Sandra's voice echoed through the room as she pointed a shaking finger at Claudia. "Oh my gosh, so you were poor," she spat, her words dripping with venom. "I'll tell you all the truth now. This Claudia here is not only a liar but also a murderer!" The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on the drama unfolding before them.
Claudia's eyes widened in shock, her face pale. "Sandra, stop—"
"Stop?" Sandra cut her off, her voice rising. "If you could lie to everyone, why me? You betrayed me." The crowd murmured, sensing the gravity of the situation.
The air was thick with tension as everyone waited to hear Sandra.
Sandra's voice trembles as she recounts the events, tears streaming down her face. "Oh God, I'm so sorry... I don't know how we let it get that far. Claudia was convinced that Marissa was a threat because she was talking to Miguel, but little did we know he was just playing her. I overheard him saying he was interested in Marissa and I... I misinterpreted it and fed it to Claudia. She went ballistic, and I went along with it. We bullied Marissa, mercilessly. We insulted her, ridiculed her, and even took her kitten," Sandra sobs "I feel so ashamed. We made her do Claudia's assignment just to get her kitten back, and even that got ruined. And then,"
She choked back a sob. "Claudia just snapped. She threw Marissa to the ground and buried her head in the bathroom sink. But Marissa, she was so brave. She fought back, and it was like... it was like she knew exactly what to say to hit Claudia where it hurt,"
Sandra looks up, her eyes red-rimmed.
"Claudia called out to us to help her and Nadia and I came out holding hockey sticks to hit Marissa. Nadia pulled out Fluff's head despite her pleas. Marissa also fought Claudia that it was so hard for us to pull them apart. I was the one," she choked again and burst loud, "Who hit the stick on Marissa's head. She mocked Claudia with the last energy she had. She took out a knife and slit Marissa's throat! We threw her body in the dirty water and fled."
Eyes were staring poisonously at Sandra, but some pitied her.
Sandra collapsed to her knees in front of Claudia, her body racked with sobs. Tears streamed down her face like a river that's burst its banks, each droplet a mixture of anguish, betrayal, and shattered trust. Her red-rimmed eyes, swollen from crying, locked onto Claudia's stoic expression, and in a flash, she lunged forward, grabbing Claudia's shoulder and sinking her teeth into it.
Claudia's scream pierced the air as Sandra's grip was like a vice. The students surrounding them stood frozen, unsure of how to intervene. Isabella was the first to snap out of it, kneeling beside Sandra and trying to coax her off Claudia. "Sandra, stop! You're hurting her!"
But Sandra was beyond reason. She jerked away from Isabella and rose to her feet, her face contorted in a mixture of rage and pain. "Everything I did was for you!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from sobbing. "All my years in high school and college, wasted on this... this liar!" She slapped Claudia hard across the face.
"This bitch! This cheat! You made everyone worship you and we gladly think, hoping you were really the rich kid who would help our lives. Not only was your dad formerly rich, but you and your crazy mom turned him into a nobody. You became a daughter of the Flores family and you controlled us! Especially me! You taught me how to hurt others to get what I want."
Claudia stumbled back, her cheek burning with the imprint of Sandra's hand. But Sandra wasn't done. She slapped her again, and again, each blow punctuated by a venomous epithet. It wasn't until two cops intervened, pinning Sandra's arms behind her back, that the tirade finally stopped.
As they dragged her away, Sandra's screams grew more desperate. "I hate you! I regret being your friend!" She struggled against the guards, her eyes wild with pain and fury. "Leave me! Leave me!"
The silence that followed was oppressive, punctuated only by Sandra's fading screams and Claudia's quiet sobs.
"All she said were cold lies! I didn't kill anybody! I...I bullied Marissa Connor but I didn't kill her!" Claudia 's voice was shaking.
"Shut the fuck up! Marissa's phone was on the ground that day and everything you did was recorded! Diana kept the phone all these years so she should use it against you! How could you do this to an innocent girl? Even your ring was in the sink that day." Carissa cried out.
"Isn't this yours?" Diana dropped the ring in front of her.
Claudia was speechless.
"Do you wanna go on and on proving your innocence?" Gabriela yelled.
Claudia's eyes froze on Gabriela's smirking face as the words slammed into her like a sledgehammer. "Murder?" she whispered, her voice lost in the stunned silence of the auditorium. The cops' grip on her arms was like a vise, yanking her to her feet.
The room spun around her, a blur of shocked faces and accusing stares. Gabriela's triumphant grin seared into her brain, fueling a toxic mix of anger and desperation. The cop's voice was a distant echo: "You have the right to remain silent..."
Gabriela sauntered closer, her voice dripping venom. "Claudia, I won, right? You'll always be beneath me. Always." Her smirk widened, and Claudia saw red.
With a feral snarl, she lunged, nails clawing at Gabriela's face. The cops reacted in an instant, twisting her arms behind her back, forcing her to her knees. Handcuffs bit into her wrists as she struggled, her breath hissing through gritted teeth.
"It can't be! You can't be happy! You can't succeed!" Claudia spat, her voice barely audible over the chaos. The cops yanked her up, dragging her away from Gabriela's shocked face, now etched with bloody scratches.
The auditorium erupted into pandemonium. Some students screamed, others snapping photos. Miguel and Diana took Gabriela to the infirmary.
~~~~INFIRMARY~~~~
"Why did you guys leave Daniela in the car?" Gabriela asked Diana, her face being treated by the nurse.
"She's going to be alright. She's with Leslie and Lana."
"They came? I didn't have the time to see them." Gabriela smiled but winced in pain only a second after.
The nurse left.
"I'm so glad this drama is over, Gabriela. Just heal and then we go shopping." Diana said softly and they laughed heartily.
"You're forgetting me here." Miguel spoke, his voice hinting jealousy.
Gabriela chuckled.
Their eyes met and their hearts raced.
"Looks like I'll have to excuse you both." Diana said mischievously.
"What? You don't have to - "
"Yes, Diana. I want to talk to Gaby in private."
"I knew it. I'm off!" Diana walked out, a smirk playing on her lips.
"Um..."
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Miguel." Gabriela genuinely apologized.
"It's okay. I wanted to say something before you got a call from the hospital, remember?"
Gabriela nodded.
Their eyes locked and he smiled seeing the sparkle in hers.
"Okay, so I've been trying to play it cool, but honestly, you're making it really hard. I mean, you're like the plot twist in my favorite show—unexpected, amazing, and I can't stop thinkin' about you.
Jokes aside, being around you feels like findin' a $20 bill in my pocket; it's a pleasant surprise, and I'm like, life's good. Sincerely, I hated you at first sight. I thought you were going to be a threat to my fame in school and all, but the day I saw the human was the day you brought me food at detention. I started liking you the day you made me realize that I wasn't a mistake. Truth be told, I didn't fall for just your eyes, your lips, or your curves. I fell for your soft heart.
Overtime, I just became crazier and crazier about you. I can't stand the sight of you with another guy. I can't stand any other person complimenting you. This isn't exaggeration, it's just me, bein' real. No matter how I try, you just never get out of my head. I can't continue this - I can't continue being my friend. You tempt me. Above all, I wanna be yours."
Gabriela chuckled sweetly, her blush seeming impossible to hide.
The air was electric as Gabriela's words hung in the air, her voice a gentle whisper that sent shivers down Miguel's spine. "I've always felt the same way about you," she said, her eyes locking onto his, sparkling like diamonds in the soft light.
The room seemed to shrink, the world outside fading into the background as Miguel's heart skipped a beat. He felt a rush of adrenaline, his pulse pounding in his ears. The sparks flew, crackling with anticipation, as Gabriela's confession ignited a flame that had been smoldering beneath the surface.
Gabriela's heart was racing, her cheeks flushing with a mix of nervousness and excitement. She had taken a chance, laying her feelings bare, and the look in Miguel's eyes told her she had taken the right risk.
Miguel's hands, as if drawn by an invisible force, reached out and found hers, his fingers intertwering with hers in a gentle, electrifying touch. His eyes never left hers, his gaze burning with a desire that left her breathless.
As their skin touched, a jolt of electricity ran through them, sending shivers down their spines. Miguel's heart was racing, his mouth dry, as he struggled to find his voice. "I was so excited when you said we were official," he whispered, his voice husky with emotion.
Gabriela's smile grew, her eyes shining with happiness. "Thanks for waiting for this moment," she teased, her voice barely above a whisper.
The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unspoken desire. Miguel's thumb began to stroke hers, sending sparks flying through her body. He leaned in, his face inches from hers, his breath whispering against her skin.
"I'm yours, if you would have me."
"Ahem!" Michelle walked in and Miguel let go of her hand.
"Guys! The infirmary's getting closed for the day. Shall we?"
~~~~A MONTH LATER, CORRECTIONAL CENTER~~~~
Isabella's heels clicked on the cold concrete floor as she made her way to the visitor's area, the correctional center's drab atmosphere suffocating her. She had put off this visit for weeks, but she knew she had to see Sandra. The warden, a kind-faced woman with a firm handshake, had led her to the meeting room with a nod. "Sandra Paulson, inmate 1201. She's a model prisoner, surprisingly," she'd said with a hint of a smile.
As she waited, Isabella's eyes scanned the room, taking in the familiar yet haunting sight of the prison's drab decor. The door swung open and a guard called out, "Inmate 1201, you have a guest."
Sandra walked in, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Isabella. Her face lit up with a genuine smile, transforming her tired features. Isabella's heart twisted with pity as she took in Sandra's appearance. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and her prison uniform hung loosely on her slender frame. The number 1201 emblazoned on her shirt seemed to scream her new reality.
Isabella stood, unsure of what to expect, but Sandra's warm smile put her at ease. "Isabella, hi. It's been a while. How's life after college going?" she asked, sitting down across from Isabella with a familiarity that made Isabella's chest ache.
Isabella's eyes widened in surprise. She had expected anger, accusations, maybe even tears. Not this...this calm, polite inquiry. She swallowed, trying to match Sandra's tone. "It's been...good. Busy with work, you know. How...how are you?" She hesitated, unsure of how to broach the subject of Sandra's incarceration.
Sandra's smile faltered for a moment, but she recovered quickly. "It's...different. But I'm making the most of it, I guess. Reading, writing...I've even started a book club." She laughed, a hint of her old sparkle shining through. "Who knew I'd discover a love for literature in prison?"
"Do you wanna read some of my poems?"
"Um...no, let's just - talk."
"Isabella, I'm really sorry for everything I did to you back in college. I - I'm amused to see you despite what I've made you go through because of Rafael. And it's not my fault, yunno. Claudia landed me in here. She made me believe I could be queen with her by my side. She made me believe I could get whatever I wanted. Rafael loves you and I should have respected that. I sincerely apologise."
"It's okay, Sandra. I forgive you. That's why I'm here. I really wanted to know how you were doing."
"I've made a lot of new friends, real friends who aren't like Claudia. And I've learnt so much from them."
"I'm - happy to hear that you're doing - good at least."
"I think the visitation time is up, Isabella. You should get going. But can you do me a favor?"
Isabella arched a brow.
"Anything. What would you like?"
"Um..I..I want you to give this note to my sister. I owe her apologies too. Will you?" Sandra handed a paper to Isabella.
"Of course. I'll give it to her."
Sandra grinned.
"Thank you so much, Isabella."
"I'll come again." Isabella assured her.
"Okay, please do."
~~~MICHELLE'S HOUSE~~~
Michelle walked into the living room, exhaustion etched on her face. Her mom, still bustling around the room, noticed and immediately stopped. "Michelle, baby, you need to take more rest. You've been working non-stop since you graduated. It's been a month already," she said, concern lapping at her voice.
Michelle sighed, flanking herself on the couch. "Mom, I'd really appreciate it if they could just give me a day's off. But they love my magic cooking hands, so..." She rolled her eyes playfully.
Her mom's face softened, and she sat beside Michelle, pulling her into a warm hug. "Oh, my baby. I'm so proud of you. You've grown into such a responsible woman. I remember when you were just a little girl, playing with playdough in the kitchen, and now you're whirling magic with pots and pans. I'm just...I'm so proud, Michelle."
Michelle grinned, cuddling her mom tightly. "Aww, Mom. Thanks."
Her mom pulled back, a mischievous glitch in her eye. "Now, use those magic hands to prepare me a delicious dinner."
Michelle chuckled, standing up. "Okay, Mom."
She walked into the kitchen, and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Damien was sitting on the counter, smiling at her like he owned the place. "Damien! You scared me!" she gasped, hand on her chest.
Damien chuckled, beaming with joy. "Hey, sorry about that. I couldn't resist seeing the magic cooking hands in action." He hopped off the counter, sauntering closer to her.
"What's on the menu tonight?" Damien pulled her close, his hands wrapped around her waist.