Chapter 5

After the lecture ended, my friends and I were suddenly summoned to the Dean’s office. As we walked down the hallway, tension crept into the air.

Monisha broke the silence. “What do you guys think? Why is he calling us?”

“I hope everything’s alright,” Laura said, her voice a little shaky.

Riti chimed in, trying to stay positive. “Maybe it’s about the upcoming college shows.”

Neha added a thoughtful frown, “Could he need our help with something… who knows?”

They all glanced at me, waiting for my input. But I stayed quiet, my thoughts spinning. Their curious expressions turned into concern.

“What’s wrong with her?” they whispered among themselves. “Why isn’t she saying anything?”

Monisha finally turned to me. “Sara? What do you think? Why would the Dean call us?”

I hesitated, then softly said, “I don’t know. I just…”

Monisha tilted her head. “Just what, Sara?”

I looked ahead, trying to make sense of the unease in my chest. “I just… don’t have a good feeling about this. Something feels off.”

A heavy silence followed. The smiles faded. Even though none of us had done anything wrong, doubt began to creep into their minds. What could this be about?

As we turned down the corridor leading to the Dean’s office, nervous energy buzzed around us like static. We finally reached the door, and I stepped forward to knock.

A stern voice called out from inside. “Come in.”

We entered slowly, standing before the Dean’s desk. I could feel my friends’ tension radiating around me.

The Dean leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “So… none of you know why I’ve called you here?”

Confused glances were exchanged. Monisha, trying to be brave, spoke up. “No, Dean… we don’t.”

The Dean narrowed his eyes at her. “Really? You don’t know? Ha! Look at this the culprit pretending to be clueless.”

Monisha froze, stunned. Her eyes darted to me, searching for support. But I stood motionless, the silence around me louder than any scream.

Does Sara know something? her thoughts seemed to scream. Why isn’t she saying anything?

The silence was too much for her to bear. Her nervousness twisted into frustration. “Sara… do you want to say something?”

I looked at her, then quietly replied, “No.”

Monisha’s heart sank. Why would she do this? We’re friends… right?

Her mind raced. Oh my God, why is everyone so quiet? It feels like I’m losing my mind!

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I stepped forward, voice steady. “Dean… can you please elaborate? What do you mean by ‘culprit’?”

Relief flickered across Monisha’s face. She whispered under her breath, “Finally… I thought she was going to leave me alone in this mess…”

The Dean leaned forward, eyes locked on me. “Elaborate? Sure. How about I show you the footage? You’re smart—you’ll figure out what happened.”

I nodded. “Please do, Dean.”

He stood and motioned for me to follow. “Come with me to the security room.”

Before I stepped out, I turned to my friends, meeting Monisha’s uneasy eyes. “Don’t worry. Nothing’s going to happen. I’m here.”

And with that, I followed the Dean down the hallway toward the truth that waited behind the screens.

As I followed the Dean into the security room, a knot formed in my stomach. I had been through countless challenges in my life, but this felt different more like the kind of test you can’t prepare for. It was almost like facing an unexpected exam that could change everything you’d worked so hard for.

The Dean sat down at the monitor and hit a few buttons. The screen flickered to life, displaying a series of cameras around the college. My heart raced as I tried to focus, scanning the footage for any hint of what was going on.

Then, the footage paused on a particular camera one that showed the area near the student lounge. There, clearly visible, was Monisha. But what made my breath catch was the shadowy figure standing next to her. They were speaking quietly, and the figure handed her something... something small, metallic. My mind raced. What is this? Why is Monisha involved in this?

The Dean turned to me. “Do you understand now, Sara?”

I nodded, my mind spinning. “But… what exactly is happening here?” I whispered, unsure if I was asking the Dean or myself.

As I watched the footage unfold, the pieces started to click into place. Monisha had always been passionate about the college shows and events, always pushing for bigger and better things. What if her ambitions had led her down the wrong path? Maybe she had been coerced, maybe not. The mystery hung in the air, like an unsolved riddle.

I turned to the Dean, my thoughts racing. “This footage doesn’t explain everything. What exactly is this about?”

The Dean’s face was inscrutable. “Let’s just say that some people are willing to go to extreme lengths for success. And Monisha might have been a pawn in a much larger game.”

I looked back at the screen, my thoughts momentarily clouded. If there was one thing I knew for sure, it was that no matter how big the obstacle was, I had to face it head-on. It’s how I’ve always approached challenges whether in medical exams or real-life confrontations. But this time, I wasn’t alone.

With the footage revealing just the beginning, I knew the answers wouldn’t come easy. I had to protect my friends, no matter what twists this story took. And deep down, I could feel my instincts pulling me forward, as if guiding me through yet another trial.

And so, I resolved: no matter what happened next, I’d uncover the truth.

As the footage continued to play, I felt the weight of the situation sink in. Monisha’s face, usually so full of energy and passion, now looks distant and uncertain. Was she truly involved in something she shouldn’t have been, or was she being used? My gut told me there was more to this story than met the eye. But there was one thing I knew for sure I had to talk to Monisha, confront her, and figure out what was really going on.

I stood up abruptly, feeling a surge of determination. The Dean watched me quietly, his face unreadable. “You know what you have to do next, don’t you?”

I nodded, my resolve hardening. “Yes. I need to speak to Monisha.”

Leaving the security room, I made my way back to the hallway where I had last seen my friends. They were anxiously waiting near the office, exchanging worried glances. Monisha stood at the front, her face a mixture of confusion and fear. She looked up as I approached, her eyes searching mine, almost as if she was waiting for some kind of reassurance.

I didn’t offer her a smile. Instead, I took a deep breath and addressed her directly, trying to steady the emotions bubbling inside me.

“Monisha, we need to talk,” I said, my voice firm yet calm.

Her expression faltered for a moment, as if she had been dreading this conversation. “Sara… I… I don’t know what’s going on. This....this is all too much. I swear, I didn’t mean for anything bad to happen.”

The rest of the group looked between us, sensing the tension rising.

“Monisha,” I said, walking closer, my voice quieter but still steady. “I saw the footage. I saw you with that person near the lounge. What happened? Who was that? What were you involved in?”

Monisha’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked as if she were about to break down. “I... I didn’t want this. I swear, I didn’t mean for you to get dragged into this.” She paused, glancing nervously at the others. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.”

I didn’t let her off the hook. “Tell me the truth, Monisha. Who was that person? What’s really going on here?”

She looked away, her hands trembling. “It’s… it’s not what you think. That person… they made me an offer. A way to get ahead. To make sure the college shows we’ve been planning would be bigger than anything anyone has ever seen. At first, I thought it was just a deal to get things done faster. But then it started spiraling. I didn’t know who I was dealing with.”

I felt my heart race. The weight of her words hit me, and I could see the guilt and fear in her eyes. “Monisha, why didn’t you tell me? We’ve been friends for years. Why keep this from me?”

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I thought I could handle it on my own, but it got out of hand. And now… now it’s too late.”

There was a long pause. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Monisha, my friend, my partner in so many things, had gotten herself tangled in something dangerous. But was she truly a victim in this, or was she simply too caught up in her own ambition?

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. “Monisha, we need to fix this. I don’t know what you’re involved in, but we’re going to make things right. You don’t have to go through this alone. But you need to trust me now.”

She nodded slowly, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I trust you, Sara. I just… I don’t know how to make it right.”

The others were watching us closely, still unsure of what was happening. Laura, Neha, and Riti exchanged uncertain glances, but I could see the support in their eyes. They were with us, no matter how twisted the situation had become.

I turned to them. “We’re going to clear this up. We’ll get to the bottom of this, together.”

Monisha’s voice wavered. “You… you still want to help me after everything that’s happened?”

I looked at her, my expression softening. “Yes, Monisha. Because no matter what, you’re my friend. And friends don’t leave each other in the dark.”

We stood there for a moment, the weight of everything still hanging in the air. But I knew that, together, we could face whatever came next.

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