupted, waving a dismissive hand. "This is too good to rush." She leaned in slightly, her smirk turning predatory. "You don't remember, Victoria? That little bar incident? Looks like someone finally found the footage. And boy, is it entertaining."

My blood ran cold. Santorini. The Olympiads. The bar. The arrest.

"You're lying," I managed to say, though my voice was shaking.

"Oh, honey," Cheryl purred, tilting her head. "Why would I lie? Go ahead, check your phones. I'm sure the whole campus is buzzing by now."

Iris took a step forward, her hands clenched into fists. "If you're behind this--"

"Relax, Iris," Cheryl said, raising her hands in mock innocence. "I'm not that petty. But whoever did leak it? Genius move. It's chef's kiss content."

Bethany giggled behind her, clearly enjoying the show, but Carol looked like she wanted to disappear into the floor.

Cheryl leaned back, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Anyway, we just thought we'd drop by and say hi. Enjoy the attention, ladies. You've certainly earned it."

With that, she turned on her heel, her puppies following. Bethany shot us a smirk, but Carol glanced back at Iris, her expression conflicted, before quickly looking away.

As they walked off, Iris muttered under her breath, "I'm going to kill her."

My hands were trembling, my mind racing. "I don't... How did this happen? Who would even--?"

"I don't know," Iris said, her jaw clenched, "but we're going to find out. And when we do, whoever leaked that footage is going to regret it."

The classroom was filled of chatter as students settled into their seats, the scrape of chairs and shuffle of papers blending. I sank into my usual spot beside Iris, my bag slumping onto the floor with a thud. Mrs. Abramson hasn't started yet, which was good since my mind wasn't anywhere near the room.

I stared blankly at the whiteboard, my pen twirling aimlessly between my fingers. My thoughts spiraled, tangled in a knot of worry and guilt. How did the footage even get out? What would the university do if they decided to investigate?

My stomach twisted as I thought about Daniela. The Olympiad trip was her responsibility—her name attached to every form, every approval. Will they blame her for what happened? For us being at the bar, for getting arrested? Would this ruin her career?

"Earth to Victoria," Iris whispered beside me, nudging my arm. "You good?"

I shook my head slightly, dragging myself back to reality. "I don't know. What if this blows up? What if they call us in or--"

"Stop," Iris said firmly, leaning closer. "No one's calling us anywhere. For all we know, this is just gossip spreading around. People love drama, but that doesn't mean the university's even aware of it."

I bit my lip, my eyes darting to the door. "But what about Daniela? If the administration hears about it, she--"

Iris placed a hand on my arm, her voice softer now. "We don't know anything yet, okay? Let's not jump to the worst-case scenario."

Mrs. Abramson shushed the class, her sharp voice cutting through the low murmur of whispers. "Settle down, everyone. Let's begin."

I tried to focus on her as she started writing something on the board, but her words barely registered.

What if Daniela did get fired? What if this escalated beyond gossip and into something serious? The image of her packing up her office, her career in ruins, haunted me. Would she blame me? Would she think I wasn't worth the trouble?

I tapped my pen against the desk, my leg bouncing under the table. The lights felt too bright, the room too loud, even though it was completely silent except for Mrs. Abramson's voice.

Who leaked the footage?

Adeline.

After class, Iris bolted out. She told me she was going to see Carol and her friends to investigate them. I warned her not to do anything stupid. But she won't. Not in front of Carol.

The mass of students began to shuffle out of the classroom, talking in low voices, already spreading rumors and exchanging glances to me as I remained seated.

I sat there for a moment, my fingers still clenching the edges of my notebook. The noise around me felt distant, like I was hearing it through a thick fog.

I spotted Eleanor waiting for me by the door. Her arms were crossed, her eyebrows furrowed, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. She looked ready for a confrontation, and I didn't blame her.

As soon as I reached her, she exhaled sharply. "What the hell is that footage, Victoria?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. The knot in my stomach tightened. I could feel the eyes of the students passing us in the hallway, whispers swirling around us like a storm.

"Look, Eleanor," I started, my voice quiet, "it's not what it looks like. I swear, it's a misunderstanding."

Her eyes narrowed. "Misunderstanding? You're telling me that you and Iris ended up in some bar, drunk out of your minds, and got arrested? That footage is just a 'misunderstanding'?"

So, I explained to her.

From the beginning to the end. I told her about the Olympiad in Santorini. How we didn't get into the finals. I needed a distraction, excluding being angry at Daniela, and dragged Iris along to me with the bar. There we let ourselves loose for only a moment, then it escalated. Dancing on the tables, throwing snacks and drinks, doing body shots, the flirting. A guy brought drugs into the bar, and we wanted nothing to do with it, so we left. But as we left, the police came.

I told her how the lady officer let us go, but forced us out of the island. How Carol helped us get back to New York.

"Holy crap, that's insane." Eleanor mumbled, stunned.

I nodded. "Yeah, and Professor Garcia was responsible for our actions. Me and Iris literally represented the university, but we blew it. Now what will happen if they decide to take action, fire Professor Garcia and kick us out?"

Eleanor shifted uncomfortably, but her voice was steady. "Okay, where do you want me?" She asked, and I frowned.

I blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Eleanor gave me a small, knowing smile. "I mean, I'm not going to just sit around and watch my best friends get kicked out of university. How do I help?"

"I-I don't know..."

We fell into silence, us both thinking of something. Then Eleanor clicked, her eyes sparkling. "The footage is released on the university's page, right?" She said. "So, whoever it was needs to be good in computers, hacking, staff, or the students who works for the university's blog. You know, the news writers, photographers. They post stuff on there too."

"Good point." I nodded. "You go check the security cameras in the library. Maybe whoever leaked the footage did it on the computers. If someone ask, say you forgot your USB drive and you think somebody stole it."

With one more nod, Eleanor was off.

She always knew how to turn a situation into something manageable, even when everything felt out of control. She was the one person who could make a plan out of chaos, and I needed that right now more than ever.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus.

Well, Eleanor and Iris was off to work, now only me standing here.

My job is to find Daniela.

I adjusted the strap of my bag and headed toward her office. The walk felt longer than usual.

When I reached her office door, my heart sank.

It was closed, the lights off. She wasn't here.

I sighed, biting my lip.

Of course, she wouldn't just be sitting around waiting for this disaster to find her.

So, I checked the next place she's most likely to be. Her classroom. I know she doesn't have my class today, but maybe there's a chance that she's in there.

Through the glass window of the door, I saw her. Daniela stood at the front of the room, setting up the projector and flipping through what looked like lecture notes. She was calm, focused, as if nothing in her world had changed.

She's a good actor.

Before I could second-guess myself, I pushed the door open.

Daniela turned at the sound, her gaze locking onto me instantly. Her expression shifted from neutral to something sharper. "Where's your boytoy?" She scoffed, her voice raspy. She turned to her laptop again. She wasn't sitting, but standing in front of her desk as she leans over.

I ignored her snarky comment and moved into the classroom, shutting the door behind me.

"Have you seen the university latest blog?" I asked, my voice laced with guilt.

Daniela's fingers paused over the keyboard, her jaw tightening. "Of course I've seen it," she said coldly, straightening up. Her piercing gaze met mine, and I suddenly felt very small. "Do you think I wouldn't notice a video of my students dancing on tables and getting arrested, plastered all over the university's page?"

"We're trying to get it off." I said.

Daniela crossed her arms, her expression a mix of disbelief and frustration. "Oh, really? And how exactly are you planning to accomplish that, Victoria? Do you have some magic wand to erase it from everyone's memory too?"

Again, I ignored her comments. "We think it was hacked--someone leaked the footage on purpose. Eleanor and Iris are working on tracking it down, figuring out who's behind it. We'll find them, Daniela. We'll fix this."

She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Fix this? You can't un-ring a bell, Victoria. The damage is already done. The board is looking for someone to blame, and guess who's at the top of their list?" She gestured to herself, her voice tinged with bitterness. "This could end my career and you and your friend can be expelled."

I clenched my jaw as she went on. "You realize how this looks like?" She frowned. "It makes the university look bad. What will people think if they hear about a professor letting their students off drunk in another country, letting them get arrested. Nobody will ever want to come to this goddam university if they hear such things."

"So do me a favor, and just back off and let me fix this. I don't need you making things worse."

Damn, that hurts.

"But, Daniela--"

"I said I'll handle this myself!" She snaps, turning to me.

My breathing got stuck in my throat at her sudden raise of voice. I could see the regret in her eyes for a split second before recovering to her stern expression.

She turned back to her laptop with tense shoulders, furrowed eyebrows. "Leave, Victoria." She growled. "I have a class."

"But--"

"I asked you to fucking leave." Her head snaps to me.

Woah.

I froze in place.

Normally I wouldn't care if a professor shouted at me. But her? It kind of hurts.

My own eyes filled with tears and her eyes soften looking at me. "Please. Leave."

I didn't even know I've been crying once I felt the tear roll down my face.

And just like that, I turned around and rushed to the door, opening it, and leaving.