HIGH SCHOOL DIARIES (A Tale Of Love And Deception)

Meanwhile Emily slammed the door to her dormitory shut, her heart pounding in her chest. Her vision was blurred by tears as she staggered to her bed and collapsed onto it, burying her face in the pillow. The weight of the confrontation between Abigail and Damian pressed heavily on her soul.

Abigail had fought for her, risked everything to protect her secret, and what had Emily done in return? She had stood there, frozen, a useless bystander.

"How could I let this happen?" Emily sobbed into her pillow. "Abigail deserved better. She shouldn't have fought for someone like me, why am I this useless…"

The guilt gnawed at her insides like a relentless beast. She replayed the fight in her mind—the poison arrows, the clash of their powers, and finally, Abigail's narrow escape. Emily felt like she had betrayed her closest friend.

A soft knock at the door startled her. She didn't answer, hoping whoever it was would go away. But the door creaked open anyway.

"Emily," Slyvia's gentle voice called.

Emily didn't look up, but she felt the bed sink as Slyvia sat beside her.

"I heard what happened," Slyvia said, her tone soothing. "It's not your fault, Emily. Abigail's choices were her own and I am also sorry for saying such an unreasonable thing this is not the moment we are friends after all."

Emily finally raised her head, her red-rimmed eyes locking onto Slyvia's. "But she did it for me, Slyvia. She fought Damian because of me. And now I am afraid something has happened to her, what if she's gone—who knows where—probably because of something I said or did and I am so sorry Slyvia I miss you so much."

Slyvia reached out to touch her shoulder, but Emily pulled away.

"You don't understand," Emily whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm not worth it. I'm not worth anyone's sacrifice."

"Don't say that," Slyvia insisted. "We all have our flaws, Emily. Nobody's perfect."

Emily shook her head, her guilt threatening to choke her. "You don't know the things I've done, Slyvia. If you did, you wouldn't be sitting here."

Slyvia's expression softened with concern. "What are you talking about?"

Emily's hands trembled as she clutched the bedsheet. She couldn't keep it in any longer.

"Catherine," Emily began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was the reason she almost died."

Slyvia's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"It was me," Emily confessed, tears streaming down her face. "I pushed her—almost to her death—because I was jealous of her. Jealous of her beauty, her body shape, her everything."

Slyvia sat in stunned silence, the weight of Emily's confession settling between them.

"That's not all," Emily continued, her voice cracking. "Lamia… I almost killed him. I betrayed him for favors, for things I wanted. And then…" She swallowed hard, her voice breaking. "I released Michael."

Slyvia's breath hitched.

"The same Michael who…"

Emily nodded, shame overwhelming her. "I let him out, knowing what he'd do. And he hurt Lamia—hurt him in ways I can never undo."

Slyvia's face hardened, her usual calm demeanor giving way to a mix of anger and disappointment. "Emily, why? How could you—"

"I don't know!" Emily cried, burying her face in her hands. "I was selfish, stupid, and cruel. And now Abigail's paying the price for my mistakes. Everyone is."

For a moment, the room was silent except for Emily's sobs. Then Slyvia stood, her voice firm.

"You can't change the past, Emily," she said. "But you can try to make things right. Sitting here and crying won't help anyone."

Emily looked up, her eyes searching Slyvia's face for any hint of forgiveness. "Do you think I can? Do you think I can ever make up for what I've done?"

Slyvia hesitated, then nodded. "I don't know if you can fix everything, but you have to try. For Catherine, for Lamia, and for yourself."

---

While Emily wrestled with her guilt, Abigail stormed through the dark, hidden corridors of the school's underground passages. Her footsteps echoed ominously as she descended deeper into the labyrinth, her clothes torn and hair wild from the earlier fight.

Her face was a mask of fury, her brown eyes glowing with an unnatural light. The air around her crackled with residual magic, a testament to the rage bubbling within her.

Abigail muttered to herself, her voice dripping with venom. "He thought he could humiliate me. That sanctimonious Damian. And Peter...so weak, so undeserving of that leadership."

But it wasn't just Damian or Peter that fueled her rage. It was the memory of the woman who had ruined her family, shattered her father's love for her mother, and poisoned his mind against them.

Ruth.

That name was like acid on her tongue. Abigail's fists clenched as she reached the edge of a deep, dark pit in the underground chamber. The air was damp, the scent of mildew and decay clinging to her.

She muttered an incantation under her breath, and the pit began to tremble. Slowly, a rusted, iron cage rose from its depths, creaking and groaning with the effort. Inside the cage was a woman, her once-beautiful face now haggard and pale, her eyes wide with terror.

"Abigail," Ruth croaked, her voice hoarse. "Please… you don't have to do this."

Abigail's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Don't I?"

---

Abigail waved her hand, and the cage door creaked open. With another gesture, Ruth was dragged out by invisible chains, her body slamming against the cold, stone floor.

"Do you know what you did to me?" Abigail hissed, her voice shaking with fury. "To my family? You destroyed us. You stole my father's love, poisoned his mind, and left my mother to wither away in despair. And for what? Your own selfish desires?"

Ruth sobbed, her tears mixing with the grime on her face. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone, Abigail. I loved your father—"

"Liar!" Abigail screamed, her magic flaring. The chains tightened around Ruth's limbs, cutting into her skin.

Abigail conjured a massive seesaw blade, its edges glinting wickedly in the dim light. She held it aloft, her eyes blazing.

"You don't deserve to speak," Abigail snarled. "You don't deserve to breathe."

Ruth struggled, her muffled cries filling the chamber as Abigail raised the blade high. With a savage swing, the blade came down, slicing through Ruth's arm. Blood spattered across the stone floor, the metallic scent filling the air.

Abigail didn't stop. She swung again, this time aiming for Ruth's chest. The blade tore through flesh and bone, Ruth's screams echoing until they were abruptly cut off.

When it was over, Abigail stood over the mangled body, her chest heaving. The blade dripped with blood, and the chamber was silent except for the steady drip of liquid onto the floor.

"You deserved this," Abigail said coldly, wiping a streak of blood from her face.

She turned and walked away, leaving the remains of Ruth behind as the cage descended back into the pit.

---