Chapter 10: Broken vows mended hearts

Anna's  feet pounded against the cold hallway floor as if she could outrun evil itself. She clutched Olivia's  journal to her chest like a sacred relic,her breath ragged, her eyes wide with fear and fire. Behind her, footsteps thundered. Doors creaked open. Voices called her name- not with concern, but with intent. She burst through the side corridor, turning sharply  towards the administrative  place. She headed towards the principal's  office.  She burst into the  principal's  office without knocking, shoving the door open so hard it slammed against the wall.

“Principal Hawthorne!” She shouted. The head of the school,a tall, grey haired man with a stone set jaw and eyes colder than marble, looked up slowly from his desk. “Anna,” He said calmly but cold. “What is the meaning of all this disruption?”. She didnt answer or apologise  for barging in. She just  went straight to the point. “ I  need to speak to you now”, She said, voice hoarse but determined. The principal blinked as if he were mildly amused by a fly that had landed  on his desk.

He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands across his chest. “ What scandal are we creating today?”. Anna threw the journal on his desk with a shaky  hand. “Read it it’s Olivia  journal. She wrote everything. She  didn't fall. She didnt  commit suicide. She was raped by Mr  Matthew, the biology  teacher”.

The office became quiet for a moment. 

Then he laughed . It was cold, cruel and echoing.  He didn't  even touch the journal. 

“My dear girl,” he said mockingly, “ Do you expect me to believe a tale of rape and  murder based on the Scribbles of a hormonal teenager and the rantings of a hysterical little orphan?”. Anna blinked, stunned. She was expecting  the principal  to support  her and  take her side, but it was the other  way round.  “ Olivia was dying inside and you all watched her fade and did nothing!” . “Olivia was troubled”, He said with a shrug. “But she had a bright future. You.. you were always the stray cat tagging along. The charity case”. His words sliced through her. “I'm  not lying”, She  whispered. 

“Oh, but lying is all you have ever been good at”, he sneered. “You  show up here, already carrying your mother's  madness in your blood. You spin stories and stir pity like it's  your profession. Always, the poor, broken girl no one loves. Anna  took a step back, her eyes stinging. He wasnt finished. “You have no family.  No money. No future.  You are a girl who should be grateful we let you in. But instead ,you barge into  my office throwing around rape accusations as if this is a soap opera and a tragic  heroine”.  His voice rose now, sharp and booming.  “You think anyone will believe  you over one of our most respected staff  members? Do you want to destroy a man's  career just because you are jealous  no one ever looked at you the way they looked at Olivia?”. Tears brimmed in Anna's  eyes. “ I'm  not jealous.  I'm  telling the truth”. “I've  heard enough,” he snapped. “And believe  me, so will the others”.  Before she could  move, he pressed a button on the intercom  and  said, “Attention: All students and staff, please gather in the great hall immediately. A very important  announcements  is about to be made”.

Anna's  stomach  dropped. “ What are you doing?”. He smiled thinly. “Teaching  you a lesson”. 

Some moment  later, Hundreds of eyes turned to Anna as she was dragged in by  two security  staff. Hawthorne stood  on the podium like a judge, cool and towering.  The buzz of confused whispers rose like a storm.

“Students, faculty, thank you for assembling on such short notice. I’ve called you here because it has come to my attention that a certain student has been spreading vicious and unfounded allegations threatening not only the reputation of this institution, but the future of innocent staff.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Anna stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat.

The principal turned to face her, pointing as if she were a plague.

“This student,Anna  Earnshaw has accused one of our most beloved teachers, Mr. Matthew, of unspeakable acts. She has claimed, without evidence, that Olivia Montgomery was… murdered.”

Now the gasps became louder. A few people began whispering.

“She’s lying!” Anna shouted, voice cracking. “Read the journal—Olivia wrote everything—”

But Hawthorne raised a hand, silencing her.

“What she has done is not just disrespectful. It’s delusional. This is not the first time Miss Earnshaw  has shown signs of instability. She has a troubled history, and it seems her trauma has finally taken over.”

Laughter. Mocking. A student from the back snickered.

“Crazy Anna strikes again.”

“She’s just mad she’s not Olivia.”

Anna’s legs felt like they might collapse.

“You all loved Olivia,” she said weakly. “But none of you saw how broken she was.”

“She’s dead, Anna,” Principal Hawthorne said coldly. “And we will not let your fantasies soil her memory or ruin an innocent man’s life.”

Then he gestured to the guards. “Escort her to her dorm. She will be suspended until further notice. She will not be allowed  to come to class and also not be allowed to eat any  food in the dining. If she continues to harass staff or students, we will have no choice but to notify authorities and remove her from the academy permanently.”

“No! Please! I’m telling the truth!” Anna cried out.

But it was too late.

The guards grabbed her arms. Her shoes scraped the marble floor as they dragged her away.

As she passed through the rows of students, she saw their faces—some were smirking, others shaking their heads. Only a few looked uncertain. None moved to help her.

Her journal lay forgotten on the principal’s podium.

Tears blurred her vision.

She wasn’t just humiliated.

She was buried

  

They shoved her outside, and the heavy doors slammed shut behind her.

Rain began to fall. Cold. Soaking through her uniform.

Anna collapsed onto the steps.

She was nothing.

Just the orphan girl. The liar. The reject.

But as the rain poured, as the tears mixed with the storm, she whispered:

“I’m not done. I swear on Olivia’s soul… I’m not done.”