MY ALARM ISN'T set until six thirty so when it rings way before my body is complicit, I groan, turning over to shut it before seeing the time light up on my screen. One thirty am. That's not my time, that's my ringer.

I groan louder, going to decline it before I see how many more miscalls I've gotten. Three from Valé, four from Amber and six from Nadia. Shit. Shit. Shit.

I lean over, flicking the switch of the dainty floral tapered lamp that glows dimly, before fixing myself in my shirt and answering the phone.

"Hello?" I clear my throat after hearing the first version of my voice that's gone rough with sleep.

"Nayelie?" Nadia breathes on the other side, her voice coming out urgent. My heart sinks. What is it now?

"What's wrong?" I breathe out, fixing up my position and accidentally kicking Blanco while at it. The dog stirs and I go still not wanting him to wake him up. Mom would kill me if she were to see I'd let him on the bed, let alone have him attack it in a frenzy.

"Nayelie, someone knows it was us."

My entire body freezes. "What do you mean? Principal Leighton?" All the evidence he had disappeared. Was I scared it could leak? Yes, but did I ignore the issue hoping it would somehow disappear? Also, yes.

"No, someone else," Valé's voice adds.

"Well, we don't know that for sure," Amber retracts. It's a four way call I note.

"Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean someone knows?" I repeat, as my brain attempts to scatter any alibis.

"I got a letter. I didn't notice at first but the writing, it's done in the Cathans's chocolatier print."

"Alright, is that it?" I mean, that doesn't sound too bad. It could be a cruel joke.

"I got a positive pregnancy test, the box it came in was French packaged," Valé mutters but I hear it in her voice, she's keeping something. I don't press. Not yet anyway.

"Amber?"

"A receipt for an Evanders's art piece, with scribbled writing saying I know you did it." Oh shit. "You haven't gotten anything yet?" she asks.

I shake my head, forgetting that they can't see me, I begin to speak. "Not that I know of."

"Check your front porch, all our things ended up at our doors."

I think it over. Do I want to risk waking up Mom and Dad? But then it hits me, they're not home. They had to attend a school board meeting before spending the night flying to Madrid, something about family drama.

I reach for the shorts in my bedside table drawer, rising from the bed I leave the phone on my covers as I struggle putting one foot through the hole while hopping, I hear the girls call my name in question to why I haven't responded. When my leg slides through the other, I sigh in relief rushing for the phone.

"Sorry. Going downstairs now."

I don't have to switch on the lights to go down the stairs since the movement activated feature is turned on at night. I skip two at a time until I'm standing face to face with the double doors. I unlock it with the spare key on the side table.

My eyes take a second to adjust to the darkness before I can take a step. I don't have to go too far because before I see it, my foot kicks it. I reach down, patting the surface of the floor until I pick up the object — a box? I quickly close the door and lock it before heading back up.

"What is it?" One of the girls asks as I enter my bedroom, letting my phone fall onto the bed before taking a seat and swiping on the speaker feature so their voices carry out to me.

"It's a small box." I cross my legs, looking at the brown object that's no bigger than the size of a book.

"Well...are you going to open it today or?" Amber drags out, and I fight away the small smirk.

I snort, eyeing the sticker plastered on the inside. It's a promotional 'vote' with Mr. McAllister's face on it. After I take off the top, I work my way through the layers of tissue paper.

When I finally get to the last layer, I gawk, eyeing the continents.

"What is it?" Valè asks, hearing the hitch in my voice.

"The usb." The call only momentarily goes quiet before in a rush everyone is telling me to plug it in my laptop. "All right, All right!"

"God why do I feel stressed, oh my god I can feel the grays coming in already!" For once, I actually agree with Amber. As I unplug my laptop from its charger, I see my hands shake opening it up. "Is it in yet?"

"Putting in my password." I grit out, before realizing I'm being unintentionally mean. "Sorry," I lowly apologize. Amber accepts it swiftly.

Despite our differences, I've come to like Amber. I realize her front is exactly what it is — a front. A border of protection, I have no means to be mean to her for no reason anymore.

When I finally plug in the usb and it loads, I'm left staring at a black screen. Before light flashes and a scene plays out.

✘

"This is it," Eva sighs as we walk into school. I, on the other hand, am still on edge from yesterday. But for her sake, I go along with her at ease. The video replays in my mind.

"This is it." Tommy sighs, their hands linked together as I stand by their side. Her last day at Sterling.

"Now, you guys know the game plan. If I cry, you're allowed to slap me across the face. No way am I going to embarrass myself at school."

"You heard that Nai, you get to slap her." Eva and I both turn eyeing him weirdly and he rolls his eyes before explaining. "Why the hell would I be the one slapping my girlfriend?"

Eva smirks a little. "Well, you've never really had that problem —"

When what she's about to say settles in, I yelp not allowing her to finish the sentence. "Ew, ew, ew!" I block my ears.

She bursts into a fit of giggles at the reaction. "I'm joking Nai! God you need to be baptized in holy water."

"Hey, that's not my fault you're a weirdo."

"Oh, come on. As if you and Atlas were angels."

When I don't oppose, she grins and Ajay shudders, I slap his bicep at the face he makes along with it. Things were tense at the beginning when I found out about her leave, but Tommy is like a brother to me. He could never despise me for something I had no control over.

"What do you guys have first?" I ask, steering them to where my locker is. It's the furthest from theirs and I've got psychology first meaning it's in the next building over.

Ajay is about to answer, but the familiar school chime goes off from the speakers in the hallway noting an announcement is about to be made. "An immediate assembly has been called, everyone to the auditorium." It's repeated and in seconds the continuous sound of locker doors shutting travels through the hallways.

"What do you think it is?" I catch the end of some students' conversation as they lead the way to the auditorium.

"My mom was called into a meeting yesterday, but she wouldn't tell me anything." Thomas states, pulling his backpack higher on his shoulder. His mom was that one parent who always came on trips with the class. You'd think he'd be embarrassed by it, but Katalina was a catch. Everyone loved her and her never—ending bank of snacks she'd carry in her Birkin bags.

"Mine too." I add, as the brief scene plays in my head where dad had bid me goodbye before leaving. "But they had to catch a flight right after so I didn't even get to ask." Eva shrugs in cluelessness saying her parents didn't attend and we veer off the original path.

When we enter the auditorium people have already filed in, filling the back. No one wants to sit at the front where any noise made is deemed to be disrespectful and a one—way ticket to detention.

Eva points at a spot in the middle row, next to some kids who look like sophomores, and I nod following her as we walk up the stairs and take a seat, settling ourselves in.

"Is it just me or is there a negative aura?" She mutters conspiring, Ajay and I hold eye idecontact and he raises a brow. I hold in my laughter at the facial expression he pulls.

"Definitely babe, I bet it's the Gemini Leo Scorpio rising of yours." He answers, his sarcasm thick.

Eva rolls her eyes, brushing her hair out of her face. "You guys' suck." I feign innocence but she doesn't buy it.

We talk between ourselves ignoring the set up that's going on the stage, but we quiet as the lights turn on brightening the room scattered with windows further. Principal Leighton's familiar 'testing one two three,' is heard through the microphone before he starts to talk.

"It is with great disappointment that I have to announce the closing of Sterling Academy."

Everyone quiets down immediately at the bombshell. "We have had a great run for seventy—six years, but —" Principal Leighton swallows. "With all that has happened in the past two years, it would be careless to subject further students to the scandals. Sterling has always prided ourselves for being high achieving, and when that is not attainable, so isn't our running."

"So where will we all go?" A random voice in the audience calls out beside me.

"Well, it's different for every year level. Seniors are our priority as of now they will be sent to Whitlock Preparatory. Juniors, sophomores and Freshman will be —" I zone out after hearing the name. Whitlock Preparatory.

I stare down the aisles and find Amber's lingering gaze. 'Whitlock Preparatory?' she mouths, and I nod. The boarding school, like six hours away.

When I zone back in the students have started to clap Principal Leighton saying something insightful.

"Whitlock Preparatory, is the best boarding school and fortunately they have accepted each and every senior at Sterling. They have already started on building an extra dormitory and it will be finished during Winter break. But since their rooms are of generous size two people will be boarding in each." I hear horrified gasps surge through students at the mention of sharing a room. "An email has been sent out to all parents. Consequently, a school board meeting also took place yesterday where most of your guardians attended. Everyone that was there all agreed that this is the best fit for all of you." Another tense pause is taken, and I feel everyone swallowing down the information. "The new Principal, Mrs. Aveyard, was nice enough to send over a message." The large screen behind him lowers and a video begins to play.

I know very brief information about Whitlock Preparatory. They're just another high school that happens to be a boarding one due to their location. Their fees aren't relatively the largest of sum so anyone of any class can attend. Their programs however are extensive. Fencing, equestrianism and even archery are practiced.

As the video opens up so does a wide shot of the school, it's everything you could ever imagine a boarding school to look like. It's kind of like the stock image, old money mixed with modern utilities.

Halfway through a shot of the dorm rooms the screen glitches and then goes black. I take the opportunity to look away for a second in an attempt to scope out Atlas and the rest of the boys. I caught onto a conversation earlier that said they were here. And when Caleb had opened his locker mass amounts of pregnancy tests had fallen out claiming they were his.

"I get a question for catching you." A distorted voice asks on the screen, and my gaze flickers to it back.

"That's not how it works." Bailey's familiar frame answers as she squirms on the other side, obviously intoxicated. Her blonde hair falls in front of her face as she pushes it away. It looks like she's lying on a bed somewhere, but I recognize the outfit she's wearing at Lotus Hellborn's party.

The person on the other side grabs onto her and I paralyze in fear at the continents of the video on the big screen.

"Turn that fucking off!" Eva's the one to scream next to me, as we all infer what happens next.

"That's not how it's going to work now, so tell me. What's your little best friend doing seeing him?" The person pushes, their voice still distorted. I can't even tell if it's feminine or masculine. What the fuck is this video?

She looks up at the person, her pupils already dilated. She's high out of her mind. "You promised no cameras." She whispers, I feel sick.

"What the fuck is this?" Ajay is the one to say next, beating me to it.

The video doesn't stop. "Because," she giggles, hiccupping. "Let me tell you a secret." Bailey looks at the camera, directing it with her finger to come closer. The person follows in pursuit, and she cups the side of her mouth. "He made the list." She whispers, "She's getting revenge."

"By herself?"

"Don't be silly. She recruited other girls," she hiccups again, but something a lot like pain surfaces and she draws in a breath placing her hand to her head. "Nadia, Nayelie and Amber are also in on it."

I freeze. I feel Eva turning to look at me, I can already picture the horror on her face. I don't look back. I don't want to confirm the truth, but worse I don't want to see the hurt in her face from my months—long lie.

"And how'd you know that?" The person asks.

The video stops there. When I finally look down from where the large projector is I make eye contact with Luca who is holding the cord in his hand, and he looks pissed.

Instinctively, the assembly clears out one by one. I see Principal Leighton's lips move as his eyes fall onto me, but I don't hear what he's saying. Everything's being drowned out by the confession made seconds earlier.

I fixate on my spot not leaving, Nadia, Valé and Amber don't go either so I know I'm doing something right. However, when the boys are about to walk through the doors Principal Leighton stops them too. I see Atlas turn but I don't meet his gaze.

"So, it is true." Principal Leighton states as I make my way down the stairs. Amber's on the bottom level so all she has to do is stand up, and not too far off I see Valé and Nadia move in sync as they cross the surface to reach us quicker.

"Sorry, are we going to ignore what was just on the screen?" Amber asks, genuine concern in her tone.

"Ms. Zhu, don't deflect. Your entire reputation is on the line with that video."

"She's intoxicated and obviously high out of her mind." Luca states the obvious.

"What does that even have to do with anything?" Nadia presses.

Luca doesn't even turn to the girl, before answering. "That means she doesn't mean what she's saying."

"And how would you know that Mr. Cathans?" Principal Leighton stands straighter as Luca and the boys get closer, finally being close enough that they don't need to raise their voices to be heard.

"Take a long fucking guess."

"Ignoring that you said that." Principal Leighton mutters before turning to us — specifically me. "So, is it true ladies?" No one says anything. "And by your lack of reaction," he faces the boys. "You already knew." No one says anything again. "You are men!" Principal Leighton snaps, I flinch at the outburst and so does Vals.

Sage gasps, "Thank you so much for this eye-opening information."

Luca hides his smirk with the back of his palm.

"Mr. Evanders, you have quite the personality, would your father agree with this behaviour? Your mother even?" Sage quiets. "And unlike talent, your family reputation is generational."

Sage only slightly visibly sinks further into himself at the comment but the reaction of him silencing is enough for Principal Leighton to flash him a slick grin.

"Talking about generational, where's your daughter?" Amber asks, looking at the man with her head cocked.

"Constance is none of your business. All I'm here to say now is that I can't get any of you in trouble. As of now, none of you are students of Sterling. You're all on your own. Have fun with the media kids. They're brutal." With that Principal Leighton grabs the cord from off the floor and leaves us.

When I turn to face the other girls, they share a similar look on their faces: terror. Poor Nadia looks like she's about to throw her guts up. Valé keeps rubbing her throat to stop a lump from going down and Amber — she looks as if she's just realized the severity of the situation.

A ding goes off, but no one checks their phone, basking in the last moments of our media free life.

I don't realize everyone's started to walk until Amber taps me and I see the boys leading the way out of the door. For some reason, my feet won't move. Noticing, Amber squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"What's going to happen?" I ask her, now hearing the fear in my voice as reality submerges.

Amber looks at me, her face not settling me in the slightest for only one second before she puts on her façade again. Straightening her back, raising her chin, brushing hair out her face she plants on her stoic look. "You pretend you don't hear what they say, and you walk straight to your car. Get in and go home."

"What's going to happen after this?" Nadia asks, turning back, her hand intertwined with Valé's.

"Alot of legal shit," I answer, but I stupidly hope for the opposite.

When we finally walk out of the room, the double doors don't even get the opportunity too close before I feel the air shift and look up at students who now hold the truth between them.

So this is how it ends. The last day of Sterling Academy or High, or the school with 'The List' whatever you want to call it.

Welcoming Winter break.

We go out with all eyes on us.

________________

BONJOUR PAPILLONS...

WELCOME TO THE END.