Chapter 3

3

I didn't say a word. I just recorded their conversation. When it got too disgusting to listen to, I kicked the door open.

Lacey and Haya looked like deer in headlights. Their smug expressions froze.

"Oh, Sonya. You're back," Lacey said awkwardly.

I ignored her and started packing my makeup. I noticed something was missing. I only had one lipstick left.

"Have either of you seen my lipsticks?" I asked coldly.

Lacey's eyes flickered. I noticed her lips were a bright, familiar shade of red.

Before I could call her out, someone burst through the door.

"Lacey! Something is wrong! Sunny from my dorm is puking her guts out after eating your mushrooms!"

Lacey's face went pale, but she quickly regained her composure. "Are you sure it was the mushrooms? Did she eat anything else?"

The girl shook her head.

Lacey panicked for a split second before coming up with a lie. "It's probably just a detox! These are all-natural. They jumpstart your digestion. She'll feel better and even look paler once the toxins are out. Just tell her to rest and take some anti-diarrhea meds."

Without asking, Lacey grabbed a bottle of my meds from my desk and handed them over.

I was stunned by her audacity. Using my stuff to play the hero? What a freak.

What was even weirder was that the girl actually believed her. She took the meds and thanked Lacey like she was a saint.

I couldn't help but speak up. "You should really get her to a hospital."

Lacey snapped at me. "I said she's fine! Do you think I'd hurt my classmates?"

She turned to the other girl. "Sonya doesn't care about Sunny. She just wants her to run around when she's sick. Sunny needs rest to let the detox work."

Haya chimed in, "Exactly. Just let her rest."

The girl hesitated but eventually agreed. "Okay..."

I could only hope those meds wouldn't make things worse.

I decided to stay in the dorm that night since it was late.

In the middle of the night, the hallway erupted in chaos. The sound of heavy footsteps woke us up.

Soon, the wailing of multiple ambulances filled the campus air.

The noise outside was terrifying. The agonizing screams of students faded as they were loaded into the vehicles. Then, the dorm mother's voice boomed.

"Lacey Miller! Open up! You're coming to the hospital right now!"

Lacey was already awake. Her face was white as a sheet, making her look like a ghost.

Haya was shaking with fear.

I sighed and sent a text to my brother. I told him to have the doctors keep a close eye on three specific students―the ones who died in my past life.

By the time we got to the hospital, the hallways were packed with frantic parents.

When the Dean saw Lacey, his voice was cold. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Students are in critical condition because of your mushrooms."

Lacey's legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the floor.

Haya gripped my hand so hard it hurt. She was trembling violently.

Every parent in the hallway turned their hateful gaze toward Lacey.

Lacey's eyes darted around in a panic until she saw me.

A light seemed to turn on in her head. She pointed a finger at me and screamed, "Dean! This has nothing to do with me! Sonya picked those mushrooms herself! She begged me to sell them for her because she was broke!"

Haya immediately started nodding. She claimed she was there and saw me pleading with Lacey.

Other students who hadn't gotten sick yet stepped up to defend Lacey too. They said her previous batches had been fine.

Lacey wiped away fake tears. "Sonya, I trusted you! How could you sell poisonous mushrooms and hurt people?"

People say college students are smart, but the herd mentality is terrifyingly stupid.

I hadn't touched her business, yet here she was, pinning the whole thing on me.

In the past, my voice was too weak against the crowd. The parents only believed the majority.

The Dean sighed, saying they would investigate, but student safety came first.

The rest of us were sent back to campus. On the way, Haya wouldn't look me in the eye.

Lacey, on the other hand, was smug. "See? No one believes you."

I ignored her and closed my eyes to think.

Lacey thought I was done for and kept mocking me. I reached out and slapped her hard across the face.

She touched her cheek, looking like she wanted to kill me.

Haya held her back. "Forget it, Lacey. She's taking the fall for us anyway. Let her vent."

Lacey huffed and stormed off. Haya followed her like a lost puppy.

I watched them go, a small smile playing on my lips. I reached into my pocket and stopped the recording.