Chapter 3

The next morning, the entire department gathered in the lecture hall for an assembly.

Scanning the hall, I noticed my three roommates were missing, and Raven wasn't there either. Just like in my previous life.

A sick, heavy knot twisted in my stomach.

Sure enough, right while the department dean was droning on from the podium, Raven walked through the doors. Two police officers followed close behind her, with my three roommates trailing at the back of the group.

They marched straight down the aisle toward me.

Raven stopped right in front of my seat, her eyes swollen and bloodshot. Pointing a trembling finger at me, she screamed for the whole hall to hear, "It was Skye! He assaulted me last night!"

The entire auditorium instantly exploded into chaos.

"Wait, isn't that Raven? Why is she saying Skye assaulted her?"

"Who's Raven?"

"You don't know her? She's a music major, basically the It Girl on campus!"

"Why would she accuse Skye, though?"

"Did you guys see last night? I saw Trent carrying a girl back to their dorm, and I'm pretty sure it was Raven."

"So what? Skye is so quiet. Would he really do something like that?"

"Maybe Trent just passed her off to Skye as some kind of perk or something."

The students around us buzzed with speculations, theories flying everywhere.

I stayed rooted in my chair, completely steady. In my first life, fake evidence left me trapped with no way to clear my name. In my second life, I panicked, desperately trying to prove my innocence.

This time, there wasn't a single trace of panic in me.

"Raven, drink all you want but watch your mouth," I said coldly, "Making false accusations can land you in prison."

Seeing how calm and composed I was, the four of them visibly flinched, hesitation flickering across their faces.

One of the two officers stepped forward.

"Excuse me, are you Skye Sinclair?"

I looked him dead in the eye. "That's me."

He kept his tone neutral. "We received an anonymous call this morning. When we arrived on scene, Raven was lying in your dorm bed. Her statement matches the statements given by your three roommates, all claiming that you took advantage of her while she was intoxicated last night.

“That constitutes sexual assault. Can you tell us where you were last night?”